Ezra 5 11

Ezra 5:11 kjv

And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

Ezra 5:11 nkjv

And thus they returned us an answer, saying: "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and completed.

Ezra 5:11 niv

This is the answer they gave us: "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago, one that a great king of Israel built and finished.

Ezra 5:11 esv

And this was their reply to us: 'We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.

Ezra 5:11 nlt

"This was their answer: 'We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the Temple that was built here many years ago by a great king of Israel.

Ezra 5 verses

Ezra 5 11 Meaning

Ezra 5:11 records the exiles' response to the Persian officials inquiring about their Temple reconstruction. The Jewish leaders declared themselves "servants of the God of heaven and earth," thereby asserting their unique identity and their God's supreme authority over all creation. They explained that they were rebuilding the House of God, the Temple, which was originally built by King Solomon many years ago, affirming its historical legitimacy and its status as a foundational element of their faith and peoplehood.

Ezra 5 11 Context

Ezra 5 describes the resumption of the Temple rebuilding project in Jerusalem, which had been dormant for many years due to opposition from surrounding peoples (Ezra 4). Motivated by the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1-2), Zerubbabel and Jeshua, along with the elders, recommenced the work. This activity drew the attention of Tattenai, the Persian governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai, who demanded to know by what authority they were building (Ezra 5:3-5).

The Jewish leaders responded with a detailed account of their history and their commission. They recounted Nebuchadnezzar's destruction of the first temple, the seventy years of exile, and crucially, King Cyrus's decree that allowed their return and authorized the rebuilding of the house of God in Jerusalem, even providing materials and returning the temple vessels. This verse (5:11) is part of their self-introduction and justification to the Persian officials, emphasizing their religious identity and the continuity of their project with an earlier, legitimate, and magnificent structure. It frames their actions not as rebellion, but as divinely sanctioned obedience and historical restoration.

Ezra 5 11 Word analysis

• And thus they returned us word: This phrase signifies the immediate, direct verbal response provided by the Jewish leaders to the Persian authorities, Tattenai and Shethar-Bozenai. It indicates a clear communication.
• saying, ‘We are the servants: The Aramaic word for "servants" is ʿabdīn (עַבְדִּין), implying a bond of loyal and obedient devotion. It’s a declaration of identity and allegiance, signifying their dedication and subordination to their God. It establishes their motive as religious duty, not political insurgency.
• of the God: The Aramaic word is ʾElāh (אֱלָהּ), a common term for God. Its usage in Ezra/Daniel (often as "God of heaven") by non-Israelites or in an imperial context underlines God's universal reach beyond merely being a tribal deity.
• of heaven and earth: In Aramaic, shĕmayyā wĕʾarʿā (שְׁמַיָּא וְאַרְעָא). This comprehensive phrase emphasizes the God's supreme sovereignty as the Creator and Ruler of all realms, both the celestial and the terrestrial. This designation elevates their God above any regional deities or imperial powers, establishing Him as the ultimate authority to whom even kings like Cyrus and Darius answer. It implicitly critiques the limitations of pagan polytheism.
• and we are rebuilding: The Aramaic verb is bĕnêh (בָּנַינָה), indicating an active and ongoing construction. This confirms their current activity aligns with a specific purpose rooted in their divine identity.
• the house that was built many years ago: Refers to the First Temple, built by King Solomon. The phrase "many years ago" (שְׁנִין שַׂגִּיאָן) highlights the antiquity and historical continuity of their sacred structure, asserting its long-established legitimacy. It shows that their work is not new, but a restoration of something venerable and ancient.
• which a great king of Israel built and finished: This unequivocally points to King Solomon (cf. 1 Kgs 6-7). Referring to him as "a great king of Israel" ('meleḵ gĕḏōl), a divinely chosen monarch, further solidifies the Temple's significant past and glorious heritage. The fact that it was "finished" (ḵălēlēh) by him implies completion and divine approval for the initial construction, providing a strong precedent for its re-establishment.

Ezra 5 11 Bonus section

The use of Aramaic for Ezra 5:11, as with large portions of Ezra (Ezra 4:8–6:18; 7:12–26), reflects the administrative language of the Persian Empire. This choice demonstrates that the account preserves the direct interaction between the Jewish community and the Persian officials in the lingua franca of their time, adding to its historical authenticity. The title "God of heaven" (and "heaven and earth") frequently appears in the post-exilic books (Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel), signifying a theological shift towards a more transcendent understanding of God's power, fitting for a scattered people in a global empire. It helped articulate to imperial powers that the God of Israel was not a local deity confined to Jerusalem but the supreme ruler over all creation, justifying their claims and endeavors before gentile authorities.

Ezra 5 11 Commentary

Ezra 5:11 encapsulates the core of the Jewish response to Persian inquiry regarding their Temple reconstruction. Their opening statement, "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth," is profoundly significant. It's an immediate declaration of identity rooted in an exclusive and all-encompassing relationship with Yahweh. By using the title "God of heaven and earth," they assert His universal sovereignty and creative power, effectively stating that their allegiance is to the ultimate Authority. This wasn't merely a cultural identifier but a theological assertion meant for a pagan audience, declaring their God's supremacy over all gods and rulers, including the Persian emperor himself.

Their subsequent explanation details their activity as "rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished." This serves as their historical and legitimate justification. They weren't erecting a new, unauthorized structure but restoring a divinely commissioned sanctuary with a rich history, sanctioned by a past king whose greatness further underscored the temple's importance. This linking to the Solomonic temple (First Temple) served to remind their interrogators of the established nature of their faith and the deep historical roots of their project. Their defense hinges on presenting themselves not as a rebellious faction but as a religious community fulfilling an ancient, legitimate mandate, blessed by their universally powerful God. This response ultimately set the stage for Darius to find Cyrus's decree and grant the Jews further assistance.