Ezra 3 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Ezra 3

Rebuilding the Altar

3:1 When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem. 2 Then arose Jeshua the son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law of Moses the man of God. 3 They set the altar in its place, for fear was on them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening. 4 And they kept the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number according to the rule, as each day required, 5 and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the appointed feasts of the LORD, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill offering to the LORD. 6 From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. 7 So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.

Rebuilding the Temple

8 Now in the second year after their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to supervise the work of the house of the LORD. 9 And Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together supervised the workmen in the house of God, along with the sons of Henadad and the Levites, their sons and brothers.

10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to the directions of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD,

“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”

And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away.

Commentary

v1: Having arrived in Jerusalem, the people gathered together to worship God. They returned to the city chosen by God; 2 Chr 6.6; Ps 132.13-16. If they wanted to enjoy God's blessing, this was the place to be.

v2: There was Jeshua and other priests, with Zerubbabel with other leaders; they worked together to rebuild the altar, and they sacrificed offerings. This was important, as the basis of communion with God, and as a testimony to the nations.

v3: The people were afraid, for there were people around who were antagonistic, aggressive, threatening; attacks were not long in coming (ch 4). In spite of this fear, they continued to offer sacrifices.

All who truly love God will find conflict from those who do not; we must remain faithful in serving God.

v4: They observed the Feast of Tabernacles; the writer emphasises that they did so in accordance with what was written; they worshipped God God's way; there is a proper order which must be observed. We note too that to sacrifice animals was something costly, given that the people had only just returned to Judah.

The Christian looks to Acts 2.42 for the basis of his worship; the Lord's supper, fellowship, teaching of Scripture, and prayer.

v5: God's word, properly understood, is not a burden, but the route to freedom. Here obedience to the Word gave the people freedom to bring their freewill offerings. Proper order provides for a spontaneous and personal response.

v6-7: Although the foundation for the temple had not yet been made, provision was made for it to be laid.

v8-9: Zerubbabel was of the kingly line, 1 Chr 3.17-19. He and Jeshua the High Priest (4.3; 5.2) began to lead the people. Seven months after worship was restored, the Levites were set apart to oversee the work on the temple. Part of their responsibility was the building of the temple; Num 1.50; 1 Chr 23.27-32.

v10-11: The foundation was important, although invisible. The people rightly came together to praise God for this development. Our foundations; in understanding (Heb 6.1-3), in love (Eph 3.17), in Christ (Col 2.7).

The style of worship introduced by David, with trumpets, cymbals, singing, was now revived.

v12-13: An emotional moment as the people considered the progress made. Since the sound was heard far away, others would take an interest in events in Jerusalem, and they may not all be sympathetic to the building of the temple.