Table of Contents
Rebuilding the Altar and Resuming Worship (Ezra 3:1-6)
Ezra 3:1-3 When the seventh month came, and the Israelites had settled in their towns, the people gathered in Jerusalem. They gathered as one person. Then Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates, began to build the altar of the God of Israel. It was for offering burnt offerings on it, according to what is written in the Law of Moses, the man of God. They built the altar on its old site. They did so even though they were afraid of the peoples around them. They offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, morning and evening. These verses describe a pivotal moment. The exiles had just returned to Jerusalem. They first gathered together. This act of unity was very important. Their first priority was not building their homes. It was to restore worship. They rebuilt the altar. It was a central symbol of their faith. The altar was for atonement and reconciliation with God. The leaders, Jeshua and Zerubbabel, took charge of this project. They did this out of fear of the surrounding peoples. This fear was a practical motivator. It drove them to seek God’s protection through worship and sacrifice. The act of rebuilding the altar was a step of faith. It was done before the temple was built. It showed their commitment to God.
Ezra 3:4-6 Then they celebrated the Festival of Booths as it is written. They offered the required burnt offerings daily. They offered them according to the number prescribed for each day. After that, they offered the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon sacrifices, and all the appointed holy feasts of the Lord. They also offered the sacrifices of everyone who brought a freewill offering to the Lord. From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord. The foundation of the Lord’s temple was not yet laid. This section highlights the resumption of the religious calendar. The people celebrated the Festival of Booths (or Shelters). This festival reminded them of their time in the wilderness. It was a time of rejoicing in God’s provision. They followed the law precisely. They offered the sacrifices every day. This was a sign of their dedication. Even without a completed temple, they were faithful to God’s commands. This shows that their worship was not dependent on a building. It was dependent on their hearts. The text emphasizes that they did this before the foundation of the temple was laid. This shows their focus was on the spiritual act of worship itself.
Preparing for the Temple (Ezra 3:7-9)
Ezra 3:7 They also gave money to the masons and carpenters. They gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre. This was so they would bring cedar logs from Lebanon to Joppa by sea. It was done according to the permission they had from Cyrus king of Persia. This verse describes the practical steps taken to prepare for the temple’s construction. The people were well organized. They hired skilled workers and paid them. They also arranged for materials. Cedar logs from Lebanon were a traditional building material for the temple. The original temple built by Solomon used them. The people were following a historical precedent. The arrangement with Tyre and Sidon shows that they were still connected to the surrounding world. The permission from Cyrus was essential for this project.
Ezra 3:8-9 In the second month of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Jeshua son of Jozadak, and the rest of their associates, the priests, the Levites, and all who had returned from the exile to Jerusalem, began the work. They appointed the Levites from twenty years old and upward to supervise the work on the temple of the Lord. Jeshua with his sons and relatives, Kadmiel and his sons, the descendants of Hodaviah, supervised the workers. The sons of Henadad with their sons and relatives, the Levites, did so as well. These verses detail the start of the temple construction. It was a structured effort. The leaders, Zerubbabel and Jeshua, took the lead. They appointed Levites to be supervisors. This was a wise decision. The Levites had a central role in temple service. They knew the traditions. Their involvement ensured that the work would be done properly. The specific mention of family names shows the collective effort. The entire community was involved in this project.
The Laying of the Temple’s Foundation (Ezra 3:10-13)
Ezra 3:10-11 When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their vestments with trumpets. The Levites, the sons of Asaph, stood with cymbals. They were to praise the Lord according to the instructions of David king of Israel. They sang antiphonally to praise and give thanks to the Lord: “He is good; his love to Israel endures forever.” All the people gave a great shout. They praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. This was a moment of great celebration. The foundation of the temple was a milestone. The praise was organized. It was done according to the customs of David. It was not a spontaneous moment. The priests and Levites were in their proper places. The song they sang was well-known. It was a song of enduring love and faithfulness. The people’s shout of praise showed their great joy. It was a moment of deep gratitude. It symbolized their return to the land and to God.
Ezra 3:12-13 Many of the older priests, Levites, and family heads who had seen the former temple wept loudly when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid. But many others shouted for joy. The people could not distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping. The sound was heard far away. This final section is a bittersweet scene. It highlights a mix of emotions. The younger generation rejoiced. For them, it was a new beginning. But the older generation wept. They remembered the glory of Solomon’s temple. This new temple was smaller and less glorious. Their weeping was not out of despair. It was out of memory and grief. It was a realization of how far they had fallen. The sound of both joy and weeping was indistinguishable. This shows the complex nature of the event. It was a day of both celebration and sorrow. It was a powerful reminder of both loss and new hope.
A Verse by Verse Commentary
Ezra 3:1-3: Worship Restored The returning exiles’ first act was to rebuild the altar. They did this before they built their own homes. This shows their priority was God. The fear of their enemies drove them to seek God’s protection. The leadership of Jeshua and Zerubbabel was key to this effort.
Ezra 3:4-6: A Precise Calendar The people observed the Festival of Booths. This showed their commitment to God’s law. They resumed the daily sacrifices. This was a sign of their spiritual renewal. They did this even without a temple. This proves that their faith was not dependent on a physical building.
Ezra 3:7: Practical Preparation The people were organized. They paid for materials and labor. They brought in cedar logs from Lebanon. This shows a planned and thoughtful approach to the building project. The permission from Cyrus made this work possible.
Ezra 3:8-9: Orderly Construction The Levites were appointed to supervise the work. This shows a proper division of labor. It also highlights the Levites’ central role in the temple project. The entire community was involved in the rebuilding.
Ezra 3:10-11: Praise and Joy The laying of the foundation was a reason to celebrate. The priests and Levites played a key role. They sang a song of enduring love. This shows a strong connection to the past. The people’s shout was a sign of their great joy.
Ezra 3:12-13: Weeping and Joy The older generation wept. They remembered the glory of Solomon’s temple. The younger generation rejoiced. They had never seen the old temple. This created a powerful mix of emotions. It was a day of both grief and hope.
Cross references
Ezra 3:1 with Nehemiah 8:1 Nehemiah 8:1 describes the people gathering together “as one man.” This shows unity. This same phrase is used in Ezra 3:1. This unity was essential for the spiritual and physical restoration of Jerusalem.
Ezra 3:2 with Haggai 1:14 and Zechariah 4:6 The prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the people to rebuild the temple. Haggai 1:14 says God stirred up the spirits of Zerubbabel and Jeshua. This shows that the rebuilding effort was a work of God’s Spirit.
Ezra 3:4 with Leviticus 23:33-43 The Festival of Booths is commanded in Leviticus. The people of Ezra’s time are following the Law precisely. This shows their commitment to returning to God’s ways.
Ezra 3:11 with 1 Chronicles 16:34 The song of praise, “He is good, and his love endures forever,” is a common theme in the Psalms. It is also found in 1 Chronicles 16:34. This shows that the people are singing the same song of praise as their ancestors.
Ezra 3:12 with Haggai 2:3 The prophet Haggai speaks directly to the older people who remembered the first temple. He acknowledges that the new temple seems inferior. This confirms the scene described in Ezra 3. It shows that God was aware of their feelings.