Opposition to Rebuilding the Temple

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin(A) heard that the returned exiles[a](B) were building a temple for Yahweh, the God of Israel, they approached Zerubbabel and the leaders of the families and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we also worship your God and have been sacrificing to Him[b] since the time King Esar-haddon of Assyria[c] brought us here.”(C)

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other leaders of Israel’s families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God,(D) since we alone must build it for Yahweh, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”(E)

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Footnotes

  1. Ezra 4:1 Lit the sons of the exile
  2. Ezra 4:2 Alt Hb tradition reads have not been sacrificing
  3. Ezra 4:2 Esar-haddon reigned 681–669 b.c.

11 Light dawns[a][b] for the righteous,
gladness for the upright in heart.(A)

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 97:11 One Hb ms, LXX, some ancient versions read rises to shine; Ps 112:4
  2. Psalm 97:11 Lit Light is sown

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