The Meaning of Ezra 3:13 Explained

Ezra 3:13

KJV: So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

YLT: and the people are not discerning the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people are shouting -- a great shout -- and the noise hath been heard unto a distance.

Darby: And the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a great shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

ASV: so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So that the people  could not discern  the noise  of the shout  of joy  from the noise  of the weeping  of the people:  for the people  shouted  with a loud  shout,  and the noise  was heard  afar off. 

What does Ezra 3:13 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 3:8-13 - The Foundation Of The Temple Laid
Foundation-laying is not always pleasant work. It means toil under ground, down in the trenches, unnoticed and unknown, and those who begin are often not permitted to finish. But amid all, the minstrel Hope brought her harp, and sang her sweet strains of encouragement. In spite of the fewness and poverty of the builders, the voice of Inspiration had assured them that the glory of the latter house should surpass that of the former. So by the reckoning of faith, in sure anticipation that God would keep His word, the builders encircled their foundations with their songs. But the same event excited tears and shoutings. The old men looked back, and as they contrasted the impoverished and diminished condition of their people with the opulent crowds that had thronged the courts of Solomon's Temple, they could not restrain their tears. The young, new generation had not the same retrospect or ideals and, filled with hope of that which was to be, they could not restrain their shouts, which were heard afar off. "We have been," said the graybeards, "and the good old times were better than these." "We shall be," said the young, "and we will make the coming days better than any that have been since the beginning of the world!" [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 3

1  The altar is set up
4  Offerings renewed
7  Workmen employed in preparing materials
8  The foundations of the temple are laid in great joy and mourning

What do the individual words in Ezra 3:13 mean?

So that not the people could discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people for shouted with a shout loud and the sound was heard even to afar off -
וְאֵ֣ין הָעָ֗ם מַכִּירִים֙ ק֚וֹל תְּרוּעַ֣ת הַשִּׂמְחָ֔ה לְק֖וֹל בְּכִ֣י הָעָ֑ם כִּ֣י מְרִיעִים֙ תְּרוּעָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֔ה וְהַקּ֥וֹל נִשְׁמַ֖ע עַד־ לְמֵרָחֽוֹק פ

וְאֵ֣ין  So  that  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
הָעָ֗ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מַכִּירִים֙  could  discern 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: נָכַר 
Sense: to recognise, acknowledge, know, respect, discern, regard.
ק֚וֹל  the  noise 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
תְּרוּעַ֣ת  of  the  shout 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תְּרוּעָה  
Sense: alarm, signal, sound of tempest, shout, shout or blast of war or alarm or j oy.
הַשִּׂמְחָ֔ה  of  joy 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׂמְחָה  
Sense: joy, mirth, gladness.
לְק֖וֹל  from  the  noise 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
בְּכִ֣י  of  the  weeping 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בְּכִי  
Sense: a weeping, weeping.
הָעָ֑ם  of  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מְרִיעִים֙  shouted 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine plural
Root: רוּעַ  
Sense: to shout, raise a sound, cry out, give a blast.
תְּרוּעָ֣ה  with  a  shout 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּרוּעָה  
Sense: alarm, signal, sound of tempest, shout, shout or blast of war or alarm or j oy.
גְדוֹלָ֔ה  loud 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וְהַקּ֥וֹל  and  the  sound 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: קֹול 
Sense: voice, sound, noise.
נִשְׁמַ֖ע  was  heard 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
עַד־  even  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
לְמֵרָחֽוֹק  afar  off 
Parse: Preposition-l, Preposition-m, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רָחֹוק  
Sense: remote, far, distant, distant lands, distant ones.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation