The Meaning of Ezra 4:1 Explained

Ezra 4:1

KJV: Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;

YLT: And adversaries of Judah and Benjamin hear that the sons of the captivity are building a temple to Jehovah, God of Israel,

Darby: And the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building the temple to Jehovah the God of Israel;

ASV: Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple unto Jehovah, the God of Israel;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now when the adversaries  of Judah  and Benjamin  heard  that the children  of the captivity  builded  the temple  unto the LORD  God  of Israel; 

What does Ezra 4:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 4:1-10 - The Building Of The Temple Opposed
So long as you lead a languid and unaggressive life, the enemy will leave you alone, but directly you begin to build God's temple, you may count on His strenuous opposition. When we are permitted to go on from day to day without much temptation, we may fear that we are doing little to destroy evil and construct good. But the virulent hate of the wicked one is a comfortable sign that his kingdom is suffering serious damage. Let us so live that we may give the devil good reason to fear and hate us. There is a stronger than he. We must beware of the proposal to join in with the ungodly. Their arguments may sound very fair and appeal to a false liberality of sentiment, but the golden cup contains poison, and beneath the kiss is the traitor's hand. This is why so many fair enterprises have miscarried. They have seemed to afford common ground for cooperation with the false and counterfeit Israel, but they have ended in disillusion and disappointment. Though the Jews excited the intense hatred and opposition of their would-be helpers, their policy of exclusiveness was amply justified by the result. The old proverb reminds us that we must never trust our enemies when they offer blandishments and gifts. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 4

1  The adversaries, being not accepted in the building of the temple with the Jews,
4  endeavor to hinder it
7  Their letter to Artaxerxes
17  The answer and decree of Artaxerxes
23  The building is hindered

What do the individual words in Ezra 4:1 mean?

And when heard the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin that the descendants of the captivity were building the temple of Yahweh God of Israel
וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ צָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן כִּֽי־ בְנֵ֤י הַגּוֹלָה֙ בּוֹנִ֣ים הֵיכָ֔ל לַיהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל

וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֔וּ  And  when  heard 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
צָרֵ֥י  the  adversaries 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.
יְהוּדָ֖ה  of  Judah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְהוּדָה  
Sense: the son of Jacob by Leah.
וּבִנְיָמִ֑ן  and  Benjamin 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: בִּנְיָמִין 
Sense: Jacob’s and Rachel’s youngest son, Joseph’s full brother.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בְנֵ֤י  the  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הַגּוֹלָה֙  of  the  captivity 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: גֹּולָה  
Sense: exiles, exile, captivity.
בּוֹנִ֣ים  were  building 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
הֵיכָ֔ל  the  temple 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: הֵיכָל  
Sense: palace, temple, nave, sanctuary.
לַיהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֥י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.