The Meaning of Ezra 5:3 Explained

Ezra 5:3

KJV: At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

YLT: At that time come to them hath Tatnai, governor beyond the river, and Shethar-Boznai, and their companions, and thus they are saying to them, 'Who hath made for you a decree this house to build, and this wall to finish?'

Darby: At that time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus to them: Who gave you orders to build this house and to complete this wall?

ASV: At the same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

At the same time  came  to them Tatnai {08674}, governor  on this side  the river,  and Shetharboznai,  and their companions,  and said  thus  unto them,  Who  hath commanded  you to build  this  house,  and to make up  this  wall? 

What does Ezra 5:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 5:1-17 - The Mission Of Haggai And Zechariah
It is necessary to read the books of Haggai and Zechariah to see what difficulties the leaders of the people had to meet, and how much they needed the help of the prophets. At last matters were brought to an issue by the failure of the crops, which gave the prophets additional arguments. When God's judgments are abroad in the earth, men learn righteousness. As soon as the rebuilding began after a lapse of fifteen years, another letter was sent to the metropolis for advice. Tatnai appears to have been incited by the Samaritans, and he made a visit of personal inspection. His account of the proceedings is very graphic. The eye of God is on those whose hearts are perfect towards Him, Ezra 5:5; 2 Chronicles 16:9; Psalms 33:18. It is very well to imitate these elders in giving an answer in meekness and fear, but not terrified by our adversaries, 1 Peter 3:12; 1 Peter 3:15. If God has clearly set us to do work for Him, let us go through with it in spite of all human opposition. Storms are the methods by which He reveals our weakness and His all-sufficiency. The walls of the spiritual temple are built "in troublous times," but the work goeth fast on. The rulers of this world cannot understand and gnash impotently with their teeth, God's plan shall stand, though earth be in arms to resist it. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 5

1  Zerubbabel and Jeshua, incited by Haggai and Zechariah, set forward to building
3  Tattenai and Shethar-Bozenai are not able to hinder the Jews
6  Their letter to Darius against the Jews

What do the individual words in Ezra 5:3 mean?

At same time the came to them Tattenai the governor of [the region] beyond River the and Shethar-boznai and their companions and thus spoke to them who has commanded you command temple this to build and wall this finish -
בֵּהּ־ זִמְנָא֩ אֲתָ֨א עֲלֵיה֜וֹן תַּ֠תְּנַי פַּחַ֧ת עֲבַֽר־ נַהֲרָ֛ה וּשְׁתַ֥ר בּוֹזְנַ֖י וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן וְכֵן֙ אָמְרִ֣ין לְהֹ֔ם מַן־ שָׂ֨ם לְכֹ֜ם טְעֵ֗ם בַּיְתָ֤א דְנָה֙ לִבְּנֵ֔א ؟ וְאֻשַּׁרְנָ֥א דְנָ֖ה לְשַׁכְלָלָֽה ס

בֵּהּ־  At 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵב  
Sense: freshness, fresh green, green shoots, or greenery.
זִמְנָא֩  same  time  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: זְמַן  
Sense: a set time, time, season.
אֲתָ֨א  came 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֲתָה  
Sense: to come, arrive.
עֲלֵיה֜וֹן  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: עַל  
Sense: upon, over, on account of, above, to, against.
תַּ֠תְּנַי  Tattenai 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: תַּתְּנַי  
Sense: a Persian governor in Syria who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem.
פַּחַ֧ת  the  governor  of  [the  region] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: פֶּחָה  
Sense: governor.
עֲבַֽר־  beyond 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: עֲבַר  
Sense: region beyond or across.
נַהֲרָ֛ה  River  the 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: נְהַר  
Sense: river.
בּוֹזְנַ֖י  Shethar-boznai 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁתַר בֹּוזְנַי  
Sense: a Persian officer in the reign of Darius.
וּכְנָוָתְה֑וֹן  and  their  companions 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: כְּנָת  
Sense: companion, associate.
וְכֵן֙  and  thus 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: כֵּן  
Sense: thus, so, as follows.
אָמְרִ֣ין  spoke 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: אֲמַר  
Sense: (P’al) to say, to speak, to command, to tell, to relate.
לְהֹ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
שָׂ֨ם  has  commanded 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שִׂים  
Sense: to set, make, appoint.
טְעֵ֗ם  command 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טְעֵם  
Sense: decree, taste, judgment, command.
בַּיְתָ֤א  temple 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: בַּיִת  
Sense: house (of men).
דְנָה֙  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: דְּנָה  
Sense: this, on account of this adv.
לִבְּנֵ֔א  to  build 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: בְּנָה  
Sense: to build.
؟ וְאֻשַּׁרְנָ֥א  and  wall 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: אֻשַּׁרְנָא  
Sense: wall, panelling, beams, structure (precise meaning and derivation uncertain).
דְנָ֖ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: דְּנָה  
Sense: this, on account of this adv.
לְשַׁכְלָלָֽה  finish 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: כְּלַל  
Sense: to finish, complete.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation