The Meaning of Ezra 5:8 Explained

Ezra 5:8

KJV: Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.

YLT: To Darius the king, all peace! be it known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the great house of God, and it is built with rolled stones, and wood is placed in the walls, and this work is done speedily, and prospering in their hand.

Darby: Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work is being carried on with diligence, and prospers in their hand.

ASV: Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goeth on with diligence and prospereth in their hands.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Be it known  unto the king,  that we went  into the province  of Judea,  to the house  of the great  God,  which is builded  with great  stones,  and timber  is laid  in the walls,  and this  work  goeth  fast  on, and prospereth  in their hands. 

What does Ezra 5:8 Mean?

Study Notes

great stones
Chald. stones of rolling.

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 5:8 mean?

Known let it be to king the that we went of Judah into province the to the temple of God great the that is being built with stones heavy and timber is being laid in walls the and work this diligently goes on and prospers in their hands -
יְדִ֣יעַ ׀ לֶהֱוֵ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֗א דִּֽי־ אֲזַ֜לְנָא לִיה֤וּד מְדִֽינְתָּא֙ לְבֵית֙ אֱלָהָ֣א רַבָּ֔א וְה֤וּא מִתְבְּנֵא֙ אֶ֣בֶן גְּלָ֔ל וְאָ֖ע מִתְּשָׂ֣ם בְּכֻתְלַיָּ֑א וַעֲבִ֥ידְתָּא דָ֛ךְ אָסְפַּ֥רְנָא מִתְעַבְדָ֖א וּמַצְלַ֥ח בְּיֶדְהֹֽם ס

יְדִ֣יעַ ׀  Known 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: יְדַע  
Sense: to know.
לֶהֱוֵ֣א  let  it  be 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הֲוָה  
Sense: to come to pass, become, be.
לְמַלְכָּ֗א  to  king  the 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: מֶלֶךְ  
Sense: king.
דִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
אֲזַ֜לְנָא  we  went 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: אֲזַל  
Sense: to go, to go off.
לִיה֤וּד  of  Judah 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהוּד  
Sense: Judah—the territory of the tribe of Judah.
מְדִֽינְתָּא֙  into  province  the 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular determinate
Root: מְדִינָה  
Sense: district, province.
לְבֵית֙  to  the  temple 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת  
Sense: house (of men).
אֱלָהָ֣א  of  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: אֱלָהּ  
Sense: god, God.
רַבָּ֔א  great  the 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular determinate
Root: רַב  
Sense: great.
וְה֤וּא  that 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
מִתְבְּנֵא֙  is  being  built  with 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: בְּנָה  
Sense: to build.
אֶ֣בֶן  stones 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶבֶן  
Sense: stone.
גְּלָ֔ל  heavy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: גְּלָל  
Sense: rolling.
וְאָ֖ע  and  timber 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָע  
Sense: wood, beam, timber.
מִתְּשָׂ֣ם  is  being  laid 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, masculine singular
Root: שִׂים  
Sense: to set, make, appoint.
בְּכֻתְלַיָּ֑א  in  walls  the 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural determinate
Root: כְּתַל  
Sense: a wall.
וַעֲבִ֥ידְתָּא  and  work 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular determinate
Root: עֲבִידָה  
Sense: work, service, ritual, worship.
דָ֛ךְ  this 
Parse: Pronoun, feminine singular
Root: דֵּךְ  
Sense: this.
אָסְפַּ֥רְנָא  diligently 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אָסְפַּרְנָא  
Sense: thoroughly.
מִתְעַבְדָ֖א  goes  on 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Participle, feminine singular
Root: עֲבַד  
Sense: to make, do.
וּמַצְלַ֥ח  and  prospers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צְלַח  
Sense: to prosper.
בְּיֶדְהֹֽם  in  their  hands 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: יַד  
Sense: hand.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation