Ezra 4:5

Geneva Bible (1560)

And they hired counsellers against them, to hinder their deuise, all the dayes of Cyrus King of Persia, euen vntill the reigne of Darius King of Persia.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְסֹכְרִ֧ים עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם יוֹעֲצִ֖ים לְהָפֵ֣ר עֲצָתָ֑ם כָּל־יְמֵ֗י כּ֚וֹרֶשׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ פָּרַ֔ס וְעַד־מַלְכ֖וּת דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־פָּרָֽס׃

Transliteration

And wᵉsōkᵉrîm against them yôʿăṣîm to lᵉhāpēr their ʿăṣātām all yᵉmê kôreš melek pāras and until malkût dārᵉyāweš melek-pārās.

Grammar Details

• *wᵉsōkᵉrîm*: waw-conjunction + qal participle, masculine plural - and hiring
• *yôʿăṣîm*: noun, masculine plural - counselors/advisers
• *lᵉhāpēr*: preposition + hiphil infinitive construct - to frustrate/annul
• *ʿăṣātām*: noun, feminine singular + 3rd masculine plural suffix - their plan/counsel
• *yᵉmê*: construct noun, masculine plural - days of
• *kôreš*: proper noun - Cyrus
• *melek*: noun, masculine singular construct - king of
• *pāras*: proper noun - Persia
• *malkût*: noun, feminine singular construct - kingdom of/reign of
• *dārᵉyāweš*: proper noun - Darius
• *pārās*: proper noun - Persia

Word Meanings

• *wᵉsōkᵉrîm*: hiring/bribing
• *yôʿăṣîm*: counselors/advisers
• *lᵉhāpēr*: to frustrate/to annul/to break/to make ineffective
• *ʿăṣātām*: their plan/their purpose/their counsel

Referenced Verses

• Ezra 4:24 : 24 Then ceased the worke of the house of God, which was in Ierusalem, & did stay vnto the second yeere of Darius King of Persia.
• Ezra 5:5-6:18 : 5 But the eye of their God was vpon the Elders of the Iewes, that they coulde not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they answered by letters thereunto. 6 The copie of the letter, that Tatnai captaine beyond the Riuer, and Shether-boznai and his companions, Apharsechaie, (which were beyond the Riuer) sent vnto King Darius. 7 They sent a letter vnto him, wherein it was written thus, Vnto Darivs the King, all peace. 8 Be it knowen vnto the King, that we went into the prouince of Iudea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, & beames are layde in the walles, and this worke is wrought speedily, and prospereth in their hands. 9 Then asked we those Elders, and sayd vnto them thus, Who hath giuen you commandement to buylde this house, and to lay the foundation of these walles? 10 We asked their names also, that we might certifie thee, & that we might write the names of the men that were their rulers. 11 But they answered vs thus, & sayd, We are the seruants of the God of heauen and earth, and buylde the house that was buylt of olde & many yeeres ago, which a great King of Israel builded, and founded it. 12 But after that our fathers had prouoked the God of heauen vnto wrath, he gaue them ouer into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel the Caldean, & he destroyed this house, & caryed the people away captiue vnto Babel. 13 But in the first yere of Cyrus King of Babel, King Cyrus made a decree to buylde this house of God. 14 And the vessels of golde and siluer of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar tooke out of the Temple, that was in Ierusalem, & brought them into the Temple of Babel, those did Cyrus the king take out of the Temple of Babel, & they gaue them vnto one Sheshbazzar by his name, whome he had made captaine. 15 And he sayde vnto him, Take these vessels and goe thy way, and put them in the Temple that is in Ierusalem, and let the house of God be buylt in his place. 16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar & layde the foundation of the house of God, which is in Ierusalem, and since that time euen vntill nowe, hath it bene in buylding, yet is it not finished. 17 Nowe therefore if it please the King, let there be searche made in the house of the Kings treasures, which is there in Babel, whether a decree hath bene made by King Cyrus, to build this house of God in Ierusalem, and let the King send his minde concerning this. 1 Then King Darius gaue commandement, & they made search in the librarie of the treasures, which were there layd vp in Babel. 2 And there was founde in a coffer (in the palace that was in the prouince of the Medes) a volume, and therein was it thus written, as a memoriall, 3 In the first yeere of King Cyrus, King Cyrus made a decree for the house of God in Ierusalem, Let the house be buylt, euen the place where they offred sacrifices, and let the walles thereof be ioyned together: let the height thereof be three score cubites, and the breadth thereof three score cubites, 4 Three orders of great stones, & one order of timber, and let the expenses be giuen of the Kings house. 5 And also let them render the vessels of the house of God (of golde and siluer, which Nebuchadnezzar tooke out of the Temple, which was in Ierusalem, & brought vnto Babel) & let him goe vnto the Temple that is in Ierusalem to his place, and put them in the house of God. 6 Therefore Tatnai captaine beyond the Riuer, and Shethar Boznai, (and their companions Apharsecaie, which are beyonde the Riuer) be ye farre from thence. 7 Suffer ye the worke of this house of God, that the captaine of the Iewes and the Elders of the Iewes may buylde this house of God in his place. 8 For I haue giuen a commandement what ye shall doe to the Elders of these Iewes, for the buylding of this house of God, that of the reuenues of the King, which is of the tribute beyonde the Riuer, there be incontinently expenses giuen vnto these men that they cease not. 9 And that which they shall haue neede of, let it be giuen vnto them day by day, whether it be yong bullockes, or rammes, or lambes for the burnt offrings of the God of heauen, wheate, salt, wine, and oyle, according to the appoyntment of the Priestes that are in Ierusalem, that there bee no fault, 10 That they may haue to offer sweete odours vnto the God of heauen, and praye for the Kings life, and for his sonnes. 11 And I haue made a decree, that whosoeuer shall alter this sentence, the wood shall be pulled downe from his house, and shall be set vp, and he shalbe hanged thereon, & his house shalbe made a dunghill for this. 12 And the God that hath caused his Name to dwell there, destroy all Kings & people that put to their hand to alter, & to destroy this house of God, which is in Ierusalem. I Darius haue made a decree, let it be done with speede. 13 Then Tatnai the captaine beyond the Riuer, and Shethar Boznai & their companions, according to that which Darius had sent, so they did speedily. 14 So the Elders of the Iewes builded, & they prospered by the prophecying of Haggai the Prophet, & Zechariah the sonne of Iddo, & they buylded & finished it, by the appoyntment of the God of Israel, and by the commandement of Cyrus and Darius, and Artahshashte king of Persia. 15 And this house was finished the thirde day of the moneth Adar, which was the sixt yeere of the reigne of King Darius. 16 And the children of Israel, the Priestes, and the Leuites, and the residue of the children of the captiuitie kept the dedication of this house of God with ioy, 17 And offred at the dedication of this house of God an hundreth bullockes, two hundreth rams, foure hundreth lambes, and twelue goates, for the sinne of all Israel, according to the nomber of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they set the Priests in their order, and the Leuites in their courses ouer the seruice of God in Ierusalem, as it is written in the booke of Moses.
• Ps 2:1-2 : 1 Why doe the heathen rage, & the people murmure in vaine? 2 The Kings of the earth band themselues, and the princes are assembled together against the Lord, and against his Christ.
• Nah 1:11 : 11 There commeth one out of thee that imagineth euill against the Lorde, euen a wicked counsellour.
• Acts 24:1-9 : 1 Now after fiue dayes, Ananias the hie Priest came downe with the Elders, and with Tertullus a certaine oratour, which appeared before the Gouernour against Paul. 2 And when he was called foorth, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying, Seeing that we haue obtained great quietnesse through thee, and that many worthy things are done vnto this nation through thy prouidence, 3 We acknowledge it wholy, and in all places most noble Felix, with all thankes, 4 But that I be not tedious vnto thee, I pray thee, that thou wouldest heare vs of thy courtesie a fewe wordes. 5 Certainely we haue found this man a pestilent fellowe, and a moouer of sedition among all the Iewes throughout the world, and a chiefe maintainer of the secte of the Nazarites: 6 And hath gone about to pollute the Temple: therefore wee tooke him, and woulde haue iudged him according to our Lawe: 7 But the chiefe captaine Lysias came vpon vs, and with great violence tooke him out of our handes, 8 Commanding his accusers to come to thee: of whom thou mayest (if thou wilt inquire) know all these things whereof we accuse him. 9 And the Iewes likewise affirmed, saying that it was so. 10 Then Paul, after that the gouernour had beckened vnto him that hee shoulde speake, answered, I do the more gladly answere for my selfe, for as much as I knowe that thou hast bene of many yeres a iudge vnto this nation, 11 Seeing that thou mayest knowe, that there are but twelue dayes since I came vp to worship in Hierusalem. 12 And they neither found mee in the Temple disputing with any man, neither making vproare among the people, neither in the Synagogues, nor in the citie. 13 Neither can they proue the things, whereof they now accuse me. 14 But this I confesse vnto thee, that after the way (which they call heresie) so worship I the God of my fathers, beleeuing all things which are written in the Lawe and the Prophets, 15 And haue hope towardes God, that the resurrection of the dead, which they themselues looke for also, shalbe both of iust and vniust. 16 And herein I endeuour my selfe to haue alway a cleare conscience towarde God, and toward men. 17 Now after many yeres, I came & brought almes to my nation and offerings. 18 At what time, certaine Iewes of Asia founde mee purified in the Temple, neither with multitude, nor with tumult. 19 Who ought to haue bene present before thee, and accuse me, if they had ought against me. 20 Or let these themselues say, if they haue found any vniust thing in mee, while I stoode in the Council, 21 Except it be for this one voyce, that I cried standing among them, Of the resurrection of the dead am I accused of you this day. 22 Nowe when Felix heard these things, he deferred them, and said, When I shall more perfectly know the things which concerne this way, by the comming of Lysias the chiefe Captaine, I will decise your matter. 23 Then hee commaunded a Centurion to keepe Paul, and that he should haue ease, and that he should forbid none of his acquaintance to minister vnto him, or to come vnto him. 24 And after certaine dayes, came Felix with his wife Drusilla, which was a Iewesse, and he called foorth Paul, and heard him of the faith in Christ. 25 And as he disputed of righteousnes & temperance, & of the iudgement to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time, and when I haue conuenient time, I will call for thee. 26 Hee hoped also that money shoulde haue bene giuen him of Paul, that he might loose him: wherefore hee sent for him the oftner, and communed with him. 27 When two yeeres were expired, Porcius Festus came into Felix roume: and Felix willing to get fauour of the Iewes, left Paul bound.