Ezra 4:2

KJV1611 – Modern English

Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said to them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיִּגְּשׁ֨וּ אֶל־זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל וְאֶל־רָאשֵׁ֣י הֽ͏ָאָב֗וֹת וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ לָהֶם֙ נִבְנֶ֣ה עִמָּכֶ֔ם כִּ֣י כָכֶ֔ם נִדְר֖וֹשׁ לֽ͏ֵאלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם *ולא **וְל֣וֹ ׀ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ זֹבְחִ֗ים מִימֵי֙ אֵסַ֤ר חַדֹּן֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר הַמַּעֲלֶ֥ה אֹתָ֖נוּ פֹּֽה׃

Transliteration

And wayyiggᵉšû to zᵉrubbābel and to rāʾšê the hāʾābôt and wayyōmᵉrû to them, "nibneh with you, for like you nidrôš to your lēʾlōhêkem, and to him ʾănạḥnû zōbᵉḥîm from days of ʾēsar ḥaddōn melek ʾaššûr who hammaʿăleh ʾōtānû here."

Grammar Details

• *wayyiggᵉšû*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd plural - and they approached
• *zᵉrubbābel*: proper noun - Zerubbabel
• *rāʾšê*: construct noun, masculine plural - heads of/chiefs of
• *hāʾābôt*: definite noun, masculine plural - the fathers/ancestors
• *wayyōmᵉrû*: waw-consecutive + qal imperfect, 3rd plural - and they said
• *nibneh*: qal imperfect, 1st plural cohortative - let us build
• *nidrôš*: qal imperfect, 1st plural - we seek
• *lēʾlōhêkem*: preposition + construct noun, masculine plural + 2nd plural suffix - to your God
• *ʾănạḥnû*: 1st person plural pronoun - we
• *zōbᵉḥîm*: qal participle, masculine plural - sacrificing
• *ʾēsar ḥaddōn*: proper noun - Esarhaddon
• *melek*: construct noun, masculine singular - king of
• *ʾaššûr*: proper noun - Assyria
• *hammaʿăleh*: definite article + hiphil participle, masculine singular - the one who brought up
• *ʾōtānû*: direct object marker + 1st plural suffix - us

Word Meanings

• *nibneh*: let us build/we will build
• *nidrôš*: we seek/we inquire of/we worship
• *zōbᵉḥîm*: sacrificing/offering
• *hammaʿăleh*: who brought up/who caused to ascend/who relocated

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families and said to them, "Let us build with you, for we, like you, seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the days of Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here."

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  then they drew{H5066} near to Zerubbabel,{H2216} and to the heads{H7218} of fathers'{H1} [houses], and said{H559} unto them, Let us build{H1129} with you; for we seek{H1875} your God,{H430} as ye do; and we sacrifice{H2076} unto him since the days{H3117} of Esar-haddon{H634} king{H4428} of Assyria,{H804} who brought us up hither.{H5927}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  Then they came{H5066}{(H8799)} to Zerubbabel{H2216}, and to the chief{H7218} of the fathers{H1}, and said{H559}{(H8799)} unto them, Let us build{H1129}{(H8799)} with you: for we seek{H1875}{(H8799)} your God{H430}, as ye do; and we do sacrifice{H2076}{(H8802)} unto him since the days{H3117} of Esarhaddon{H634} king{H4428} of Assur{H804}, which brought us up hither{H5927}{(H8688)}.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  they came to Zorobabel & to the pryncipall fathers, and sayde vnto them: We wyl buylde with you: for we seke the LORDE youre God like as ye do. And we haue done sacrifice vnto him, sence the tyme that Assar Hadon the kynge of Assur broughte vs vp hither.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chiefe fathers, and sayd vnto them, We wil builde with you: for we seeke the Lord your God as ye do, and we haue sacrificed vnto him since the time of Esar Haddon king of Asshur, which brought vs vp hither.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And they came to Zorobabel and to the principall fathers, and saide vnto them: We wyll builde with you, for we seeke the Lorde your God, as ye do, and we haue done sacrifice vnto him since the time of Asor Hadon the king of Assur which brought vs vp hither.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye [do]; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' [houses], and said to them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and they draw nigh unto Zerubbabel, and unto heads of the fathers, and say to them, `Let us build with you; for, like you, we seek to your God, and we are not sacrificing since the days of Esar-Haddon king of Asshur, who brought us up hither.'

• American Standard Version (1901)

  then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' `houses', and said unto them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' [houses], and said unto them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as ye do; and we sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up hither.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  Then they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of families, and said to them, Let us take part in the building with you; for we are servants of your God, even as you are; and we have been making offerings to him from the days of Esar-haddon, king of Assyria, who put us here.

• World English Bible (2000)

  then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' [houses], and said to them, "Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here."

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  they came to Zerubbabel and the leaders and said to them,“Let us help you build, for like you we seek your God and we have been sacrificing to him from the time of King Esarhaddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”

Referenced Verses

• 2 Kgs 19:37 : 37 And it happened, as he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons struck him with the sword: and they escaped into the land of Armenia. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.
• 2 Kgs 17:24 : 24 The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Ava, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel; they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities.
• 2 Kgs 17:27-33 : 27 Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Bring one of the priests you brought from there; let him go and dwell there, and let him teach the people the manner of the God of the land. 28 So one of the priests who had been carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD. 29 However, every nation made gods of their own and put them in the shrines of the high places which the Samaritans had made, each nation in the cities where they lived. 30 The men of Babylon made Succoth-Benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31 and the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak; the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32 They feared the LORD and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. 33 They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods, in accordance with the customs of the nations from which they had been carried away.
• 2 Kgs 17:41 : 41 These nations feared the LORD, yet served their carved images. Their children and their children's children have continued doing as their fathers did, to this day.
• Gen 10:11 : 11 Out of that land went Asshur and built Nineveh, and the city of Rehoboth, and Calah,
• Ezra 1:5 : 5 Then the leaders of the fathers' houses of Judah and Benjamin arose, and the priests, and the Levites, with all those whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
• Ezra 2:2 : 2 Who came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
• Ezra 3:2 : 2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak stood up, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brothers, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.
• Ezra 3:12 : 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of the fathers' houses, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy,
• Ps 73:8 : 8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly of oppression; they speak loftily.
• Prov 26:23-26 : 23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. 24 He who hates others disguises it with his lips, and stores up deceit within him; 25 When he speaks kindly, do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart. 26 Though his hatred is concealed by deceit, his wickedness shall be exposed before the assembly.
• Isa 37:37 : 37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed, and went and returned, and dwelt at Nineveh.
• Hos 14:3 : 3 Assyria will not save us; we will not ride on horses: neither will we say anymore to the work of our hands, You are our gods: for in you the orphan finds mercy.
• 2 Cor 11:13-15 : 13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder; for Satan himself transforms into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform as ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
• Gal 2:4 : 4 And that because of false brethren stealthily brought in, who came in secretly to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:
• 2 Tim 3:8 : 8 Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disqualified concerning the faith.
• 2 Pet 2:1-2 : 1 But there were false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who secretly will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their pernicious ways; by whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.