Ezr 3:8-13 | NETfull | STEP | In the second year after they had come to the temple of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak initiated the work, along with the rest of their associates, the priests and the Levites, and all those who were coming to Jerusalem from the exile. They appointed the Levites who were at least twenty years old to take charge of the work on the Lord ’s temple.

Ezra 3:8-13

8 In the second year after they had come to the temple of God in Jerusalem, ^{▼▼ For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; Journey of Paul map 1-F4; Journey of Paul map 2-F4; Journey of Paul map 3-F4; Journey of Paul map 4-F4.} in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak initiated the work, ^{▼▼ Heb “began”; the phrase “the work” is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.} along with the rest of their associates, ^{▼▼ Heb “their brothers.”} the priests and the Levites, and all those who were coming to Jerusalem from the exile. They appointed ^{▼▼ Heb “stood.”} the Levites who were at least twenty years old ^{▼▼ Heb “from twenty years and upward.”} to take charge of the work on the Lord’s temple. 9 So Jeshua appointed both his sons and his relatives, ^{▼▼ Heb “brothers.”} Kadmiel and his sons (the sons of Yehudah ^{▼▼ The name יְהוּדָה (Yehudah; cf. KJV, ASV, NASB “Judah”) is probably a variant of Hodaviah (see Ezra 2:40; cf. NIV, NCV, TEV, CEV, NLT).} ), to take charge of the workers in the temple of God, along with the sons of Henadad, their sons, and their relatives ^{▼▼ Heb “brothers.”} the Levites. 10 When the builders established the Lord’s temple, the priests, ceremonially attired and with their clarions, ^{▼▼ This was a long, straight, metallic instrument used for signal calls, rather than the traditional ram’s horn (both instruments are typically translated “trumpet” by English versions).} and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with their cymbals, stood to praise the Lord according to the instructions left by ^{▼▼ Heb “according to the hands of.”} King David of Israel. ^{▼▼ See Ps 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1. Cf. 2 Chr 5:13; 7:3; 20:21.} 11 With antiphonal response they sang, ^{▼▼ Heb “they answered.”} praising and glorifying the Lord:

“For he is good;
his loyal love toward Israel is forever.”
All the people gave a loud ^{▼▼ Heb “great.”} shout as they praised the Lord when the temple of the Lord was established. 12 Many of the priests, the Levites, and the leaders ^{▼▼ Heb “the heads of the fathers.”} – older people who had seen with their own eyes the former temple while it was still established ^{▼▼ The temple had been destroyed some fifty years earlier by the Babylonians in 586 b.c.} – were weeping loudly, ^{▼▼ Heb “with a great voice.”} and many others raised their voice in a joyous shout. 13 People were unable to tell the difference between the sound of joyous shouting and the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people were shouting so loudly ^{▼▼ Heb “a great shout.”} that the sound was heard a long way off.