Ezra 6:4
◄  Ezra 6:4  ►
New International Version (©2011)
with three courses of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury.

New Living Translation (©2007)
Every three layers of specially prepared stones will be topped by a layer of timber. All expenses will be paid by the royal treasury.

English Standard Version (©2001)
with three layers of great stones and one layer of timber. Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
with three layers of huge stones and one layer of timbers. And let the cost be paid from the royal treasury.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expences be given out of the king's house:

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
with three layers of cut stones and one of timber. The cost is to be paid from the royal treasury.

International Standard Version (©2012)
constructed with three layers of foundation stone interlaced with a row of new timber, the expenses for which are to be paid from the king's treasury.

NET Bible (©2006)
with three layers of large stones and one layer of timber. The expense is to be subsidized by the royal treasury.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
with three rows of large stones and a row of wood. The king's palace will pay for it.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:

American King James Version
With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:

American Standard Version
with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Three rows of unpolished stones, and so rows of new timber: and the charges shall be given out of the king's house.

Darby Bible Translation
with three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber; and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:

English Revised Version
with three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:

Webster's Bible Translation
With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:

World English Bible
with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.

Young's Literal Translation
three rows of rolled stones, and a row of new wood, and the outlay let be given out of the king's house.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:1-12 When God's time is come for fulfilling his gracious purposes concerning his church, he will raise up instruments to do it, from whom such good service was not expected. While our thoughts are directed to this event, we are led by Zechariah to fix our regard on a nobler, a spiritual building. The Lord Jesus Christ continues to lay one stone upon another: let us assist the great design. Difficulties delay the progress of this sacred edifice. Yet let not opposition discourage us, for in due season it will be completed to his abundant praise. He shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber. The Septuagint interpreter understood by this that the new temple was to be four storeys high, three storeys being built of stone, and one of timber. The two wings of the temple of Solomon were undoubtedly three storeys high (1 Kings 6:6). But it is perhaps doubtful whether the word nidbak ever means "storey." Most commentators suppose three courses of stone, and then a course of timber, repeated from foundation to summit; but there is no known example of such a mode of building. The expences were to be given out of the king's house, defrayed, i.e., out of the royal revenue; but either this intention of Cyrus was not carried out, or it was understood to apply only to the materials. Large sums were subscribed by the Jews themselves towards the building (Ezra 2:69), and large payments were made by them to the persons employed upon the work (Ezra 3:7).

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

With three rows of great stones,.... Which Jarchi interprets of the walls of it, and these stones of marble; and so Ben Melech:

and a row of new timber; of cedar wood upon the rows of stone, see 1 Kings 6:36 or for the lining and wainscoting the walls:

and let the expenses be given out of the king's house; treasury, or exchequer; but it does not appear that this part of the decree was observed, at least hitherto; but the Jews built at their own expense, and perhaps did not exactly observe the directions given as to the dimensions of the house.

Ezra 6:4 Parallel Commentaries

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Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


The Decree of Darius
…3In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be built, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof three score cubits, and the breadth thereof three score cubits; 4With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house: 5And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought to Babylon, be restored, and brought again to the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God. …

1 Kings 6:36 And he built the inner courtyard of three courses of dressed stone and one course of trimmed cedar beams.
Ezra 6:8 Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God: Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop.
Ezra 7:20 And anything else needed for the temple of your God that you are responsible to supply, you may provide from the royal treasury.