The Meaning of Ezra 3:1 Explained

Ezra 3:1

KJV: And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

YLT: And the seventh month cometh, and the sons of Israel are in the cities, and the people are gathered, as one men, unto Jerusalem.

Darby: And when the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem.

ASV: And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when the seventh  month  was come,  and the children  of Israel  [were] in the cities,  the people  gathered themselves together  as one  man  to Jerusalem. 

What does Ezra 3:1 Mean?

Study Notes

seventh month
i.e. October; also Ezra 3:6 .

Context Summary

Ezra 3:1-7 - The Building Of The Altar
Throughout their history the true Israelites were eager to maintain their genealogy; wherever they were scattered, they carefully guarded their national registers. Each of us should be able to establish his descent and to vindicate his claim to be considered a child of God, a joint-heir with Christ, a partaker in the inheritance which God has promised to them that love Him. If you cannot establish your sonship, you may doubt your right to the spiritual blessings which are a part of the family estates. This is clearly illustrated by the prohibition issued against the eating of the most holy things by the priests whose names were not found in the register. They must wait till the Urim and Thummin attested that they were Israelites indeed. What that witness was in these olden days, the testimony of the Holy Spirit is within us. He witnesses with our spirit that we are born of God.
The first act of the restored Jews was to set up the House of God. For this they gave willingly, and after their ability. The altar was the center of their religion. So the Cross of Jesus is the center of our life and worship, reminding us of His work for us in justification, or His claims in sanctification. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 3

1  The altar is set up
4  Offerings renewed
7  Workmen employed in preparing materials
8  The foundations of the temple are laid in great joy and mourning

What do the individual words in Ezra 3:1 mean?

And when had come the month seventh and the sons of Israel [were] in the cities - and gathered together the people as man one to Jerusalem
וַיִּגַּע֙ הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י וּבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בֶּעָרִ֑ים ס וַיֵּאָסְפ֥וּ הָעָ֛ם כְּאִ֥ישׁ אֶחָ֖ד אֶל־ יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם

וַיִּגַּע֙  And  when  had  come 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ  the  month 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹדֶשׁ  
Sense: the new moon, month, monthly.
הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י  seventh 
Parse: Article, Number, ordinal masculine singular
Root: שְׁבִיעִי  
Sense: seventh.
וּבְנֵ֥י  and  the  sons 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  of  Israel  [were] 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
בֶּעָרִ֑ים  in  the  cities 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation
וַיֵּאָסְפ֥וּ  and  gathered  together 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָסַף 
Sense: to gather, receive, remove, gather in.
הָעָ֛ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
כְּאִ֥ישׁ  as  man 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶחָ֖ד  one 
Parse: Number, masculine singular
Root: אֶחָד  
Sense: one (number).
יְרוּשָׁלִָֽם  Jerusalem 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.