The Meaning of Ezra 3:2 Explained

Ezra 3:2

KJV: Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

YLT: And rise doth Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and they build the altar of the God of Israel, to cause to ascend upon it burnt-offerings, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.

Darby: Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer up burnt-offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

ASV: Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt-offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then stood up  Jeshua  the son  of Jozadak,  and his brethren  the priests,  and Zerubbabel  the son  of Shealtiel,  and his brethren,  and builded  the altar  of the God  of Israel,  to offer  burnt offerings  thereon, as [it is] written  in the law  of Moses  the man  of God. 

What does Ezra 3:2 Mean?

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 3:2 mean?

And arose Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests and Zerubbabel of Shealtiel and his brothers and built - the altar of the God of Israel to offer on it burnt offerings as [it is] written in the Law of Moses man of the God
וַיָּקָם֩ יֵשׁ֨וּעַ בֶּן־ יֽוֹצָדָ֜ק וְאֶחָ֣יו הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים וּזְרֻבָּבֶ֤ל שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל֙ וְאֶחָ֔יו וַיִּבְנ֕וּ אֶת־ מִזְבַּ֖ח אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְהַעֲל֤וֹת עָלָיו֙ עֹל֔וֹת כַּכָּת֕וּב בְּתוֹרַ֖ת מֹשֶׁ֥ה אִישׁ־ הָאֱלֹהִֽים

וַיָּקָם֩  And  arose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
יֵשׁ֨וּעַ  Jeshua 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֵשׁוּעַ 
Sense: son of Nun of the tribe of Ephraim and successor to Moses as the leader of the children of Israel; led the conquest of Canaan.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יֽוֹצָדָ֜ק  of  Jozadak 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄוצָדָק 
Sense: grandson of the high priest Hilkiah; son of the high priest Seraiah; and father of the high priest Joshua; he never attained the office of high priest himself because he was carried captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar.
וְאֶחָ֣יו  and  his  brothers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים  the  priests 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: כֹּהֵן  
Sense: priest, principal officer or chief ruler.
וּזְרֻבָּבֶ֤ל  and  Zerubbabel 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: זְרֻבָּבֶל  
Sense: the grandson of king Jehoiachin and leader of the first group of returning exiles from Babylon.
שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל֙  of  Shealtiel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁאַלְתִּיאֵל 
Sense: father of Zerubbabel.
וְאֶחָ֔יו  and  his  brothers 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וַיִּבְנ֕וּ  and  built 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בָּנָה  
Sense: to build, rebuild, establish, cause to continue.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מִזְבַּ֖ח  the  altar 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִזְבֵּחַ  
Sense: altar.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  of  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
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.
לְהַעֲל֤וֹת  to  offer 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
עָלָיו֙  on  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
עֹל֔וֹת  burnt  offerings 
Parse: Noun, feminine plural
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
כַּכָּת֕וּב  as  [it  is]  written 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
בְּתוֹרַ֖ת  in  the  Law 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: תֹּורָה  
Sense: law, direction, instruction.
מֹשֶׁ֥ה  of  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אִישׁ־  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הָאֱלֹהִֽים  of  the  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).