The Meaning of Ezra 3:4 Explained

Ezra 3:4

KJV: They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;

YLT: And they make the feast of the booths as it is written, and the burnt-offering of the day daily in number according to the ordinance, the matter of a day in its day;

Darby: And they held the feast of tabernacles as it is written, and offered daily burnt-offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required;

ASV: And they kept the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt-offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They kept  also the feast  of tabernacles,  as [it is] written,  and [offered] the daily  burnt offerings  by number,  according to the custom,  as the duty  of every day  required; 

What does Ezra 3:4 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 3:4 mean?

And they kept - the Feast of Tabernacles as [it is] written and [offered] the burnt offerings of every day daily in the number ordinance duty for each day
וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֛וּ אֶת־ חַ֥ג הַסֻּכּ֖וֹת כַּכָּת֑וּב וְעֹלַ֨ת י֤וֹם בְּיוֹם֙ בְּמִסְפָּ֔ר כְּמִשְׁפַּ֖ט דְּבַר־ בְּיוֹמֽוֹ

וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֛וּ  And  they  kept 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
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.
חַ֥ג  the  Feast 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חַג  
Sense: festival, feast, festival-gathering, pilgrim-feast.
הַסֻּכּ֖וֹת  of  Tabernacles 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: סֻכָּה  
Sense: thicket, covert, booth.
כַּכָּת֑וּב  as  [it  is]  written 
Parse: Preposition-k, Article, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.
וְעֹלַ֨ת  and  [offered]  the  burnt  offerings 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: עֹלָה  
Sense: whole burnt offering.
י֤וֹם  of  every  day 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
בְּיוֹם֙  daily 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
בְּמִסְפָּ֔ר  in  the  number 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִסְפָּר  
Sense: number, tale.
כְּמִשְׁפַּ֖ט  ordinance 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁפָּט  
Sense: judgment, justice, ordinance.
דְּבַר־  duty 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
בְּיוֹמֽוֹ  for  each  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.