The Meaning of Ezra 6:11 Explained

Ezra 6:11

KJV: Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

YLT: 'And by me is made a decree, that any one who changeth this thing, let wood be pulled down from his house, and being raised up, let him be smitten on it, and his house let be made a dunghill for this.

Darby: Also I have given order that whosoever shall alter this rescript, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon, and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

ASV: Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Also  I have made  a decree,  that whosoever  shall alter  this  word,  let timber  be pulled down  from  his house,  and being set up,  let him be hanged  thereon;  and let his house  be made  a dunghill  for  this. 

What does Ezra 6:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 6:1-22 - Prospered In A Difficult Work
How much depended on the finding of that roll! But God knew where it was, and led them to discover it, and inclined Darius to ratify it. When we are anxious and troubled about our relations to our fellow-men, we do little by worrying, we do much by trusting. Missing documents, alien hearts, tangled skeins, all yield before the hand of our Father working for us. The difficulty raised by their foes really reacted for the benefit of the Jews, for the king decreed that their expenses should be met, and their needs supplied. When we are living upon God's plan and need material resources for His work, He will see that they are forthcoming from the most unlikely sources, and the revenues of heathen monarchs shall be laid under contribution. When the house was finished it was dedicated, Ezra 6:16. What joy was there but amid all a solemn memory of the sin of the whole people of Israel. Though scattered to the four winds, they could not forget that in God's sight they were one still. It is highly probable that Psalms 146:1-10; Psalms 147:1-20; Psalms 148:1-14; Psalms 149:1-9; Psalms 150:1-6 were composed at this time. In the Septuagint they are called the Psalms of Haggai. Burnt offering and song go together, 2 Chronicles 29:27. After the dedication was the Passover. Separation must ever precede our feasting on God's Paschal Lamb, and out of this state of heart, influences proceed which produce the true unity and drawing together of the children of God. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 6

1  Darius, finding the decree of Cyrus, makes a new decree for building
13  By the help of Tattenai and Shethar-Bozenai the temple is finished
16  The feast of the dedication is kept
19  and the Passover

What do the individual words in Ezra 6:11 mean?

And I issue a decree that any man who alters edict this let be pulled a timber from his house and erected and let him be hanged on it and his house a refuse heap let be made because of this
וּמִנִּי֮ שִׂ֣ים טְעֵם֒ דִּ֣י כָל־ אֱנָ֗שׁ דִּ֤י יְהַשְׁנֵא֙ פִּתְגָמָ֣א דְנָ֔ה יִתְנְסַ֥ח אָע֙ מִן־ בַּיְתֵ֔הּ וּזְקִ֖יף יִתְמְחֵ֣א עֲלֹ֑הִי וּבַיְתֵ֛הּ נְוָל֥וּ יִתְעֲבֵ֖ד עַל־ דְּנָֽה

וּמִנִּי֮  And  I 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, first person common singular
Root: מִן  
Sense: from, out of, by, by reason of, at, more than.
שִׂ֣ים  issue 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שִׂים  
Sense: to set, make, appoint.
טְעֵם֒  a  decree 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: טְעֵם  
Sense: decree, taste, judgment, command.
דִּ֣י  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: דִּי  
Sense: who, which, that mark of genitive.
כָל־  any 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, whole, the whole.
אֱנָ֗שׁ  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱנָשׁ  
Sense: man, human being.
יְהַשְׁנֵא֙  alters 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שְׁנָה  
Sense: to change, be altered, be changed.
פִּתְגָמָ֣א  edict 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular determinate
Root: פִּתְגָם  
Sense: command, work, affair, decree.
דְנָ֔ה  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: דְּנָה  
Sense: this, on account of this adv.
יִתְנְסַ֥ח  let  be  pulled 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נְסַח  
Sense: to pull or tear away.
אָע֙  a  timber 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אָע  
Sense: wood, beam, timber.
בַּיְתֵ֔הּ  his  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת  
Sense: house (of men).
וּזְקִ֖יף  and  erected 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: זְקַף  
Sense: (P’al) to raise, lift up.
יִתְמְחֵ֣א  and  let  him  be  hanged 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מְחָא  
Sense: to strike, smite, kill.
עֲלֹ֑הִי  on  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: עַל  
Sense: upon, over, on account of, above, to, against.
וּבַיְתֵ֛הּ  and  his  house 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת  
Sense: house (of men).
נְוָל֥וּ  a  refuse  heap 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נְוָלוּ  
Sense: refuse-heap, dunghill, outhouse.
יִתְעֲבֵ֖ד  let  be  made 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עֲבַד  
Sense: to make, do.
עַל־  because 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל  
Sense: upon, over, on account of, above, to, against.
דְּנָֽה  of  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: דְּנָה  
Sense: this, on account of this adv.