King James Version

What Does Ezra 5:16 Mean?

Ezra 5:16 in the King James Version says “Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time e...” — study this verse from Ezra chapter 5 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.”

Ezra 5:16 · KJV

Context

14

And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; governor: or, deputy

15

And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.

16

Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.

17

Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Sheshbazzar "laid the foundation" (yahab ushsaya) upon returning to Jerusalem, fulfilling Cyrus's commission. This initial foundation work occurred around 536 BC. The statement "since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished" summarized approximately 16 years of interrupted progress.

The admission that the temple remained incomplete after years of work implicitly explained why officials might question the project's legitimacy. Construction had halted during opposition from local adversaries (Ezra 4:4-5, 24), only resuming when Haggai and Zechariah prophesied (Ezra 5:1-2). Yet the elders' response emphasized continuous authorization, not continuous construction—the decree remained valid regardless of work interruptions.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The foundation laying (536 BC) preceded the completion (516 BC) by twenty years, though active construction occurred in shorter periods. Samaritan opposition, economic hardship, and community discouragement contributed to delays. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah addressed these problems in 520 BC, rebuking the people for building their own houses while God's house lay unfinished (Haggai 1:2-4). The 520 BC resumption triggered Tatnai's investigation.

Reflection Questions

  1. What lessons can we learn from the 16-year delay between laying the foundation and resuming construction?
  2. How does prophetic encouragement (through Haggai and Zechariah) demonstrate the church's ongoing need for biblical preaching to sustain kingdom work?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 18 words
אֱדַ֧יִן1 of 18

“Then”

H116

then (of time)

שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּ֣ר2 of 18

“Sheshbazzar”

H8340

sheshbatstsar, zerubbabel's persian name

דֵּ֔ךְ3 of 18

“the same”

H1791

this

אֲתָ֗א4 of 18

“came”

H858

to come, to bring

יְהַ֧ב5 of 18

“and laid”

H3052

to give (whether literal or figurative); generally, to put; imperatively (reflexive) come

אֻשַּׁיָּ֛א6 of 18

“the foundation”

H787

a foundation

דִּי7 of 18
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

בֵ֥ית8 of 18

“of the house”

H1005

a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.)

אֱלָהָ֖א9 of 18

“of God”

H426

god

דִּ֣י10 of 18
H1768

that, used as relative conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial phrases; also as preposition of

בִירֽוּשְׁלֶ֑ם11 of 18

“which is in Jerusalem”

H3390

jerusalem

וּמִן12 of 18

“and since”

H4481

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of

אֱדַ֧יִן13 of 18

“Then”

H116

then (of time)

וְעַד14 of 18

“even until”

H5705

until

כְּעַ֛ן15 of 18

“now”

H3705

now

מִתְבְּנֵ֖א16 of 18

“hath it been in building”

H1124

to build

וְלָ֥א17 of 18

“and yet it is not”

H3809

no, not

שְׁלִֽם׃18 of 18

“finished”

H8000

to complete, to restore

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ezra. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ezra 5:16 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Ezra 5:16 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezra 3:10Ezra 6:15Ezra 3:8Zechariah 4:10Ezra 5:2Haggai 2:18

Places in This Verse

JerusalemSettlement · Modern: Jerusalem · 31.78°N, 35.23°E955 verses across 37 books
View all places in Ezra 5 →

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