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Ezra 3: The Altar and the Foundation

In the seventh month the people met in Jerusalem as one. Jeshua and Zerubbabel built the altar and offered burnt offerings, and the people kept the feast of booths. In the second year they laid the foundation of Yahweh's temple. The priests blew trumpets and the Levites praised Yahweh, singing that He is good and His loving kindness endures forever. Many shouted for joy, while old men who had seen the first house wept aloud.

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Bible:

Read Ezra 3

World English Bible · 13 verses

  1. 1 When the seventh month had come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  2. 2 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak stood up with his brothers the priests and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his relatives, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  3. 3 In spite of their fear because of the peoples of the surrounding lands, they set the altar on its base; and they offered burnt offerings on it to Yahweh, even burnt offerings morning and evening.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  4. 4 They kept the feast of booths, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required;This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  5. 5 and afterward the continual burnt offering, the offerings of the new moons, of all the set feasts of Yahweh that were consecrated, and of everyone who willingly offered a free will offering to Yahweh.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  6. 6 From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh; but the foundation of Yahweh’s temple was not yet laid.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  7. 7 They also gave money to the masons and to the carpenters. They also gave food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus King of Persia.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  8. 8 Now in the second year of their coming to God’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of Yahweh’s house.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  9. 9 Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together to have the oversight of the workmen in God’s house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  10. 10 When the builders laid the foundation of Yahweh’s temple, they set the priests in their vestments with trumpets, with the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Yahweh, according to the directions of David king of Israel.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  11. 11 They sang to one another in praising and giving thanks to Yahweh, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel.” All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of Yahweh’s house had been laid.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  12. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. Many also shouted aloud for joy,This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.
  13. 13 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard far away.This verse is not in this translation's source text (many modern translations omit it). See your Bible's footnote.

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org

Worksheets

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Ezra 3 · Preschool

Singing for Joy

Name Date

Color the trumpets and the happy people! They sang because God is good.

Can you find these in the picture? Circle each one!

Bible Verse

“They sang to one another in praising and giving thanks to Yahweh, “For he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever toward Israel.” All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of Yahweh’s house had been laid.”

Ezra 3:11 (WEB)

Prayer

Thank You, God, for making me!

Take It Home

Read the verse aloud. Say: The people sang that God is good and His love lasts forever. Sing a praise song together!

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.

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