Ezra 1:5
What does Ezra 1:5 mean?
A plain-English look at Ezra 1:5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ezra 1:5 means
The first to respond are leaders—heads of fathers’ houses of Judah and Benjamin—and the spiritual servants, the priests and Levites. Crucially, they are “all whose spirit God had stirred,” showing that obedience is a work of grace. Not everyone went back, but those God moved arose to rebuild the house of Jehovah. The mention of Judah and Benjamin reflects the surviving southern tribes from the former kingdom of Judah, while priests and Levites show the priority of worship in the restoration. God’s stirring produces practical action: they rise to go. This verse marks the shift from decree to decision, from royal permission to faithful obedience.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Then rose up the heads of fathers’housesof Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Then rose up the heads of fathers’housesof Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Then the heads of families of Judah and Benjamin, with the priests and the Levites, got ready, even all those whose spirits were moved by God to go up and take in hand the building of the Lord's house in Jerusalem.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And heads of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin rise, and the priests and the Levites, even every one whose spirit God hath waked, to go up to build the house of Jehovah, that <FI>is<Fi> in Jerusalem;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Juda and Benjamin, and the priests, and Levites, and every one whose spirit God had raised up, to go up to build the temple of the Lord, which was in Jerusalem.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And the chief fathers of Judah and Benjamin rose up, and the priests, and the Levites, even all those whose spiritGod had stirred, to go up to build the house of Jehovah which is at Jerusalem.
Context
After the general call (verses 3–4), verse 5 records the internal stirring and initial mobilization among God’s people. It highlights that spiritual leadership and temple service are central to the return. This prepares for the community’s wider support in verse 6 and then the formal restoration of the temple vessels in verses 7–11. The narrative is moving from divine plan through human response toward concrete steps—supplies, leaders, and sacred objects—necessary for rebuilding Jerusalem’s temple worship.
v.4And whosoever is left, in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the freewill-offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.
v.5This passage
v.6And all they that were round about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Philippians 2:13
for it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure.
- 3 John 1:11
Beloved, imitate not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: he that doeth evil hath not seen God.
- 2 Chronicles 36:22
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, andput italso in writing, saying,
- Ezra 1:1
Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Jehovah by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, andput italso in writing, saying,
- 2 Corinthians 8:16
But thanks be to God, who putteth the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
- Nehemiah 2:12
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem; neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.