Ezra 5:14
What does Ezra 5:14 mean?
A plain-English look at Ezra 5:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ezra 5:14 means
Their defense grows stronger: Cyrus not only decreed rebuilding; he also returned the gold and silver vessels Nebuchadnezzar had seized. He entrusted them to Sheshbazzar, whom he appointed governor. These actions show more than permission—they show imperial sponsorship and restitution. The holy vessels’ return signaled a sanctioned restoration of worship. Naming Sheshbazzar anchors the claim in recognizable administration and chain of custody. The builders show that practical steps were taken by the empire to make rebuilding possible, and that responsible leadership was appointed to oversee the work on site.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And the gold and silver vessels also of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought 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;
KJV
King James Version · 1611And 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;
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And the gold and silver vessels also of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought 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;
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the Temple which was in Jerusalem, and put into the house of his god in Babylon, these Cyrus the king took from the house of his god in Babylon, and gave to one named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made ruler;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and also, the vessels of the house of God, of gold and silver, that Nebuchadnezzar had taken forth out of the temple that <FI>is<Fi> in Jerusalem, and brought them to the temple of Babylon, them hath Cyrus the king brought forth out of the temple of Babylon, and they have been given to <FI>one<Fi> , Sheshbazzar <FI>is<Fi> his name, whom he made governor,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And the vessels also of gold and silver of the temple of God, which Nabuchodonosor had taken out of the temple, that was in Jerusalem, and had brought them to the temple of Babylon, king Cyrus brought out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sassabasar, whom also he appointed governor,
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house ofGod, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was at Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those did king Cyrus take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he had appointed governor.
Context
Having cited the decree (verse 13), the elders now provide corroborating actions: the restoration of temple vessels and the appointment of Sheshbazzar. Next, in verse 15, they summarize Cyrus’s explicit instruction to rebuild in Jerusalem, and in verse 16, they describe how Sheshbazzar laid the foundations and work has continued since. The legal and historical picture becomes comprehensive.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ezra 7:27
Blessed be Jehovah, the God of our fathers, who hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem;
- Proverbs 21:1
The king’s heart is in the hand of Jehovah as the watercourses: He turneth it whithersoever he will.
- Ezra 5:16
Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundations 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 completed.
- 2 Chronicles 36:7
Nebuchadnezzar also carried of the vessels of the house of Jehovah to Babylon, and put them in his temple at Babylon.
- Haggai 2:2
Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying,
- Haggai 1:14
And Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work on the house of Jehovah of hosts, their God,