What Does Ezra 3:2 Mean?
Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to send up rising offerings upon it, as it is written in the instruction of Moses the man of God.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.THE KEY
The burnt offering is named for ascent: the altar is built as a place where what is offered rises toward God.
THE MEANING
Restoration begins at the shared place of offering: the priests and their brothers, alongside Zerubbabel and his brothers, build the altar under instruction. The Hebrew name for the burnt offerings carries the sense of ascent, giving the offering a direction toward God. The verse holds shared work, received instruction, and renewed approach together.
THE ROOT
עֹלוֹת
ʿolot
GROWS FROM
עלה
to go up, ascend
“to send up” in this verse is ʿolot. The word for these offerings comes from the root meaning “to ascend.” English names the offering by what happens to it in fire, while Hebrew also carries its movement upward toward God. The altar is built for an offering whose name holds that ascent.
ALSO GROWS
ʿālāh: to go up, ascend
עָלָה
This verb is the seed of the offering’s name and reveals its upward movement.
ʿaliyah: ascent, going up
עֲלִיָּה
This related word preserves the same image of rising.
יֵשׁוּעַ
Yēšūaʿ
GROWS FROM
ישע
to deliver, bring out from constriction into spaciousness
Jeshua’s name carries the nature of deliverance. Here that name stands at the head of the shared work of rebuilding the altar, joining deliverance with renewed approach.
ALSO GROWS
yāšaʿ: to deliver, bring out
יָשַׁע
This verb is the root beneath Jeshua’s name and names the movement out of constriction.
yešūʿāh: deliverance
יְשׁוּעָה
This noun shares the same root and makes the nature carried in the name explicit.
תּוֹרַת
tōrat
GROWS FROM
ירה
to point out, direct, instruct
The word translated “law” is Torah, instruction that directs and points a way. The altar is built in response to that instruction, so the verse joins offering with guidance.
ALSO GROWS
yārāh: to direct, instruct
יָרָה
This verb is the root of Torah and shows the guiding sense beneath the English word “law.”
mōreh: teacher, instructor
מוֹרֶה
This related word names one who directs or teaches, extending the root’s sense of guidance.
THE PATTERN
Approach to God takes shape through what is offered, whether an altar offering, the living body, or praise.
And Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean beast and of every clean bird, and sent up rising offerings on the altar.Therefore I urge you, brothers, through the compassions of God, to set your bodies beside God as a living sacrifice, set apart, well-pleasing to him, which is your true service.Through him, then, let us always carry up a sacrifice of praise to God, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.THE THREAD
And Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean beast and of every clean bird, and sent up rising offerings on the altar.Genesis uses the same Hebrew word for “burnt offerings,” עֹלוֹת (ʿolot), from עלה (ʿalah), “to ascend.” In both verses, an altar is built for offerings whose name carries the movement of rising toward God.
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