What Does Ezra 6:14 Mean in the King James?
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse’s “prospering” is the work advancing through prophetic speech as the builders carry it to completion.
THE MEANING
The verse holds progress and completion together: the elders build, and their work advances through prophetic speech alongside the commands named in the passage. The names Haggai (חַגַּי, Ḥaggay, “festal”) and Zechariah (זְכַרְיָה, Zəkaryāh, “YHWH remembers”) place festivity and remembrance beside the labor. This speaks to present work carried by both the hands that build and words that give it direction.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that command alone completes a work: the verse places prophetic speech and the elders’ building alongside the commands.
THE ROOT
מַצְלְחִין
maṣleḥîn
GROWS FROM
צלח
Advance successfully; prosper.
The form translated “prospered” carries the root צָלַח (ṣālaḥ, advance or prosper), which also appears in words for succeeding. Here prosperity is the work itself moving forward through prophetic speech, not a separate reward detached from the building.
ALSO GROWS
ṣālaḥ: Advance, prosper, succeed.
צָלַח
This form makes progress and prosperity shades of the same movement, illuminating the builders’ forward work.
hiṣlîaḥ: Cause to succeed or prosper.
הִצְלִיחַ
This causative form shows success as something that can be brought about, fitting the verse’s account of prophecy accompanying the builders’ progress.
בָּנַיִן
bānayin
GROWS FROM
בנה
Build; construct.
“builded” in this verse is bānayin. The root בָּנָה (bānâ, build) ties the builders’ repeated action to the structure they bring into being. The verse keeps the act of building in view all the way to its completion.
ALSO GROWS
bānâ: Build; construct.
בָּנָה
This form shares the root consonants and names the work the elders are doing.
yivneh: He will build.
יִבְנֶה
This form carries the same root into future building, showing the work as an action that can continue.
נְבוּאַת
nəḇûʾaṯ
GROWS FROM
נבא
Prophesy; speak prophetically.
The root נָבִיא (nāvîʾ, prophet) and נְבוּאָה (nevûʾāh, prophecy) share the consonants of the word rendered “prophesying.” The verse binds the prophetic voice to the builders’ actual progress: the speech accompanies the work rather than standing apart from it.
ALSO GROWS
nāvîʾ: Prophet; one who speaks prophetically.
נָבִיא
The same root names the person whose prophetic speech accompanies the building.
nevûʾāh: Prophecy; prophetic utterance.
נְבוּאָה
This related form names the speech through which the builders prosper.
THE PATTERN
Work reaches completion as human labor moves with a word and force beyond the workers alone.
The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.THE THREAD
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.The word translated “prospered” in Ezra shares the root צלח with יַצְלִיחַ (yaṣlîaḥ, prospers) in this verse. Both passages show prosperity as sustained forward growth: here the builders complete their work, and here the planted tree bears fruit in season.
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