Ezra 5:4 — Word Study
WLCאֱדַ֥יִן כְּנֵ֖מָא אֲמַ֣רְנָא לְּהֹ֑ם מַן־ אִנּוּן֙ שְׁמָהָ֣ת גֻּבְרַיָּ֔א דִּֽי־ דְנָ֥ה בִנְיָנָ֖א בָּנַֽיִן׃
BSAThey alsoʼĕdayin askedʼămar [in this manner, thus] Whatmân areʼinnûwn the namesshum [identities, designations] of the mengᵉbar [persons, individuals] whodîy are constructingbᵉnâʼ [building, working on] thisdên buildingbinyân△ [structure, edifice, that is being made, which is under construction]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אֱדַ֥יִן | then | Adverb |
| כְּנֵ֖מָא | as follows | Adverb |
| אֲמַ֣רְנָא | we said | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common plural |
| לְּהֹ֑ם | to them | Preposition, suffix |
| מַן־ | what? | Pronoun |
| אִנּוּן֙ | [are] they | Pronoun |
| שְׁמָהָ֣ת | [the] names of | Noun common, feminine plural construct |
| גֻּבְרַיָּ֔א | men the | Noun common masculine plural determined, particle |
| דִּֽי־ | who | Conjunction |
| דְנָ֥ה | this | Particle |
| בִנְיָנָ֖א | building the | Noun common both singular determined, particle |
| בָּנַֽיִן׃ | [are] building | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | They also asked, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?” |
| KJV | Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building? |
| ASV | Then we told them after this manner, what the names of the men were that were making this building. |
| YLT | Then thus we have said to them, 'What [are] the names of the men who are building this building?' |
| WEB | They also asked for the names of the men who were making this building. |
| BBE | Then they said these words to them: What are the names of the men who are at work on this building? |
Where they part company is בָּנַֽיִן — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence is structured around a main inquiry with supporting details that clarify the subject and action.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbאֲמַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 12 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezra 5:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Inquiry about the Temple Constructiongenerated
Ezra 5:4 captures a moment when Tattenai, the governor, and his associates question the Jews about their authority to rebuild the temple. This inquiry reflects the tension and oversight that the Jewish community faced during their efforts to restore their place of worship, as seen in the surrounding verses where they are asked about their authorization to undertake this significant work.
Cross References
The Key Word — בָּנַֽיִן, ba.Na.yingenerated
The word בָּנַֽיִן (*bana'in*) is a participle form of the verb בָּנָה (*bana*), meaning 'to build'. It indicates an ongoing action, specifically that the men are currently engaged in the act of construction. This participle form emphasizes the active role of the subjects in the process of building.
In this context, the participle highlights the continuous effort of the builders, indicating that the construction is not only a past action but is actively occurring at the time of the inquiry.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against. The BSB uses constructing, while the KJV and ASV use building, which aligns closely with the original meaning.
Where others part company with the BSB they part company over the word בָּנַֽיִן: working on (FBV) emphasizes the action but may imply less permanence than building.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb, אֲמַ֣רְנָא (*we said*), governs the sentence, with a noun phrase as the subject and several other phrases providing details. The structure reflects a straightforward inquiry, with the main action of questioning leading to the specific details about the builders.
The sentence's order places emphasis on the inquiry itself, followed by the details of the subjects and their actions, which is typical in Hebrew narrative style.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates בָּנַֽיִן as οἰκοδομοῦντες (*building*), which maintains the active sense of construction. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the ongoing action in both the Hebrew and Greek texts.
The translation aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, indicating that the builders are actively engaged in their work.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 5:4 shows Tattenai and his associates asking the Jews about the names of those who are currently building the temple. This inquiry reflects their oversight and the importance of the temple's reconstruction.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It indicates a need for accountability and authorization in the rebuilding efforts, reflecting the political and social dynamics of the time.
The temple represents a central place of worship for the Jewish people, symbolizing their identity and relationship with God.
Tattenai, as governor, was responsible for overseeing the region and ensuring that the rebuilding was authorized and conducted properly.
It highlights the challenges the Jewish people faced during their return from exile and their efforts to restore their religious practices.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of accountability in our own projects or communities?
- How does understanding the context of the temple's rebuilding enhance our appreciation of its significance?
- In what ways can we support those who are working on important community projects?
- How might we respond to inquiries about our own efforts in faith and community service?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 5:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThen said we unto them after this manner,.... In answer to their questions; namely, Ezra and other Jews replied; for though Ezra is said after this to come from Babylon in the seventh year of
Read John Gill on Ezra 5 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThen said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building? No JFB commentary on this verse.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezra 5 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThen said we; either, 1. We Tatnai and Shethar-boznai. And so this is an additional and more express inquiry concerning the names of the builders. And this sense is favoured by comparing ,10, where the same questions here severally made, ,4, are in like manner distinguished. And so the sacred writer speaks this in their person; such variation of persons being frequent in the Hebrew language, as the learned know. Or, 2. We Jews; and so the translation must be a little varied, and the words read without an interrogation, thus, Then we told them accordingly (i.e. according to what they asked) what were the names of the men that made this building, i.e. who were the chief undertakers and…
Read Matthew Poole on Ezra 5 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzra 5:4 Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?Ver. 4. Then said we unto them] We (Tatnai, Shetherboznai, and their companions) thus said, and thus inquired; see Ezra 5:16, and be sensible how wicked men conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity, "and their belly prepareth deceit," Job 15:35. Not their heads only are hammering it, but their bellies are hatching it; they take a kind of contemplative kind of pleasure in their wily projects, as the epicure doth in his dainties; he delights to be acting them over beforehand. What are the names of the men] They that are minded to do mischief unto others will do what they can to know…
Read John Trapp on Ezra 5 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) Then said we.—The LXX. must here have read, “then said they.” But there is no need to change the text; the sentence is not a question, but a statement: “we said to the effect, what the names were.” What are the names of the men . . .?—It is clear that this graphic account is much compressed. We must understand (see Ezra 5:10) that the authorities demanded the names of the chief promoters of the building in order to make them responsible.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezra 5 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. What are the names] It is most evident that this is the answer of the Jews to the inquiry of Tatnai, Ezra 5:3, and the verse should be read thus: Then said we unto them after this manner: THESE are the names of the men who make this building.
Read AdamClarke on Ezra 5 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4. Then said we unto them, &c.] R.V. Then spake we unto them after this manner, What, &c. Margin, ‘Or, Then spake we unto them after this manner. What, said they, are the names’, &c. ‘Or, according to some ancient versions, Then spake they unto them, &c. See Ezra 5:10.’ (a) The reading followed in the A.V. and R.V. is practically unintelligible. ‘Then spake we’ would naturally introduce the Jews’ reply (the first person being remarkable, but quite intelligible): but the question, ‘What are the names of the men that make this building?’ is as obviously the question of the governor. It is equally impossible to apply ‘we’ to the governor and his companions, and to see in ‘Then spake we unto…
Read Cambridge on Ezra 5 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThen said we - The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions have “Then said they,” which brings this verse into exact accordance with Ezra 5:10.
Read Albert Barnes on Ezra 5 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
They also asked, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?”
They also asked for the names of the men who were making this building.
They also asked, “What are the names of the men who are constructing this building?”
They also asked them, “What are the names of the men who are building this edifice?”
Tyndale line
Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?
Then we told them after this manner, what the names of the men were that were making this building.
Then spake we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?
Then said we to them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?
Then sayde we vnto them after this maner, What are the names of the men that buylde this buylding?
Strictly literal
And they said to them after this manner: What are the names of the men that build this building?
Then thus we have said to them, 'What [are] the names of the men who are building this building?'
Then we have said thus to them, “What [are] the names of the men who are building this building?”
Then said we unto them after this manner, what are the names of the men that erect this building.
They also said, “What are the names of the men building this building?”
From the Latin
In answer to which we gave them the names of the men who were the promoters of that building.
Simplified
Then they asked, “What are the names of the men who are working on this building?”
Then they said these words to them: What are the names of the men who are at work on this building?
Word by word, the decisions they made
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show agreement in most of the wording, with a slight variation in order and structure. The Septuagint captures the essence of the inquiry but does not follow the Hebrew word order directly.
אֱדַ֥יִן כְּנֵ֖מָא אֲמַ֣רְנָא לְּהֹ֑ם מַן־ אִנּוּן֙ שְׁמָהָ֣ת גֻּבְרַיָּ֔א דִּֽי־ דְנָ֥ה בִנְיָנָ֖א בָּנַֽיִן׃
10 of the 12 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezra 5:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
The Hebrew word אֱדַ֫יִן (*edayin*) is an Aramaic adverb meaning 'then' or 'thereupon.' It indicates a point in time, often used to refer to a sequence of events. The entries suggest it is derived from the word for 'then' in Hebrew, אָז (*az*).
אֱדַ֫יִן 57 adv. then, thereupon
base
H116 אֱדַ֫יִן
116 'edayin ed-ah'-yin
(Aramaic) of uncertain derivation; then (of time):--now,
that time, then.
אֱדַ֫יִן (e.da.yin) — then.
then, afterwards, thereupon, from that time
Aramaic of az (אָז "then" H0227A)
Adj — AdverbAD
כְּנֵ֫מָא (knema') is an Aramaic adverb meaning 'thus' or 'so.' It conveys a sense of manner or way of doing something, often used to introduce a statement or explanation. The entries consistently highlight its use in a similar context, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
כְּנֵ֫מָא adv. accordingly, as follows
base
H3660 כְּנֵ֫מָא
3660 knema' ken-ay-maw'
(Aramaic) corresponding to 3644; so or thus:--so, (in) this
manner (sort), thus.
see HEBREW for 03644
כְּנֵ֫מָא (ke.ne.ma) — thus.
thus, so, accordingly, as follows
AD — AdverbAD
אֲמַר (amar) means to say, tell, command, or speak. It is used in various contexts to express communication or declaration. The word is related to the Aramaic form and is linked to another Hebrew root, אָמַר (H0559). The entries consistently emphasize its verbal nature without significant disagreement.
אֲמַר 71 vb. say, tell, command
base
H560 אֲמַר say, tell, command
560 'amar am-ar'
(Aramaic) corresponding to 559:--command, declare, say,
speak, tell.
see HEBREW for 0559
אֲמַר (a.mar) — to say.
(P'al) to say, to speak, to command, to tell, to relate
Aramaic of a.mar (אָמַר "to say" H0559)
Adj — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common pluralAVqp1cp
הֶם (hem) — them.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine plural
AR/Sp3mp — Preposition · suffixAR/Sp3mp
מַן (man) is an interrogative pronoun in Aramaic, meaning 'who?' or 'what?'. It can also imply 'whoever' or 'whosoever'. The word is derived from a root that suggests inquiry, specifically relating to identity or nature.
מַן, מָן, interr.pron. who?
base
H4479 מַן, מָן
4479 man mawn
(Aramaic) from 4101; who or what (properly, interrogatively,
hence, also indefinitely and relatively):--what,
who(-msoever, + -so).
see HEBREW for 04101
מָן (man) — who?.
who?, what?, whoever, whosoever
Aramaic of mah (מָה "what?" H4100)
Adj — PronounAPi
אִנּוּן (*innuwn*) is an Aramaic word meaning 'they' or 'those,' used in the masculine plural. It has a feminine form, אִנִּין (*inniyn*), also meaning 'they.' The entries indicate its usage in contexts similar to the Hebrew word for 'they' (H1992), with a specific reference to Daniel 7:17.
ref
H581a אִנּוּן pr. 3 mpl. they, those H581b אִנִּין they
581 'innuwn in-noon'
(Aramaic) or (feminine) inniyn (Aramaic) {in- neen'};
corresponding to 1992; they:--X are, them, these.
see HEBREW for 01992
אִנּוּן (in.nun) — they.
these, those, they
Aramaic of hem.mah (הֵ֫מָּה "they(masc.)" H1992)
אִנִּין (in.nin) — they(fem.).
they
Aramaic of hem.mah (הֵ֫מָּה "they(masc.)" H1992)
Adj — PronounAPp3mp
שֻׁם (shum) means 'name' in Aramaic, corresponding to the Hebrew word שֵׁם (shem, H8034). The entries indicate that it is primarily used in contexts related to naming.
H8036 שֻׁם
8036 shum shoom
(Aramaic) corresponding to 8034:--name.
see HEBREW for 08034
שֻׁם (shum) — name.
name
Aramaic of shem (שֵׁם "name" H8034)
Adj — Noun common · feminine plural constructANcfpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
גְּבַר (gbar) means 'man' or 'a certain one' in Aramaic. It is related to the Hebrew word גֶּ֫בֶר (gever), which translates to 'great man.' The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as a noun referring to a man.
גְּבַר 21 n.m. man
base
H1400 גְּבַר
1400 gbar gheb-ar'
(Aramaic) corresponding to 1399:--certain, man.
see HEBREW for 01399
גְּבַר (ge.var) — man.
a man, a certain (one)
Aramaic of ge.ver (גֶּ֫בֶר "great man" H1397)
Adj | Art — Noun common masculine plural determined · particleANcmpd/Ta
דִּי (diy) is an Aramaic word meaning 'that,' functioning as a relative conjunction and a preposition in various contexts. It can indicate relationships such as 'who,' 'which,' or 'because,' and is used in adverbial phrases. The entries highlight its role in connecting clauses and marking possession.
דִּי part. of relation, who, which, that, used also as mark of gen. and conj. that, because
base
H1768 דִּי
1768 diy dee
(Aramaic) apparently for 1668; that, used as relative
conjunction, and especially (with a preposition) in adverbial
phrases; also as preposition of:--X as, but, for(-asmuch +), +
now, of, seeing, than, that, therefore, until, + what
(-soever), when, which, whom, whose.
see HEBREW for 01668
דִּי (di) — that.
part of relation
1) who, which, that
mark of genitive
2) that of, which belongs to, that
conj
3) that, because
Adj — ConjunctionAC
דְּנָה (denah) is an Aramaic word meaning 'this' and is used as a demonstrative pronoun. It can also imply 'therefore' or 'on account of this.' The entries indicate that it is an orthographical variation of another word, דָּן (dan), but do not provide specific Old Testament references.
דְּנָה 57 demonstr.pr.comm. this
base
H1836 דְּנָה, דֵּן
1836 den dane
(Aramaic) an orthographical variation of 1791; this:--
(afore-)time, + after this manner, here (-after),
one...another, such, there(-fore), these, this (matter), +
thus, where(-fore), which.
see HEBREW for 01791
דְּנָה (de.nah) — this.
demons pron
1) this, on account of this
adv
2) therefore
Adj — ParticleATm
בִּנְיָן (binyan) means 'building' or 'structure' in Hebrew and is related to the Aramaic term for the same concept. The word appears in the context of construction, notably in עֶזְרָא (Ezra) 5:4, where it emphasizes the idea of a physical structure.
[בִּנְיָן] n.[m.] a building;—emph. Ezr 5:4.
ref
H1147 בִּנְיָן
1147 binyan bin-yawn'
(Aramaic) corresponding to 1146:--building.
see HEBREW for 01146
בִּנְיָן (bin.yan) — building.
a building, structure
Aramaic of bin.yan (בִּנְיָן "building" H1146)
Adj | Art — Noun common both singular determined · particleANcbsd/Ta
Building
Among the Jews was suited to the climate and conditions of the country. They probably adopted the kind of architecture for their dwellings which they found already existing when they entered Canaan (Deut. 6:10; Num. 13:19). Phoenician artists (2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kings 5:6, 18) assisted at the erection of the royal palace and the temple at Jerusalem. Foreigners also assisted at the restoration of the temple after the Exile (Ezra 3:7).
In Gen. 11:3, 9, we have the first recorded instance of the erection of buildings. The cities of the plain of Shinar were founded by…
→ FIGURATIVE 2Co 5:1
בְּנָה (bna') means 'to build' and has forms indicating both active and passive constructions, such as 'to build' and 'to be built.' The entries suggest a straightforward application in contexts related to construction or creation.
[בְּנָה, בְּנָא] vb. build
Pe. build
Hithpe. be built
base
H1124 בְּנָה, בְּנָא
1124 bna' ben-aw'
(Aramaic) or bnah (Aramaic) {ben-aw'}; corresponding to 1129;
to build:--build, make.
see HEBREW for 01129
בְּנָה (be.nah) — to build.
1) to build
1a) (P'al) to build
1b) (Ithp'il) to be built
Adj — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine pluralAVqrmpa
Building
Among the Jews was suited to the climate and conditions of the country. They probably adopted the kind of architecture for their dwellings which they found already existing when they entered Canaan (Deut. 6:10; Num. 13:19). Phoenician artists (2 Sam. 5:11; 1 Kings 5:6, 18) assisted at the erection of the royal palace and the temple at Jerusalem. Foreigners also assisted at the restoration of the temple after the Exile (Ezra 3:7).
In Gen. 11:3, 9, we have the first recorded instance of the erection of buildings. The cities of the plain of Shinar were founded by…
→ FIGURATIVE 2Co 5:1