Ezra 3:1

ยถ And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel [were] in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

And when the seventh {H7637} month {H2320} was come {H5060}, and the children {H1121} of Israel {H3478} were in the cities {H5892}, the people {H5971} gathered themselves together {H622} as one {H259} man {H376} to Jerusalem {H3389}.

When the seventh month arrived, after the people of Isra'el had resettled in the towns, the people gathered with one accord in Yerushalayim.

By the seventh month, the Israelites had settled in their towns, and the people assembled as one man in Jerusalem.

And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.

Commentary

Ezra 3:1 marks a pivotal moment in the history of the Jewish people after their return from seventy years of Babylonian captivity. This verse describes the unified gathering of the returning exiles in Jerusalem, signaling their intent to re-establish their spiritual and national life in the land of Judah.

Context

Following King Cyrus's decree, the first wave of Jewish exiles, led by Zerubbabel and Jeshua, had returned to Judah and settled in their respective cities (as detailed in Ezra chapter 2). Ezra 3:1 picks up the narrative with a crucial timing: "when the seventh month was come." This month was highly significant in the Jewish calendar, containing major feasts such as the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). Their gathering at this time underscores their deep desire to restore proper worship according to the Law of Moses.

Key Themes

  • Unity and Purpose: The phrase "the people gathered themselves together as one man" is highly significant. It emphasizes a remarkable unity and shared purpose among the diverse groups of returnees. Despite having settled in various towns, they converged on Jerusalem with a singular focus on rebuilding their spiritual foundation.
  • Priority of Worship: Their immediate action, as seen in the subsequent verses (Ezra 3:2-3), was to rebuild the altar and resume sacrifices. This demonstrates that restoring proper worship and their relationship with God was their paramount concern, even before rebuilding the Temple itself or their own homes.
  • God's Faithfulness: This gathering is a testament to God's faithfulness in bringing His people back to their land, fulfilling the prophecies of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:10) and Isaiah (Isaiah 44:28).

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase translated "as one man" is k'ish 'echad (ื›ึฐึผืึดื™ืฉื ืึถื—ึธื“). This idiom denotes complete unanimity, solidarity, and a singular resolve. It suggests not just physical gathering, but a shared heart and mind, crucial for the monumental task of rebuilding ahead.

Practical Application

Ezra 3:1 offers powerful lessons for believers today:

  • The Power of Unity: When God's people unite with a common purpose, especially around worship and obedience to His Word, great things can be accomplished. Discord can hinder God's work, but unity strengthens it.
  • Prioritizing God: The exiles' first act was to restore worship, indicating that spiritual foundations must precede all other endeavors. Our personal and communal lives thrive when God is given His rightful place as the priority.
  • Responding to God's Call: Just as the Israelites responded to God's call to return and rebuild, believers are called to participate in God's ongoing work in the world, whether through personal spiritual growth, community service, or sharing the Gospel.
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Cross-References

  • Acts 4:32 (3 votes)

    ยถ And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any [of them] that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

  • 1 Corinthians 1:10 (3 votes)

    ยถ Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

  • Leviticus 23:24 (3 votes)

    Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first [day] of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

  • Nehemiah 7:73 (2 votes)

    So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and [some] of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel [were] in their cities.

  • Nehemiah 8:2 (2 votes)

    And Ezra the priest brought the law before the congregation both of men and women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month.

  • Zephaniah 3:9 (2 votes)

    For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.

  • Nehemiah 8:14 (2 votes)

    And they found written in the law which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel should dwell in booths in the feast of the seventh month: