Ezra 5 — The rebuilding resumes and the governors inquire — Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek compared
Disparate in this chapter: 5:4, 5:14
Each card keeps the independently rendered source readings above their shared comparison and reception notes. The badge records the source’s governing classification; disparate readings are marked in red. Each reading retains its original reference.
Ezra 5 — The rebuilding resumes and the governors inquire
5:1–5 — The prophets support the renewed work
Verse 5:1 Similar
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:1 [Aramaic] Haggai the prophet and Zechariah son of Iddo, the prophets, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:1 Haggai the prophet and Zacharias son of Addo prophesied a prophecy over the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, over them.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: H calls both men prophets; G gives a prophecy as the object. The final over them is compressed in both; H is construed as God's authority, while the repeated Greek phrase is left open.
Verse 5:2 Same
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:2 [Aramaic] Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak arose and began to build the house of God in Jerusalem. God's prophets were with them, helping them.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:2 Then Zorobabel son of Salathiel and Iesous son of Iosedek arose and began building the house of God in Jerusalem. God's prophets were with them, helping them.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both describe the leaders' action and the prophets' practical support.
Verse 5:3 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:3 [Aramaic] At that time Tattenai, governor of Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and said, “Who issued you an order to build this house and complete this structure?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:3 At that very time Thanthanai, governor beyond the river, Satharbouzana and their fellow slaves came against them and said, “Who issued you a decision to build this house and put this provision in order?”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: Aramaic usharna denotes the structure or its construction, while G choregia denotes provision or equipment. The Greek object is not silently changed into masonry; both question authorization.
Verse 5:4 Disparate
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:4 [Aramaic] Then we spoke to them as follows: “What are the names of the men building this building?”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:4 Then they said these things to them: “What are the names of the men building this city?”
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: H unexpectedly uses we, retained without correction; G has they. More materially, H asks about a building, G about a city, changing the stated scope of the questioned project.
Verse 5:5 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:5 [Aramaic] But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report could go to Darius and a document could then be returned about this.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:5 But God's eyes were upon the captivity of Judah, and they did not stop them until a report had been carried to Darius; then word was sent to the tax collector about this.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: H focuses on the Jewish elders and a returning document; G on the captive community and a message to the tax collector. G's phorologos is retained consistently with chapter 4. Both allow the work to continue.
5:6–10 — The governors' report
Verse 5:6 Similar
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:6 [Aramaic] A copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and his associates the Apharsachites in Beyond the River sent to Darius the king:
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:6 An account of the letter that Thanthanai, governor beyond the river, Satharbouzana and their fellow slaves the Apharsachaians beyond the river sent to Darius the king:
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: Both identify the correspondents and region. The group designation remains untranslated because its precise administrative or ethnic identification is uncertain.
Verse 5:7 Same
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:7 [Aramaic] They sent him a report, and this was written in it: “To Darius the king: all peace.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:7 They sent him a statement, and this is written in it: “To Darius the king: all peace.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: The introductory statement and greeting agree.
Verse 5:8 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:8 [Aramaic] Let it be known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built with great stones, and timber is being placed in the walls. This work is being done diligently and is prospering in their hands.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:8 Let it be known to the king that we went to the country of Judea, to the house of the great God. It is being built with selected stones, and timber is being placed in the walls. That work is being done skillfully and is advancing well in their hands.
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: H's stone expression is literally stone of rolling, conventionally understood as large building stones; G specifies selected stones. H emphasizes diligence, G skill or dexterity. Both report timber within the walls and successful progress.
Verse 5:9 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:9 [Aramaic] Then we questioned these elders, saying to them, ‘Who issued you an order to build this house and complete this structure?’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:9 Then we questioned those elders and said to them, ‘Who issued you a decision to build this house and put this provision in order?’
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: The letter repeats the authorization question; the structure/provision distinction from 5:3 remains.
Verse 5:10 Same
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:10 [Aramaic] We also asked them their names to inform you, so that we could write down the names of the men at their head.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:10 We also asked them their names to make them known to you, so that we could write to you the names of the men who lead them.
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both explain that the requested names concern the leaders and are intended for the king.
5:11–17 — The elders' answer and the request for a search
Verse 5:11 Same
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:11 [Aramaic] They returned this answer to us: ‘We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building the house that was built many years ago. A great king of Israel built and completed it.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:11 They answered us with this statement: ‘We are slaves of the God of heaven and earth, and we are building the house that was built many years before this. A great king of Israel built it and put it in order
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both identify divine service and the earlier royal builder without naming him here. G's concluding for them is numbered with 5:12 and appears there.
Verse 5:12 Similar
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:12 [Aramaic] But because our fathers provoked the God of heaven, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean. He demolished this house and exiled the people to Babylon.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:12 for them. But from the time our fathers provoked the God of heaven, He gave them into the hands of Nabouchodonosor king of Babylon, the Chaldean. He dismantled this house and deported the people to Babylon.
Classification & Notes
Similar. Text: G begins with for them, completing 5:11; no source words are moved or duplicated. Both connect the destruction and deportation with the fathers' provocation of God.
Verse 5:13 Divergent
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:13 [Aramaic] Yet in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus issued an order to build this house of God.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king, King Cyrus issued a decision for this house of God to be built.
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: H calls Cyrus king of Babylon; G does not include of Babylon here. Both explicitly authorize building the house.
Verse 5:14 Disparate
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:14 [Aramaic] Also, the gold and silver vessels of God's house that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to the temple in Babylon—King Cyrus took them from the temple in Babylon, and they were given to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed governor.
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:14 And the gold and silver vessels of God's house that Nabouchodonosor took from the house in Jerusalem and carried to the king's sanctuary—King Cyrus took them from the king's sanctuary and gave them to Sasabasar, the treasury keeper in charge of the treasury,
Classification & Notes
Disparate. Text: H names the Babylonian temple and Sheshbazzar's appointment as governor. G names the king's sanctuary and assigns Sasabasar a treasury office, with an emphatic second treasury phrase. These institutional assertions are preserved separately.
Verse 5:15 Divergent
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:15 [Aramaic] He said to him, ‘Take these vessels; go and deposit them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:15 and said to him, ‘Take all the vessels, go and place them in the house in Jerusalem, in their own place.’
Classification & Notes
Divergent. Text: H ends with a command to rebuild God's house on its site. G instead ends with the vessels' own place, without that additional building command. G's earlier commission at 5:13 remains intact.
Verse 5:16 Same
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:16 [Aramaic] Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that time until now it has been under construction, but it is not finished.’
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:16 Then that Sasabasar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that time until now it has been built, but it has not been completed.’
Classification & Notes
Same. Text: Both attribute the foundation to the named official and report that completion remains outstanding.
Verse 5:17 Different
Hebrew/Aramaic–English: Literal-Smooth (Rabbinic Priority)
5:17 [Aramaic] Now, if it pleases the king, let a search be made there in Babylon, in the king's treasury house, to see whether King Cyrus issued an order to build this house of God in Jerusalem. Let the king send us his will concerning this.”
Greek–English: Literal-Smooth (Saints Priority)
Esdras B 5:17 Now, if it pleases the king, let a search be made in the treasury house of the king of Babylon, so that you may know that King Cyrus issued a decision to build that house of God in Jerusalem. When the king has learned about this, let him send word to us.”
Classification & Notes
Different. Text: H locates the search in Babylon and asks whether the order exists; G speaks of the king of Babylon and asks that the king know that it was issued. H requests the royal will, G a response after learning.