1 esdras 6:20 - Then Sanabassarus, being come here, laid the foundations of the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem; and from that time to this being still a building, it is not yet fully ended.

Generated Verse: 1 esdras 6:20

What does "1 esdras 6:20" mean?


This verse from 1 Esdras 6:20, a book considered apocryphal by Protestants and part of the Old Testament canon by Catholics and Orthodox Christians, is describing the early stages of the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. Let's break it down:

"Then Sanabassarus, being come here...": This refers to Sheshbazzar (likely a variant or alternative name), a prince of Judah appointed by Cyrus the Great, the Persian king, to oversee the return of the Jewish exiles and the rebuilding of the Temple. The phrase "being come here" refers to his arrival in Jerusalem from Babylon.

"...laid the foundations of the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem...": This indicates that Sheshbazzar initiated the physical construction of the Temple by laying its foundation. This was a crucial symbolic and practical first step.

"...and from that time to this being still a building, it is not yet fully ended.": This highlights that the rebuilding process was slow and protracted. From the time Sheshbazzar laid the foundation to the time the verse was written (within 1 Esdras), the Temple was still under construction. The project was facing significant delays and was not yet complete.

In essence, the verse conveys the following key points:

1. Initiation: Sheshbazzar started the rebuilding of the Temple.
2. Protracted Process: The rebuilding was a long and difficult undertaking.
3. Incomplete Project: At the time of writing, the Temple was still unfinished.

Contextual Significance:

This verse emphasizes the challenges faced by the Jewish community in the early years of their return from exile. They faced opposition from local populations, economic hardships, and internal disunity, all of which contributed to the slow pace of the Temple's reconstruction. It also sets the stage for the subsequent accounts of figures like Zerubbabel, who continued the work on the Temple.

Comparison with Ezra and Nehemiah:

The events described in 1 Esdras are related to the accounts in the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah. While there are some differences in detail and chronology, the general narrative is consistent: the Jewish people returned to Jerusalem, faced difficulties, and gradually rebuilt the Temple and the city. 1 Esdras is often viewed as providing a different perspective or emphasis on these events.

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