Ezra 4:13 — Word Study
WLCכְּעַ֗ן יְדִ֙יעַ֙ לֶהֱוֵ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֔א דִּ֠י הֵ֣ן קִרְיְתָ֥א דָךְ֙ תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן מִנְדָּֽה־ בְל֤וֹ וַהֲלָךְ֙ לָ֣א יִנְתְּנ֔וּן וְאַפְּתֹ֥ם מַלְכִ֖ים תְּהַנְזִֽק׃
BSALet it nowkᵉʻan [at this time, currently] behâvâʼ knownyᵉdaʻ to the kingmelek [ruler, monarch] thatdîy ifhên thatdêk cityqiryâʼ [town, urban area] is rebuiltbᵉnâʼ [restored, reconstructed] and its wallsshûwr [barriers, fortifications] are restoredkᵉlal [finished, completed] ◂they will notlâʼ paynᵉthan [give, provide] tributemiddâh [tax, payment] dutybᵉlôw [custom, toll] or tollhălâk [tax on goods] and the royalmelek [king's, monarch's] treasuryʼappᵉthôm△ [revenue, income] will suffernᵉzaq [be injured, experience loss]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כְּעַ֗ן | now | Adverb |
| יְדִ֙יעַ֙ | known | Verb masculine singular |
| לֶהֱוֵ֣א | let it be | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| לְמַלְכָּ֔א | to king the | Preposition, noun common both singular determined, particle |
| דִּ֠י | that | Conjunction |
| הֵ֣ן | if | Conjunction |
| קִרְיְתָ֥א | city the | Noun common feminine singular determined, particle |
| דָךְ֙ | this | Particle |
| תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א | it will be built | Verb third, person feminine singular |
| וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה | and walls the | Conjunction, noun common masculine plural determined, particle |
| יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן | they will be finished | Verb pilpel, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| מִנְדָּֽה־ | tribute | Noun common, feminine singular absolute |
| בְל֤וֹ | tax | Noun common, both singular absolute |
| וַהֲלָךְ֙ | and toll | Conjunction, noun common both singular absolute |
| לָ֣א | not | Particle |
| יִנְתְּנ֔וּן | they will give | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| וְאַפְּתֹ֥ם | and certainly | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| מַלְכִ֖ים | kings | Noun common, masculine plural absolute |
| תְּהַנְזִֽק׃ | it will injure | Verb, Hiphil, imperfect second person masculine singular |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer. |
| KJV | Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings. |
| ASV | Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful unto the kings. |
| YLT | 'Now, be it known to the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls finished, toll, tribute, and custom they do not give; and at length [to] the kings it doth cause loss. |
| WEB | Be it known now to the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings. |
| BBE | The king may be certain that when the building of this town and its walls is complete, they will give no tax or payment in goods or forced payments, and in the end it will be a cause of loss to the kings. |
Where they part company is יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence has a main clause followed by conditional and consequence clauses, clearly outlining the cause-and-effect relationship.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Ellicott & more — read them ›
clause
verbהוה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
1 of 19 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 4:13
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 Letter to the Kinggenerated
Ezra 4:13 reports a letter sent to the king, warning that if Jerusalem is rebuilt, it will not pay taxes, which would harm the royal treasury. This context highlights the tension between the Jewish exiles and the Persian authorities regarding the rebuilding of Jerusalem, as seen in the preceding verses that outline the accusations against the Jews. The intent is to persuade the king to halt the reconstruction efforts.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nehemiah 5:4 | Still others were saying, “We have borrowed money to pay the king’s tax on our fields and vineyards. |
| 2 | Psalm 52:2 | Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, O worker of deceit. |
| 3 | Psalm 119:69 | Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart. |
| 4 | Ezra 7:24 | And be advised that you have no authority to impose tribute, duty, or toll on any of the priests, Levites, singers, doorkeepers, temple servants, or other servants of this house of God. |
| 5 | Matthew 9:9 | As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Matthew got up and followed Him. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 7 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א, tit.be.Ne'generated
The verb בְּנָה (bna') means 'to build' and is in the imperfect tense here, indicating a future action. The form תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א (tit.be.Ne') specifically refers to the city being rebuilt, emphasizing the potential for restoration.
This construction reflects a third-person feminine singular subject, which in this case refers to the city. The use of this verb in the future tense indicates a certainty about the action of rebuilding, which is central to the concerns expressed in the letter.
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 rebuilt for תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א, and so do the KJV and the ASV, maintaining a consistent translation.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יְדִ֙יעַ֙ (ye.Di.a') governs the structure of the sentence, with several clauses detailing the conditions and consequences of the rebuilding. The sentence is complex, with multiple subordinate clauses that articulate the implications of the city's reconstruction.
The first clause sets the stage for the information being relayed, while the subsequent clauses provide the conditions and consequences, emphasizing the potential financial impact on the king's treasury.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint uses ἀνοικοδομηθῇ for תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א, which carries a similar meaning of 'to be built' but may suggest a more passive sense of the action. This choice indicates a focus on the city being acted upon rather than the active rebuilding.
Additionally, the use of κακοποιεῖ for תְהַנְזִֽק׃ suggests a more direct interpretation of the injury or harm that will come to the treasury, aligning with the overall warning tone of the letter.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 4:13 tells us that a letter was sent to the king stating that if Jerusalem is rebuilt, it will not pay taxes, which would injure the royal treasury. This highlights the concerns about the rebuilding efforts and the potential consequences for the king's finances.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that if the city is rebuilt, it will not provide the usual taxes or payments to the king, which could lead to financial loss for the royal treasury.
The rebuilding of Jerusalem is seen as a threat to the king's authority and could lead to rebellion, as indicated in the context of the letter.
The suffering of the royal treasury indicates a direct financial impact on the king's resources, which is a serious concern for any ruler.
This verse reflects the tension between the returning exiles and the Persian authorities, highlighting the challenges faced in rebuilding Jerusalem after the exile.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What are some ways that rebuilding efforts can impact a community's relationship with authority?
- How can we understand the implications of financial loss in our own lives?
- In what ways can we communicate important information to those in authority?
- What lessons can we learn from the challenges faced by the exiles in Ezra?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 4:13 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleBe it known now unto the king,.... And let it be seriously and thoroughly considered by him and his counsellors: that if this city be builded, and its walls set up again, then will they not pay toll,
Read John Gill on Ezra 4 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryBe it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezra 4 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzra 4:13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up [again, then] will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and [so] thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.Ver. 13. Be it known now unto the king] q.d. This is no light business, but of greatest importance; and, therefore, fit to be noted and noticed. Then will they not pay toll, tribute, &c.] This is an old device of the devil and his imps, to represent God’ s people to the world as anti-magistratical, and disturbers of the public peace. Thus they dealt by the primitive Christians, who were the emperors’ best subjects, and yielded them greatest respect and profit. Thus Francis, king of…
Read John Trapp on Ezra 4 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(13) Toll, tribute, and custom.—Toll for the highways; custom, a provision in kind; tribute, the money tax. The revenue.—Rather, at length; literally and at length damage will be done to the kings.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezra 4 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 13. Toll, tribute, and custom] The first term is supposed to imply the capitation tax; the second, an excise on commodities and merchandise; the third, a sort of land tax. Others suppose the first means a property tax; the second, a poll tax; and the third, what was paid on imports and exports. In a word, if you permit these people to rebuild and fortify their city, they will soon set you at naught, and pay you no kind of tribute.
Read AdamClarke on Ezra 4 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges13. set up again] R.V. finished. then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom] R.V. they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll. Cf. Ezra 4:20, Ezra 7:24. The R.V. gives the right order according to the Aramaic. The first word denotes the contribution of provinces, and the imperial taxation levied on districts; the second word probably the duties on merchandise or on the produce of the land for maintenance of provincial rule; the third, tolls levied upon travellers, for maintenance of roads and communication. and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings] R.V. and in the end it will endamage the kings. The A.V. is certainly wrong in translating by the second person singular. The…
Read Cambridge on Ezra 4 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleToll, tribute, and custom - Rather, “tribute, provision, and toll” (so Ezra 4:20).
Read Albert Barnes on Ezra 4 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible13. Toll, tribute, and custom — Comprising all kinds of revenue. It is difficult to decide the precise import of each term.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Ezra 4 →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
Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.
Be it known now to the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.
Let it now be known to the king that if that city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, and the royal treasury will suffer.
Let the king also be aware that if this city is built and its walls are completed, no more tax, custom, or toll will be paid, and the royal treasury will suffer loss.
Tyndale line
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful unto the kings.
Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will endamage the kings.
Be it known now to the king, that, if this city shall be built, and the walls set up again , then they will not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou wilt endamage the revenue of the kings.
Be it knowen nowe vnto the King, that if this citie be built, and the foundations of the walles layed, they will not giue tolle, tribute, nor custome: so shalt thou hinder the Kings tribute.
Strictly literal
Be it known therefore unto the king, that, if this city be built and the walls be completed, they will not pay tribute, tax, and toll, and in the end it will bring damage to the kings.
'Now, be it known to the king, that if this city be builded, and the walls finished, toll, tribute, and custom they do not give; and at length [to] the kings it doth cause loss.
Now let it be known to the king, that if this city is built and the walls finished, that they do not give toll, tribute, and custom; and at length it causes loss [to] the kings.
Be it now known unto the king, that, if this city be rebuilt, and the walls be completed, they will not give tax, tribute, and toll, and the royal revenues will suffer damage.
Now let the king know that if this city is built and the wall is completed, they will not give any tribute and taxes, but they will harm the kings.
From the Latin
And now be it known to the king, that if this city be built up, and the walls thereof repaired, they will not pay tribute nor toll, nor yearly revenues, and this loss will fail upon the kings.
Simplified
Your Majesty should realize that if this city is rebuilt and its walls repaired, they will not pay tax, tribute, or fees, and the king's revenue will suffer.
The king may be certain that when the building of this town and its walls is complete, they will give no tax or payment in goods or forced payments, and in the end it will be a cause of loss to the kings.
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 (MT) of Ezra 4:13 states that if the city is rebuilt and its walls restored, the king should be informed that they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll, which will harm the royal treasury. The Septuagint (LXX) closely aligns with the MT, matching 16 of the 19 words, although the specific wording and structure differ due to the nature of translation. There are no significant differences in meaning between the MT and the LXX in this instance. The Samaritan Pentateuch and the Dead Sea Scrolls do not provide additional witnesses for this verse, so the MT and LXX remain the primary sources for comparison.
כְּעַ֗ן יְדִ֙יעַ֙ לֶהֱוֵ֣א לְמַלְכָּ֔א דִּ֠י הֵ֣ן קִרְיְתָ֥א דָךְ֙ תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א וְשׁוּרַיָּ֖ה יִֽשְׁתַּכְלְל֑וּן מִנְדָּֽה־ בְל֤וֹ וַהֲלָךְ֙ לָ֣א יִנְתְּנ֔וּן וְאַפְּתֹ֥ם מַלְכִ֖ים תְּהַנְזִֽק׃
16 of the 19 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 4:13
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.
כְּעַן (k`an) means 'now' or 'at this time' in Aramaic. It is derived from the root of another Hebrew word, כְּעֶ֫נֶת (ke.e.net), which also means 'now.' The entries indicate its usage primarily relates to the present time.
H3705 כְּעַן
3705 k`an keh-an'
(Aramaic) probably from 3652; now:--now.
see HEBREW for 03652
כְּעַן (ke.an) — now.
now, at this time, until now
Aramaic equivalent: ke.e.net (כְּעֶ֫נֶת "now" H3706)
Adj — AdverbAD
יְדַע (yda) means 'to know' and encompasses various forms of knowledge and communication. It can refer to knowing something personally or causing someone else to know. The entries indicate its use in both Hebrew and Aramaic contexts, with a focus on the act of informing or teaching.
יְדַע vb. know
Pe. know
Haph. cause to know, inform
base
H3046 יְדַע
3046 yda` yed-ah'
(Aramaic) corresponding to 3045:--certify, know, make known,
teach.
see HEBREW for 03045
יְדַע (ye.da) — to know.
1) to know
1a) (P'al) to know
1b) (Aphel) to let someone know, communicate, inform, cause to know
Adj — Verb masculine singularAVQrmsa
הֲוָא (hava') means to come to pass, become, or be. It is used in various contexts, often in connection with other words, indicating actions like to see, seek, or walk. The entries highlight its range of applications in both Hebrew and Aramaic, with a focus on existence and becoming.
הֲוָא, הֲוָה 71 vb. come to pass, become, be
base
H1934 הֲוָא, הֲוָה come to pass, become, be
1934 hava' hav-aw'
(Aramaic) orhavah (Aramaic) {hav-aw'}; corresponding to 1933;
to exist; used in a great variety of applications (especially
in connection with other words):--be, become, + behold, + came
(to pass), + cease, + cleave, + consider, + do, + give, +
have, + judge, + keep, + labour, + mingle (self), + put, +
see, + seek, + set, + slay, + take heed, tremble, + walk, +
would.
see HEBREW for 01933
הֲוָא (ha.va) — to be.
1) to come to pass, become, be
1a) (P'al)
1a1) to come to pass
1a2) to come into being, arise, become, come to be
1a2a) to let become known (with participle of knowing)
1a3) to be
Adj — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularAVqi3ms
מֶ֫לֶךְ (melek) means 'king' in Hebrew and is also noted in Aramaic. The entries confirm its singular meaning related to royalty, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
מֶ֫לֶךְ 178 n.m. king
base
H4430 מֶ֫לֶךְ
4430 melek meh'-lek
(Aramaic) corresponding to 4428; a king:--king, royal.
see HEBREW for 04428
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.
king
Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428)
§ 1) king
Adj | N-ms | Art — Preposition · noun common both singular determined · particleAR/Ncbsd/Ta
King
Is in Scripture very generally used to denote one invested with authority, whether extensive or limited. There were thirty-one kings in Canaan (Josh. 12:9, 24), whom Joshua subdued. Adonibezek subdued seventy kings (Judg. 1:7). In the New Testament the Roman emperor is spoken of as a king (1 Pet. 2:13, 17); and Herod Antipas, who was only a tetrarch, is also called a king (Matt. 14:9; Mark 6:22).
This title is applied to God (1 Tim. 1:17), and to Christ, the Son of God (1 Tim. 6:15, 16;
"a chief ruler, one invested with supreme authority over a nation, tribe or country." --Webster. In the Bible the word does not necessarily imply great power or great extent of country. Many persons are called kings whom we should rather call chiefs or leaders. The word is applied in the Bible to God as the sovereign and ruler of the universe, and to Christ the Son of God as the head and governor of the Church. The Hebrews were ruled by a king during a period of about 500 years previous to the destruction of Jerusalem, B.C. 586. The immediate occasion of the substitution of a regal form of government for that of judges seems to have been the siege of Jabesh-gilead by Nahash king of the Ammonites. (1 Samuel 11:1; 12:12) The conviction seems to have forced itself on the Israelites that they could not resist their formidable neighbor…
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
הֵן (hen) is a conjunction meaning 'if' or 'whether,' while לָהֵן (la-hen) means 'therefore.' Both terms are rooted in Aramaic, with hen corresponding to the Hebrew word for 'look' and la-hen related to the word for 'therefore.' The entries consistently define these terms without notable disagreement.
הֵן conj. if, whether
base
לָהֵן conj. therefore
base
H2006a הֵן conj. if, whether H2006b לָהֵן conj. therefore
2006 hen hane
(Aramaic) corresponding to 2005: lo! also there(-fore), (un-
)less, whether, but, if:--(that) if, or, whether.
see HEBREW for 02005
הֵן (hen) — if.
behold, if, whether
Aramaic of hen (הֵן "look!" H2005)
לָהֵן (la.hen) — therefore.
therefore
Aramaic of la.hen (לָהֵן "therefore" H3860)
Adj — ConjunctionAC
קִרְיָה (qirya') means 'city' or 'town' in Hebrew and is noted as an Aramaic term as well. It is derived from a root that corresponds to another word for 'city' (H7151). The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as a place of habitation.
קִרְיָה, קִרְיָא, n.f. city
base
H7149 קִרְיָה, קִרְיָא
7149 qirya' keer-yaw'
(Aramaic) or qiryah (Aramaic) {keer-yaw'}; corresponding to
7151:--city.
see HEBREW for 07151
קִרְיָה (qir.yah) — town.
city
Aramaic of qir.yah (קִרְיָה "town" H7151)
Adj | Art — Noun common feminine singular determined · particleANcfsd/Ta
sit'-i (`ir, qiryah; polis):
I. THE CANAANITE CITY
1. Origin
2. Extent
3. Villages
4. Sites
5. External Appearance
6. General
II. THE CITY OF THE JEWISH OCCUPATION
1. Tower or Stronghold
2. High Place
3. Broad Place
4. Streets
5. General Characteristics
III. STORE CITIES
IV. LEVITICAL CITIES
LITERATURE
I. The Canaanite City.
1. Origin:
The development of the Canaanite city has been traced by Macalister in his report on the excavation at Gezer (Palestine Exploration Fund Statement, 1904, 108 ff). It originated on the slopes of a bare rocky spur, in which the Neolithic Troglodytes quarried their habitations out of the solid rock, the stones therefrom being used to form a casing to the earthen ramparts, with which the site was afterwards surrounded and which served as a protection against the intrusion of enemies. Later Semitic intruders occupied the site, stone houses were built, and high stone defense…
City
The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain (Gen. 4:17). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12). Next, we have a record of the cities of the Canaanites, Sidon, Gaza, Sodom, etc. (10:12, 19; 11:3, 9; 36:31-39). The earliest description of a city is that of Sodom (19:1-22). Damascus is said to be the oldest existing city in the world. Before the time of Abraham there were cities in Egypt (Num. 13:22). The Israelites in Egypt were employed in building the “treasure cities” of Pithom and Raamses (Ex. 1:11); but it does not seem that they had any cities of their own in Goshen (Gen.…
The towns and cities of Palestine were commonly built on heights, for better security against robbers or invaders. These heights, surrounded by walls, sometimes formed the entire city. In other cases, the citadel alone crowned the hill, around and at the base of which the town was built; and in time of danger the surrounding population all took refuge in the fortified place. Larger towns and cities were often not only defended by strong outer walls, with towers and gates, but by a citadel or castle within these limits-a last resort when the rest of the city was taken, Jud 9:46,51. The "fenced cities" of the Jews, De 3:5, were of various sizes and degrees of strength; some being surrounded by high and thick stone walls, and others by feebler ramparts, often of clay or sun-dried…
דֵּךְ (dek) is an Aramaic word meaning 'this.' It is derived from a prolonged form of another root, and is used in a demonstrative sense. The entries consistently affirm its meaning as a pronoun, specifically referring to something nearby.
דֵּךְ demonstr.pr.m. this
base
H1791 דֵּךְ, דָּךְ
1791 dek dake
(Aramaic) or dak (Aramaic) {dawk}; prolonged from 1668;
this:--the same, this.
see HEBREW for 01668
דֵּךְ (dekh) — this.
this
Aramaic of zeh (זֶה "this" H2088)
Adj — ParticleATm
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 third · person feminine singularAVui3fs
שׁוּר (shur) means 'wall' in Hebrew and is also noted as an Aramaic term corresponding to the word for wall in another entry. The lexicons consistently define it as a noun referring to a structural wall.
[שׁוּר] n.m. wall
base
H7792 שׁוּר
7792 shuwr shoor
(Aramaic) corresponding to 7791:--wall.
see HEBREW for 07791
שׁוּר (shur) — wall.
wall
Aramaic of shur (שׁוּר "wall" H7791A)
Adj | N-mp | Art — Conjunction · noun common masculine plural determined · particleAC/Ncmpd/Ta
Only a few points need be noticed. The practice common in Palestine of carrying foundations down to the solid rock, as in the case of the temple, with structures intended to be permanent. (Luke 6:48) A feature of some parts of Solomon’s buildings, as described by Josephus, corresponds remarkably to the method adopted at Nineveh of incrusting or veneering a wall of brick or stone with slabs of a more costly material, as marble or alabaster. Another use of walls in Palestine is to support mountain roads Or terraces formed on the sides of hills for purposes of cultivation. The "path of the vineyards," (Numbers 22:24) is a pathway through vineyards, with walls on each side.
The walls of dwellings in the East were of very different materials, from mere clay, or clay and pebbles, to durable hewn stone. See the latter part of the article HOUSE. As to the city walls, see BABYLON, CITY, and JERUSALEM.
The accompanying cut shows a portion of the western wall of the sacred area, Haram-es-Sherif, at Jerusalem. The huge stones in its lower part are believed by the Jews, and with good reason, to have formed a part of the substructions of their ancient temple, and to be near the site of the Holy of Holies. Hence they assemble here every Friday, and more or less on other days, to weep and wail with every token of the sorest grief, and to pray for the coming of the Messiah. In former years they had to pay a large price for this melancholy privilege. A little beyond this spot, towards the south, is the fragment of an immense arch of forty-one feet span, one of five or…
כְּלַל (klal) means to complete or finish. It can refer to the act of finishing something, like a building, or the state of being completed. The entries indicate that it has both active (Shaphel) and passive (Ishtaphel) forms, with applications in contexts such as construction.
[כְּלַל] vb. complete
Shaph. of building: he finished it
Ishtaph. be completed, of walls
base
H3635 כְּלַל
3635 klal kel-al'
(Aramaic) corresponding to 3634; to complete:--finish, make
(set) up.
see HEBREW for 03634
כְּלַל (ke.lal) — to complete.
1) to finish, complete
1a) (Shaphel) to finish
1b) (Ishtaphel) to be completed
שַׁכְלֵל (shakh.lel) — to complete.
1) to finish, complete
1a) (Shaphel) to finish
1b) (Ishtaphel) to be completed
Adj — Verb pilpel · imperfect third person masculine pluralAVvi3mp
מִנְדָּה (mindah) refers to a form of tribute or toll, primarily in the context of monetary contributions. It is linked to the related word מִדָּה (middah), which also denotes tribute. The term appears in Aramaic, indicating its usage in that language as well.
מִנְדָּה, מִדָּה (?) n.f. tribute
base
H4061 מִנְדָּה, מִדָּה
4061 middah mid-daw'
(Aramaic) or mindah (Aramaic) {min-daw'}; corresponding to
4060; tribute in money:--toll, tribute.
see HEBREW for 04060
מִנְדָּה (mid.dah) — tribute.
tribute
Aramaic of mid.dah (מִדָּה "tribute" H4060B)
Adj — Noun common · feminine singular absoluteANcfsa
trib'-ut (mac, "tribute," really meaning "forced laborers," "labor gang" (1Ki 4:6; 9:15,21); also "forced service," "serfdom"; possibly "forced payment" is meant in Es 10:1; the idea contained in the modern word is better given by middah (Ezr 6:8; Ne 5:4)): Words used only of the duty levied for Yahweh on acquired spoils are mekhec, "assessment" (Nu 31:28,37,38,39,40,41), belo, "excise" (Ezr 4:13,10; Ne 7:24), massa', "burden" (2Ch 17:11), and `onesh, "fine" or…
Tribute
A tax imposed by a king on his subjects (2 Sam. 20:24; 1 Kings 4:6; Rom. 13:6). In Matt. 17:24-27 the word denotes the temple rate (the “didrachma,” the “half-shekel,” as rendered by the R.V.) which was required to be paid for the support of the temple by every Jew above twenty years of age (Ex. 30:12; 2 Kings 12:4; 2 Chr. 24:6, 9). It was not a civil but a religious tax.
The chief biblical facts connected with the payment of tribute have been already given under TAXES. The tribute (money) mentioned in (Matthew 17:24,25) was the half shekel (worth from 25 to 27 cents) applied to defray the general expenses of the temple. After the destruction of the temple this was sequestrated by Vespasian and his successors and transferred to the temple of the Capitoline Jupiter. This "tribute" of (Matthew 17:24) must not be confounded with the tribute paid to the Roman emperor. (Matthew 22:17) The temple rate, though resting on an ancient precedent-- (Exodus 30:13) --was as above a fixed annual tribute of comparatively late origin.
Every Jew throughout the world was required to pay an annual tribute or capitation-tax of half a shekel, about twenty-five cents, in acknowledgment of God’s sovereignty and for the maintenance of the temple service, Ex 30:12-15. It was with reference to this that Christ says, in effect, Mt 17:25,26, "If this tribute be levied in the name of The Father, then I, The Son, am free."
In other New Testament passages, tribute means the tax levied by the Romans. On the question of paying tribute to foreigners and idolaters, Mt 22:16-22, Christ gave a reply which neither party could stigmatize as rebellious, or as unpatriotic and irreligious. By themselves using Caesar’s currency, both parties acknowledged the fact of his supremacy.…
בְּלוֹ (be.lo) is a masculine noun meaning 'tribute.' It is derived from a root that corresponds to another Hebrew word related to excising or consuming articles. The entries consistently define it as tribute, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
בְּלוֹ n.[m.] tribute
base
H1093 בְּלוֹ
1093 blow bel-o'
(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to 1086; excise (on
articles consumed):--tribute.
see HEBREW for 01086
בְּלוֹ (be.lo) — tribute.
tribute
Adj — Noun common · both singular absoluteANcbsa
→ Land mortgaged for Ne 5:3,4
→ Priests exempted from Ge 47:26; Ezr 7:24
→ Paid in grain Am 5:11; 7:1
→ Paid in provisions 1Ki 4:7-28
הֲלָךְ (halak) refers to a toll or custom duty, derived from the Aramaic term for 'walk.' The entries indicate that it is primarily used in the context of a journey and the associated costs, particularly in relation to goods on a road.
הֲלָךְ n.[m.] toll
base
H1983 הֲלָךְ
1983 halak hal-awk'
(Aramaic) from 1981; properly, a journey, i.e. (by
implication) toll on goods at a road:--custom.
see HEBREW for 01981
הֲלָךְ (ha.lakh) — toll.
toll, custom duty, tribute
Aramaic of ha.lakh (הָלַךְ ": walk" H1980)
Adj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common both singular absoluteAC/Ncbsa
tol: (1) Aramaic middah, "toll" or "tribute" paid by a vassal nation to its conqueror (Ezr 4:20; 6:8; Ne 5:4); written also mindah (Ezr 4:13; 7:24). More accurately for halakh, "toll," or "way tax" (Ezr 4:13,10; 7:24). In New Testament times the Romans had placed throughout Palestine many toll stations (telonion). Levi the publican was stationed at such a tax office (Mt 9:9; Mr 2:14; Lu 5:27); compare telones, a "tax collector" or "publican." The tax which the Jews paid toward the support of the temple, a didrachma…
Toll
One of the branches of the king of Persia’s revenues (Ezra 4:13; 7:24), probably a tax levied from those who used the bridges and fords and highways.
→ See TRIBUTE
→ See TAX
לָא (la') is an adverb meaning 'not' or 'no,' and it can also imply 'nothing' or 'without.' It is noted as an Aramaic term, related to the Hebrew word לֹא (lo'), which also means 'not.' The word appears in contexts such as Daniel 4:32.
לָא, (לָה) adv. not
base
H3809 לָא, לָה not
3809 la' law
(Aramaic) or lah (Aramaic) (Dan. 4:32) {law}; corresponding
to 3808:--or even, neither, no(-ne, -r), ((can-))not, as
nothing, without.
see HEBREW for 03808
לָא (la) — not.
no, not, nothing
Aramaic of lo (לֹא "not" H3808)
Adj — ParticleATn
נְתַן (nethan) means 'to give' and encompasses a range of actions such as bestowing, delivering, and paying. The entries indicate that it is a verb used in various contexts, including the act of allowing or setting something. There are no significant disagreements among the lexicons regarding its meaning.
[נְתַן] vb. give
base
H5415 נְתַן
5415 nthan neth-an'
(Aramaic) corresponding to 5414; give:--bestow, give pay.
see HEBREW for 05414
נְתַן (ne.tan) — to give: give.
: give/deliver/send/produce
1) to give
1a) (P'al)
1a1) to give
1a2) to give, allow
1a3) to give, pay
נְתַן (ne.tan) — to give: put.
: put/set/apppoint
1) to give
1a) (P'al)
1a1) to give
1a2) to give, allow
1a3) to give, pay
נְתַן (ne.tan) — to give: pay.
: pay
1) to give
1a) (P'al)
1a1) to give
1a2) to give, allow
1a3) to give, pay
Adj — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralAVqi3mp
(nathan, yahabh, sum; didomi): "Give" is a very common word in the Old Testament. It is most frequently the translation of nathan, "to give" (Ge 1:29; 3:6; Ex 2:9; De 18,20, etc., over 800 instances); nathan is also translated "to give up" (De 23:14; Isa 43:6; Ho 11:8); of yahabh, "to give" (Ge 30:1; 1Ch 16:28 the King James Version). In Ps 55:22 we have the perfect with suffix, "Cast thy burden upon Yahweh," margin "what he hath given thee"; elsewhere it is…
אַפְּתֹם (appthom) refers to 'revenue' or 'treasury' and is noted in Ezra 4:13. It is of Aramaic and Persian origin, with some uncertainty about its exact meaning. The entries suggest it relates to financial matters, specifically revenue or treasury.
אַפְּתֹם or אַפְּתוֹם Ezr 4:13; of uncertain mng.: in the end
ref
H674 אַפְּתֹם, אַפְּתוֹם
674 'appthom ap-pe-thome'
(Aramaic) of Persian origin; revenue; others at the
last:--revenue.
אַפְּתֹם (ap.p.tom) — revenue.
1) treasury, treasuries
2) (CLBL) revenue
Adj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteAC/Ncmsa
מֶ֫לֶךְ (melek) means 'king' in Hebrew and is also noted in Aramaic. The entries confirm its singular meaning related to royalty, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
מֶ֫לֶךְ 178 n.m. king
base
H4430 מֶ֫לֶךְ
4430 melek meh'-lek
(Aramaic) corresponding to 4428; a king:--king, royal.
see HEBREW for 04428
מֶ֫לֶךְ (me.lekh) — king.
king
Aramaic of me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "king" H4428)
§ 1) king
Adj — Noun common · masculine plural absoluteANcmpa
of Judah and Israel. For the list see table at the end of this volume.
נְזַק (nzaq) refers to the concept of suffering injury or inflicting damage. It is derived from a root that suggests loss or harm. The entries indicate its use in both active and passive forms, with the potential to convey both suffering injury and causing injury.
[נְזַק] vb. suffer injury
Pe.
Haph. injure
base
H5142 נְזַק
5142 nzaq nez-ak'
(Aramaic) corresponding to the root of 5143; to suffer
(causatively, inflict) loss:--have (en-)damage, hurt(-ful).
see HEBREW for 05143
נְזַק (ne.zaq) — to suffer injury.
1) to suffer injury
1a) (P'al) to suffer injury
1b) (Aphel) to injure
Adj — Verb · Hiphil · imperfect second person masculine singularAVhi2ms