בִּנְיָן (bin.yan)
bin.yan
building
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The noun binyan refers to a physical building or structure. In the Hebrew Bible, the standard word for this concept is binyan (H1146), but Ezra uses the Aramaic form binyan (H1147) instead. This shift reflects the language of the imperial administration during the Persian period.
The term appears only once in Scripture, in Ezra 5:4. There, it describes the temple construction project when officials question the workers about who authorized their work. The word highlights the tangible reality of the rebuilding effort, grounding the spiritual mission in physical labor and architectural progress.
Its rarity makes this single occurrence significant. It marks a moment where the sacred task intersects with political oversight, using the language of the empire to describe God’s house. The term remains neutral, focusing on the structure itself rather than its religious function.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word binyan appears just once in the Hebrew Bible, found in Ezra 5:4. It describes the physical structure being built during the temple reconstruction. This rare term highlights how God’s work often involves tangible effort and visible progress.
When officials questioned the workers about their building project, they used the language of the Persian empire. This shows that faith is not separate from the real world. Your daily labor can be part of a sacred mission, even when observed by those in power.
Trust that God sees your work. Whether you are constructing something physical or spiritual, He values the effort you put into His purposes. Rest in the knowledge that your contributions matter to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- building/ the1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בִנְיָנָ֖/א1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 5:4
They also asked for the names of the men who were making this building.
This verse uses binyan to refer specifically to the physical structure of the temple, grounding the spiritual rebuilding effort in concrete architectural reality.