Ezra 1:5 · Bible study
Ezra 1:5 Commentary: Stirred by God to Build the Temple
Hebrew · 9 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
How God stirred the spirits of a remnant to leave Babylon and rebuild His house, and what this teaches about divine initiative and human response.
Research Summary
- Meaning: In response to Cyrus’s decree, a remnant of Jewish leaders and people, those God stirred, rose up to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple.
- Key words: “Spirit” (רוח, ruach, H7307), human spirit stirred by God’s Spirit; “stirred” (עור, ‘ur, H5782, Hiphil perfect), God actively roused their inner resolve; “rose up” (קום, qum, H6965), decisive action.
- Main debate: Does the verse imply that those who stayed were unwilling because God did not stir them (sovereignty), or were they responsible for resisting His stirring (human response)? Most commentators see both truths as present, with the emphasis on God’s initiative.
- Theological theme: Grace precedes obedience. God doesn’t merely command; He creates the desire to obey. This points to the New Testament teaching that God works in us “to will and to work” (Philippians 2:13).
- Best use: Encouraging believers who feel a prompting to act for God’s kingdom, the stirring is evidence of His work. Also humbling, since all willingness is a gift.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—prepared to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD in Jerusalem.
WEB World English Bible 2000
Then the heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and the Levites, all whose spirit God had stirred to go up, rose up to build Yahweh’s house which is in Jerusalem.
KJV King James Version 1769
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
Then rose up the heads of fathers’housesof Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And heads of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin rise, and the priests and the Levites, even every one whose spirit God hath waked, to go up to build the house of Jehovah, that is in Jerusalem;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And the chief fathers of Judah and Benjamin rose up, and the priests, and the Levites, even all those whose spirit God had stirred, to go up to build the house of Jehovah which is at Jerusalem.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Juda and Benjamin, and the priests, and Levites, and every one whose spirit God had raised up, to go up to build the temple of the Lord, which was in Jerusalem.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces se levantaron los cabezas de las familias de Judá y de Benjamín, y los sacerdotes y Levitas, todos aquellos cuyo espíritu despertó Dios para subir á edificar la casa de Jehová, la cual está en Jerusalem.
Então se levantaram os chefes das famílias de Judá e de Benjamim, os sacerdotes e os Levitas, e todos aqueles cujo espírito Deus despertou, para subirem a edificar a casa do SENHOR, que está em Jerusalém.
Les chefs de famille de Juda et de Benjamin, les sacrificateurs et les Lévites, tous ceux dont Dieu réveilla l’ esprit, se levèrent pour aller bâtir la maison de l’ Éternel à Jérusalem.
Da machten sich auf die Obersten der Vaterhäuser aus Juda und Benjamin und die Priester und Leviten, alle, deren Geist Gott erweckte, hinaufzuziehen und zu bauen das Haus des HERRN zu Jerusalem.
Toen maakten zich op de hoofden der vaderen van Juda en Benjamin, en de priesteren en de Levieten, benevens een iegelijk, wiens geest God verwekte, dat zij optrokken om te bouwen het huis des HEEREN, die te Jeruzalem woont.
Allora i capi famiglia di Giuda e di Beniamino, i sacerdoti e i Leviti, tutti quelli ai quali Iddio avea destato lo spirito, si levarono per andare a ricostruire la casa dell’Eterno ch’è a Gerusalemme.
Tedy powstali przedniejsi z domów ojcowskich, z Judy i z Benjamina, i kapłani, i Lewitowie; wszelki, którego ducha pobudził Bóg, aby szli, a budowali dom Pański, który jest w Jeruzalemie;
И поднялись главы поколений Иудиных и Вениаминовых, и священники и левиты, всякий, в ком возбудил Бог дух его, чтобы пойти строить дом Господень, который в Иерусалиме.
於是，猶大 和便雅憫 的族 長、祭司、利未人，就是一切被 神 激動 他心的人，都起來 要上 耶路撒冷 去建造 耶和華 的殿。
Then the heads of families of Judah and Benjamin, with the priests and the Levites, got ready, even all those whose spirits were moved by God to go up and take in hand the building of the Lord's house in Jerusalem.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Ezra 1:5
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Ezra 1:5 highlights God’s direct initiative in prompting the return from exile. God stirred the spirit of Cyrus to issue the decree (v.1), and now He stirs the spirits of the people to obey it. The same Hebrew verb, ‘ur (to rouse, incite), appears in both verses, a point Cambridge Bible and Keil & Delitzsch stress: the wonder of the return is wholly due to divine overruling. Not all Israelites responded; many remained in Babylon, attached to their property and comfort (Barnes, Gill, Josephus). Those who rose up were persons whom God had especially stirred up (Barnes). Gill adds that God “works in men both to will and to do,” quoting Philippians 2:13. Matthew Henry observes that the same God who raised Cyrus’s spirit raised the people’s spirits. The consensus: the return was God’s work from start to finish, yet it came through human decision and action.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Divine monergism (effectual calling): God’s stirring alone determines who goes; those not stirred stay. Gill and Matthew Henry emphasize God’s work in both willing and doing. The cross-reference Philippians 2:13 supports this reading.
- Human responsibility within divine initiative: God stirs all through the public decree, but individuals can resist. Those who stayed chose personal comfort over obedience. Proverbs 16:1 and the fact that many remained suggest choice. The verse does not say God refused to stir them.
- Synthesis: grace enables, but does not compel: Both views are held in tension. The text focuses on the faithful remnant who responded to God’s stirring without speculating on why others did not. The narrative celebrates God’s work in those who went.
What is clear: God is the initiator of the return; the willingness to rebuild the temple came from Him, and He gets the glory for the decision to go.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Divine stirring vs human choice | God is the primary cause of the return; He stirred both Cyrus and the people. Human decision and action are the means through which God works. | Some traditions emphasize monergistic grace (God's stirring is effectual and irresistible), while others see a synergistic cooperation where God's stirring must be freely accepted. The text does not specify the mechanism, only the result. |
| The identity of those who returned | Judah, Benjamin, priests, and Levites are named. These represent the core of the exilic community connected to the temple and the Davidic covenant. | Whether members of other tribes were included is debated. Some (Gill, JFB) cite 1 Chronicles 9:3 to argue others joined; others note the verse only explicitly names these two tribes. The phrase 'all whose spirit God stirred' may include others, but the text focuses on these groups. |
| The nature of the 'stirring' | It is a divine act that produces willingness. The same Hebrew verb (<em>'ur</em>) is used for Cyrus in verse 1, indicating God's sovereign hand in history. | Whether this stirring is an inward, supernatural impulse (as in effectual calling) or an ordinary providential persuasion through circumstances and the decree. Gill uses language reminiscent of effectual grace; Cambridge Bible emphasizes God's control of both king and subject. |
| The significance of the temple rebuilding | The temple is central to Israel's worship and identity; the return aimed to restore proper worship of Yahweh. | The role of the temple in post-exilic theology varies across traditions, but all affirm its importance as a place of sacrifice, prayer, and symbol of God's presence. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The year is 538 BC. Cyrus the Great, now ruler of Babylon, has issued a decree permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. This fulfilled Jeremiah’s prophecy of a seventy-year captivity (Jeremiah 25:11, 12; 29:10). The decree was unprecedented: a pagan king acknowledging Yahweh and commissioning His house. Yet the response was partial. Many Jews had been born in Babylon; they had built homes, businesses, and relationships over two generations. As Josephus notes, many stayed “unwilling to leave their possessions.”
The group that returned is listed: heads of fathers’ households of Judah and Benjamin (the two tribes that formed the southern kingdom, most linked to the Davidic line and the temple), along with priests and Levites. The phrase “heads of fathers’ houses” (or “chief of the fathers”) reflects the clan-based social structure of Israel, a system of tribal and family leadership that predated the monarchy (Exodus 6:14). These leaders went first, setting an example. The mention of priests and Levites is natural: the temple needed ministers. But not every priest and Levite returned, only those whose spirit God stirred.
Literarily, the verse bridges the royal proclamation (vv.1, 4) and the practical support provided (v.6 onwards). The note that they rose up “to build Yahweh’s house” echoes the central goal of the restoration. For the first readers, this verse answered a painful question: “Who actually went back, and why?” The answer directed attention away from human willpower and toward divine grace.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text of Ezra 1:5 is stable across manuscripts. The Masoretic Text reads without significant variants. The main note is syntactical: the preposition lamed before “all” (לְכֹל) is rendered differently in translations. Cambridge Bible notes that the King James Version takes it as adding a fourth group (“with all them”), while the Revised Version takes it as summing up the three groups already named (“even all”). The construction is peculiar, but both readings agree that the entire returning community is described. No variant affects interpretation.
Reception History
In Jewish tradition, this verse is read as part of the return from exile, emphasizing God’s faithfulness to His covenant. The Talmud and later rabbinic commentaries noted that only a fraction of the exiles returned, interpreting this as a judgment on those who preferred life in Babylon. Christian commentators from the Reformation onward saw here a type of spiritual calling: God’s work in the heart precedes and enables the believer’s response. Matthew Henry and Gill both draw connections to effectual grace, while Wesley read it as a new exodus, following Abraham’s call to leave his country. In modern preaching, the verse is used to encourage believers to discern and follow God’s promptings, even when costly. It underscores that the desire to serve God is itself a gift from God, a theme echoed in hymns on surrender and vocation.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God stirs, but not everyone responds. Cyrus’s decree was universal, but only a remnant took action. Divine grace creates willingness, yet many choose comfort over obedience.
- Leaders go first. The heads of fathers’ households, priests, and Levites rose up. When God stirs, those in positions of influence should lead the way.
- The goal is God’s house. The return was not for personal gain but for rebuilding the temple. God’s stirring always points beyond us to His glory and purposes.
Five-point outline
- The same God who works on kings also works on common people. Yahweh stirred Cyrus (v.1) and stirred the exiles (v.5). No heart is beyond His reach.
- Willingness is a gift. “Whose spirit God had stirred”, the desire to do God’s work comes from God.
- God works through human structures. The heads of fathers’ houses, priests, Levites, God uses existing leadership to mobilize His people.
- Obeying God’s call involves real sacrifice. Leaving Babylon meant giving up security, property, and relationships.
- The remnant builds for future generations. They rebuilt the temple for those who would come after. Faith today plants seeds for tomorrow.
Illustration hooks
- A church announces a building project. The whole congregation is invited to give, but only some step forward to serve on the committee or volunteer. The desire to participate doesn’t come from guilt; it comes from a changed heart.
- A family receives an overseas job transfer. They have every reason to stay, comfortable home, good schools, close friends. Yet something inside them says, “Go.” They cannot explain it except as a pull from God.
- During a community clean-up after a storm, some neighbors come out with tools and others watch from their porches. The ones who join say they just felt they had to help.
Questions your congregation is asking
- If God stirred only some, does that mean the ones who stayed were disobedient? (The text doesn’t condemn those who stayed; it simply notes who went. Both divine call and human choice are involved.)
- How do I know if God is stirring me to do something, or if it’s just my own ambition? (Look for alignment with Scripture, confirmation from godly leaders, and a desire for God’s glory, not personal gain.)
- What if I feel no stirring? (This verse invites prayer: “Lord, stir my spirit to want what You want.”)
Leading a Discussion
Ezra 1:5 sits at the hinge of the restoration. A pagan king has given permission, but permission doesn’t create passion. This verse shows that God Himself creates the willingness to act. As you discuss, consider both the divine and human sides of this moment.
Discussion questions
- Observation: Who is listed as returning in verse 5? What do these groups have in common? (See also the leaders named: Judah, Benjamin, priests, Levites.)
- Observation: What does the phrase “whose spirit God had stirred” suggest about the origin of their decision? Compare this with verse 1, where the same word is used for Cyrus.
- Interpretation: Why do you think many Israelites chose not to return, even though the decree was open to all? (Barnes and Josephus note they were disinclined to leave property.) Does the text imply those who stayed were unfaithful?
- Interpretation: How does this verse help us understand the relationship between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility? Use the cross-references: Proverbs 16:1 and Philippians 2:13.
- Interpretation: The goal was to “build Yahweh’s house.” How did that purpose shape the identity of the returning community?
- Application: Can you think of a time when you felt God “stirring” you to do something difficult or costly? How did you respond?
- Application: In your church or community, what would it look like to be part of a “remnant” that God stirs to rebuild something important for His glory?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Chronicles 36:22 | Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s word by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, |
| Ezra 1:1 | Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that Yahweh’s word by Jeremiah’s mouth might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, |
| Nehemiah 2:12 | I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I didn’t tell anyone what my God put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. There wasn’t any animal with me except the animal that I rode on. |
| Proverbs 16:1 | The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from Yahweh. |
| II Corinthians 8:16 | But thanks be to God, who puts the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus. |
| Philippians 2:13 | For it is God who works in you both to will and to work for his good pleasure. |
| James 1:16 | Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers. |
| James 1:17 | Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation nor turning shadow. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that most Israelites chose not to leave Babylon because they valued their possessions more than the opportunity to return. Those who did go back were people whom God had personally stirred to make sacrifices for His glory.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
Cambridge Bible notes that the same Hebrew phrase used for God stirring Cyrus's spirit in verse 1 is used here for the Jewish leaders. This deliberate repetition highlights that God controlled both the king's decree and the people's willingness to obey it, showing the return was entirely due to divine overruling.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva draws attention to the phrase "whose spirit God had raysed," highlighting that the people's willingness to go up and rebuild came entirely from God's direct work in their hearts, not from any natural desire or human persuasion. The restoration begins with God stirring the spirits of His chosen remnant.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that God's Spirit powerfully moved the people to go build the temple because natural reluctance was strong. They were comfortably settled in Babylon, the journey was difficult and dangerous, and Jerusalem lay desolate and surrounded by enemies. Only a divine stirring could overcome such obstacles.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB identifies the leaders of the returning exiles as the same paternal and ecclesiastical chiefs who had guided the community during the later years of captivity. He notes that many who chose to stay in Babylonia, comfortably settled there, still gave generous support to those who left, and even their Assyrian neighbors joined in with hearty good will.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch notes that the royal summons went to all Jews, but only those whose spirit God stirred up actually obeyed. The others stayed behind because, as Josephus observes, they were unwilling to leave their property. The response thus depended on divine initiative moving the heart, not merely on the external call.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasizes that God stirred up Cyrus not by prophetic inspiration but by giving the heathen king the personal resolve to make God's will his own. He sees Cyrus's decree as a fundamental act of divine fulfillment, where the Lord directly influences a foreign ruler to serve His redemptive purposes, marking a new relationship between world empires and God's kingdom.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Matthew Henry points out that the same God who stirred Cyrus to issue the decree also stirred the people to respond. The leaders and priests went first, setting an example, but the willingness to return came from God's Spirit, not human effort.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley draws a parallel between this generation and Abraham: like their forefather, they left the land of the Chaldeans in faith, setting out without knowing their destination. Their obedience mirrors Abraham's own trustful departure.