Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Peter:

Can you explain more why this is a difficulty?

The book of Ezra has its first six chapters recounting what went on before
Ezra entered the scene. Ezra is first introduced in 7:1. So what is the
difficulty?

Karl W. Randolph.

On Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 11:33 AM, <ps2866 AT bingo-ev.de> wrote:

> Dear Friends of B-Heb,
>
> by comparing Haggai and Ezra I found a problem that I can't solve on my
> own:
>
> In Haggai 2,18 it states: "from the day that the foundation of the LORD'S
> temple was laid" (NKJ)
>
> In Ezra 3,10 we read: "When the builders laid the foundation of the temple
> of the LORD" (NKJ)
>
> In both instances the writer uses the verb JaSaD. What is the difference
> between both occurences, as a foundation can't be laid twice, I guess, and
> there are some years between both passages.
>
> Is it better to understand the verb as "beginning to build" rather than
> laying the foundation?
>
> Thank you again for all help !
> Yours
> Peter M. Streitenberger, Germany
>