Ezra 3:3 (YLT)

Passage

And they establish the altar on its bases, because of the fear upon them of the peoples of the lands, and he causeth burnt-offerings to ascend upon it to Jehovah, burnt-offerings for the morning and for the evening.

Nearby Context

Ezra 3:1 And the seventh month cometh, and the sons of Israel <FI>are<Fi> in the cities, and the people are gathered, as one men, unto Jerusalem.

Ezra 3:2 And rise doth Jeshua son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and they build the altar of the God of Israel, to cause to ascend upon it burnt-offerings, as it is written in the law of Moses, the man of God.

Ezra 3:3 And they establish the altar on its bases, because of the fear upon them of the peoples of the lands, and he causeth burnt-offerings to ascend upon it to Jehovah, burnt-offerings for the morning and for the evening.

Ezra 3:4 And they make the feast of the booths as it is written, and the burnt-offering of the day daily in number according to the ordinance, the matter of a day in its day;

Ezra 3:5 and after this a continual burnt-offering, and for new moons, and for all appointed seasons of Jehovah that are sanctified; and for every one who is willingly offering a willing-offering to Jehovah.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "establish", "altar", "bases", "fear", "upon", "peoples", "lands", and "causeth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "establish" and "altar", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "And rise doth Jeshua son of Jozadak..." into verse 4's "And they make the feast of the...", so "establish" and "altar" belong inside that flow. In Ezra context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "establish" and "altar" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.