Ezra 4 in the early church
[LXX: 2 Esdras (with Nehemiah); Vulgate: 1 Esdras]
16 passages quote, allude to, or echo Ezra 4, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Ezra 4:1
When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building a temple for the LORD, the God of Israel,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ezra 4:1–5 | Fragment 49 · Julius Africanus | allusion, medium confidence | after 221 |
| Ezra 4:1–5 | Demonstration of the Gospel 8.2.49 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 314–324 |
| Ezra 4:1–3 | Letter 121.5 · Jerome | quotation, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Ezra 4:1–24 | Part 2, chapter 37 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Ezra 4:2
they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, saying, “Let us build with you because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to Him since the time of King Esar-haddon of Assyria, who brought us here.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ezra 4:2 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 10.1.5 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374-377 |
Ezra 4:3
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of the families of Israel replied, “You have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone must build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as Cyrus king of Persia has commanded us.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ezra 4:3 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 10.1.5 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374-377 |
Ezra 4:4
Then the people of the land set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to build.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ezra 4:4–5 | Demonstration of the Gospel 8.2.62 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 314–324 |
| Ezra 4:4–5 | Demonstration of the Gospel 8.2.83 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 314–324 |
| Ezra 4:4–5 | Demonstration 19.11 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Ezra 4:4 | Letters 20.4 · Paulinus of Nola | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 394–413 |
| Ezra 4:4 | Letters 32.24 · Paulinus of Nola | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 394–413 |
| Ezra 4:4 | City of God 18.26 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
Ezra 4:24
Thus the construction of the house of God in Jerusalem ceased, and it remained at a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ezra 4:24 | On the Computation of Easter 16 · Anonymous | allusion, high confidence | 243 |
| Ezra 4:24 | Prophetic Extracts 3.46 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, medium confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
| Ezra 4:24 | Demonstration 19.11 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Ezra 4:24 | City of God 18.26 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |