Lexical Summary bena or benah: Builder Original Word: בְּנָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance build, make (Aramaic) or bnah (Aramaic) {ben-aw'}; corresponding to banah; to build -- build, make. see HEBREW banah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to banah Definition to build NASB Translation building (2), built (4), rebuild (6), rebuilding (3), rebuilt (5), reconstructing (1), under construction (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [בְּבָה, בְּנָא] verb build (Biblical Hebrew בָּנָה); — Pe`al Perfect3masculine singular suffix 3 masculine singular בְּנָ֫הִי Ezra 5:11; 1singular suffix בֶּנַיְתַהּ Daniel 4:27; Imperfect3masculine plural יִבְנוֺן Ezra 6:7; Infinitive לְמִבְנֵא Ezra 5:2 +, לְמִבְבְיָה Ezra 5:9 (read לְמִבְנֵא M§ 64 u or < לְמִבְנֵה, so S-CA 8. 64), לִבְּנֵא (read לְמִבְנֵא Str§ 23 l Ml.c.) Ezra 5:3; Ezra 5:13; Participle active plural בָּנַ֫יִן Ezra 4:12 +; passive בְּנֵה Ezra 5:11 (see on forms K§ 47, Belsp. pass.); — build: with accusative of temple Ezra 5:2,3,9,11,13,17; Ezra 6:7,8, so Ezra 5:4 (accusative of congnate meaning with verb); passive of temple Ezra 5:11; with accusative of city Ezra 4:12; Daniel 4:27; absolute Ezra 6:14 (twice in verse). Hithpe`el be built: Imperfect3masculine singular יִתְבְּנֵא of temple Ezra 5:15; Ezra 6:3; 3feminine singular תִּתְבְּנֵא of city Ezra 6:13; Ezra 6:16; Ezra 6:21; Participle מִתְבְּנֵא of temple Ezra 5:8 (with accusative mater.), Ezra 5:16. Topical Lexicon Scope of Occurrences בְּנָא appears twenty-two times, all in the Aramaic sections of Ezra 4–6 and once in Daniel 4:30. In Ezra it describes the rebuilding of the temple and city under Persian rule; in Daniel it is used by Nebuchadnezzar to boast of his own architectural achievements. Ezra 4–6: Rebuilding the House of God 1. The verb first surfaces in letters of opposition (Ezra 4:12-16, 21). Local adversaries warn Artaxerxes that “these Jews… are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city” (4:12). They claim that if the work is completed, “they will not pay tribute, duty, or toll” (4:13) and thus threaten imperial revenue. Daniel 4:30: Human Pride Exposed Nebuchadnezzar exults, “Is this not Babylon the Great that I myself have built?” The same root that celebrates God-ordained reconstruction in Ezra here exposes self-glorification. The contrast is deliberate: when men build for God’s glory, they prosper; when they build for their own, they fall. The king’s ensuing humiliation validates the principle. Theological Motifs 1. Divine sovereignty over pagan rulers. Persian decrees and Babylonian pride both serve God’s redemptive design. Ministry Significance • Encouragement for church-planting and facility development: when undertaken in obedience, building projects extend gospel witness and honor God. Intertextual Echoes בְּנָא in Ezra anticipates New Testament imagery of believers as a “spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5) and the church “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” (Ephesians 2:20). The physical temple of Ezra points forward to the living temple of Christ’s body and the gathered saints. Pastoral Reflection God’s people today are called to build—lives, families, congregations, and communities—always under Scripture’s authority and for God’s glory. Opposition may pause the work, but obedient faith, prophetic exhortation, and divine favor will bring every God-ordained project to completion. Forms and Transliterations בְּנָ֖הִי בְנֵ֜ה בֱנַיְתַהּ֙ בָּנַ֔יִן בָּנַ֣יִן בָּנַֽיִן׃ בנה בנהי בנין בנין׃ בניתה וּבְנ֣וֹ וּבָנַ֤יִן ובנו ובנין יִבְנ֥וֹן יִתְבְּנֵ֔א יִתְבְּנֵ֥א יבנון יתבנא לְמִבְנְיָ֔ה לְמִבְנֵ֔א לְמִבְנֵ֖א לְמִבְנֵ֛א לִבְּנֵ֔א לִבְּנֵֽא׃ לבנא לבנא׃ למבנא למבניה מִתְבְּנֵ֖א מִתְבְּנֵא֙ מתבנא תִּתְבְּנֵ֔א תִתְבְּנֵ֔א תתבנא bā·na·yin baNayin bānayin bə·nā·hî ḇĕ·nay·ṯah ḇə·nêh beNahi bənāhî ḇĕnayṯah ḇənêh lə·miḇ·nê lə·miḇ·nə·yāh ləmiḇnê ləmiḇnəyāh lemivNe lemivneYah lib·bə·nê libbeNe libbənê miṯ·bə·nê mitbeNe miṯbənê tiṯ·bə·nê ṯiṯ·bə·nê titbeNe tiṯbənê ṯiṯbənê ū·ḇā·na·yin ū·ḇə·nōw ūḇānayin ūḇənōw uvaNayin uveNo venayTah veNeh yiḇ·nō·wn yiḇnōwn yiṯ·bə·nê yitbeNe yiṯbənê yivNonLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 4:12 HEB: מָֽרָדְתָּ֤א וּבִֽאישְׁתָּא֙ בָּנַ֔יִן [וְשׁוּרַיָּ כ] NAS: to us at Jerusalem; they are rebuilding the rebellious KJV: unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious INT: the rebellious and evil are rebuilding wall complete Ezra 4:13 Ezra 4:16 Ezra 4:21 Ezra 5:2 Ezra 5:3 Ezra 5:4 Ezra 5:8 Ezra 5:9 Ezra 5:11 Ezra 5:11 Ezra 5:11 Ezra 5:13 Ezra 5:15 Ezra 5:16 Ezra 5:17 Ezra 6:3 Ezra 6:7 Ezra 6:8 Ezra 6:14 Ezra 6:14 Daniel 4:30 22 Occurrences |
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