They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.
They paid money to the stonemasons and carpenters, and provided food, drink, and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so they would bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the seaport of Joppa, just as King Cyrus of Persia had authorized them to do.
The writer is describing how the Jewish people organized and funded the importation of cedar wood from Lebanon to rebuild the temple, following the permission given by the Persian king.
📚 Historical Context
In the historical context of the book of Ezra, the Jewish exiles had returned to Jerusalem from Babylon after King Cyrus of Persia issued a decree allowing them to rebuild the temple, which had been destroyed during the Babylonian conquest. They needed various resources and skilled workers to begin this restoration, so they organized payments and supplies to hire local craftsmen and to secure cedar wood from Lebanon through trade agreements with the Phoenician cities of Sidon and Tyre. This effort was part of fulfilling Cyrus's grant, which supported the Jews' return and rebuilding as a gesture of Persian policy toward conquered peoples.
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