MPV Commentary

The Foundation of the Temple Laid.

8 The Levites were appointed to oversee the work and direct the laborers in their various tasks.

9 Jeshua, a skilled Levite, was given responsibility for overseeing the construction process along with his sons. They were likely chosen for their expertise and attention to detail.

12 However, many of the priests, Levites, and leaders wept loudly as they compared the circumstances surrounding the building of the first temple with those of the second. The contrast between the prosperous conditions under which the first temple was laid and the current desolate state of the country and city was striking. They also lamented that the second temple would lack many of the features that made the first so glorious, including the ark, the divine presence, and other sacred objects.

13 As a result, the people's joyful shouts were drowned out by the loud weeping of those who mourned the loss of these distinguishing features. In Eastern cultures, expressions of sorrow are often loud and intense, making it difficult to distinguish between joy and grief.