Ezra 3:13, commentary and pictures

The mingled sound was heard at the laying of the foundation, or cornerstone, of the second house of God after the exile. Only a remnant of nearly fifty thousand under Zerubbabel and Joshua had returned to Canaan about two years after Medo-Persia succeeded Babylon under Cyrus's decree for restoration, while many scattered Israelites chose to remain in captivity rather than help restore the temple services. At that laying many shouted aloud for joy while others wept, all praising with a loud voice, so that the shout of joy could not be told apart from the weeping and the loud combined noise was heard far away.

The joyful shouting was right and fitting praise and thanksgiving to God. It reflected faith and broader vision that welcomed the rebuilding without dissatisfaction over its lesser glory. That joy was due because God had visited His people in tender mercy after scattering them for ingratitude and disloyalty, opening providence for return to their own land and moving Cyrus to aid the rebuilding.

The weeping came from aged priests, Levites, and fathers who had seen Solomon's house and judged the new building outwardly inferior and less glorious, lamenting the inferiority of the building now to be erected. That lamentation expressed lack of faith and lack of confidence in the rebuilding enterprise. It was failure to discern God's providences and to let sadness over past mistakes give way to great joy and profound gratitude, instead cherishing discontent, dissatisfaction, murmuring, complaining, unfavorable comparison, doubt, and discouragement rather than walking by faith.

That complaining spirit was inharmonious beside music, singing, and praise, and the words of disappointment from those who failed to rejoice showed a lack of faith. Their murmuring, complaining, and unfavorable comparisons had a depressing influence on many minds. They weakened the hands of the builders and workers, made them doubt whether to go on with a building so freely criticized and lamented from its foundation, and delayed completion of the Lord's house. The memory of that weeping scene remained with the builders and helped discourage them afterward, so that when opposition grew strong they lost heart, questioned whether the time had come to rebuild, and many discouraged workmen returned to their homes to ordinary pursuits.

The mingled shouting and weeping also denotes a triumphant time when God's power comes like a mighty rushing wind, all arise to praise God with a loud voice mingled with weeping, and all are strengthened and refreshed. So it was when a powerful meeting at Topsham praised God aloud with weeping blended with shouting.