Original Word: אשׁ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: osh
Pronunciation: [ohsh]
Phonetic Spelling: (ohsh)
KJV: foundation
NASB: foundations
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding (by transposition and abbreviation) to H803 (אֲשׁוּיָה - Work)]

1. a foundation

foundation

(Aramaic) corresponding (by transposition and abbreviation) to 'ashuwyah; a foundation -- foundation.

see HEBREW 'ashuwyah

Word Origin
(Aramaic) probably of foreign origin
Definition
a foundation
NASB Translation
foundations (3).

[אשׁ K^{§ 55, 5 c}] noun masculine^{Ezra 6:3} foundation (probably loan-word from Assyrian uššû, id., √ אשׁשׁ (see Biblical Hebrew), so Zim^{KAT 3. 649}; ᵑ7 feminine אוּשָׁא, Late Hebrew אוּשָׁה, Christian- Palestinian Aramaic , , Schulth^{Lex. 19}; Arabic : Nö^{M 99}); — plural emphatic אֻשַּׁיָּא Ezra 4:12; Ezra 5:16; suffix אֻשֹּׁהִי Ezra 6:3.

Definition and Scope

The term denotes the firm base or foundation of a structure, especially the temple rebuilt after the exile. While the word itself appears only three times, it anchors the narrative of restoration in Ezra and serves as a theological pointer to God’s enduring plan.

Occurrences in Ezra

Ezra 4:12 introduces the accusation that the Jews “have finished the walls and repaired the foundations.”

Ezra 5:16 records Sheshbazzar who “laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem.”

Ezra 6:3 preserves King Cyrus’s decree: “Let the house be rebuilt … and let its foundations be firmly laid.”

Historical Context

After seventy years of Babylonian captivity, the Persian decree allowed the exiles to return (Ezra 1:1-4). Laying the temple’s foundation around 536 BC marked the tangible beginning of national and covenant renewal. Opposition from local officials halted progress, but prophetic encouragement (Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 4:9) and royal authorization under Darius I (Ezra 6:1-12) ensured completion. Thus the word accompanies key turning points in Persian administrative documents as well as the Jewish community’s perseverance.

Symbolism and Theological Significance

1. Continuity of Worship: The foundation signifies the re-establishment of sacrificial worship at the divinely chosen site (Deuteronomy 12:5).
2. Covenant Faithfulness: God’s promise through Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:10) materializes in stone and mortar, showing that divine purposes stand despite imperial shifts.
3. Holiness: The foundation had to be “firmly laid” (Ezra 6:3), illustrating that what is offered to God must be structurally and spiritually sound (compare 2 Timothy 2:19).

Messianic Foreshadowing

Isaiah 28:16 speaks of a “tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation.” The rebuilt temple looks forward to the greater foundation laid in Jesus Christ, for “no one can lay a foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). The integrity of the Second Temple’s foundation anticipates the unshakable kingdom inaugurated by the Messiah (Hebrews 12:28).

Lessons for Ministry

• Priority of Foundations: Effective ministry begins with solid doctrinal footing (Titus 1:9).
• Perseverance Amid Opposition: Like the returnees, believers are called to steadfastness when external pressures threaten kingdom work (1 Peter 5:9).
• Alignment with Divine Decree: The labor succeeded because it conformed to Cyrus’s written edict; likewise gospel work prospers when conducted according to Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Related Themes and Cross-References

Foundations of the earth (Psalm 104:5), of righteousness and justice (Psalm 89:14), and of the apostles and prophets (Ephesians 2:20) present a unified biblical motif: God establishes what endures, and His people build only upon what He sets.

אֻשַּׁיָּ֛א אשיא וְאֻשַּׁיָּ֖א וְאֻשּׁ֖וֹהִי ואשוהי ואשיא ’uš·šay·yā ’uššayyā ushshaiYa veushshaiYa veushShohi wə’uššayyā wə’uššōwhî wə·’uš·šay·yā wə·’uš·šō·w·hîInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts