1. Ezra 6:7 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

How was sacred space treated in the ancient Near East?

Ezra 6:7 (ESV)

7 Let the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site.

In the ancient Near East, once sacred space had been identified and used for religious purposes, all subsequent temples tended to have been rebuilt on the same location since this was considered the most appropriate site.1