An Aramaic loanword appearing in Ezra, ussharna refers to a beam or structural timber used in building β specifically the foundation beams or wooden structural elements of the temple. It is part of the technical vocabulary of construction and restoration.
The word appears in the context of Cyrus's decree authorizing the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple (Ezra 6:4). Three courses of large stones and one course of timber (usharna) were to compose the walls. Theologically, this seemingly mundane architectural detail carries profound weight: the God who tore down His house through exile is now directing a pagan king to fund its rebuilding, down to the specification of its beams. Every timber laid is an act of divine restoration. The church as the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16) gives this construction language enduring significance.