1. Offerings Frequenou. (70) So the priests, and the Levites, and 10 Joshna, Hag duty of every day required; (5) and aftersome of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. b 2 C lled Zorobabel, Luke 3, 27, called ward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set Matt. 1 12; feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD. (6) From a Matt. 1; 12 & the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. (7) They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia. e Num. 29. 12. CHAPTER III.-(1) And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man Deut. 12. 5. to Jerusalem. (2) Then stood up 1Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and 2Zerubbabel the son of "Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer d Ex. 23. 16. burnt offerings thereon, as it is written. in the law of Moses the man of God. (3) And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening. (4) They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, Or, workmen. and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the Acts 9. 36. 3 3 Heb., the matter the of LORD was Nehemiah (chap. vii. 70) makes his "four hundred and thirty priests' garments," as contributed by the Tirshatha, "five hundred pounds of silver and thirty priests' garments." This being so, the two accounts agree, always allowing that Ezra's 61,000 is a corruption of 41,000 in the gold, and his 5,000 pounds of silver and 100 priests' garments round numbers. (70) Some of the people.-Those of the people; placed by Nehemiah after all the others. All Israel in their cities.-The emphasis lies in the fact that, though Judah and Benjamin contributed the largest part, it was a national revival; and the constant repetition of "in their cities" has in it the same note of triumph. III. (1—13) The altar set up, and the feasts established. (1) The seventh month was come.-Rather, approached. Tisri, answering to our September, was the most solemn month of the year, including the Day of Atonement and the Feast of Tabernacles, afterwards distinguished as "the feast" pre-eminently. As one man.-Not all, but with one consent. (2) Builded the altar.-Only as the beginning of their work. The Temple was, as it were, built around the altar, as the centre of all. Moses the man of God.-Like David, Neh. xii. 24, 36. (3) Upon his bases.-Upon its old site, or its place, discovered among the ruins. Thus was it signified that all the new was to be only a restoration of the old. For fear was upon them.-Until their offerings went up they did not feel sure of the Divine protection. This was their first act of defiance in the presence of the nations around: near the altar they were strong. (8) Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twent (4) According to the custom.-It is necessary here to read Deut. xvi., Lev. xxiii., Num. xxix. The intention obviously is to lay stress on the provision made for an entire renewal of the Mosaic economy of service, as appears in the next verse. (5) Both of the new moons.-And of the new moons. The whole verse is general and anticipatory. The new moons, the three feasts, and the constant presentation of freewill offerings, added to the daily sacrifice, made up the essentials of ritual; all being, like the arrangements in the Book of Leviticus, fixed before the Temple was built, and afterwards observed. (6) From the first day.-The notes of time demand notice. The altar was raised before the month came; from the first until the fifteenth, when the Feast of Tabernacles began, the daily sacrifice was offered. The whole verse recapitulates, and its latter part is the transition to what follows. (7) They gave money.-Their own workmen were paid in money; the Phoenicians, as in Solomon's days (1 Kings v.; 2 Chron. ii.), were paid in kind. This illustrates and is illustrated by Acts xii. 20. The sea of Joppa.-The Jewish port to which the cedar-trees were sent by sea, and thence thirty-five miles inland to Jerusalem. The grant.-The authority of Cyrus over Phoenicia seems not to have been doubtful. (8) In the second year.-The second year of Cyrus, B.C. 537, was their second year in the holy place. In the second month.-Zif, chosen apparently because it was the same month in which Solomon laid the first foundation (1 Kings vi.). Appointed the Levites, from twenty years.Their appointment to superintend, and their specified age, are in strict harmony with the original ordinances of David (1 Chron. xxiii.). The Foundation of the Temple Laid. (9) Then and his years old and upward, to set forward the EZRA, IV. cli. 2. 40. B. C. 535. 2 Heb., as one. B. C. cir. 678. The Adversaries. that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and CHAPTER IV.-(1) Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel; (2) then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither. (3) But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us. of Judah, together, to set forward the or Hodaviah, the noise was heard afar off. a 1 Chron. 6. 31, & the transporta- (9) Together-As one man. Jeshua and Kadmiel, both of the stock of Judah, or Hodaviah (chap. ii. 40), or Hodevah (Neh. vii. 43), were the two heads of Levitical families; and their fewness is compensated by their unanimity and vigour. Henadad is not mentioned in chapter ii. 40, though it is a Levitical name in Nehemiah. Why omitted there, or why inserted here, it is not possible to determine. (10) After the ordinance of David, king of Israel. All goes back to earlier times. As the first offerings on the altar were according to what was "written in the law of Moses, the man of God," so the musical ceremonial of this foundation is according to the precedent of David (see 1 Chron. vi., xvi. 25). The trumpets belonged to the priests, the cymbals to the Levites, in the ancient ordinances of worship. (11) They sang together.-They answered each other in chorus, or antiphonally. Shouted. As afterwards in religious acclama tion. - (12) But many of the priests and Levites wept with a loud voice. This most affecting scene requires the comment of Hag. ii. and Zech. iv. The first house was destroyed in B.C. 588, fifty years before. The weeping of the ancients was not occasioned by any comparison as to size and grandeur, unless indeed they marked the smallness of their foundation stones. They thought chiefly of the great desolation as measured by the past; the younger people thought of the new future. (13) The noise was heard afar off. The people also mingled in the weeping, which was with shrill cries. The rejoicing and the sorrow were blended, and the common sound was heard from far. All here has the stamp of truth. (4) Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, IV. (1-24) The opposition of the Samaritans and its temporary success. (1) The adversaries.-The Samaritans, so termed by Nehemiah (chap. iv. 11). These were a mixed race, the original Israelite element of which was nearly lost in the tribes imported into the northern part of the land by Sargon, Sennacherib, and Esar-haddon. (See 2 Kings xvii. 24-34.) (2) As ye do.-"They feared the Lord, and worshipped their own gods" (2 Kings xvii. 33): thus they came either in the spirit of hypocrites or with an intention to unite their own idolatries with the pure worship of Jehovah. In any case, they are counted enemies of the God of Israel. We do sacrifice unto Him since the days of Esar-haddon.-He ended his reign B.C. 668, and therefore the Samaritans speak from a tradition extending backwards a century and a half. Which brought us up hither. Thus they entirely leave out of consideration what residue of Israel was yet to be found among them. (3) Ye have nothing to do with us. - The account in 2 Kings xvii. carefully studied will show that the stern refusal of the leaders was precisely in harmony with the will of God; there was nothing in it of that intolerant spirit which is sometimes imagined. The whole design of the Great Restoration would have been defeated by a concession at this point. The reference to the command of Cyrus is another and really subordinate kind of justi fication, pleaded as subjects of the King of Persia, whose decree was absolute and exclusive. B.C. 522. 3 Heb., societies. 5 Chald., societies. 6 Chald., Cheeneth. (7) And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote 2 Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their 3 companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of Or, secretary. the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. (8) Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the 'scribe, wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the or, finished. king in this sort: (9) then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tar- Chald., give. pelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites, (10) and the rest of the nations whom the great and 8 9 Chald., sewed together. 10 Or, strength. 11 Chald., we are salt of the palace. salted with (5) And hired counsellors against them.They adopted a systematic course of employing paid agents at the court: continued for eight years, till B.C. 529. Cambyses, his son, succeeded Cyrus; he died B.C. 522; then followed the pseudo-Smerdis, a usurper, whose short reign Darius did not reckon, but dated his own reign from B.C. 522. A comparison of dates shows that this was the first Darius, the son of Hystaspes. (6) In the beginning of his reign.—This Ahasuerus, another name for Cambyses, reigned seven years; and his accession to the throne was the time seized by the Samaritans for their "accusation," of which we hear nothing more; suffice that the building languished. (7) In the days of Artaxerxes.-This must be Gomates, the Magian priest who personated Smerdis, the dead son of Cyrus, and reigned only seven months: note that the expression used is "days," and not reign" as in the previous verse. This Artaxerxes has been thought by many commentators to be the Longimanus of the sequel of this book and of Nehemiah, and they have identified the Ahasuerus of Ezra and Esther with Xerxes. This would explain the reference to "the walls" in verse 12; but in verses 23 and 24 the sequence of events is strict, and the word ceased" links the parts of the narrative into unity. Moreover, the Persian princes had often more than one name. At the same time, there is nothing to make such an anticipatory and parenthetical insertion impossible. In the Syrian tongue.-The characters and the words were Syrian or Aramaic; this explains the transition to another language at this point, (8) Rehum the chancellor.-The lord of judgment, the counsellor of the Persian king, a conventional title of the civil governor. Shimshai the scribe.-The royal secretary. the sent to Artaxerxes. noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time. (11) This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time. (12) Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have 7 set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations. (13) Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the 10 revenue of the kings. (14) Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king; (15) that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou 11 (9) Then wrote -This verse and the following give the general superscription of the letter which the Persian officials wrote for the Samaritans: introduced, however, in a very peculiar manner, and to be followed by another introduction in verse 11. Of the names by which the Samaritans think fit to distinguish themselves the Apharsites and Dehavites are Persians; the Babylonians the original races of Babylon, Cuthah and Ava (2 Kings xvii. 24); the Susanchites are from Susa; the Apharsathchites, probably the Pharathiakites, a predatory people of Media; the Archevites, inhabitants of Erech (Gen. x. 10). The Dinaites and Tarpelites can be only conjecturally identified. (10) Asnapper cannot be Esar-haddon, but was probably his chief officer. And at such a time.-And so forth. (11) On this side the river.-Literally, beyond the river Euphrates, as written for the Persian court. And at such a time.-Rather, and so forth; meaning, "Thy servants, as aforesaid," alluding to the superscription. are (12) Virulence and craft and exaggeration stamped on every sentence of the letter. It only says, however, that "they are preparing the walls thereof, and joining the foundations." Afterwards, however, the charge is modified in verses 13 and 16. (13) Toll, tribute, and custom.-Toll for the highways; custom, a provision in kind; tribute, the money tax. The revenue.-Rather, at at length; literally, and at length damage will be done to the kings. (14) Maintenance.-more exactly, we eat the salt of the palace. This seems to be a general expression for dependence on the king, whose dishonour or loss they profess themselves unwilling to behold. (15) The book of the records of thy fathers." The book of the records of the Chronicles" which in Esther vi. 1 is "read before the king." The Decree of Artaxerxes. EZRA, V. Zerubbabel and Jeshua. commandment shall be given from me. (22) Take heed now that ye fail not to do this why should damage grow to the find in the book of the records, and Chald., made. sedition within the same of old time: in the midst thereof. (23) Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their com be builded again, and the walls thereof 3 Chald., societies. panions, they went up in haste to Jeruset up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river. (17) Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their 3 companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time. (18) The B.C. 420. 4 Chald., by me a itself. B.C. 520. salem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. (24) Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. CHAPTER V.-(1) Then the prophets, letter which ye sent unto us hath been 5, lifted up Haggai the prophet, and Zechariali plainly read before me. 5 (19) And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. 6 Chald., make a the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them. (2) Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house them were the prophets of God helping them. (20) There have been mighty kings also and power arm of God which is at Jerusalem: and with over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them. (21) Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another zech. 1 1. a Hag. 1. 1. This extended beyond his own fathers back to the times of the predecessors of the Median dynasty. Of old time. From the days of eternity, or time immemorial. The spirit of exaggeration if not of falsehood appears in every word here. (16) No portion on this side the river.-The same unscrupulous use of language: that is, if the river Euphrates is meant. In the days of Solomon, and once or twice subsequently, the Israelites had advanced towards the river, but it was not likely that they would ever do so again. The letter may, however, have been intended to suggest loosely that Jerusalem might become a centre of general disaffection. (17) Peace, and at such a time.—Salutation, and so forth. The account of the reply and the beginning of it are strangely blended, as before. (19) Insurrection.-Never against Persia; but such as are alluded to in 2 Kings xxiv. (20) Mighty kings.-David and Solomon, and some few kings down to Josiah, had extended their sway and made nations tributary (2 Sam. viii.; 1 Kings x.). The earlier kings' names would perhaps be referred to historically, though not immediately connected with Persian annals. (24) The second year.-The record here returns to verse 5, with more specific indication of time. The suspension of the general enterprise-called "the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem "-lasted nearly two years. But it must be remembered that the altar was still the centre of a certain amount of worship (3) At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who V. (1-2) Now occurs the intervention of the two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, whose testimonies and predictions should at this point be read. They reveal a state of apathy which Ezra does not allude to; such a state of things, in fact, as would have thwarted the whole design of Providence had it not been changed. Hence the abrupt return of the spirit of prophecy, some of the last utterances of which provoked or "stirred up " -as Cyrus had been stirred up-the spirit of the two leaders and of the heads of the families. (2) Then rose up.-This does not intimate that they had become indifferent. But the voice of prophecy inspirited them to go on without formal permission of Darius, who was known secretly to favour them already. The prophets of God helping them.-In these two prophets we can read the invigorating sayings that encouraged the people almost from day to day and from stage to stage of their work. (3-17) Tatnai's appeal to Darius. (3) Tatnai, governor on this side the river.— Satrap, or Pechah, of the entire province of Syria and Phoenicia, and therefore with a jurisdiction over Judæa, and over Zerubbabel its Pechah or sub-Satrap. What Shimshai was to the Samaritan Pechah, Rehum, Shethar-boznai seems to be to Tatnai-his secretary. Who hath commanded you ?-It is obvious that the overthrow of Smerdis, the Magian hater of this building? send a Letter unto Darius. hath commanded you to build this house, to build this house, had that build, thus they returned us answer, saying, and to make up this wall? (4) Then said We are the servants of the God of we unto them after this manner, What heaven and earth, and build the house are the names of the men that make 2 Chald., in the that was builded these many years ago, this building? (5) But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter. midst whereof. 3 Chald., stones of B. C. 519. B. C. 536. (6) The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king: (7) they sent a letter unto him, 2 wherein a 1 Kings 6. 1. was written thus; Unto Darius the king, (8) Be it known unto the 3 b2 Kings 24. 2; & all peace. king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in e ch. 1. 1. their hands. (9) Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls? (10) We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them. (11) And d ch. 1.8; & 6. 5. 4 Or, deputy. Zoroastrianism and destroyer of temples, had encouraged the builders to go on without fearing molestation from the Court of Darius. Moreover, the two prophets had made their duty too plain to be deferred. Still, the decree of the preceding chapter had never been expressly revoked. 66 (4) Then said we.-The LXX. must here have read, "then said they." But there is no need to change the text; the sentence is not a question, but a statement: we said to the effect, what the names were." What are the names of the men. .?-It is clear that this graphic account is much compressed. We must understand (see verse 10) that the authorities demanded the names of the chief promoters of the building in order to make them responsible. (5) And then they returned answer.-And [till] they should receive answer. It is implied that "the eye of their God" was with special vigilance fixed on the work, and it will appear that His influence was upon the officials of Persia as well as upon the rulers of the Jews. The letter that follows shows this. (6) The copy of the letter.-This letter of Tatnai is introduced much in the same way as Rehum's; but its dispassionateness and good faith are in striking contrast with the latter. Apharsachites.-Probably here the same as the Apharsites before, and suggesting some kind of Persian guard. But the reason of their introduction specifically here is obscure. (8) To the house of the great God. — A solemn tribute to the God of the Jews, which, however, the decree of Cyrus enables us to understand in this which a great king of Israel builded and set up. (12) But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon. (13) But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God. (14) And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor ; (15) and said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place. (16) Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem : official document. Tatnai probably dwelt at Damascus, and when he went to Jerusalem was deeply impressed. But he only gives a statement of the progress which he observed in the Temple. "The walls here are the walls within the Temple, not the city walls. (11) And thus they returned us answer.--The elders of the Jews take the Syrian satrap into their confidence, and give in a few most pathetic words the record of their national honour, their national infidelity, and their national humiliation. Every word is true to the history, while the whole exhibits their deep humility and holy resolution. (12) Gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean.— These words not only show that the people regarded themselves as punished by the sole hand of God, but also remind the overthrowers of the Chaldean power that they also themselves are no more than instruments of the same Divine will. (15) Take these vessels, go, carry them and let the house of God. .-The three imperatives in this verse, without a copula, followed by a fourth, vividly express the feeling of the suppliants in the remembrance of the decree: thus we have another note of historical truth. (16) Since that time.-No account is taken of the long interruption. Whether these words are part of the answer given to Tatnai by the Jewish leaders, or his own statement to Darius, it is evident that the unfinished building of a house decreed to be built by Cyrus is regarded as demanding investigation as to the nature and validity of the decree itself. |