Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Kretzmann's Popular Commentary

Ezra 4:2

then they came to Zerubbabel, the governor of the province, 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. Cf 2 Kings 17:24. The territory of the northern kingdom had been colonized by people brought up from Babylon, Cutha, and other Eastern countries, and they had been given a priest of Israel. They knew of the true God, but many of them also worshiped idols and clung to various heathen superstitions, all of which neutralized any worship of Jehovah which they may have believed they were rendering Him.

Continues after advertising

See also Ezra 4:2 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Ezra 4:2. _LET US BUILD WITH YOU_] We acknowledge the same God, are solicitous for his glory, and will gladly assist you in this work. But that they came with no friendly intention, the context...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    Compare 2 Kings 17:24 notes. SINCE THE DAYS - Esar-haddon reigned from 681-668 B.C. Thus, the Samaritans speak of what had taken place at least 130 years previously. There appear to have been at least...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 4 _ 1. The offer of the Samaritans refused (Ezra 4:1)_ 2. The letter to King Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7) 3. The king's reply (Ezra 4:17) 4. The work is stopped ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE OPPOSED. Ezra 4:1. the adversaries: _i.e._ the northern Israelites of mixed race, Samaritans; they are called adversaries by anticipation, as they did not oppose the build...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    ZERUBBABEL. See note on Ezra 3:2. CHIEF. heads. WE SEEK YOUR GOD.. priest had been sent to these Samaritans (2 Kings 17:28). WE DO SACRIFICE UNTO HIM. Hebrew text. "although we have not been sacrifi...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _then they came_&c. R.V. THEN THEY DREW NEAR TO ZERUBBABEL, AND TO THE HEADS OF FATHERS" HOUSES. _for we seek your God, as ye do_ The claim to cooperate in the work of building the Temple is based upo...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT AND VERSE-BY-VERSE COMMENT B. The work is interrupted by Israel's enemies. 1. Opposition develops. TEXT, EZRA 4:1-5 1 Now when the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the people of the e...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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 ESARHADDON KIN...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    WE SEEK YOUR GOD] A priest had been brought back from captivity to teach them how to fear the Lord (2 Kings 17:28; 2 Kings 17:32). WE DO SACRIFICE UNTO HIM] so one reading of the HEB., followed by the...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    FEUD BETWEEN THE JEWS AND SAMARITANS This chapter describes the desire of the Samaritans to take part in the rebuilding of the Temple, and their successful opposition to the Jews on their request bei...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    THE *JEWS RETURN TO JERUSALEM EZRA _ROBERT BRYCE_ CHAPTER 4 V1 The enemies of the *descendants of Judah and Benjamin heard that they had returned from the *exile. Their enemies heard that they we...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    AS YE DO. — “They feared the Lord, and worshipped their own gods” (2 Kings 17:33): thus they came either in the spirit of hypocrites or with an intention to unite their own idolatries with the pure wo...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יִּגְּשׁ֨וּ אֶל ־זְרֻבָּבֶ֜ל וְ אֶל ־רָאשׁ

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE LIMITS OF COMPREHENSION Ezra 4:1; Ezra 4:24 THE fourth chapter of the Book of Ezra introduces the vexed question of the limits of comprehension in religion by affording a concrete illustration of...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE OPPOSED Ezra 4:1 So long as you lead a languid and unaggressive life, the enemy will leave you alone, but directly you begin to build God's temple, you may count on His str...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    In this chapter we have the story of the opposition of the Samaritans, and the consequent cessation of work on the Temple for a time. The historic chronology presents difficulties. The subject is not...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Asor Haddan sent a priest to instruct these people, but Salmanasar had transported them into the country. (Calmet) --- They continued for some time worshipping idols alone, and afterwards they consent...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    I beg the Reader to remark with me the several interesting circumstances which occur in this chapter. As an history they are deserving attention; but as a spiritual subject in reference to the buildin...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    But, in such a case, difficulties do not arise only from the weakness of the remnant; they proceed, also, from elements with which the remnant are outwardly connected, and which, at the same time, are...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THEN THEY CAME TO ZERUBBABEL, AND THE CHIEF OF THE FATHERS,.... These they addressed, as knowing that if they could not prevail with them, they could never succeed in their design; and these were no d...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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 Esarhaddon ki...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _They came to Zerubbabel, &c., and said, Let us build with you_ Hearing that the temple was in building, they were presently aware that it would be a fatal blow to their superstition, and therefore se...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 The aduersaries, being not accepted in the building of the Temple with the Iewes, endeauour to hinder it. 7 Their Letter to Artaxerxes. 17 The decree of Artaxerxes. 23 The building is hindred. 1...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    PRETENDED FRIENDSHIP AND OPPOSITION (vv. 1-5) Satan is subtle in the way he attacks a work of God. He appears to be friendly, as is seen in the way the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin came to Zeru...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-5 Every attempt to revive true religion will stir up the opposition of Satan, and of those in whom he works. The adversaries were the Samaritans, who had been planted in the land of Israel, Ezra 4:2...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    LET US BUILD WITH YOU: this they spake not sincerely, as appears from their disposition and designs discovered in the following history; but that by this conjunction with them they might pry into thei...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Ezra 4:2 came H5066 (H8799) Zerubbabel H2216 heads H7218 fathers H1 said H559 (H8799) build H1129 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE ENEMIES OF THE RETURNEES OF JUDAH AND BENJAMIN SEEK TO HIJACK THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE (EZRA 4:1). When they learned that work was beginning on the building of the Temple, the syncretistic Yahwi...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    FOR WE SEEK The people of the land sought to hinder the work in three ways: (1) by seeking to draw the Jews into an unreal union, (Ezra 4:3). (cf) (2 Kings 17:32). (2) by "weakening the hands of th...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Work hindered by adversaries. CHARACTERS: Zerubbabel, Ahasuerus, Jeshua, Artazerxes, Rehum, Shimshai. CONCLUSION: God's work cannot be advanced but Satan will rage and the gates of hell wi...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Ezra 4:1. _The adversaries of Judah._ These were the Samaritans; that is, Jews of the ten tribes, apostate from the religion of their fathers, now intermarried with the heathen, who were worshippers o...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard._ THE PROPOSAL OF THE SAMARITANS TO THE JEWS I. The proposal made by the Samaritans 1. Plausible in its form. 2. But evil in itself. (1) They...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    EZRA 4:1 Enemies Stall the Project by Conspiring against It. The rebuilding project encounters opposition from other groups in the region, and the work ceases. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.] In this chapter we have—(i.) The proposal of the Samaritans to unite with the Jews in building the Temple, and its rejection (Ezra 4:1). (ii.) The opposition of the Sa...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    And when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity [had built the towers,] started to build the temple of the Lord unto the LORD God of Israel; they came to Zerubb...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Corinthians 11:13; 2 Kings 17:24; 2 Kings 17:27; 2 Kings 17:41;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    With you — This they spake not sincerely, but that by this conjunction with them, they might pry into their counsels, and thereby find some matter of accusation against them. We seek — For so they did...

Continues after advertising