The Record of Opposition. (1) Ezra 4:1-5, from the reign of Cyrus to the reign of Darius. (2) Ezra 4:6, during the reign of Xerxes. (3) Ezra 4:7-23, during the reign of Artaxerxes 1. _Now_when _the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin_ Here called -adversaries" by anticipation. From the Compiler's poi... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 upon the assertion of common worship. The phrase -to seek" in the sense of -to worship" is not uncommo... [ Continue Reading ]
_But Zerubbabel_&c.… _the chief of the fathers_ R.V. … HEADS OF FATHERS" HOUSES. Zerubbabel's name stands first, as in Ezra 3:8, in connexion with the work, with which he had been commissioned by Cyrus. _You have nothing to do with us_ literally -It is not for you and for us". A common Hebrew idiom... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then the people of the land_ i.e. the Samaritans, as opposed to -the people of Judah". It is noteworthy that this expression -the people of the land" ("am haâreç) became a synonym for -the ignorant" or -the vulgar" in contrast to -the wise", with special reference to a knowledge of -the law". Cf. J... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse describes one effectual method of opposition, -hired counsellors against them". This will not necessarily imply that bribes were given to the king's ministers referred to elsewhere (Ezra 7:28; Ezra 8:25) as -his counsellors". We should in that case have had the word more definitely expres... [ Continue Reading ]
_Ahasuerus_ R.V. margin -Or _Xerxes_. Heb. Ahashverosh". The well-known Xerxes, the son of Darius, who reigned 20 years (485 465). He is generally identified with the Ahasuerus of the book -Esther". _in the beginning of his reign_ i.e. on the death of Darius, who had favoured the Jews. _unto him_... [ Continue Reading ]
_And in the days of Artaxerxes_ Artaxerxes Longimanus succeeded his father Xerxes and reigned forty years (465 425). He is mentioned in Ezra 7:1; Nehemiah 2:1. The name in the inscriptions appears as Artakshathra, compounded of -Arta" meaning -great" (cf. Arta-phernes, Arta-bazus) and -Khsathra" -k... [ Continue Reading ]
Note on Ezra 4:7-23 The names of the Persian kings which occur in this chapter occasion special difficulty. Upon their right identification necessarily depends our understanding of the whole passage. (_a_) The Persian kings succeed one another in the following order: (1) Cyrus (died, 529); (2) Cam... [ Continue Reading ]
At this verse begins the first long section (Ezra 4:8 to Ezra 6:18) written in the Aramaic language (see Introd.), which the Compiler has probably extracted bodily from Aramaic records. Ezra 4:8 introduces briefly the description of the letter of accusation against the Jews sent by Rehum and Shimsh... [ Continue Reading ]
_then_wrote &c. Although Ezra 4:8 ends with -in this sort", the actual copy of the letter is not given until Ezra 4:11; Ezra 4:9-10 describe more minutely the senders, whose names were perhaps attached to the letter. _Nine_of the nationalities from which the Samaritan colonists had been drawn are h... [ Continue Reading ]
_and the rest of the nations_ Implying that the number was not nearly exhausted by these _nine_names. _whom the great and noble Asnappar_ R.V. OSNAPPAR. This name is nowhere else mentioned in the O.T. Who this Osnappar was, has been much disputed. Some have identified him with Esarhaddon, conjectur... [ Continue Reading ]
_unto him, even unto Artaxerxes_ R.V. UNTO ARTAXERXES THE KING. _the men_on this _side the river_ R.V. BEYOND THE RIVER. The A.V. does not recognize that the senders of the letter place themselves in the position of the recipient; the expression "beyond the river" applied to a country would to a Pe... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Jews_ We have here practically the first application of this name to the new community at Jerusalem. It had been used of the Southern Kingdom (2 Kings 16:6; 2 Kings 25:25; 2 Chronicles 32:18) and of its exiles (Jeremiah 32:12; Jeremiah 34:9; Jeremiah 38:19; Jeremiah 40:11-12;... [ Continue Reading ]
_set up again_ R.V. FINISHED. then _will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom_ R.V. THEY WILL NOT PAY TRIBUTE, CUSTOM, OR TOLL. Cf. Ezra 4:20; Ezra 7:24. The R.V. gives the right order according to the Aramaic. The first word denotes the contribution of provinces, and the imperial taxation levied... [ Continue Reading ]
_have maintenance from_the king's _palace_ R.V. EAT THE SALT OF THE PALACE; which preserves the metaphor of the original. The LXX. omitted the clause: Vulg. -memores salis, quod in palatio comedimus": Esther 2:20, -forasmuch as the things pertaining to the Temple are now on hand", which substitutes... [ Continue Reading ]
_that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers_ Literally, that one may search, i.e. the officials in whose keeping the records were. Perhaps the plural should be read, as in Ezra 4:19. For this appeal to -the book of records", compare chap. Ezra 6:1-2, and the allusions in the... [ Continue Reading ]
_be builded_again, _and the walls thereof set up_ R.V. BE BUILDED AND THE WALLS FINISHED. _by this means_ i.e. in consequence of Jerusalem becoming once more a fortified city and so recovering her capacity for rebellion. _thou shalt have no portion on_this _side the river_ R.V. BEYOND THE RIVER. F... [ Continue Reading ]
_an answer_ Another Persian word in the original, -pithgama", used also in Esther 1:20, a -decree", and Ecclesiastes 8:11, -sentence". The LXX. omits. Vulg. -verbum". Here = a royal rescript. _Rehum_&c. see Ezra 4:9. _that dwell in Samaria_ A detail not mentioned with such directness in Ezra 4:10.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The letter_ On the word used here see note on Ezra 4:8. hath been _plainly read before me_ So the R.V. The margin of the R.V. gives -translated" as the alternative rendering for -plainly", and this agrees with the general later usage of the word. The same word in Hebrew occurs in Nehemiah 8:8, whe... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I commanded_ R.V. DECREED. A more authoritative word. Literally, -and from me was a decree made"; and they searched, -and found". _of old time_ Cf. Ezra 4:15. hath _made insurrection against kings_ By the insurrections against kings and the sedition and rebellion of Jerusalem here mentioned a... [ Continue Reading ]
_over all_countries] R.V. THE COUNTRY. Literally, -over all beyond the river". The words refer to the warning of the Samaritan letter (Ezra 4:16) that the king might lose the W. bank of the Euphrates. _toll, tribute, and custom_ R.V. CUSTOM, TRIBUTE, AND TOLL. See note on Ezra 4:13. -The mighty kin... [ Continue Reading ]
_Give ye now commandment_) R.V. MAKE YE NOW A DECREE. Cf. 19. The Samaritan officials clearly held some authority over the whole adjoining territory. _and_that _this city be not builded_ See notes on Ezra 4:12-13. The king's alarm lest a strong city should be made of Jerusalem agrees rather with th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Take heed now that ye fail not to do this_ R.V. AND TAKE HEED THAT YE BE NOT SLACK HEREIN. The king does not anticipate their disobedience, but warns against remissness or dilatoriness on the part of officials. The decrees of the Government were apparently not always executed with promptness in Syr... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now_ R.V. THEN, i.e. Thereupon. _read before_ cf. 18. _they went up in haste_ R.V. THEY WENT IN HASTE. Far from being slack in executing the king's decree: gratified malice made them prompt as well as desirous to stay the work. _made them to cease by force and power_ Literally -with an arm and w... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse resumes the thread of the narrative, which was dropped at the close of Ezra 4:5. It must be admitted that the words -then ceased" refer most naturally to Ezra 4:23. The Compiler, who failed to observe that the preceding passage belonged to the generation of Ezra, and not to that of Zerubb... [ Continue Reading ]