The book of the records - Compare Esther 2:23; Esther 6:1; Esther 10:2. The existence of such a “book” at the Persian court is attested also by Ctesias.
Of thy fathers - i. e., thy predecessors ripen the throne, Cambyses, Cyrus, etc. If Artaxerxes was the Pseudo-Smerdis (Ezra 4:7 note), these persons were not really his “fathers” or ancestors; but the writers of the letter could not venture to call the king an impostor.
Verse 15. _THE BOOK OF THE RECORDS OF THY FATHERS_] That is, the records of the _Chaldeans_, to whom the Persians succeeded....
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 ...
EZRA 4:8 TO EZRA 6:18. EXTRACT FROM AN ARAMAIC DOCUMENT. Ezra 4:8 contains a letter, together with the king's reply to it, written by adversaries of the Jews to Artaxerxes for the purpose of frustrat...
_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...
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....
2. Israel's enemies write letters to prevent rebuilding. TEXT, EZRA 4:6-16 6 Now in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah...
_THAT SEARCH MAY BE MADE IN THE BOOK OF THE RECORDS OF THY FATHERS: SO SHALT THOU FIND IN THE BOOK OF THE RECORDS, AND KNOW THAT THIS CITY IS A REBELLIOUS CITY, AND HURTFUL UNTO KINGS AND PROVINCES, A...
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...
THE BOOK OF THE RECORDS] For such see Ezra 6:2. A REBELLIOUS CITY] This, so far as it was true, applied to Jerusalem only under Babylonian rule (see 2 Kings 24:1). But the circumstances of the time re...
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...
THE BOOK OF THE RECORDS OF THY FATHERS. — “The book of the records of the Chronicles” which in Esther 6:1 is “read before the king.” This extended beyond his own fathers back to the times of the prede...
דִּ֡י יְבַקַּר֩ בִּֽ סְפַר ־דָּכְרָ֨נַיָּ֜א דִּ֣י...
THE COST OF AN IDEALIST'S SUCCESS Ezra 4:6 THE fourth chapter of the Book of Ezra contains an account of a correspondence between the Samaritan colonists and two kings of Persia, which follows sharpl...
THE ENEMY'S SHORT-LIVED TRIUMPH Ezra 4:11 The promoters of this letter were descendants of the heathen colonists who had been sent into the land by the Assyrians, 2 Kings 17:24. It was written to the...
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...
_Fathers, the preceding emperors, Nabuchodonosor, Salmanasar, &c. (Haydock)_...
It should seem that Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes are both names of the same person: probably meaning the same as King. And it should seem that the enemies of the church caught at the first moment in the o...
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...
THAT SEARCH MAY BE MADE IN THE BOOK OF THE RECORDS OF THY FATHERS,.... That is, his predecessors in the Babylonian monarchy; though, as the Medes and Persians were included in that, and joined the Bab...
That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city [is] a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces,...
_In the book of the records of thy fathers_ That is, thy predecessors, the former emperors of this empire; namely, in the Assyrian and Babylonish records; which, together with the empire, were now in...
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...
that search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers, this duty being performed by the keeper of the royal archives; SO SHALT THOU FIND IN THE BOOK OF THE RECORDS AND KNOW THAT THIS CITY...
THE LETTER TO ARTAXERXES...
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...
MOVED: Cald. made WITHIN THE SAME OF OLD TIME: Chald. in the midst thereof...
6-24 It is an old slander, that the prosperity of the church would be hurtful to kings and princes. Nothing can be more false, for true godliness teaches us to honour and obey our sovereign. But wher...
THE RECORDS OF THY FATHERS; political fathers, i.e. thy predecessors, the former emperors of this empire, namely, in the Assyrian and Babylonish records, which together with the empire were now in the...
Ezra 4:15 search H1240 (H8741) book H5609 records H1799 fathers H2 find H7912 (H8681) book H5609 records...
THE SUBSEQUENT HISTORY OF THE ENMITY REVEALED AGAINST THE RETURNEES UP TO THE TIME OF NEHEMIAH (EZRA 4:6). What follows up to Ezra 4:23 goes beyond the question of building the Temple. The writer now...
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...
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...
_That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers._ CHURCH REGISTERS in a general view, all human records are interesting, if they are scarcely more than registers of names. Those na...
_Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah._ THE HOSTILITY OF THE SAMARITANS TO THE JEWS I. The tactics of the wicked. If they cannot bend the good to their wishes and ai...
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. ⇐...
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 4:6 This section interrupts the historical narrative (Ezra 1:1), which resumes at Ezra 4:24....
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 4:7 The author jumps forward again to another hostile episode, when leaders in the province sent a formal letter of complaint to King Artaxerxes I (reigned 464–423 B.C.)....
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 4:13 The threat of an independence movement in Jerusalem is exaggerated. The imperial RECORDS would include those of Assyria and Babylon....
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...
EXPOSITION EZRA 4:7 AND IN THE DAYS OF ARTAXERXES. See the comment on Ezra 4:6. If Artaxerxes be the Pseudo-Smerdis, we can readily understand why an application was not made to him at once, and how...
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...
2 Kings 24:20; 2 Kings 25:1; 2 Kings 25:4; Acts 17:6; Acts 17:7;...