Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary
Ezra 5:8
Great stones - literally, as in the margin; i. e., stones so large that they were rolled along, not carried. Others translate “polished stones.”
Great stones - literally, as in the margin; i. e., stones so large that they were rolled along, not carried. Others translate “polished stones.”
Verse Ezra 5:8. _WITH GREAT STONES_] They are making a very _strong_ and a very _costly_ building....
CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The prophetic ministry of Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1)_ 2. The result of their ministry (Ezra 5:2) 3. Tatnai's interference (Ezra 5:3) 4. The letter to Darius ...
EZRA 4:24 TO EZRA 5:17. The narrative which was broken off at the end of Ezra 4:5 is now resumed. There is silence regarding the period 536- 520 B.C.; in 516, however, it is said that the building had...
PROVINCE. Compare Nehemiah 1:3. GREAT. rolling: i.e. too heavy to be moved without rolling....
_the province of Judea_ R.V. THE PROVINCE OF JUDAH. On -the province" see Ezra 2:1. The A.V. gives the title -Judea", which belongs to a later time, as the name of a country inhabited by the Jews. It...
2. A letter is sent to clarify the situation. TEXT, EZRA 5:6-17 6 This is the copy of the letter which Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleague...
_BE IT KNOWN UNTO THE 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, AN...
THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE RECOMMENCED This chapter gives an account of a renewed attempt to rebuild the Temple, and recites a letter from the Persian officials in Judæa to the Persian court to enqui...
THE *JEWS RETURN TO JERUSALEM EZRA _ROBERT BRYCE_ CHAPTER 5 V1 Haggai and Zechariah (a *descendant of Iddo) were *prophets. They spoke messages from the God of Israel to the *Jews who were in Jud...
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 official document. Tatnai probably dwelt at Damascus, and...
(3-17) Tatnai’s appeal to Darius....
יְדִ֣יעַ ׀ לֶהֱוֵ֣א לְ מַלְכָּ֗א דִּֽי ־אֲזַ֜לְנָא...
NEW DIFFICULTIES MET IN A NEW SPIRIT Ezra 5:3; Ezra 6:1 IT is in keeping with the character of his story of the returned Jews throughout, that no sooner has the chronicler let a ray of sunshine fall...
THE MISSION OF HAGGAI AND ZECHARIAH Ezra 5:1 It is necessary to read the books of Haggai and Zechariah to see what difficulties the leaders of the people had to meet, and how much they needed the hel...
A study of the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah makes it perfectly evident that the cessation of the work of building was unworthy of the men who had commenced. Judged by all human standards they co...
_Unpolished. Protestants, "great." (Haydock) --- Hebrew, "to be rolled." See Vitruv. x. 6. Septuagint, "choice stones." Kimchi, &c., "marble." (Calmet) --- 3 Esdras, "polished and precious stones." (H...
The Lord had certainly softened the minds of those men, that though they sent an accusation against the people to the king, yet the Lord overruled the inditing of it. When a man's ways please the Lord...
Whatever happens, they have to go through that which puts faith to the proof; but their path is ordered by the will of God, and their faith relies upon Him. In this case they had to wait; but God's ti...
BE IT KNOWN UNTO THE KING,.... This seems to have been the usual form of beginning a letter to a king in those days, Ezra 4:12 that we went into the province of Judea; which from a kingdom was reduced...
Be it known unto the 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...
_To the house of the great God_ Whom the Jews account the great God, the God of gods, esteeming all others to be but little, or rather false gods. And, indeed, thus far the greater part of the Samarit...
1 Zerubbabel and Shealtiel, incited by Haggai and Zacharie, set forward the building of the Temple. 3 Tatnai and Shether Boznai could not hinder the Iewes. 6 Their letter to Darius against the Iewes...
Be it known unto the king that we went into the province of Judea, the smaller subdivision of Tatnai's satrapy, TO THE HOUSE OF THE GREAT GOD, WHICH IS BUILDED WITH GREAT STONES, literally, "with ston...
The Letter of Inquiry Directed To Darius...
WORK RESUMED AND OPPOSITION RESUMED (vv. 1-5) The initiative for resuming the work had come from the Lord who moved the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to speak in His name to the Jews in Judah and Je...
GREAT STONES: Chald. stones of rolling...
3-17 While employed in God's work, we are under his special protection; his eye is upon us for good. This should keep us to our duty, and encourage us therein, when difficulties are ever so discourag...
THE GREAT GOD; whom the Jews account the great God, the God of gods, esteeming all others to be but little and false gods....
Ezra 5:8 known H1934 (H8748) H3046 (H8752) king H4430 went H236 (H8754) province H4083 Judea...
THE PERSIAN GOVERNOR WRITES TO KING DARIUS CONCERNING THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE AND THE STATEMENT OF THE ELDERS CONCERNING THEIR CASE (EZRA 5:6). It should be noted how deliberately the writer gives...
GREAT STONES Chaldean, stones of rolling....
CONTENTS: Encouragement of the prophets and the work resumed. CHARACTERS: Zerubbabel, Haggai, Zechariah, Jeshua, Tattenai, Darius, Shethar-bozenai. CONCLUSION: It is a sign that God has mercy in sto...
Ezra 5:4. _Then said we._ Septuagint: “Then said they unto them.” Ezra 5:16. _Since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished._ The chronology of the Persian empire...
_The copy of the letter that Tatnai._ THE LETTER OF THE KING CONCERNING THE WORK This letter has three chief divisions. I. The inquisition of the Persian authorities. II. The reply of the Jewish l...
EZRA 5:1 The Work Is Resumed, and Local Officials Seek Confirmation of Cyrus’s Decree. After a period of inactivity, the leaders resume work on rebuilding the temple, and provincial officials inquire...
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 5:6 Verse Ezra 5:6 introduces the COPY OF THE LETTER sent by TATTENAI and SHETHAR-BOZENAI to...
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 5:8 The PROVINCE OF JUDAH lay within the Persian province Beyond the River (see also note on 2:69). Tattenai (Ezra 5:6) served as govern
CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.] i. The work resumed through the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah, the prophets (Ezra 5:1). ii. The workers interrogated by the Persian authorities west of the Euphrat...
EXPOSITION RENEWAL OF OPPOSITION ON THE PART OF THE NEIGHBOURING HEATHEN. LETTER WRITTEN BY THEM AND SENT TO DARIUS ...
So it tells us here in chapter five, The prophet Haggai, and the prophet Zechariah, they prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel. Then rose up Zerub...
Daniel 2:47; Daniel 3:26; Daniel 4:2; Daniel 4:34; Daniel 6:26;...
Great God — And indeed, thus far the greater part of the Samaritans agreed with them....