Ezra 3 - Introduction
_A.M. 3468. B.C. 536._ They set up the altar, offer sacrifices thereon, and keep the feasts, Ezra 3:1. They contribute, and lay the foundation of the temple, Ezra 3:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
_A.M. 3468. B.C. 536._ They set up the altar, offer sacrifices thereon, and keep the feasts, Ezra 3:1. They contribute, and lay the foundation of the temple, Ezra 3:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
_When the seventh month was come_ We may suppose they left Babylon in the spring, and were four months on their journey; for so long Ezra and his company were in coming, Ezra 7:9. The seventh month therefore commenced soon after their arrival in Judea, when, as many of the feasts of the Lord were th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak_ He was the high- priest, called Joshua, Haggai 1:1. _And Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel _ That is, his grandson; for, properly speaking, he was the son of Pedaiah. _And builded the altar of the God of Israel_ Which was of more present necessity than the tem... [ Continue Reading ]
_They set the altar upon his bases_ That is, in the place where it anciently stood; _for fear was upon them, because of the people of those countries_ And therefore they made the more haste, lest they should be hindered. Apprehension of dangers should quicken us in our duty. Have we many enemies? We... [ Continue Reading ]
_They kept also the feast of tabernacles_ This seems to be mentioned for all the solemnities of the month, whereof this was the most eminent; otherwise it is not probable that they would neglect the day of atonement, which was so solemnly enjoined, (Leviticus 23:27,) and was so exceeding suitable to... [ Continue Reading ]
_And afterward offered the continual burnt-offering_ The morning and evening sacrifice. The law required much, but they offered more; for though they had little wealth, they had much zeal. Happy they that bring with them out of the furnace of affliction such a holy heat as this!... [ Continue Reading ]
_To offer burnt-offerings_ And the other sacrifices which were to be offered with them upon that first day of the seventh month, which was the feast of trumpets. Burnt-offerings are often put for all sacrifices, and the meaning of these two verses is, that the holy rites of sacrificing were restored... [ Continue Reading ]
_Meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon and Tyre_ The inhabitants of those towns wanted provisions more than money, as appears by the history of Solomon's building, 1 Kings 5:10. _To bring cedar- trees from Lebanon_ Tyre and Zidon now, as of old, furnished them with workmen, and Lebanon with t... [ Continue Reading ]
_In the second month began Zerubbabel_, &c. The building of the temple was begun as soon as ever the season of the year would permit, and as soon as they had ended the solemnities of the passover. They took little more than half a year for preparing the ground and materials; so much were their heart... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then stood Jeshua with his sons_ This person was not the high- priest, so called, but a Levite, of whom see Ezra 2:40. _To set forward the workmen_ To encourage them to a cheerful and vigorous prosecution of the work.... [ Continue Reading ]
_To praise the Lord_ The priests, with the trumpets appointed by Moses, and the Levites, with cymbals appointed by David, made up a concert of praise at the laying of the foundation of the temple, to assist the singing of that everlasting hymn which will never be out of date, and for which our tongu... [ Continue Reading ]
_And they sang together by course_ That is, answered one another alternately. _And all the people shouted with a great shout_ The people were very differently affected upon this occasion. Those that had only known the misery of having no temple at all, praised the Lord with shouts of joy when they s... [ Continue Reading ]
_So that the people could not discern_, &c. The mixture of sorrow and joy here is a representation of this world. In heaven all are singing and none sighing; in hell all are wailing and none rejoicing: but here on earth we can scarce _discern the shouts of joy from the noise of the weeping;_ let us... [ Continue Reading ]