Ezra 6 - Introduction
_A.M. 3485. B.C. 519._ Darius's answer, Ezra 6:1. His decree, Ezra 6:8. The temple is finished, Ezra 6:13. The dedication of it, Ezra 6:16. The passover kept, Ezra 6:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
_A.M. 3485. B.C. 519._ Darius's answer, Ezra 6:1. His decree, Ezra 6:8. The temple is finished, Ezra 6:13. The dedication of it, Ezra 6:16. The passover kept, Ezra 6:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Darius the king made a decree_ To search the rolls in Babylon, where search was fairly made; but not finding the edict there, they searched in Achmetha, or Ecbatana, the royal city of the Medes and Persians, and found it there. As Darius, the better to fortify his title to the crown, had marri... [ Continue Reading ]
_The height thereof threescore cubits_ These proportions differ from those of Solomon's temple, which was but thirty cubits high, only the porch was a hundred and twenty cubits high, and but twenty cubits in breadth. Either therefore Solomon's cubits were sacred cubits, which were larger than the ot... [ Continue Reading ]
_And place them in the house of God_ Thus far the decree of Cyrus is recited, which justified all the allegations of the Jews in the foregoing chapter. In the next verse the decree of Darius thereupon appears to begin.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Be ye far from thence_ Come not near Jerusalem to give the Jews any hinderance or disturbance. _Let the work of the house of God alone_ The manner of expression intimates that he knew they had an inclination to hinder it. Thus was the wrath of the enemy made to praise God, and the remainder thereof... [ Continue Reading ]
_That of the king's goods, forthwith expenses be given_ That the work might not be stopped for want of money to carry it on, he orders certain sums to be paid them out of his own revenue. _And that which they have need of both young bullocks_, &c. He orders that they should be supplied with every th... [ Continue Reading ]
_And pray for the life of the king and his sons_ Persuaded that he, whom he once and again reverently calls _the God of heaven_, was ready to hear and answer his people in all things for which they called upon him, he desires an interest in their prayers for himself and family, and in order that he... [ Continue Reading ]
_The God that hath caused his name to dwell there_ Who hath willed that a temple should be built there, called the temple or house of Jehovah. _Destroy all kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter,_ &c. Darius was touched with such a sense of the greatness of the God of the Jews, that... [ Continue Reading ]
_They did it speedily_ When they received this order from the king, they applied themselves with as much haste to encourage and assist the work, as their predecessors had used to put a stop to it. Thus the enemies of the Jews were suddenly made their friends.... [ Continue Reading ]
_They prospered through the prophesying of Haggai_, &c. This is a seasonable intimation that this great and unexpected success was not to be ascribed to chance, or to the kindness or good-humour of Darius, but unto God only, who, by his prophets, had required and encouraged them to proceed in the wo... [ Continue Reading ]
_This house was finished in the third day of the month Adar_ The tenth of March, in the year of the world 3489, in little more than four years after the Jews had returned to the work, and engaged heartily in it, in consequence of the reproofs and exhortations of Haggai and Zechariah; in something mo... [ Continue Reading ]
_The children of Israel_ Probably some out of each of the twelve tribes; _the priests and Levites, &c., kept the dedication of the house of God with joy_ When it was built, being designed only for sacred uses, “they now showed by an example how it should be used,” which, says Bishop Patrick, is the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And offered a hundred bullocks_, &c. Few in number in comparison of those which Solomon had offered at the dedication of his temple. But, being according to their present ability, their offering was accepted, for it was made _after a great trial of affliction_, and in the midst of _deep poverty_, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_They set the priests in their divisions_, &c. When they had dedicated the house, they settled the household: they would have had small comfort in the _temple_, however solemnly dedicated, without the _temple- service:_ and therefore having set up the worship of God in it, in this dedication of it,... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the children, of the captivity kept the passover_ Now they were newly delivered out of their bondage in Babylon, it was seasonable to commemorate their deliverance out of their bondage in Egypt. Fresh mercies should put us in mind of former mercies. We may suppose that they had kept the passove... [ Continue Reading ]
_The priests and Levites were purified together_ Hebrew, כאחד, _cheechad, as one man_, so the word signifies. They were unanimous, both in their resolutions, and in their endeavours, to make and keep themselves ceremonially clean for this solemnity: and they joined together in their preparations, th... [ Continue Reading ]
_All such as had separated themselves unto them_, &c. Had left their country, and the superstitions and vices of it; had become proselytes to the Jewish religion, and cast in their lot with the Israel of God, professing an entire subjection to the law of Moses. Such, and only such, might eat of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_And kept the feast with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful _ Had given them both cause to rejoice, and hearts to rejoice. “It was now near twenty years,” says Henry, “since the foundation of this temple was laid, and it is probable that most of the old men, who then wept at the remembrance of t... [ Continue Reading ]