The second year. — The record here returns to Ezra 4:5, with more specific indication of time. The suspension of the general enterprise — called “the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem” — lasted nearly two years. But it must be remembered that the altar was still the centre of a certain amount of worship.
Verse Ezra 4:24. _SO IT CEASED UNTO THE SECOND YEAR OF - DARIUS_] They had begun in the first year of Cyrus, B.C. 536, to go up to Jerusalem, and they were obliged to desist from the building B.C. 52...
IT CEASED - The stoppage of the building by the Pseudo-Smerdis is in complete harmony with his character. He was a Magus, devoted to the Magian elemental worship, and opposed to belief in a personal g...
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 4:24 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...
GOD. Chaldee. _'elaha' (ha,_ emphatic), singular, same as Hebrew Eloah. App-4....
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...
_THEN CEASED THE WORK OF THE HOUSE OF GOD WHICH IS AT JERUSALEM. SO IT CEASED UNTO THE SECOND YEAR OF THE REIGN OF DARIUS KING OF PERSIA._ Then ceased the work of the house of God - i:e., in conseque...
4:24 God (c-9) Aramaic, _ Elah_ (Heb. _ Eloah_ . see Genesis 1:1 ). The parts of the book written in Aramaic are chs. 4.8 to 6.18, and ch. 7.12 to 26; they have always _ Elah_ . _ El_ does not occur i...
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 SECOND YEAR.. DARIUS] 520 b.c., if, as is most probable, Darius Hystaspis is meant, as in Ezra 4:5 (the closing words of which are here repeated). But some suppose Darius Nothus (423-405) to be in...
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...
בֵּ אדַ֗יִן בְּטֵלַת֙ עֲבִידַ֣ת בֵּית ־אֱלָהָ֔א...
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...
Then (n) ceased the work of the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. (n) Not altogether for the prophets exhorted them to con...
_House. They went beyond the order, which only forbade the building of the city, ver. 21. --- Darius, the year of the world 3485. (Calmet) --- He was the son of Hystaspes, (St. Jerome) and not Nothus,...
The accomplishment of their wicked purpose may serve to show us how the Lord is pleased sometimes, for the exercise of faith in his people, to let the enemy triumph. And when the short-lived victories...
REFLECTIONS WE have a very beautiful instruction given us by the Holy Ghost, in what this chapter holds forth to us of the opposition the people of God receive from false friends, as well as open enem...
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...
THEN CEASED THE WORK OF THE HOUSE OF GOD, WHICH IS AT JERUSALEM,.... How far they had proceeded is not said, whether any further than laying the foundation of it; though probably, by this time, it mig...
Then ceased the work of the house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. Ver. 24. _Then ceased the work of the house of God_] And now...
_Then ceased the work of the house of God_ For they neither could nor might proceed in that work against their king's prohibition, without a special command from the King of heaven, which, however, th...
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...
Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. The foundation had been laid and the altar of burnt offering erected in its former place, but no more work was done. SO IT CEASED UNTO T...
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...
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...
THEN CEASED THE WORK OF THE HOUSE OF GOD; for they neither could nor might proceed in that work against their king's prohibition, without a special command from the King of heaven, which they had, EZR...
Ezra 4:24 Thus H116 work H5673 house H1005 God H426 Jerusalem H3390 ceased H989 (H8754) discontinued H1934 ...
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...
_Them sent the king an answer._ THE TEMPORARY TRIUMPH OF THE WICKED I. Examine the letter of the king. This letter suggests-- 1. That the subtlety of the wicked frequently obtains a temporary trium...
_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 4:24 The word THEN picks up the story from v. Ezra 4:5, going back to the period soon after the first return. It is implied that the temple rebuilding had ceased soon afte
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 4:17 THEN SENT THE KING AN ANSWER. The complaint made was of such importance that an answer was returned without delay. It was addressed both to Rehum and Shimshai, since they were in...
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...
1 Thessalonians 2:18; Ezra 5:5; Ezra 6:1; Haggai 1:15; Job 20:5;...
Darius — Darius the son of Hystaspes, successor of Cambyses....
How could the rebuilding have begun during the reign of Cyrus when Ezra 4:24 says it was in the reign of Darius I? PROBLEM: According to Ezra 3:8-13, the rebuilding of the temple began under the reign...