Ezra 1:3

_WHO IS THERE AMONG YOU OF ALL HIS PEOPLE? HIS GOD BE WITH HIM, AND LET HIM GO UP TO JERUSALEM, WHICH IS IN JUDAH, AND BUILD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, (HE IS THE GOD,) WHICH IS IN JERUSALEM._ Who is there among you of all his people? The purport of the edict was to grant full permission to those Jewish exiles, in every part of his kingdom, who chose to return to their own country, as well as to recommend those of their countrymen who remained, to aid the poor and feeble on their way, and contribute liberally toward the rebuilding of the temple. HE IS THE GOD, х_ HUW'_ (H1931) _ HAA-'ELOHIYM_ (H430)]. The fact of his name and destiny having been predicted so long before his birth, seems to have impressed his mind with a conviction of the supremacy of Yahweh to all other gods. And to this conviction Cyrus would be the more easily led by th

1-4 The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus. The hearts of kings are in the hand of the Lord. God governs the world by his influence on the spirits of men; whatever good they do, God stirs up their spirits to do it. It was during the captivity of the Jews, that God principally employed them as the means of calling the attention of the heathen to him. Cyrus took it for granted, that those among the Jews who were able, would offer free-will offerings for the house of God. He would also have them supplied out of his kingdom. Well-wishers to the temple should be well-doers for it....

PART 1 1. THE FIRST RETURN FROM THE CAPTIVITY EXPOSITION THE DECREE OF CYRUS (Ezra 1:1). The origin of the return is found in an exertion of Divine influence on the mind of a heathen king, who was moved thereby to put forth a proclamation or decree, addressed to all the people of the Lord God of Israel dwelling in any part of his dominions, granting them free permission to return to their own land, and at the same time recommending his other subjects to expedite their departure by giving them out of their abundance gold, silver, goods, and cattle, so that none should be hindered by poverty from taking advantage of the king's kindness. Many things are remarkable in this decree:—...

WHO IS THERE AMONG YOU OF ALL HIS PEOPLE?.... The people of God, the Israelites, as well of the ten tribes, as of the two of Judah and Benjamin; for this edict was published throughout all his dominions, where were the one as well as the other: HIS GOD BE WITH HIM; to incline his heart to go, to protect him in his journey, and succeed and prosper him in what he goes about: AND LET HIM GO UP TO JERUSALEM, WHICH IS IN JUDAH, AND BUILD THE HOUSE OF THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL, HE IS THE GOD; the one only living and true God: WHICH IS IN JERUSALEM; who has been in former times, and is to be worshipped there; though Aben Ezra says, this is to be connected with "the house of the Lord"; as if the sense was, to build the house, that was in Jerusalem, or to be built there; and so our version connects them, putting those words into a parenthesis, "he is God"; but this is contrary to the accents....

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. THE RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL AND THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The proclamation of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1)_ 2. The response of the chiefs of Judah and Benjamin (Ezra 1:5) 3. The vessels of the house of the LORD restored (Ezra 1:7) Ezra 1:1. Cyrus (meaning “the Sun”) the King of Persia was, according to ancient historians, the son of Cambyses, Prince of Persia, and Mandam, daughter of Astyages, King of the Median Empire. The theory that he was the offspring of Ahasuerus and Esther, and was trained by Mordecai and Nehemiah, lacks all historical foundation. The heart of Cyrus in the beginning of

PART I (Ezra 1-6). THE RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL TO THE COMPLETION OF THE TEMPLE. Ezra 1:1. The Edict of Cyrus._ Cf._ 2 Chronicles 36:22 f., where Ezra 1:1_ a_ is reproduced almost verbally. These verses are here in their proper place; they were added to the end of 2 Ch., when this was separated from Ezr.- Neh. in order to make that book conclude with a joyous note. The edict here reported does not give the original wording; it is an abbreviation in the Chronicler's words, who has also moulded it in accordance with his ideas. Ezra 1:1. the first year: 537 B.C. Cyrus: on Babylonian inscriptions the form of the name is

WHO IS THERE AMONG YOU OF ALL HIS PEOPLE? The language implies that the Jews were scattered in various parts of the empire. There were no less than four transportations, including that of the people of the northern kingdom by the Assyrians; 1st. That of the Ten Tribes; 2d. That after the first defeat of king Jehoiakim in which Daniel was carried away; 3d. That of king Jehoiachin, his court and others embracing 10,023 men; 4th. That of. great mass of people after the fall of Jerusalem, estimated to reach from 300,000 to 400,000 souls. There was one large settlement on the river Chebar, not far from Babylon, and others probably had lands assigned wherever Nebuchadnezzar could find vacancies. Hence it was needful that the heralds should proclaim the news of the return in various parts of the empire. To many of these exiles, longing for Jerusalem, praying daily with their faces toward Jerusa...

WHO IS THERE... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6. BUILD. rebuild....

Ezra 1:1-4. The Decree of Cyrus The history of the time throws light upon the action of Cyrus, whose Decree gave life to the seemingly lifeless bones of Israel (Ezekiel 37) and restored the scattered flock to their pasture (34). Except by his personal attendants, the fall of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, had been hailed by all with satisfaction. The priests had been alienated from him by his neglect of the defences of the great temples. The generals and nobles despised a king, who absented himself from his capital and his troops, and entrusted to his son the chief command. The poorer classes had no respect for a weak monarch, who failed to protect them from the invader and only imposed on them heavy tasks of building. Cyrus was welcomed in Babylon as Deliverer and saluted as -the Great King." The Jewish colony

TEXT AND VERSE-BY-VERSE COMMENT I. The Captives Return Under Zerubbabel (Ezra 1:1 to Ezra 2:70) A. Authority is given by King Cyrus, and the captives who wish to return to Israel. 1. Cyrus issues a decree. TEXT, EZRA 1:1-4 1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he sent a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, 2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, -The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has appointed me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3 -Whoever th