Ezra 1:6

_AND ALL THEY THAT WERE ABOUT THEM STRENGTHENED THEIR HANDS WITH VESSELS OF SILVER, WITH GOLD, WITH GOODS, AND WITH BEASTS, AND WITH PRECIOUS THINGS, BESIDE ALL THAT WAS WILLINGLY OFFERED._ NO JFB COMMENTARY ON THIS VERSE....

5-11 The same God that raised up the spirit of Cyrus to proclaim liberty to the Jews, raised up their spirits to take the benefit. The temptation was to some to stay in Babylon; but some feared not to return, and they were those whose spirits God raised, by his Spirit and grace. Whatever good we do, is owing to the grace of God. Our spirits naturally bow down to this earth and the things of it; if they move upward in any good affections or good actions, it is God who raises them. The calls and offers of the gospel are like the proclamation of Cyrus. Those bound under the power of sin, may be made free by Jesus Christ. Whosoever will, by repentance and faith, return to God, Jesus Christ has opened the way for him, and raises him out of the slavery of sin into the glorious liberty of the children of God. Many that hear this joyful sound, choose to sit still in Babylon, are in love with th...

Verse Ezra 1:6. _VESSELS OF SILVER_] _Articles_ of silver, gold, c....

EXPOSITION THE RESPONSE TO THE DECREE (Ezra 1:5). The response made to the decree fell short of what might have been expected. The "patriarchal chiefs" who responded belonged solely, or mainly, to the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin; the "ten tribes" were for the most part deaf to the invitation addressed to them. Some, however, of Ephraim and Manasseh (1 Chronicles 9:3), and perhaps some of other tribes, were more zealous, and took part in the migration. Many, on the other hand, even of Judah and Benjamin, preferred remaining in Babylonia to undertaking the long and perilous (Ezra 7:22) journey to Palestine, and taking the chance

AND ALL THEY THAT WERE ABOUT THEM,.... Their neighbours, the Chaldeans: STRENGTHENED THEIR HANDS WITH VESSELS OF SILVER, WITH GOLD, WITH GOODS, AND WITH BEASTS, AND WITH PRECIOUS THINGS; which they either did of themselves at their own motion, or by the direction and example of Cyrus, Ezra 1:4 and perhaps many of them to ingratiate themselves into the favour of their new monarch: BESIDES ALL THAT WAS WILLINGLY OFFERED: by the rich Jews, who thought fit, at least for the present, to remain in Babylon....

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

THE RETURN OF THE JEWS UNDER SHESHBAZZAR WITH THE HOLY VESSELS. The carrying out of the decree. Ezra 1:5. even all. Jerusalem: implying that many did not avail themselves of the opportunity of returning. The lot of many of the exiles was far from unhappy, while the prospect for those who might decide to return was not bright. Ezra 1:6. all they that were round about them: _i.e._ those of their own race. BESIDE ALL THAT WAS WILLINGLY OFFERED: the free-will offerings for the Temple; the other gifts were personal. Ezra 1:7. the vessels. his gods: see 2 Kings 24:13;...

THEIR HANDS. them. Put by Figure of speech _Synecdoche_ (of Part), for themselves....

_And all_they that _were about them_ R.V. ROUND ABOUT THEM. A general expression which would include both the heathen neighbours, alluded to (in Ezra 1:3) by the edict, and the Jewish neighbours, not contemplated in the edict, who preferred to remain in the land of the Captivity. _strengthened their hands_ The use of this expression differs slightly in the grammar of the original from such passages as Nehemiah 2:18, -So they strengthened their hands for the good work"; Jeremiah 23:14, -they strengthen the hands of evil doers". In those passages the idea is simply that of -invigorating" and -adding strength". Here the employment of a preposition introduces a shade of variety into the metaphor. The idea is th

2. The people return and begin to rebuild. TEXT, EZRA 1:5-11 5 Then the heads of fathers-' households of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose, even everyone whose spirit God had stirred to go and rebuild the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. 6 And all those about them encouraged them with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, with cattle, and with valuables, aside from all that was given as a freewill offering. 7 Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods; 8 and Cyrus, king of Persia, had them brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and he counted them out to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. 9 Now this was their number: 30 gold dishes, 1,000 silver dishes, 29 duplicates;...