Ezra 3:11

_AND THEY SANG TOGETHER BY COURSE IN PRAISING AND GIVING THANKS UNTO THE LORD; BECAUSE HE IS GOOD, FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER TOWARD ISRAEL. AND ALL THE PEOPLE SHOUTED WITH A GREAT SHOUT, WHEN THEY PRAISED THE LORD, BECAUSE THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD WAS LAID._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

8-13 There was a remarkable mixture of affections upon laying the foundation of the temple. Those that only knew the misery of having no temple at all, praised the Lord with shouts of joy. To them, even this foundation seemed great. We ought to be thankful for the beginnings of mercy, though it be not yet perfect. But those who remembered the glory of the first temple, and considered how far inferior this was likely to be, wept with a loud voice. There was reason for it, and if they bewailed the sin that was the cause of this melancholy change, they did well. Yet it was wrong to cast a damp upon the common joys. They despised the day of small things, and were unthankful for the good they enjoyed. Let not the remembrance of former afflictions drown the sense of present mercies....

§ 3. REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE AND OPPOSITION MADE TO IT. EXPOSITION LAYING OF THE FOUNDATION OF THE TEMPLE AND CEREMONIAL ON THE OCCASION (Ezra 3:8). Seven months were occupied with preparations. The winter was past, and the spring had arrived. It was the second month, Zif, the month of "blossom,'' corresponding to our May—the same month in which Solomon had laid the foundation of the first temple (1 Kings 6:1)—when Zerubbabel ju

AND THEY SANG TOGETHER BY COURSE,.... They sang by turns in responses, and answered one another, as the word signifies; when one company had performed their part, another took theirs: IN PRAISING AND GIVING THANKS TO THE LORD; for returning them to their own land, and giving them opportunity, ability, and will, to set about the rebuilding of the temple of the Lord, and restoring the pure worship of God; BECAUSE HE IS GOOD, FOR HIS MERCY ENDURETH FOR EVER TOWARDS ISRAEL; which words are often repeated in Psalms 136:1 and which might be the psalm the Levites now sung by responses: AND ALL THE PEOPLE SHOUTED WITH A GREAT SHOUT WHEN THEY PRAISED THE LORD; to express their joy, in the best manner they could, on this solemn occasion: BECAUSE THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD WAS LAID; which gave them hope the tem

CHAPTER 3 _ 1. The altar set up (Ezra 3:1)_ 2. The feast of tabernacles celebrated (Ezra 3:4) 3. The sacrifices brought (Ezra 3:5) 4. The foundation of the temple laid (Ezra 3:8) Ezra 3:1. How long the journey lasted is not stated. The previous chapter in its close states that all dwelt in their cities--”and all Israel in their cities.” The significant seventh month (Tishri) with its holy convocation (feast of trumpets, day of atonement and feast of tabernacles) having come, the remnant gathered “as one man to Jerusalem.” It was the time for such a general

THE LAYING OF THE TEMPLE FOUNDATION AND THE JOY OF THE PEOPLE. Ezra 3:7. masons. carpenters: those referred to were the men who hewed the stone from the quarries and those who prepared the rough stone thus obtained. THEM OF ZIDON. THEM OF TYRE: as in the case of the first Temple, see 1 Kings 5:6. according. Persia: see Ezra 1:2; the Lebanon range belonged now to the kings of Persia. Ezra 3:8. in the second year. in the second month: _i.e._ as the text stands, the second year of the return, 536 B.C., which was also the second month of the year (according to the Chronicler's mode of reckoning); the second month was lyar (= approximately May

AND THEY SANG BY COURSE IN PRAISING. This will be better understood by reading 2 Chronicles 5:11-14. In the account of the dedication the re given we are told how the Levites, the singers, of the families of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun, arrayed in linen, with cymbals, harps and psaltery, joined with the trumpeters so as to make one sound. Then also, the grand chorus was, "Praise the Lord, for he is good, and his mercy endureth forever." On the occasion of the lesson the people responded with. great shout of joy and praise....

MERCY. lovingkindness, or grace. SHOUTED WITH. GREAT SHOUT. Figure of speech _Polyptoton._ App-6....

_And they sung together by course_ R.V. AND THEY SANG ONE TO ANOTHER, literally -and they answered", the same word as is rendered -answered" in Ezra 10:12; Nehemiah 8:6. The traditional interpretation of this expression has seen in it an allusion to antiphonal singing, whereby a Psalm such as Psalms 136 would be rendered by two choirs, one choir singing the clause -O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good", the other replying -for His mercy endureth for ever" &c. There can be no doubt that certain Psalms, such as Psalms 24:7-10; Psalms 106, 107, 118, 136, lent themselves very readily to such musical rendering; and it is possible that

DISCOURSE: 433 THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE Ezra 3:11. _All the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy: so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off_. TO put a fanciful interpretation on any part of God’s blessed word is highly inexpedient; and to found a doctrine upon any such interpretation would be injudicious in the extreme. But certain it is, that there are many explanations given us by the Apostles, which we should in no w