Ezra 5:13

_BUT IN THE FIRST YEAR OF CYRUS THE KING OF BABYLON THE SAME KING CYRUS MADE A DECREE TO BUILD THIS HOUSE OF GOD._ In the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon - i:e., the first year in which he began to reign in Babylon. Cyrus styles himself, in his famous proclamation, king of Persia (see the note at Ezra 1:1). But it was the Jewish exiles in and around Babylon who went in the first caravan to Jerusalem after the promulagation of the edict, and as it was published shortly after the Medo-Persian conquest of Babylonia, these Jews thought and spoke of Cyrus very naturally as king of Babylon. Accordingly, it will be observed that it was the elders of these first emigrants who spoke of Cyrus by a name which was familiar to them. THE SAME KING CYRUS. The Jews were perfectly warranted, according to the principles of the Persian government, to proceed with the building in

3-17 While employed in God's work, we are under his special protection; his eye is upon us for good. This should keep us to our duty, and encourage us therein, when difficulties are ever so discouraging. The elders of the Jews gave the Samaritans an account of their proceedings. Let us learn hence, with meekness and fear, to give a reason of the hope that is in us; let us rightly understand, and then readily declare, what we do in God's service, and why we do it. And while in this world, we always shall have to confess, that our sins have provoked the wrath of God. All our sufferings spring from thence, and all our comforts from his unmerited mercy. However the work may seem to be hindered, yet the Lord Jesus Christ is carrying it on, his people are growing unto a holy temple in the Lord, for a habitation of God through the Spirit....

EXPOSITION RENEWAL OF OPPOSITION ON THE PART OF THE NEIGHBOURING HEATHEN. LETTER WRITTEN BY THEM AND SENT TO DARIUS (Ezra 5:3). Once more opposition showed itself. Tatnai, a high officer, called "governor on this side the river" (Ezra 5:3), perhaps satrap of Syria, and Shethar-boznai, or Sitrabarzanes, a Persian noble probably, at this time took the lead, and learning that the building was making progress, came in person to Jerusalem, and demanded to know by what authority the temple and city were being rest

BUT IN THE FIRST YEAR OF CYRUS THE KING OF BABYLON,.... That is, the first year he was king of Babylon, having taken it, otherwise he was king of Persia many years before: THE SAME KING CYRUS MADE A DECREE TO BUILD THIS HOUSE OF GOD; see Ezra 1:1....

CHAPTER 5 _ 1. The prophetic ministry of Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1)_ 2. The result of their ministry (Ezra 5:2) 3. Tatnai's interference (Ezra 5:3) 4. The letter to Darius (Ezra 5:6) Ezra 5:1. At that critical time when the enemy seemed to have triumphed, and they were losing their interest, God graciously intervened by sending them His two messengers the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Their great prophetic messages will be more fully taken up in our annotations on the books which contain their prophecies. The voice of prophecy is always heard when the peo

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 been proceeding during the whole of this time. Owing to the action of Haggai and Zechariah, the Jews are once more roused to undertake the work, which had been interrupted sixteen years before, of rebuilding the Temple (so according to our present text). This time there is no objection; on the contrary, application is made to Darius by the governor, who is supported herein by some of the Samaritans (the Apharsachites), to permit the Jews to go on with their work (which is continued, however, pending the arrival of the king's reply) on the ground tha

CYRUS. Compare Ezra 1:1. BABYLON. Included now with Persia. Compare Ezra 6:1.Nehemiah 13:6....

_Cyrus the king of Babylon_ Cyrus so called frequently in the Inscriptions: cf. Artaxerxes king of Babylon, Nehemiah 13:6, and Darius king of Assyria, Ezra 6:22. the same _king Cyrus_ R.V. CYRUS THE KING: see on Ezra 1:1-2....

2. A letter is sent to clarify the situation. TEXT, EZRA 5:6-17 6 This is the copy of the letter which Tattenai, the governor of the province beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai and his colleagues the officials, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. 7 They sent a report to him in which it was written thus: To Darius the king, all peace. 8 Let it be known to the king, that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with huge stones, and beams are being laid in the walls; and this work is going on with great care and is succeeding in their hands. 9 Then we asked those elders and said to them thus, -Who issued you a decree to rebuild this temple and to finish this structure?-' 10 We also asked them their names so as to inform you, and that we might write down the name

THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE RECOMMENCED This chapter gives an account of a renewed attempt to rebuild the Temple, and recites a letter from the Persian officials in Judæa to the Persian court to enquire whether the Jews had leave to proceed with the work....