Ezra 5:17

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....

Verse Ezra 5:17. _THE - TREASURE HOUSE_] גנזיא _ginzaiya_. This is a Persian word, [Persian] _gunji, a treasury_. There is a great deal of good sense and candour in this letter. Nothing of passion or prejudice appears in it. They laid before the king a fair statement without any attempt to prejudice his mind, and gave him those directions which were most likely to lead him to the truth, and to form a correct judgment on a business which, however it issued, must be of considerable importance to the state. God was in all this business; he was now giving an additional proof of his continued regard for a disobedient people, whom, though he had punished in his _justice_, he had spared in his _mercy_....

LET THERE BE SEARCH MADE ... AT BABYLON - They perhaps doubted whether proof of the decree of Cyrus remained in the archives. The Pseudo-Smerdis had had the records in his power for seven months; and, when he reversed the policy of his predecessors, might have been expected to destroy their edicts. The decree was not found at Babylon, the most natural place for it, but in the provincial capital of Ecbatana, which Tatnai and his friends had not asked Darius to have searched (see Ezra 6:2)....

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

NOW THEREFORE, IF IT SEEM GOOD TO THE KING, LET THERE BE SEARCH MADE IN THE KING'S TREASURE HOUSE, WHICH IS THERE AT BABYLON,.... Where were the archives of the kingdom, where the laws, decrees, edicts, and proclamations, and other things relating to the state, were laid up, that recourse might be had to them upon occasion: WHETHER IT BE SO, THAT A DECREE WAS MADE OF CYRUS THE KING TO BUILD THIS HOUSE OF GOD AT JERUSALEM; which the Jews affirmed was made by him, and upon which they proceeded: AND LET THE KING SEND HIS PLEASURE TO US CONCERNING THIS MATTER; whether the Jews should be allowed to go on with the building of their temple, and finish it, or whether they should be restrained from it; signifying they were ready to do his will and pleasure either way, as he thought fit....

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

_if_it seem _good to the king_ A similar phrase in Ezra 7:18; Esther 1:19. _in the king's treasure house_ which apparently was the repository of important documents as well as of treasure. The expression occurs again in Esther 3:9; Esther 4:7. The word rendered -treasure" (ginzayya) is rendered by -gaza" (γάζα) in the LXX. Compare Ezra 1:8; (gizbar) -treasurer"; 1 Chronicles 28:11 (ganzak) -treasure"; chap....

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....