Ezra 5:4

_THEN SAID WE UNTO THEM AFTER THIS MANNER, WHAT ARE THE NAMES OF THE MEN THAT MAKE THIS BUILDING?_ No JFB commentary on this verse....

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 5:4. _WHAT ARE THE NAMES_] It is most evident that this is the _answer_ of the _Jews_ to the inquiry of Tatnai, Ezra 5:3, and the verse should be read thus: _Then said we unto them after this_ _manner: THESE are the names of the men who make this building_....

THEN SAID WE - The Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions have “Then said they,” which brings this verse into exact accordance with Ezra 5:10....

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

THEN SAID WE UNTO THEM AFTER THIS MANNER,.... In answer to their questions; namely, Ezra and other Jews replied; for though Ezra is said after this to come from Babylon in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, he might go thither on some business, and then return again at that time; some indeed think these are the words of Tatnai and those with him; so Ben Melech, which seems to be favoured by Ezra 4:10, and by reading the words with an interrogation, as we do; Aben Ezra says they are either the words of the builders, or of the scribes, the secretaries that came to question them; but they are the words of the former, as order requires, or otherwise no answer would be returned, at least as expressed; and the next clause may be read without an interrogation, and the sense be, that they told them not only that they acted according to an edict of Cyrus king of Persia, for this was said, as appears...

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

SAID. told. Chaldee. _'amar,_ which must be followed by the words spoken (which are given in next clause). WE. Note this pronoun (first person sing, and plural), Here, and Ezra 7:27; Ezra 9:15, and Nehemiah 1:1 Nehemiah 7:73; Nehemiah 12:27; Nehemiah 13:4. Septuagint, Syriac, and Arab, read "they". AFTER THIS MANNER. Ezra 5:4 should be rendered "we told them what the n

_Then said we unto them_, &c. R.V. THEN SPAKE WE UNTO THEM AFTER THIS MANNER, WHAT, &c. Margin, -Or, _Then spake we unto them after this manner. What_, said they, _are the names_", &c. -Or, according to some ancient versions, _Then spake they unto them_, &c. See Ezra 5:10." (_a_) The reading followed in the A.V. and R.V. is practically unintelligible. -Then spake we" would naturally INTRODUCE THE JEWS " reply (the first person being remarkable, but quite intelligible): but the question, -What are the names of the men that make this building?" is as obviously the question of the governor. It is equally impossible to apply -we" to the governor and his companions, and to see in -Then spake we unto them", &c. a continuance of -came Tattenai", &c. The only possible rendering is, -Then spake we unto them after this manner (with reference to t