Ezra 5:8

_BE IT KNOWN UNTO THE KING, THAT WE WENT INTO THE PROVINCE OF JUDEA, TO THE HOUSE OF THE GREAT GOD, WHICH IS BUILDED WITH GREAT STONES, AND TIMBER IS LAID IN THE WALLS, AND THIS WORK GOETH FAST ON, AND PROSPERETH IN THEIR HANDS._ The house of the great God ... builded with great stones х_ 'EBEN_ (H69) _ GªLAAL_ (H1560)] - 'stones of rolling;' i:e., stones of such extraordinary size that they could not be carried-they had to be rolled or dragged along the ground. [The Septuagint has: lithois eklektois, choice stones.] When mention is made of "the great God," the application of such an epithet implies a recognition at least to some extent of his true character; and that although the motley mass of colonists (Ezra 4:9), although still adhering to their native idols, were constrained to ackno

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 5:8. _WITH GREAT STONES_] They are making a very _strong_ and a very _costly_ building....

GREAT STONES - literally, as in the margin; i. e., stones so large that they were rolled along, not carried. Others translate “polished stones.”...

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

BE IT KNOWN UNTO THE KING,.... This seems to have been the usual form of beginning a letter to a king in those days, Ezra 4:12 that we went into the province of Judea; which from a kingdom was reduced to a province, and was become a part of the Babylonian, now Persian, monarchy, see Ezra 2:1 to the house of the great God; as the Jews called the Lord their God; and even the Heathens had a notion that there was one supreme God, though they worshipped inferior ones; and some had a notion that Jehovah the God of the Jews was he: WHICH IS BUILDED WITH GREAT STONES; marble stones; as Jarchi q, stones of rolling, as it may be rendered; which, according to Aben Ezra, were so large and heavy, that they could not be carried, but were obliged to roll them: AND TIMBER IS LAID IN THE WALLS, cedar

GREAT STONES Chaldean, stones of rolling....

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

PROVINCE. Compare Nehemiah 1:3. GREAT. rolling: i.e. too heavy to be moved without rolling....