Ezra 6:5

_IN THE FIRST YEAR OF CYRUS THE KING THE SAME CYRUS THE KING MADE A DECREE CONCERNING THE HOUSE OF GOD AT JERUSALEM, LET THE HOUSE BE BUILDED, THE PLACE WHERE THEY OFFERED SACRIFICES, AND LET THE FOUNDATIONS THEREOF BE STRONGLY LAID; THE HEIGHT THEREOF THREESCORE CUBITS, AND THE BREADTH THEREOF THREESCORE CUBITS;_ No JFB commentary on these verses....

1-12 When God's time is come for fulfilling his gracious purposes concerning his church, he will raise up instruments to do it, from whom such good service was not expected. While our thoughts are directed to this event, we are led by Zechariah to fix our regard on a nobler, a spiritual building. The Lord Jesus Christ continues to lay one stone upon another: let us assist the great design. Difficulties delay the progress of this sacred edifice. Yet let not opposition discourage us, for in due season it will be completed to his abundant praise. He shall bring forth the head-stone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it....

EXPOSITION DISCOVERY OF THE DECREE OF CYRUS ON THE SUBJECT OF THE TEMPLE, AND RECITATION OF ITS EXACT TERMS (Ezra 6:1). The application made by the satrap of Syria to Darius received his immediate attention. A search was instituted—in the first instance, at Babylon, but afterwards at the other capitals also; and in Ecbatana, the Median metropolis, where the Persian kings always resided during a portion of the year, a copy of the original decree was found, which is considerably fuller and more definite, though in some respects covering less ground, than the "proclamation'' with

AND ALSO LET THE GOLDEN AND SILVER VESSELS,.... See Ezra 1:7 and which confirms what the Jews said to Tatnai, Ezra 5:14....

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The search of the king and the result (Ezra 6:1)_ 2. The command of Darius (Ezra 6:6) 3. The king's command obeyed (Ezra 6:13) 4. The house finished (Ezra 6:14) 5. The dedication of the house (Ezra 6:16) 6. The feast of Passover and unleavened bread (Ezra 6:19) Ezra 6:1. King Darius had a search made in the place where the records of the empire were kept, “in t

THE KING'S REPLY ACCORDING HIS PERMISSION TOR THE BUILDING TO BE CONTINUED. Ezra 6:1. a decree: the actual decree does not begin until Ezra 6:8. Ezra 6:2. Achmetha: _cf._ Tob_3:7; _i.e._ Ecbatana, in Media, the summer residence of the Persian kings. A ROLL: in this case more probably a cylindrical clay tablet inscribed with cuneiform characters; but the fact that a roll is mentioned shows that the Jews of Ezra's time were unfamiliar with that form of writing. Ezra 6:3. This purports to be a copy of Cyrus-' decree (_cf._ Ezra 1:1); it is, however

VESSELS. Compare Ezra 1:7. IS. was....

_and place_them _in the house of God_ R.V. AND THOU SHALT PUT THEM IN THE HOUSE OF GOD. The A.V. does not mark the abrupt transition to the 2nd pers. sing. The use of the 2nd pers. sing. and the occurrence of the same word -put" as in the parallel context of Ezra 5:15 show that Sheshbazzar is here addressed. This name has not occurred before in this copy of Cyrus's decree. We must suppose that the copyist gives a free paraphrase of its contents. _the house of God_ The Divine name is here used absolutely for the God of Israel....

TEXT AND VERSE-BY-VERSE COMMENT D. The Temple is completed and dedicated. TEXT, Ezra 6:1-5 1. The Royal Edict authorizing construction is found. 1 Then King Darius issued a decree, and search was made in the archives, where the treasures were stored in Babylon. 2 And in Ecbatana in the fortress,-' which is in the province of Media, a scroll was found and there was written in it as follows: Memorandum 3 In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: -Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits; 4 with three layers of huge stones, and one layer of timbers. And let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. 5 -And also let the gold and silver utens

COMPLETION AND DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE This chapter relates the authorisation of the construction of the Temple, and the completion of the work....