Ezra 6:8

_MOREOVER I MAKE A DECREE WHAT YE SHALL DO TO THE ELDERS OF THESE JEWS FOR THE BUILDING OF THIS HOUSE OF GOD: THAT OF THE KING'S GOODS, EVEN OF THE TRIBUTE BEYOND THE RIVER, FORTHWITH EXPENCES BE GIVEN UNTO THESE MEN, THAT THEY BE NOT HINDERED._ Of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river ... expences be given. The decree granted them the privilege of drawing from his provincial treasury of Syria, to the amount of whatever they required for the furthering of the work, and providing sacrifice for the service of the temple, that the priests might daily pray for the health of the king and the prosperity of the empire....

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

MOREOVER, I MAKE A DECREE, WHAT YE SHALL DO TO THE ELDERS OF THESE JEWS, FOR THE BUILDING OF THIS HOUSE OF GOD,.... This must be considered as an additional decree of Darius, which was peculiarly made by him, in which more was granted in favour of the Jews, and as an encouragement to them to go on with the building of the temple; though Josephus a says this is no other than a confirmation of the decree of Cyrus; for, according to him, all that is here granted to them, or threatened to others, from hence to the end of Ezra 6:10, was contained in the decree: THAT OF THE KING'S GOODS, EVEN OF THE TRIBUTE BEYOND THE RIVER; what was collected out of his dominions on that side the river Euphrates, towards the land of Israel: according to Herodotus b, this Darius was the first of the kings of Persia that exacted tribute; under Cyrus and Cambyses only presents were brought; but he impos

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

I MAKE. DECREE. This was. new decree of Darius Hystaspis....

The injunction; official support, (_a_) money for the building. _I make a decree_ cf. Ezra 6:11; Ezra 4:19; Ezra 7:13. _of the king's goods_, even _of the tribute beyond the river_ The king addressing the governor of the whole country W. of the Euphrates refers to that portion of the territorial tribute which the governor would remit to the king's treasury, the greater portion being reserved for his own use and for satrapial administration. _goods_ So the LXX. -possessions" (ἀπὸ ὑπαρχόντων): Vulgate -treasury" (arcâ). The Aramaic word occurs again in Ezra 7:26. The royal contribution lays no burden upon the rest of the satr

2. Darius-' decree ordering the reconstruction. TEXT, EZRA 6:6-12 6 Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your colleagues, the officials of the provinces beyond the River, keep away from there. 7 Leave this work on the house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. 8 Moreover, I issue a decree concerning what you are to do for these elders of Judah in the rebuilding of this house of God: the full cost is to be paid to these people from the royal treasury out of the taxes of the provinces beyond the River, and that without delay. 9 And whatever is needed, both young bulls, rams, and lambs for a burnt offering to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine, and anointing oil, as the priests in Jerusalem request, it is to be giv

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