Ezra 8:27

_ALSO TWENTY BASONS OF GOLD, OF A THOUSAND DRAMS; AND TWO VESSELS OF FINE COPPER, PRECIOUS AS GOLD._ Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams, х_ LA'ªDARKONIYM_ (H150)] - darics, a Persian coin, familiar to the Jews while resident within the Persian dominions. TWO VESSELS OF FINE COPPER, PRECIOUS AS GOLD, х_ NªCHOSHET_ (H5178) _ MUTSªHAAB_ (H6668) _ TOWBAAH _ (H2896)] - of good yellow (glittering) brass. Almost all commentators agree in maintaining that the vessels referred to were not made of copper, but of an alloy capable of taking on a bright polish, which we think highly probable, as copper was then in common use among the Babylonians, and would not be as precious as gold. This alloy, much esteemed among the Jews, was composed of gold and o

24-30 Do we expect that God should, by his providence, keep that which belongs to us, let us, by his grace, keep that which belongs to him. Let God's honour and interest be our care; and then we may expect that our lives and comforts will be his....

TWENTY BASONS OF GOLD, OF A THOUSAND DRAMS - Not of a thousand drams (i. e., darics) each, but worth altogether a thousand darics. As the value of the daric was about 22 shillings of British money, each basin, or saucer, would have been worth (apart from the fashioning) 55 British pounds. OF FINE COPPER - The word translated “fine,” which occurs here only, is thought to mean either “yellow” or “glittering” (see the margin). Probably the vessels were of orichalcum, an amalgam which was either brass or something nearly approaching to brass, but which was very rarely produced in the ancient world, and, when produced, was regarded as highly valuable....

EXPOSITION EZRA 8:21 THEN I PROCLAIMED A FAST THERE. The fight of the civil ruler to "proclaim a fast" was unquestioned among the Jews and Israelites. Jezebel proclaimed one in Ahab's name when she wished to impress the Jezreelites with the notion that a great crime had been committed. Jehoshaphat did the same when he was invaded by the Ammonites, Moabites, and Mehunim (2 Chronicles 20:1). A fast was proclaimed in the fifth year of Jehoiakim when the kingdom of Judah was menaced by Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 36:9). Ezra therefore assumes that he may command one now, in connection with the perils of the coming journey. That we might afflict

ALSO TWENTY BASINS OF GOLD, OF A THOUSAND DRAMS,.... Which were upwards of 1000 pounds of our money; for Bishop Cumberland says e, the Persian "daric", "drachma", or "drachm", weighed twenty shillings and four pence; and, according to Dr. Bernard, it exceeded one of our guineas by two grains, 1 Chronicles 29:7 AND TWO VESSELS OF FINE COPPER, PRECIOUS AS GOLD; which perhaps is the same with the Indian or Persian brass Aristotle f speaks of, which is so bright and pure, and free from rust, that it cannot be known by its colour from gold, and that there are among the cups of Darius such as cannot be discerned whether they are brass or gold but by the smell: the Syriac version interprets it by Corinthian brass, which was a mixture of gold, silver, and copper, made when Corinth was burnt, and which is exceeding valuable; of which Pliny g makes three sorts, very precio

CHAPTER 8 _ 1. Those who returned with Ezra (Ezra 8:1)_ 2. The gathering at Ahava (Ezra 8:15) 3. The fast proclaimed (Ezra 8:21) 4. The appointment of guardians (Ezra 8:24) 5. The departure and arrival in Jerusalem (Ezra 8:31) Ezra 8:1. The names of those who gathered around Ezra and went up with him are here recorded. In view of the magnificent decree and liberality of Artaxerxes, the company was very small. The majority preferred Babylon, and remained t

THE GATHERING TOGETHER OF THE EXILES AT AHAVA. The narrative is told here in the first person. Ezra 8:15. Ahava: _cf._ Ezra 8:21; Ezra 8:31; this seems to have been a place which gave its name to one of the many canals constructed in Babylonia for irrigation purposes. NONE OF THE SONS OF LEVI: as the main object of the return was the resuscitation of the Temple worship the Levites were, of course, indispensable. Ezra 8:17. Casiphia: the exact locality is unknown; there appears to have been a colony of Levites and Nethinim here. Ezra 8:25

BASONS. bowls. OF. valued at. FINE COPPER, &C.. copper shining like gold....

_also twenty basons of gold_ R.V. AND TWENTY BOWLS OF GOLD: -bowl" as in Ezra 1:10. _of a thousand drams_ R.V. OF A THOUSAND DARICS. About £1 each: see on Ezra 2:69. The total specified values then are about £243,750 + £37,500 + £675,000 + £1,000 = £957,250, or nearly a million of our money. _fine copper_ R.V. FINE BRIGHT BRASS. The Hebrew word (Muçhâbh) occurs only here. LXX. στίλβοντος. Some have suggested -orichalchum", a variety of brass....

_VER._ 26, 27. _SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY TALENTS OF SILVER,_ &C.— The six hundred and fifty talents of silver, at three hundred and seventy-five pounds to the talent, make two hundred and forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds. The silver vessels weighed one hundred talents, which come to thirty-seven thousand five hundred pounds. The gold, in coin, was one hundred talents, which, at four thousand five hundred pounds per talent, make four hundred and fifty thousand pounds. And, besides all this, there were twenty basons of gold of one thousand drachms; and two vessels of fine copper as valuable as gold. Houbigant, however, reads, instead of _two vessels,_ &c.—_and vessels of fine copper, polished, and precious as gold._ From this new reformation made by Ezra in the Jewish church and common-wealth, the learned Prideaux begins the computation of Daniel's weeks. REFLECTIONS.—1st,...