2 Thus saith H559 Cyrus H3566 king H4428 of Persia, H6539 The LORD H3068 God H430 of heaven H8064 hath given H5414 me all the kingdoms H4467 of the earth; H776 and he hath charged H6485 me to build H1129 him an house H1004 at Jerusalem, H3389 which is in Judah. H3063
I have made H6213 the earth, H776 and created H1254 man H120 upon it: I, even my hands, H3027 have stretched out H5186 the heavens, H8064 and all their host H6635 have I commanded. H6680 I have raised him up H5782 in righteousness, H6664 and I will direct H3474 all his ways: H1870 he shall build H1129 my city, H5892 and he shall let go H7971 my captives, H1546 not for price H4242 nor reward, H7810 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635
And now have I given H5414 all these lands H776 into the hand H3027 of Nebuchadnezzar H5019 the king H4428 of Babylon, H894 my servant; H5650 and the beasts H2416 of the field H7704 have I given H5414 him also to serve H5647 him. And all nations H1471 shall serve H5647 him, and his son, H1121 and his son's H1121 son, H1121 until the very time H6256 of his land H776 come: H935 and then many H7227 nations H1471 and great H1419 kings H4428 shall serve H5647 themselves of him.
Thou, H607 O king, H4430 art a king H4430 of kings: H4430 for the God H426 of heaven H8065 hath given H3052 thee a kingdom, H4437 power, H2632 and strength, H8632 and glory. H3367 And wheresoever H3606 the children H1123 of men H606 dwell, H1753 the beasts H2423 of the field H1251 and the fowls H5776 of the heaven H8065 hath he given H3052 into thine hand, H3028 and hath made thee ruler H7981 over them all. H3606 Thou H607 art this head H7217 of gold. H1722
And for H4481 the majesty H7238 that he gave H3052 him, all H3606 people, H5972 nations, H524 and languages, H3961 trembled H1934 H2112 and feared H1763 before H4481 him: H6925 whom he would H1934 H6634 he slew; H1934 H6992 and whom he would H1934 H6634 he kept alive; H1934 H2418 and whom he would H1934 H6634 he set up; H1934 H7313 and whom he would H1934 H6634 he put down. H1934 H8214 But when his heart H3825 was lifted up, H7313 and his mind H7308 hardened H8631 in pride, H2103 he was deposed H5182 from H4481 his kingly H4437 throne, H3764 and they took H5709 his glory H3367 from him: H4481 And he was driven H2957 from H4481 the sons H1123 of men; H606 and his heart H3825 was made H7739 like H5974 the beasts, H2423 and his dwelling H4070 was with the wild asses: H6167 they fed H2939 him with grass H6211 like oxen, H8450 and his body H1655 was wet H6647 with the dew H2920 of heaven; H8065 till H5705 he knew H3046 that the most high H5943 God H426 ruled H7990 in the kingdom H4437 of men, H606 and that he appointeth H6966 over H5922 it whomsoever H4479 he will. H6634
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezra 1
Commentary on Ezra 1 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 1
Ezr 1:1-6. Proclamation of Cyrus for Building the Temple.
1. in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia—The Persian empire, including Persia, Media, Babylonia, and Chaldea, with many smaller dependencies, was founded by Cyrus, 536 B.C. [Hales].
that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled—(See Jer 25:12; 29:10). This reference is a parenthetic statement of the historian, and did not form part of the proclamation.
2. The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth—Though this is in the Oriental style of hyperbole (see also Da 4:1), it was literally true that the Persian empire was the greatest ruling power in the world at that time.
he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem—The phraseology of this proclamation, independently of the express testimony of Josephus, affords indisputable evidence that Cyrus had seen (probably through means of Daniel, his venerable prime minister and favorite) those prophecies in which, two hundred years before he was born, his name, his victorious career, and the important services he should render to the Jews were distinctly foretold (Isa 44:28; 46:1-4). The existence of predictions so remarkable led him to acknowledge that all his kingdoms were gifts bestowed on him by "the Lord God of heaven," and prompted him to fulfil the duty which had been laid upon him long before his birth. This was the source and origin of the great favor he showed to the Jews. The proclamation, though issued "in the first year of Cyrus" [Ezr 1:1], did not take effect till the year following.
3. Who is there among you of all his people—The purport of the edict was to grant full permission to those Jewish exiles, in every part of his kingdom, who chose, to return to their own country, as well as to recommend those of their countrymen who remained to aid the poor and feeble on their way, and contribute liberally towards the rebuilding of the temple.
5, 6. Then rose up the chief of the fathers, &c.—The paternal and ecclesiastical chiefs of the later captivity, those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with some also from other tribes (1Ch 9:3), who retained their attachment to the pure worship of God, naturally took the lead in this movement. Their example was followed by all whose piety and patriotism were strong enough to brave the various discouragements attending the enterprise. They were liberally assisted by multitudes of their captive countrymen, who, born in Babylonia or comfortably established in it by family connections or the possession of property, chose to remain. It seems that their Assyrian friends and neighbors, too, either from a favorable disposition toward the Jewish faith, or from imitation of the court policy, displayed hearty good will and great liberality in aiding and promoting the views of the emigrants.
Ezr 1:7-11. Cyrus Restores the Vessels.
7. Cyrus … brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord—Though it is said (2Ki 24:13) that these were cut in pieces, that would not be done to the large and magnificent vases; and, if they had been divided, the parts could be reunited. But it may be doubted whether the Hebrew word rendered cut in pieces, does not signify merely cut off, that is, from further use in the temple.
8. Shesh-bazzar, the prince of Judah—that is, Zerubbabel, son of Salathiel (compare Ezr 3:8; 5:16). He was born in Babylon, and called by his family Zerubbabel, that is, stranger or exile in Babylon. Shesh-bazzar, signifying "fire-worshipper," was the name given him at court, as other names were given to Daniel and his friends. He was recognized among the exiles as hereditary prince of Judah.
11. All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred—The vessels here specified amount only to the number of 2499. Hence it is probable that the larger vases only are mentioned, while the inventory of the whole, including great and small, came to the gross sum stated in the text.
them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem—All the Jewish exiles did not embrace the privilege which the Persian king granted them. The great proportion, born in Babylon, preferred continuing in their comfortable homes to undertaking a distant, expensive, and hazardous journey to a desolate land. Nor did the returning exiles all go at once. The first band went with Zerubbabel, others afterwards with Ezra, and a large number with Nehemiah at a still later period.