4 And whosoever remaineth H7604 in any place H4725 where he sojourneth, H1481 let the men H582 of his place H4725 help H5375 him with silver, H3701 and with gold, H2091 and with goods, H7399 and with beasts, H929 beside the freewill offering H5071 for the house H1004 of God H430 that is in Jerusalem. H3389
And some of the chief H7218 of the fathers, H1 when they came H935 to the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 which is at Jerusalem, H3389 offered freely H5068 for the house H1004 of God H430 to set it up H5975 in his place: H4349 They gave H5414 after their ability H3581 unto the treasure H214 of the work H4399 threescore H8337 H7239 and one thousand H505 drams H1871 of gold, H2091 and five H2568 thousand H505 pound H4488 of silver, H3701 and one hundred H3967 priests' H3548 garments. H3801 So the priests, H3548 and the Levites, H3881 and some of the people, H5971 and the singers, H7891 and the porters, H7778 and the Nethinims, H5411 dwelt H3427 in their cities, H5892 and all Israel H3478 in their cities. H5892
And all H3606 the silver H3702 and gold H1722 that thou canst find H7912 in all H3606 the province H4083 of Babylon, H895 with H5974 the freewill offering H5069 of the people, H5972 and of the priests, H3549 offering willingly H5069 for the house H1005 of their God H426 which is in Jerusalem: H3390 That H3606 H6903 thou mayest buy H7066 speedily H629 with this H1836 money H3702 bullocks, H8450 rams, H1798 lambs, H563 with their meat offerings H4504 and their drink offerings, H5261 and offer H7127 them H1994 upon H5922 the altar H4056 of the house H1005 of your God H426 which is in Jerusalem. H3390 And whatsoever H4101 H1768 shall seem good H3191 to thee, and to H5922 thy brethren, H252 to do H5648 with the rest H7606 of the silver H3702 and the gold, H1722 that do H5648 after the will H7470 of your God. H426
Two H8147 are better H2896 than one; H259 because they have H3426 a good H2896 reward H7939 for their labour. H5999 For if they fall, H5307 the one H259 will lift up H6965 his fellow: H2270 but woe H337 to him that is alone H259 when he falleth; H5307 for he hath not another H8145 to help him up. H6965
Which G3739 have borne witness G3140 of thy G4675 charity G26 before G1799 the church: G1577 whom G3739 if thou bring forward on their journey G4311 after G516 a godly G2316 sort, G516 thou shalt do G4160 well: G2573 Because that G1063 for G5228 his G846 name's G3686 sake G5228 they went forth, G1831 taking G2983 nothing G3367 of G575 the Gentiles. G1484 We G2249 therefore G3767 ought G3784 to receive G618 such, G5108 that G2443 we might be G1096 fellowhelpers G4904 to the truth. G225
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.