6 And in the reign H4438 of Ahasuerus, H325 in the beginning H8462 of his reign, H4438 wrote H3789 they unto him an accusation H7855 against the inhabitants H3427 of Judah H3063 and Jerusalem. H3389
Now it came to pass in the days H3117 of Ahasuerus, H325 (this is Ahasuerus H325 which reigned, H4427 from India H1912 even unto Ethiopia, H3568 over an hundred H3967 and seven H7651 and twenty H6242 provinces:) H4082
For G1063 we have found G2147 this G5126 man G435 a pestilent G3061 fellow, and G2532 a mover G2795 of sedition G4714 among all G3956 the Jews G2453 throughout G2596 the world, G3625 and G5037 a ringleader G4414 of the sect G139 of the Nazarenes: G3480 Who G3739 also G2532 hath gone about G3985 to profane G953 the temple: G2411 G2532 whom G3739 we took, G2902 and G2532 would G2309 have judged G2919 according G2596 to our G2251 law. G3551 But G1161 the chief captain G5506 Lysias G3079 came G3928 upon us, and with G3326 great G4183 violence G970 took him away G520 out of G1537 our G2257 hands, G5495 Commanding G2753 his G846 accusers G2725 to come G2064 unto G1909 thee: G4571 by examining G350 of G3844 whom G3739 thyself G846 mayest G1410 take knowledge G1921 of G4012 all G3956 these things, G5130 whereof G3739 we G2249 accuse G2723 him. G846 And G1161 the Jews G2453 also G2532 assented, G4934 saying G5335 that these things G5023 were G2192 so. G3779
Neither G3777 can G1410 they prove G3936 G3165 the things G4012 whereof G3739 they G2723 now G3568 accuse G2723 me. G3450
And G2532 I heard G191 a loud G3173 voice G5456 saying G3004 in G1722 heaven, G3772 Now G737 is come G1096 salvation, G4991 and G2532 strength, G1411 and G2532 the kingdom G932 of our G2257 God, G2316 and G2532 the power G1849 of his G846 Christ: G5547 for G3754 the accuser G2723 of our G2257 brethren G80 is cast down, G2598 which G3588 accused G2725 them G846 before G1799 our G2257 God G2316 day G2250 and G2532 night. G3571
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezra 4
Commentary on Ezra 4 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 4
The good work of rebuilding the temple was no sooner begun than it met with opposition from those that bore ill will to it; the Samaritans were enemies to the Jews and their religion, and they set themselves to obstruct it.
Ezr 4:1-5
We have here an instance of the old enmity that was put between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. God's temple cannot be built, but Satan will rage, and the gates of hell will fight against it. The gospel kingdom was, in like manner, to be set up with much struggling and contention. In this respect the glory of the latter house was greater than the glory of the former, and it was more a figure of the temple of Christ's church, in that Solomon built his temple when there was no adversary nor evil occurrent, (1 Ki. 5:4); but this second temple was built notwithstanding great opposition, in the removing and conquering of which, and the bringing of the work to perfection at last in spite of it, the wisdom, power, and goodness of God were much glorified, and the church was encouraged to trust in him.
Ezr 4:6-16
Cyrus stedfastly adhered to the Jews' interest, and supported his own grant. It was to no purpose to offer any thing to him in prejudice of it. What he did was from a good principle, and in the fear of God, and therefore he adhered to it. But, though his reign in all was thirty years, yet after the conquest of Babylon, and his decree for the release of the Jews, some think that he reigned but three years, others seven, and then either died or gave up that part of his government, in which his successor was Ahasuerus (v. 6), called also Artaxerxes (v. 7), supposed to be the same that in heathen authors is called Cambyses, who had never taken such cognizance of the despised Jews as to concern himself for them, nor had he that knowledge of the God of Israel which his predecessor had. To him these Samaritans applied by letter for an order to stop the building of the temple; and they did it in the beginning of his reign, being resolved to lose no time when they thought they had a king for their purpose. See how watchful the church's enemies are to take the first opportunity of doing it a mischief; let not its friends be less careful to do it a kindness. Here is,
Ezr 4:17-24
Here we have,