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Ezra 5:11 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

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11 And thus H3660 they returned H8421 us answer, H6600 saying, H560 We H586 are H1994 the servants H5649 of the God H426 of heaven H8065 and earth, H772 and build H1124 the house H1005 that was H1934 builded H1124 these H1836 many H7690 years H8140 ago, H6928 which a great H7229 king H4430 of Israel H3479 builded H1124 and set up. H3635

Cross Reference

Joshua 24:15 STRONG

KJV ASV YLT DARBY WEB BBE

And if it seem evil H7489 unto you H4310 to serve H5647 the LORD, H3068 choose H977 you this day H3117 whom H5869 ye will serve; H5647 whether the gods H430 which your fathers H1 served H5647 that were on the other side H5676 of the flood, H5104 or the gods H430 of the Amorites, H567 in whose land H776 ye dwell: H3427 but as for me and my house, H1004 we will serve H5647 the LORD. H3068

1 Kings 6:1-7 STRONG

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And it came to pass in the four H702 hundred H3967 H8141 and eightieth H8084 year H8141 after the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were come out H3318 of the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 in the fourth H7243 year H8141 of Solomon's H8010 reign H4427 over Israel, H3478 in the month H2320 Zif, H2099 which is the second H8145 month, H2320 that he began to build H1129 the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068 And the house H1004 which king H4428 Solomon H8010 built H1129 for the LORD, H3068 the length H753 thereof was threescore H8346 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 thereof twenty H6242 cubits, and the height H6967 thereof thirty H7970 cubits. H520 And the porch H197 before H6440 the temple H1964 of the house, H1004 twenty H6242 cubits H520 was the length H753 thereof, according to the breadth H7341 of the house; H1004 and ten H6235 cubits H520 was the breadth H7341 thereof before the house. H1004 And for the house H1004 he made H6213 windows H2474 of narrow H331 lights. H8261 And against the wall H7023 of the house H1004 he built H1129 chambers H3326 H3326 round about, H5439 against the walls H7023 of the house H1004 round about, H5439 both of the temple H1964 and of the oracle: H1687 and he made H6213 chambers H6763 round about: H5439 The nethermost H8481 chamber H3326 H3326 was five H2568 cubits H520 broad, H7341 and the middle H8484 was six H8337 cubits H520 broad, H7341 and the third H7992 was seven H7651 cubits H520 broad: H7341 for without in the wall of H2351 the house H1004 he made H5414 narrowed rests H4052 round about, H5439 that the beams should not be fastened H270 in the walls H7023 of the house. H1004 And the house, H1004 when it was in building, H1129 was built H1129 of stone H68 made ready H8003 before it was brought H4551 thither: so that there was neither hammer H4717 nor axe H1631 nor any tool H3627 of iron H1270 heard H8085 in the house, H1004 while it was in building. H1129

2 Chronicles 3:1-5 STRONG

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Then Solomon H8010 began H2490 to build H1129 the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 at Jerusalem H3389 in mount H2022 Moriah, H4179 where the LORD appeared H7200 unto David H1732 his father, H1 in the place H4725 that David H1732 had prepared H3559 in the threshingfloor H1637 of Ornan H771 the Jebusite. H2983 And he began H2490 to build H1129 in the second H8145 day of the second H8145 month, H2320 in the fourth H702 year H8141 of his reign. H4438 Now these are the things wherein Solomon H8010 was instructed H3245 for the building H1129 of the house H1004 of God. H430 The length H753 by cubits H520 after the first H7223 measure H4060 was threescore H8346 cubits, H520 and the breadth H7341 twenty H6242 cubits. H520 And the porch H197 that was in the front H6440 of the house, the length H753 of it was according to the breadth H7341 of the house, H1004 twenty H6242 cubits, H520 and the height H1363 was an hundred H3967 and twenty: H6242 and he overlaid H6823 it within H6441 with pure H2889 gold. H2091 And the greater H1419 house H1004 he cieled H2645 with fir H1265 tree, H6086 which he overlaid H2645 with fine H2896 gold, H2091 and set H5927 thereon palm trees H8561 and chains. H8333

Psalms 119:46 STRONG

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I will speak H1696 of thy testimonies H5713 also before kings, H4428 and will not be ashamed. H954

Daniel 3:26 STRONG

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Then H116 Nebuchadnezzar H5020 came near H7127 to the mouth H8651 of the burning H3345 fiery H5135 furnace, H861 and spake, H6032 and said, H560 Shadrach, H7715 Meshach, H4336 and Abednego, H5665 ye servants H5649 of the most high H5943 God, H426 come forth, H5312 and come H858 hither. Then H116 Shadrach, H7715 Meshach, H4336 and Abednego, H5665 came forth H5312 of H4481 the midst H1459 of the fire. H5135

Jonah 1:9 STRONG

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And he said H559 unto them, I am an Hebrew; H5680 and I fear H3373 the LORD, H3068 the God H430 of heaven, H8064 which hath made H6213 the sea H3220 and the dry H3004 land.

Matthew 10:32 STRONG

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Whosoever G3956 G3748 therefore G3767 shall confess G3670 G1722 me G1698 before G1715 men, G444 G1722 him G846 will I confess G3670 also G2504 before G1715 my G3450 Father G3962 which G3588 is in G1722 heaven. G3772

Luke 12:8 STRONG

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Also G1161 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 Whosoever G3956 G3739 G302 shall confess G3670 G1722 me G1698 before G1715 men, G444 G1722 him G846 shall G3670 the Son G5207 of man G444 also G2532 confess G3670 before G1715 the angels G32 of God: G2316

Acts 27:23 STRONG

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For G1063 there stood by G3936 me G3427 this G5026 night G3571 the angel G32 of God, G2316 whose G3739 I am, G1510 and G2532 whom G3739 I serve, G3000

Romans 1:16 STRONG

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For G1063 I am G1870 not G3756 ashamed G1870 of the gospel G2098 of Christ: G5547 for G1063 it is G2076 the power G1411 of God G2316 unto G1519 salvation G4991 to every one G3956 that believeth; G4100 to the Jew G2453 first, G4412 and G5037 also G2532 to the Greek. G1672

Romans 6:16 STRONG

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Know ye G1492 not, G3756 that G3754 to whom G3739 ye yield G3936 yourselves G1438 servants G1401 to G1519 obey, G5218 his servants G1401 ye are G2075 to whom G3739 ye obey; G5219 whether G2273 of sin G266 unto G1519 death, G2288 or G2228 of obedience G5218 unto G1519 righteousness? G1343

Galatians 6:14 STRONG

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But G1161 God forbid G3361 G1096 that I G1698 should glory, G2744 save G1508 in G1722 the cross G4716 of our G2257 Lord G2962 Jesus G2424 Christ, G5547 by G1223 whom G3739 the world G2889 is crucified G4717 unto me, G1698 and I G2504 unto the world. G2889

Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezra 5

Commentary on Ezra 5 Matthew Henry Commentary

John Gill   Keil & Delitzsch   Robert Jamieson: Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible  

Chapter 5

We left the temple-work at a full stop; but, being God's work, it shall be revived, and here we have an account of the reviving of it. It was hindered by might and power, but it was set a-going again "by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts.' Now here we are told how that blessed Spirit,

  • I. Warmed its cool-hearted friends and excited them to built (v. 1, 2).
  • II. Cooled its hot-headed enemies, and brought them to better tempers; for, though they secretly disliked the work as much as those in the foregoing chapter, yet,
    • 1. They were more mild towards the builders (v. 3-5).
    • 2. They were more fair in their representation of the matter to the king, of which we have here an account (v. 6-17).

Ezr 5:1-2

Some reckon that the building of the temple was suspended for only nine years; I am willing to believe that fifteen years were the utmost. During this time they had an altar and a tabernacle, which no doubt they made use of. When we cannot do what we would we must do what we can in the service of God, and be sorry we can do no better. But the counsellors that were hired to hinder the work (ch. 4:5) told them, and perhaps with a pretence to inspiration, that the time had not come for the building of the temple (Hag. 1:2), urging that it was long ere the time came for the building of Solomon's temple; and thus the people were made easy in their own ceiled houses, while God's house lay waste. Now here we are told how life was put into that good cause which seemed to lie dead.

  • I. They had two good ministers, who, in God's name, earnestly persuaded them to put the wheel of business in motion again. Observe,
    • 1. Who these ministers were, namely, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, who both began to prophesy in the second year of Darius, as appears, Hag. 1:1; Zec. 1:1. Note,
      • (1.) The temple of God among men is to be built by prophecy, not by secular force (that often hinders it, but seldom furthers it), but by the word of God. As the weapons of our warfare, so the instruments of our building, are not carnal, but spiritual, and they are the ministers of the gospel that are the master-builders.
      • (2.) It is the business of God's prophets to stir up God's people to that which is good, and to help them in it, to strengthen their hands, and, by suitable considerations fetched from the word of God, to quicken them to their duty and encourage them in it.
      • (3.) It is a sign that God has mercy in store for a people when he raises up prophets among them to be their helpers in the way and work of God, their guides, overseers, and rulers.
    • 2. To whom they were sent. They prophesied unto the Jews (for, as to them pertained the giving of the law, so also the gift of prophecy, and therefore they are called the children of the prophets, Acts 3:25, because they were educated under their tuition and instruction), even unto them, upon them, even upon them (so it is in the original), as Ezekiel prophesied upon the dry bones, that they might live, Eze. 37:4. They prophesied against them (so bishop Patrick), for they reproved them because they did not build the temple. The word of God, if it be not received now as a testimony to us, will be received now as a testimony to us, will be received another day as a testimony against us, and will judge us.
    • 3. Who sent them. They prophesied in the name, or (as some read it) in the cause, or for the sake, of the God of Israel; they spoke by commission from him, and argued from his authority over them, his interest in them, and the concern of his glory among them.
  • II. They had two good magistrates, who were forward and active in this work. Zerubbabel their chief prince, and Jeshua their chief priest, v. 2. Those that are in places of dignity and power ought with their dignity to put honour upon and with their power to put life into every good work: thus it becomes those that preceded, and those that preside, with an exemplary care and zeal to fulfil all righteousness and to go before in a good work. These great men thought it no disparagement to them, but a happiness, to be taught and prescribed to by the prophets of the Lord, and were glad of their help in reviving this good work. Read the first chapter of the prophecy of Haggai here (for that is the best comment on these two verses) and see what great things God does by his word, which he magnifies above all his name, and by his Spirit working with it.

Ezr 5:3-17

We have here,

  • I. The cognizance which their neighbours soon took of the reviving of this good work. A jealous eye, it seems, they had upon them, and no sooner did the Spirit of God stir up the friends of the temple to appear for it than the evil spirit stirred up its enemies to appear against it. While the people built and ceiled their own houses their enemies gave them no molestation (Hag. 1:4), though the king's order was to put a stop to the building of the city (ch. 4:21); but when they fell to work again at the temple then the alarm was taken, and all heads were at work to hinder them, v. 3, 4. The adversaries are here named: Tatnai and Shethar-boznai. The governors we read of (ch. 4) were, it is probable, displaced at the beginning of this reign, as is usual. It is the policy of princes often to change their deputies, proconsuls, and rulers of provinces. These, though real enemies to the building of the temple, were men of better temper than the other, and made some conscience of telling truth. If all men have not faith (2 Th. 3:2), it is well some have, and a sense of honour. The church's enemies are not all equally wicked and unreasonable. The historian begins to relate what passed between the builders and those inquisitors (v. 3, 4), but breaks off his account, and refers to the ensuing copy of the letter they sent to the king, where the same appears more fully and at large, which he began to abridge (v. 4), or make an extract out of, though, upon second thoughts, he inserted the whole.
  • II. The care which the divine Providence took of this good work (v. 5): The eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, who were active in the work, so that their enemies could not cause them to cease, as they would have done, till the matter came to Darius. They desired they would only cease till they had instructions from the king about it. But they would not so much as yield them that, for the eye of God was upon them, even their God. And,
    • 1. That baffled their enemies, infatuated and enfeebled them, and protected the builders from their malicious designs. While we are employed in God's work we are taken under his special protection; his eye is upon us for good, seven eyes upon one stone in his temple; see Zec. 3:9; 4:10.
    • 2. That quickened them. The elders of the Jews saw the eye of God upon them, to observe what they did and own them in what they did well, and then they had courage enough to face their enemies and to go on vigorously with their work, notwithstanding all the opposition they met with. our eye upon God, observing his eye upon us, will keep us to our duty and encourage us in it when the difficulties are ever so discouraging.
  • III. The account they sent to the king of this matter, in which we may observe,
    • 1. How fully the elders of the Jews gave the Samaritans an account of their proceedings. They, finding them both busy and prosperous, that all hands were at work to run up this building and that it went on rapidly, put these questions to them:-"By what authority do you do these things, and who gave you that authority? Who set you to work? Have you that which will bear you out?' To this they answered that they had sufficient warrant to do what they did; for,
      • (1.) "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. The God we worship is not a local deity, and therefore we cannot be charged with making a faction, or setting up a sect, in building this temple to his honour: but we pay our homage to a God on whom the whole creation depends, and therefore ought to be protected and assisted by all and hindered by none.' It is the wisdom as well as duty of kings to countenance the servants of the God of heaven.
      • (2.) "We have a prescription to this house; it was built for the honour of our God by Solomon many ages ago. It is no novel invention of our own; we are but raising the foundations of many generations,' Isa. 58:12.
      • (3.) "It was to punish us for our sins that we were, for a time, put out of the possession of this house; not because the gods of the nations had prevailed against our God, but because we had provoked him (v. 12), for which he delivered us and our temple into the hands of the king of Babylon, but never intended thereby to put a final period to our religion. We were only suspended for a time, not deprived for ever.'
      • (4.) "We have the royal decree of Cyrus to justify us and bear us out in what we do. He not only permitted and allowed us, but charged and commanded us to build this house (v. 13), and to build it in its place (v. 15), the same place where it had stood before.' He ordered this, not only in compassion to the Jews, but in veneration of their God, saying, He is the God. He also delivered the vessels of the temple to one whom he entrusted to see them restored to their ancient place and use, v. 14. And they had these to show in confirmation of what they alleged.
      • (5.) "The building was begun according to this order as soon as ever we had returned, so that we have not forfeited the benefit of the order for want of pursuing it in time; still it has been in building, but, because we have met with opposition, it is not finished.' But, observe, they mention not the falsehood and malice of the former governors, nor make any complaint of them, though they had cause enough, to teach us not to render bitterness for bitterness, nor the most just reproach for that which is most unjust, but to think it enough if we can obtain fair treatment for the future, without an invidious reference to former injuries, v. 16. This is the account they give of their proceedings, not asking what authority they had to examine them, nor upbraiding them with their idolatry, and superstitions, and medley religion. Let us learn hence with meekness and fear to give a reason of the hope that is in us (1 Pt. 3:15), rightly to understand, and then readily to declare, what we do in God's service and why we do it.
    • 2. How fairly the Samaritans represented this to the king.
      • (1.) They called the temple at Jerusalem the house of the great God (v. 8); for though the Samaritans, as it should seem, had yet gods many and lords many, they owned the God of Israel to be the great God, who is above all gods. "It is the house of the great God, and therefore we dare not oppose the building of it without orders from thee.'
      • (2.) They told him truly what was done, not stating, as their predecessors did, that they were fortifying the city as if they intended war, but only that they were rearing the temple as those that intended worship, v. 8.
      • (3.) They fully represented their plea, told him what they had to say for themselves, and were willing that the cause should be set in a true light.
      • (4.) They left it to the king to consult the records whether Cyrus had indeed made such a decree, and then to give directions as he should think fit, v. 17. We have reason to think that if Artaxerxes, in the foregoing chapter, had had the Jews' cause as fairly represented to him as it was here to Darius, he would not have ordered the work to be hindered. God's people could not be persecuted if they were not belied, could not be baited if they were not dressed up in bears' skins. Let but the cause of God and truth be fairly stated, and fairly heard, and it will keep its ground.