1 Then the prophets, H5029 Haggai H2292 the prophet, H5029 and Zechariah H2148 the son H1247 of Iddo, H5714 prophesied H5013 unto H5922 the Jews H3062 that were in Judah H3061 and Jerusalem H3390 in the name H8036 of the God H426 of Israel, H3479 even unto H5922 them.
Then he answered H6030 and spake H559 unto me, saying, H559 This is the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 unto Zerubbabel, H2216 saying, H559 Not by might, H2428 nor by power, H3581 but by my spirit, H7307 saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635 Who art thou, O great H1419 mountain? H2022 before H6440 Zerubbabel H2216 thou shalt become a plain: H4334 and he shall bring forth H3318 the headstone H68 H7222 thereof with shoutings, H8663 crying, Grace, H2580 grace H2580 unto it. Moreover the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto me, saying, H559 The hands H3027 of Zerubbabel H2216 have laid the foundation H3245 of this house; H1004 his hands H3027 shall also finish H1214 it; and thou shalt know H3045 that the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 hath sent H7971 me unto you. For who hath despised H936 the day H3117 of small things? H6996 for they shall rejoice, H8055 and shall see H7200 the plummet H68 H913 in the hand H3027 of Zerubbabel H2216 with those seven; H7651 they are the eyes H5869 of the LORD, H3068 which run to and fro H7751 through the whole earth. H776
And he shall stand H5975 and feed H7462 in the strength H5797 of the LORD, H3068 in the majesty H1347 of the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 his God; H430 and they shall abide: H3427 for now shall he be great H1431 unto the ends H657 of the earth. H776
In the eighth H8066 month, H2320 in the second H8147 year H8141 of Darius, H1867 came the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 unto Zechariah, H2148 the son H1121 of Berechiah, H1296 the son H1121 of Iddo H5714 the prophet, H5030 saying, H559 The LORD H3068 hath been sore H7110 displeased H7107 with your fathers. H1 Therefore say H559 thou unto them, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Turn H7725 ye unto me, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 and I will turn H7725 unto you, saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts. H6635 Be ye not as your fathers, H1 unto whom the former H7223 prophets H5030 have cried, H7121 saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 Turn H7725 ye now from your evil H7451 ways, H1870 and from your evil H7451 doings: H4611 but they did not hear, H8085 nor hearken H7181 unto me, saith H5002 the LORD. H3068 Your fathers, H1 where are they? and the prophets, H5030 do they live H2421 for ever? H5769 But my words H1697 and my statutes, H2706 which I commanded H6680 my servants H5650 the prophets, H5030 did they not take hold H5381 of your fathers? H1 and they returned H7725 and said, H559 Like as the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 thought H2161 to do H6213 unto us, according to our ways, H1870 and according to our doings, H4611 so hath he dealt H6213 with us. Upon the four H702 and twentieth H6242 day H3117 of the eleventh H6249 H6240 month, H2320 which is the month H2320 Sebat, H7627 in the second H8147 year H8141 of Darius, H1867 came the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 unto Zechariah, H2148 the son H1121 of Berechiah, H1296 the son H1121 of Iddo H5714 the prophet, H5030 saying, H559 I saw H7200 by night, H3915 and behold a man H376 riding H7392 upon a red H122 horse, H5483 and he stood H5975 among the myrtle trees H1918 that were in the bottom; H4699 and behind H310 him were there red H122 horses, H5483 speckled, H8320 and white. H3836 Then said H559 I, O my lord, H113 what are these? And the angel H4397 that talked H1696 with me said H559 unto me, I will shew H7200 thee what these be. And the man H376 that stood H5975 among the myrtle trees H1918 answered H6030 and said, H559 These are they whom the LORD H3068 hath sent H7971 to walk H1980 to and fro through the earth. H776 And they answered H6030 the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 that stood H5975 among the myrtle trees, H1918 and said, H559 We have walked to and fro H1980 through the earth, H776 and, behold, all the earth H776 sitteth still, H3427 and is at rest. H8252 Then the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 answered H6030 and said, H559 O LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 how long wilt thou not have mercy H7355 on Jerusalem H3389 and on the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 against which thou hast had indignation H2194 these threescore and ten H7657 years? H8141 And the LORD H3068 answered H6030 the angel H4397 that talked H1696 with me with good H2896 words H1697 and comfortable H5150 words. H1697 So the angel H4397 that communed H1696 with me said H559 unto me, Cry H7121 thou, saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 I am jealous H7065 for Jerusalem H3389 and for Zion H6726 with a great H1419 jealousy. H7068 And I am very H1419 sore H7110 displeased H7107 with the heathen H1471 that are at ease: H7600 for I was but a little H4592 displeased, H7107 and they helped H5826 forward the affliction. H7451 Therefore thus saith H559 the LORD; H3068 I am returned H7725 to Jerusalem H3389 with mercies: H7356 my house H1004 shall be built H1129 in it, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 of hosts, H6635 and a line H6957 H6961 shall be stretched forth H5186 upon Jerusalem. H3389 Cry H7121 yet, saying, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 of hosts; H6635 My cities H5892 through prosperity H2896 shall yet be spread abroad; H6327 and the LORD H3068 shall yet comfort H5162 Zion, H6726 and shall yet choose H977 Jerusalem. H3389 Then lifted I up H5375 mine eyes, H5869 and saw, H7200 and behold four H702 horns. H7161 And I said H559 unto the angel H4397 that talked H1696 with me, What be these? And he answered H559 me, These are the horns H7161 which have scattered H2219 Judah, H3063 Israel, H3478 and Jerusalem. H3389 And the LORD H3068 shewed H7200 me four H702 carpenters. H2796 Then said H559 I, What come H935 these to do? H6213 And he spake, H559 saying, H559 These are the horns H7161 which have scattered H2219 Judah, H3063 so that H6310 no man H376 did lift up H5375 his head: H7218 but these are come H935 to fray H2729 them, to cast out H3034 the horns H7161 of the Gentiles, H1471 which lifted up H5375 their horn H7161 over the land H776 of Judah H3063 to scatter H2219 it.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezra 5
Commentary on Ezra 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 5
Ezr 5:1-17. Zerubbabel and Jeshua Set Forward the Building of the Temple in the Reign of Darius.
1. Then the prophets … prophesied … in the name of the God of Israel—From the recorded writings of Haggai and Zechariah, it appears that the difficulties experienced and the many obstacles thrown in the way had first cooled the zeal of the Jews in the building of the temple, and then led to an abandonment of the work, under a pretended belief that the time for rebuilding it had not yet come (Hag 1:2-11). For fifteen years the work was completely suspended. These two prophets upbraided them with severe reproaches for their sloth, negligence, and worldly selfishness (Hag 1:4), threatened them with severe judgments if they continued backward, and promised that they would be blessed with great national prosperity if they resumed and prosecuted the work with alacrity and vigor.
Zechariah the son of Iddo—that is, grandson (Zec 1:1).
2. Then rose up Zerubbabel … and Jeshua … began to build the house of God—The strong appeals and animating exhortations of these prophets gave a new impulse to the building of the temple. It was in the second year of the reign of Darius Hystaspes that the work, after a long interruption, was resumed.
3, 4. At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river—The Persian empire west of the Euphrates included at this time Syria, Arabia, Egypt, Phœnicia, and other provinces subject to Darius. The empire was divided into twenty provinces, called satrapies. Syria formed one satrapy, inclusive of Palestine, Phœnicia, and Cyprus, and furnished an annual revenue of three hundred fifty talents. It was presided over by a satrap or viceroy, who at this time resided at Damascus. Though superior to the native governors of the Jews appointed by the Persian king, he never interfered with their internal government except when there was a threatened disturbance of order and tranquillity. Tatnai, the governor (whether this was a personal name or an official title is unknown), had probably been incited by the complaints and turbulent outrages of the Samaritans against the Jews; but he suspended his judgment, and he prudently resolved to repair to Jerusalem, that he might ascertain the real state of matters by personal inspection and enquiry, in company with another dignified officer and his provincial council.
5-17. But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, &c.—The unusual presence, the imposing suite, the authoritative enquiries of the satrap appeared formidable, and might have produced a paralyzing influence or led to disastrous consequences, if he had been a partial and corrupt judge or actuated by unfriendly feelings towards the Jewish cause. The historian, therefore, with characteristic piety, throws in this parenthetical verse to intimate that God averted the threatening cloud and procured favor for the elders or leaders of the Jews, that they were not interrupted in their proceedings till communications with the court should be made and received. Not a word was uttered to dispirit the Jews or afford cause of triumph to their opponents. Matters were to go on till contrary orders arrived from Babylon. After surveying the work in progress, he inquired: first, by what authority this national temple was undertaken; and, secondly, the names of the principal promoters and directors of the undertaking. To these two heads of enquiry the Jews returned ready and distinct replies. Then having learned that it originated in a decree of Cyrus, who had not only released the Jewish exiles from captivity and permitted them to return to their own land for the express purpose of rebuilding the house of God, but, by an act of royal grace, had restored to them the sacred vessels which Nebuchadnezzar had carried off as trophies from the former temple, Tatnai transmitted all this information in an official report to his imperial master, accompanying it with a recommendatory suggestion that search should be made among the national archives at Babylon for the original decree of Cyrus, that the truth of the Jews' statement might be verified. The whole conduct of Tatnai, as well as the general tone of his despatch, is marked by a sound discretion and prudent moderation, free from any party bias, and evincing a desire only to do his duty. In all respects he appears in favorable contrast with his predecessor, Rehum (Ezr 4:9).
8. the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones—literally, "stones of rolling"; that is, stones of such extraordinary size that they could not be carried—they had to be rolled or dragged along the ground.
13. Cyrus the king … made a decree—The Jews were perfectly warranted according to the principles of the Persian government to proceed with the building in virtue of Cyrus' edict. For everywhere a public decree is considered as remaining in force until it is revoked but the "laws of the Medes and Persians changed not" [Da 6:8, 12, 15].
16. Then came … Shesh-bazzar … since that time even until now hath it been in building—This was not a part of the Jews' answer—they could not have said this, knowing the building had long ceased. But Tatnai used these expressions in his report, either looking on the stoppage as a temporary interruption, or supposing that the Jews were always working a little, as they had means and opportunities.