Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. Ver. 1. _Then Darius the king_] DARIUS HYSTASPES, who succeeded Cambyses, being chosen by the princes of the Persians, as saith Herodotus. Plato commendeth him for a resto... [ Continue Reading ]
And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that [is] in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein [was] a record thus written: Ver. 2. _And there was found at Achmetha_] Or Ecbatana. This was occasioned by the malice of the Jews' adversaries, and proved a great furtherance to the finishing... [ Continue Reading ]
In the first year of Cyrus the king [the same] Cyrus the king made a decree [concerning] the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezra 6:4 [With] three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house: Ver. 4. Out of the king's house] i.e. Out of the royal revenue in those parts, Ezra 7:20. Herodotus testifieth that Cyrus and Darius (who married his daughter Atossa, and made... [ Continue Reading ]
And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which [is] at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which [is] at Jerusalem, [every one] to his place, and place [them] in the house of God.... [ Continue Reading ]
Now [therefore], Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which [are] beyond the river, be ye far from thence: Ver. 6. _Be ye far from thence_] _i.e._ Come not at them, to hinder them at all. Thus, though the Church's enemies bandy together and bend a... [ Continue Reading ]
Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place. Ver. 7. _Let the work of this house of God alone_] Meddle not, make no disturbance; this was doubtless a hard task to them, for their spirits were irked, as Moab, N... [ Continue Reading ]
Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, [even] of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered. Ver. 8. _Moreover I make a decree_] So did some of th... [ Continue Reading ]
And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which [are] at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail: Ver. 9. _Of the God of heaven_] H... [ Continue Reading ]
That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons. Ver. 10. _That they may pray for the life of the king_] For God, at his pleasure, cutteth off the spirits of princes, Psalms 76:12, he crops them off with ease, as one would d... [ Continue Reading ]
Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this. Ver. 11. _Let timber be pulled down from his house_] 1. Let his house be pulled down for a penalty.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter [and] to destroy this house of God which [is] at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed. Ver. 12. _And the God that hath caused his name_] _i. e._ His... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily. Ver. 13. _So they did speedily_] This they did, because they durst do no otherwise; their obedience was wrung out of them, as sour juice is out... [ Continue Reading ]
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished [it], according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Pe... [ Continue Reading ]
And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. Ver. 15. _And this house was finished_] About fifteen years after that the foundation had been laid, or twenty at most. The Jews therefore either were out in their account, J... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy, Ver. 16. Kept the dedication … with joy] So they did at the dedication of the first temple, 2 Chronicles 7:10. God had required all his worship... [ Continue Reading ]
And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. Ver. 17. _An hundred bullocks, &c._] This little (in comparison of what was done at... [ Continue Reading ]
And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which [is] at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses. Ver. 18. _For the service of God_] According to that, Exodus 12:25, Ye shall keep this service, where the same word (Gnabhodah) is u... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth [day] of the first month. Ver. 19. _And the children of the captivity_] So the returned captives are called, first, to keep still afoot the remembrance of their late misery, lest they should despise the chastening of the Lord,... [ Continue Reading ]
For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them [were] pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves. Ver. 20. _Were purified together_] Misery had framed them to unanimity. See 2 Chronicles 29:34 . _... [ Continue Reading ]
And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat, Ver. 21. _And the children of Israel_] The whole community, of what tribe soever. _ And al... [ Continue Reading ]
And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. Ver. 22. _And kept the feast of unleavened bread_] See 1Co 7:8 Exodus 1... [ Continue Reading ]