These [are] now the chief of their fathers, and [this is] the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king. Ver. 1. _These are now the chief of their fathers_] The chieftains of those that went up with Ezra, beside those that went up at first with Zerubba... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush. Ver. 2. _Of the sons of Phinehas_] The son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, that renowned zealot, with whom, and his seed after him, God gave a covenant of peace, even the covenant of an everlasting priest... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty. Ver. 3. _Of the males an hundred and fifty_] Great account was made of males under the law, more than of the females; and so there is to this day among the Jews,... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the sons of Pahathmoab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males. Ver. 4. _Of the sons of Pahathmoab_] Haply so called, because some of his progenitors had dwelt in Moab. He was a covenanter, Nehemiah 10:14 .... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males. Ver. 5. _The son of Jahaziel_] The father is named, but not the son: but why, who can tell? _Et patet et lucet pagina sacra._ He is both well know and conspicuous by the sacred page.... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males. Ver. 6. _Of the sons also of Adin_] A covenanter too, Nehemiah 10:6 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. Ver. 7. _Jeshaiah_] Of the same name, but not the same man that is mentioned, Ezra 8:19 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males. Ver. 8. _The son of Michael_] A name afterwards given to Jesus Christ, Dan 10:13 Revelation 12:7, signifying, Who is as God. Hence some conceive that it is not so fit to call a child Michael, Emmanuel, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. Ver. 9. _Obadiah the son of Jehiel_] This Obadiah (as also Zechariah, Ezra 8:11, and Azgad, Ezr 8:12) sealed the covenant, Nehemiah 10:1; Nehemiah 10:5, not without oath and execration. It is both lawful, a... [ Continue Reading ]
And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males. Ver. 10. _The son of Josiphiah_] See Ezra 8:5 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males. Ver. 11. _Zechariah the son of Bebai_] See Ezra 8:9 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males. Ver. 12. _And the sons of Azgad_] See Ezra 8:9 .... [ Continue Reading ]
And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names [are] these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males. Ver. 13. _And of the sons of Adonikam_] Some of his sons went up before with Zerubbabel, Ezra 2:13. These not till now, together with Ezra. They might want either age or hearts... [ Continue Reading ]
Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males. Ver. 14. _And with them seventy males_] The whole company consisted of one thousand four hundred ninety and six males: a good addition to those that went up before with Zerubbabel; yet nothing so many as might have been, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
_And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi._ Ver. 15. _And I gathered them together to the river_] There was their first rendezvous, at the meeting of tw... [ Continue Reading ]
Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding. Ver. 16. _Men of understanding_] Of special note for their wisdom and eloqu... [ Continue Reading ]
And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, [and] to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God. Ver. 17. _At the place Casiphia_] Where it may s... [ Continue Reading ]
And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen; Ver. 18. _And by the good hand of God upon us_] God was in all this good man's thoughts: he set upon eve... [ Continue Reading ]
And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty; Ver. 19. _And Hashabiah_] A man ready to every good work, Nehemiah 3:17; Nehemiah 10:11; and that is no small commendation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name. Ver. 20. _Whom David and the princes had appointed_] _i.e._ Continued, confirmed, and ordered them; for they were first appointed and... [ Continue Reading ]
Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. Ver. 21. _Then I proclaimed a fast there_] A day of restraint from food, fine clothes, and other delights of... [ Continue Reading ]
_For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God [is] upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath [is] against all them that forsake him._ Ver. 22... [ Continue Reading ]
So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us. Ver. 23. _So we fasted_] They put their holy resolution into execution: purpose without practice is like Rachel, beautiful, but barren. _ And besought our God for this_] And they had it, Ezra 8:31. For fasting and prayer are li... [ Continue Reading ]
Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them, Ver. 24. _Then I separated twelve_] I singled them and set them apart for this great trust, _vide cui fidas._ See the faith of these. _ Sherebiah, Hashabiah_] Heb. With Sherebiah, Hashab... [ Continue Reading ]
And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, [even] the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel [there] present, had offered: Ver. 25. _And weighed unto them_] Heb. I scaled it out unto them; Cyrus counted it out to Ze... [ Continue Reading ]
I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, [and] of gold an hundred talents; Ver. 26. _Six hundred and fifty talents of silver_] That is, 243,750 pounds sterling. _ An hundred talents_] That is, 37,500 pounds sterling.... [ Continue Reading ]
Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. Ver. 27. _Of a thousand drachms_] 312 pounds 10 shillings. The Hebrew (or rather Chaldee) word here rendered a drachm seems to be taken from the Greek word Dραχμη . _ And two vessels of fine copper_]... [ Continue Reading ]
And I said unto them, Ye [are] holy unto the LORD; the vessels [are] holy also; and the silver and the gold [are] a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers. Ver. 28. _We are holy unto the Lord_] Heb. Ye are holiness unto the Lord; and must sanctify the holy God in righteousness, Isaiah... [ Continue Reading ]
Watch ye, and keep [them], until ye weigh [them] before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD. Ver. 29. _Watch ye_] With utmost care and solicitude, as the word signifieth. How much more should we watch a... [ Continue Reading ]
So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring [them] to Jerusalem unto the house of our God. Ver. 30. _So took the priests and the Levites_] The great charge committed to them, and laid upon them, did not weaken, but waken, their heroic spirit... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth [day] of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way._ Ver. 31. _And of such as lay in wait by the way_] Enemies they had no... [ Continue Reading ]
And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days. Ver. 32. _And abode there three days_] For necessary refreshment, after so long a journey. The body is the soul's servant, and must therefore be kindly and fairly dealt with, _ut sit par negotio,_ that it may be neither above nor below its busin... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him [was] Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them [was] Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;_ Ver. 33. _N... [ Continue Reading ]
By number [and] by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time. Ver. 34. _By number and by weight, &c._] In reference to this text, let thy confession be full, saith a reverend man; bring out thy sins as those in Ezra did the vessels of the temple, by number and by weight. 1. B... [ Continue Reading ]
Ezra 8:35 [Also] the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats [for] a sin offering: all [this was] a burnt offering... [ Continue Reading ]
And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the people, and the house of God. Ver. 36. _And they furthered the people_] Heb. They gave them a lift, lent them a helping hand; not out of love to the work, but f... [ Continue Reading ]