Ezra 3:7

First steps taken towards the Rebuilding of the Temple

the masons The stone for the Temple was excavated from the hill on which Jerusalem stood.

It is possible that the word rendered -masons" may include the rougher workmen for both stone and wood, i.e. quarrymen and wood cutters, while the word rendered -carpenters" may mean the skilled artificers for working up the wood and stone.

meat The old English expression for -something to eat". Cf. Luke 24:41, -Have ye here any meat?" (R.V. -anything to eat?").

oil One of the necessities of life for the inhabitants of a hot country, applied externally: classed here with meat and drink, and apparently also in Psalms 23:5; Psalms 104:15; Micah 6:15.

Solomon hired workmen from Tyre and Sidon and paid them in the same way, when the first Temple was erected. It is noteworthy that whereas 1 Kings 5:11 states that Solomon gave Hiram's household wheat and oil, we are told in 2 Chronicles 2:10 that he promised to give Hiram's servants -wheat and barley and wine and oil". On this occasion similar payment in kind was given a heavy tax upon the resources of the young community to the Zidonians and Tyrians, engaged in felling trees on Lebanon and floating them to Joppa.

from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa R.V. from Lebanon to the sea, unto Joppa. The mountain of Lebanon from which cedars were obtained and sent into every country far and near (e.g. 2 Samuel 5:11; 2Sa 7:2; 1 Kings 5:6; 1 Chronicles 14:1, &c.). Cf. Jeremiah 22:23, -O inhabitant of Lebanon that makest thy nest in the cedars".

The Tyrian workmen conveyed the trunks of cedar-trees from the hills to the nearest coast and then floated them in enormous rafts as far as Joppa, the nearest seaport to Jerusalem. Compare 2 Chronicles 2:16, -And we will cut wood out of Lebanon, as much as thou shalt need: and we will bring it to thee in floats by sea to Joppa (marg. Heb. Japho); and thou shalt carry it to Jerusalem."

-To the sea of Joppa", the A.V. rendering, preferred by some, is most unnatural.

Joppa the modern Jaffa was included in the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:46), but was never taken from the Philistines. Famous from the story of Jonah. In the Græco-Syrian period largely occupied by Jews, and included within Jewish territory by Jonathan and Simon, the brothers of Judas the Maccabee (see 1Ma 10:75). Peter at Joppa restored Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43), and was summoned thence by Cornelius (Acts 10:5). Now a small seaport, but of considerable importance. With certain improvements to the harbour it would become an important place. Distance 30 miles from Jerusalem.

according to the grant that they had&c. The -grant" or permit seems to be the probable rendering of the Hebrew word, which does not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament.

of Cyrus king of Persia What is the grant referred to? It appears from Herodotus (iii. 34; see Rawlinson's note on Herod.iii. 19) that Cyrus was not master of Phœnicia, and was not therefore in a position to give a grant to the Jews to obtain cedar from Lebanon. Nor is it probable that the -grant" means royal permission to enter into treaty with the Tyrians and Zidonians.

We must understand the word quite generally. The action of the Jews in procuring wood and stone and hiring workmen was in accordance with the wish of Cyrus, under whose favour they had undertaken the task of rebuilding the Temple.