Ezra 5:3

The Complaint against the Jews

3. And Omit R.V. Not in the original.

Tatnai, governor onthis side the river R.V. Tattenai, the governor beyond the river. Tattenai appears as Sisinnes in Esther 6:3, as Θανθεναὶ in the LXX. The name is not found except in this connexion. He was governor (probably satrap) of the whole district of Syria and Cilicia on the west of the Euphrates. There were twenty satrapies in the Persian kingdom (Herod. III. 89). Tattenai was therefore a man of the greatest eminence in Syria, next to the king himself. The expression -governor beyond the river" is not due to the writer living on the eastern or Babylonian side of the river. It was the technical title of the governor of that satrapy. It appears on the coins of the Persian empire. Thus upon one coin appears the inscription "Maydi who is over the -Abhar Nahara" (country beyond the River) and Cilicia".

Tattenai was the superior official, to whom Zerubbabel, the pekhah or governor of the small district of Jerusalem and its neighbourhood, would have to give account upon any report being made of treacherous action.

Shethar-boznai R.V. Shethar-bozenai. Esther 6:3, -Sathrabuzanes", LXX. Σαθαρβουζαναί, has been conjectured to be the Persian -Chitrabarschana" (cf. a Persian name, -Satibarzanes", in Arrian). His position is not described. Perhaps a -secretary" to Tattenai, as Shimshai to Rehum (Ezra 4:8).

Who hath commanded you R.V. gave yon a decree. The original requires the more weighty and official -decree". Cf. Ezra 4:21; Ezra 5:13.

to build this house referring to the Temple: the first subject of complaint: very different from the passage in Ezra 4:8-23.

and to make up this wall R.V. - and to finish this wall ". Esther 6:4, -By whose appointment do ye build this house and this roof, and perform all the other things?"

We may assume that complaints from the Samaritans induced the satrap to inquire what authority the Jews had received to undertake the work. Seventeen or eighteen years had elapsed since Cyrus issued his decree. Two other kings had succeeded him. The third, Darius, was only just assuring his position upon the throne after two years of incessant warring. During this interval the affairs of a comparatively unimportant city in Syria may well have been almost forgotten.