Ezra 6:17

and offered R.V. And they offered. A fresh sentence: Ezra 6:16 treated of the general festivities: this verse describes the special sacrificial offerings.

at the dedication of this house These words evidently imply a comparison between the modest sacrifices offered at this dedication and the enormous number offered by Solomon at the dedication of the firs Temple (1 Kings 8:5; 1 Kings 8:63). Solomon offered then for -the sacrifice of peace-offerings … two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep". The numbers also mentioned in connexion with the dedication-festivals of Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 30:24) and Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:7) very largely exceed the offerings of Zerubbabel and his companions.

The decay of material wealth and splendour must have vividly impressed itself upon the mind of many a patriot Jew, who looked only for a renewal of worldly empire. To them it must have seemed -a day of small things" (Zechariah 4:10) by the side of the recollections of the kingdom.

a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats&c. Compare Numbers 7:87, -and the males of the goats for a sin-offering twelve", at the dedication of the altar. It is noticeable that in the reign of Hezekiah, at the purification of the Temple, we are told -they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah" (2 Chronicles 29:21). The number -seven" there denotes the consecration, the number -twelve" here denotes the ideal unity, of the community. The sin offering -of twelve he-goats according to the number of the tribes of Israel", was an incident full of deep religious pathos. The remnant who had returned make solemn confession of sin in the name of the whole scattered and dispersed race. They acknowledge the essential unity of Israel's tribes alike in the consequences of sin, in the possibilities of restoration, and in the renewed consecration to God's service.

The symbolical representation of a restored and ideal Israel is thus indicated by the verse (cf. Ezra 2:2; Ezra 2:70; Ezra 8:35). We need not necessarily assume (as some commentators) that each tribe was literally represented upon the occasion. Compare the prophet's picture of a reunited Israel (Ezekiel 37:15-28) and Elijah's offering on Mt. Carmel, 1 Kings 18:31.