Ezra 6:22

seven days see Exodus 12:15.

had made them joyful the same phrase in the original as that rendered in 2 Chronicles 20:27, "for the Lord had made them to rejoice" R.V. Nehemiah 12:43, "For God had made them rejoice".

and turned the heart R.V. had turned the heart. Vulg. "convertit cor", cf. same expression as in 1 Kings 18:37. The verb is different from that used in the similar phrase in Malachi 4:6 (cf. Luke 1:17).

of the king of Assyria This is a strange expression to be used of a Persian king. For by the context it naturally refers to Darius.

(1) It has been said that Darius is so called because the Persian kings were the successors to the great Assyrian empire.

(2) It has been suggested that all Western Asia might be termed Assyria.

(3) It has been supposed that Darius is not personally referred to, but that the power of Western Asia is symbolized by the name of Assyria, Israel's traditional foe. (But to the Jew, after the Captivity, the symbolical hostile power is Babylon.)

Of these views the first is the most probable. See note on Ezra 5:13 (Cyrus king of Babylon). Perhaps however the phrase is a copyist's error.

strengthen their hands Cf. Nehemiah 2:18; Nehemiah 6:9; Judges 7:11; Isaiah 35:3.

in the work of the house&c. Cf. Ezra 3:8-9.

Part II. The Return under Ezra

Ezra 7:1. A brief summary: Ezra's genealogy (1 5), arrival at Jerusalem (6 10).

Ezra 7:11. Ezra's commission from the king Artaxerxes.

Ezra 7:27. Ezra's Thanksgiving.

Ezra 8:1. The list of those that went up with Ezra to Jerusalem.

Ezra 8:21. The events of the journey: 21 30 preparations for the journey, (a) 21 23 rendezvous and fast at Ahava, (b) 24 30 the care of the treasure: (c) 31 36 the arrival at Jerusalem, transfer of the treasure, declaration of the mission.

Ezra 9:1. The people's sin.

Ezra 9:5. Ezra's confession.

Ezra 10:1. The acknowledgment of guilt and the people's covenant.

Ezra 10:6. The assembly and the reform.

Ezra 10:16. The inquiry.

Ezra 10:18. The list of offenders.