EZRA 1:1 Cyrus’s Decree and the Return of Exiles from Babylon. Ezra describes monumental political changes in the world as God’s special work for his people. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 1:2 GOD OF HEAVEN is used elsewhere as a title for the Lord when Jews relate to non-Jews (see Ezra 5:12). Cyrus uses diplomatic language typical of the time. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 1:3 HE IS THE GOD WHO IS IN JERUSALEM. No doubt this is Cyrus’s real view, although he is not necessarily claiming there is only one God (compare Darius’s statement in Ezra 6:12). GO UP TO JERUSALEM describes worship in the temple. The focus of the decree is on the rebuilding of th... [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA 1:5 The Exiles Respond to the Decree. The exiles’ leaders gather money and materials for the temple. Cyrus brings the items taken from the temple in 586 B.C. for the people to take back to Jerusalem. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img;... [ Continue Reading ]
EZRA—NOTE ON EZRA 1:6 The people of Persia help the Jewish exiles as their king commands. Cyrus gives back the VESSELS OF THE HOUSE OF THE LORD (v. Ezra 1:7), stolen from the temple in the Babylonian invasion (2 Kings 25:13). The title PRINCE OF JUDAH (Ezra 1:8) simply means he was a leader of the e... [ Continue Reading ]