Ezra 1 - Introduction
_CYRUS, KING OF PERSIA, MAKES A PROCLAMATION, PERMITTING THE JEWS TO RETURN INTO THEIR COUNTRY, AND TO BUILD THEIR TEMPLE; AND RESTORES THE SACRED VESSELS TO THEM._ _Before Christ 536._... [ Continue Reading ]
_CYRUS, KING OF PERSIA, MAKES A PROCLAMATION, PERMITTING THE JEWS TO RETURN INTO THEIR COUNTRY, AND TO BUILD THEIR TEMPLE; AND RESTORES THE SACRED VESSELS TO THEM._ _Before Christ 536._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 1. _CYRUS_— Concerning _Cyrus,_ see Isaiah 44:28. It is probable, that this decree of Cyrus in favour of the Jews was in a great measure owing to the good offices of Daniel. Cyrus, at his first coming to Babylon, found him there, an old minister of state, famed over all the east for his great... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 2. _THE LORD GOD OF HEAVEN_— It is observable, that God, in the former books, is called _the Lord of hosts;_ but in the last of Chronicles, in this, in Nehemiah, and Daniel 1.e. in the books written after the captivity, he is styled _the God of heaven,_ and not _Lord of hosts,_ though they ar... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 8. _SHESHBAZZAR, THE PRINCE OF JUDAH_— His name was originally Zerubbabel; but it was common for the great men of Judah, at the time of the captivity, to have two names; one of their own country, which was domestic, and another of the Chaldeans, which was used at court. Zerubbabel was born at... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 11. _THE VESSELS—WERE FIVE THOUSAND AND FOUR HUNDRED_— The sum total of these vessels amounts only to two thousand four hundred and ninety-nine. Houbigant supposes the number to be this sum total, as all the versions pretty nearly agree in the separate sums. Kennicott, however, thinks that th... [ Continue Reading ]