CHAPTER VIII _The genealogy of the chief persons who went with Ezra from_ _Babylon_, 1-14. _He gathers them together at Ahava; and finding among them no_ _Levites, he sends confidential persons to the river of Ahava,_ _who return with many Levites and Nethinim_, 15-20. _He proclaims a fast at... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ezra 8:2. _GERSHOM_] One of the descendants of Phinehas, son of Eliazar.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ezra 8:3. _OF THE SONS OF SHECHANIAH_] There were three of this name; the second is mentioned Ezra 8:6, and the third Ezra 10:2. They were all different persons, as may be seen from their fathers' houses.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 15. _THE RIVER THAT RUNNETH TO AHAVA_] Ahava was a _river_ itself, which is supposed to be the same that is called _Diava_ or _Adiava_, in the province of _Adiabene_; and perhaps the place whence the people of _Ava_ came who were brought by the king of Assyria to Palestine, 2 Kings 17:24. _NO... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 17. _AT THE PLACE CASIPHIA_] The most judicious commentators are agreed that by _Casiphia_, the _Caspian mountains_, between Media and Hyrcania, are intended; where, probably, the _Nethinim_ were employed in working silver mines: כסף _keseph_, from which the word comes, signifies _silver_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _I WAS ASHAMED TO REQUIRE - A BAND_] He had represented God, the object of his worship, as supremely powerful, and as having the strongest affection for his true followers: he could not, therefore, consistently with his declarations, ask a band of soldiers from the king to protect them on... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _SILVER VESSELS A HUNDRED TALENTS_] That is, The _weight_ of all the silver vessels amounted to one hundred talents; not that there were one hundred vessels of silver, _each_ a _talent_ in _weight_. Reckoning in round sums, 650 _talents_ of silver at _£_450 the talent, amount to _£_292,5... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 35. _TWELVE BULLOCKS FOR ALL ISRAEL_] Though of _tribes_ there were only _Judah_ and _Benjamin_, yet they offered a bullock for _every_ _tribe_, as if present. There can be little doubt that there were individuals there from all the twelve tribes, possibly some families of each; but no complet... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Ezra 8:36. _THE KING'S LIEUTENANTS_] אחשדרפני _achashdarpeney_: this is generally understood to mean _lieutenant_ or _deputy_, and is probably of _Persian_ origin, though here greatly _corrupted_. The _Vulgate_ renders it _regis satrapis_, to the _satraps_ of the king, which is the Persian [P... [ Continue Reading ]