A light flashes 'around' Saul and he wisely capitulates to the voice, that in the quick exchange twice identifies the object of Saul's persecution as not Christians, but 'me,' 'Jesus' (9:4 5). The command quickly cuts to the chase (9:6). 'Get up and go into the city.'
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible. Ecclesiastes 9:6. Also their love, &c.— We have from Ecclesiastes 9:4 to the present, the second reason. It is certain, that the dead are excluded from any participation, not only of the pleasure of this world, but likewise of all affairs belonging to it.
Read Revelation 9:5 commentary using A Testimony of Jesus Christ. Study the bible online using commentary on Revelation 9:5 and more!
Commentary on the Texts John 9:1-41 (There is also available a Voice Bible Study on John 9:1-41 and An Interactive Reading of John 9) As with all the miracles and dialogs of Jesus in the Gospel of John, the story of the healing of the blind man in chapter 9 is not told simply for its own sake as an event in the lifetime of Jesus.
The First Return and Rebuilding under Zerubbabel (chaps. 1-6)
These chapters, besides telling the history of the period,must also have encouraged Ezra's original readers in their templeworship. As they read about the rebuilding process they wouldhave been made aware of the great personal sacrifices the Jewshad made in constructing the temple. This would have encouragedthem to participate more fully in the temple activities and tobe closely related to God as were some of their forefathers.
A. The proclamation of Cyrus (1:1-4)
1:1. Cyrus, the king of the extensive Persian realm (see themap 'The Persian Empire'), drafted a proclamation thatallowed the Israelites to return to their land and rebuild theirtemple. Cyrus made the proclamation in his first year (538 B.C.).This was the first year of his reign over Babylon, but he hadbeen king over other territories for more than 20 years. He hadbeen in power since 559 when he became the king of Anshan. Thenhe became king of Medo-Persia about 550 B.C. He conquered Babylonin October 539, and became the king of Babylon, a title of honordenoting the highest position in the civilized world.
As is evidenced from Cyrus' attitude concerning the God ofIsrael (whom he did not worship) he was not a true believer inYahweh. Cyrus' concern was to establish strong buffer states aroundhis empire which would be loyal to him. Also by having his subjectpeoples resettled in their own countries he hoped to have thegods in various parts of his empire praying for him to his godsBel and Nebo. The famous Cyrus Cylinder (538 B.C.), which recordshis capture of Babylon and his program of repatriating his subjectpeoples in their homelands, includes this statement: 'Mayall the gods whom I have resettled in their sacred cities dailyask Bel and Nebo for a long life for me.'
The fulfilling of Jeremiah's words (Jer. 29:10; cf. Jer. 25:11-12)was totally God's doing. Seventy years of Jewish captivity inBabylon were about to end. The first deportation of Jews to Babylonwas in 605 B.C. Cyrus' decree in 538 was 67 years later. By thetime the people returned and built the altar in 536, 70 yearswere almost up.
The edict came about because the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus.The Hebrew words translated 'moved the heart' (alsotrans. 'stirred [up] the spirit') were a favorite expressionof biblical writers in the post-exilic period (Ezra 1:5; 1 Chron.5:26; 2 Chron. 21:16, 'aroused'; 36:22; Jer. 51:11;Hag. 1:14). This shows the sovereign hand of God behind the eventsof history.
1:2-3. Cyrus said that Yahweh, the God of heaven, had appointedhim to build a temple. . . at Jerusalem. Part of this decree isrecorded in 2 Chronicles 36:23. Also the decree was filed in Ecbatana,where Darius I found it about 520-518 B.C. (Ezra 6:1-5). God hadpromised the Jewish remnant that He would raise up Cyrus as Hisservant to restore the fortunes of His people (Isa. 44:28; 45:1,13). Under the Holy Spirit's guidance, the Prophet Isaiah referredto Cyrus by name about 150 years before the king made his decree.Josephus wrote that Cyrus was shown the prophecy in Isaiah 44:28and wanted to fulfill it (The Antiquities of the Jews 11.1.1).
'The God of heaven' is a title of God used 9 timesin Ezra (1:2; 5:11-12; 6:9-10; 7:12, 21. 23 (twice--more thanin any other Bible book--and 10 times in other exilic and post-exilicbooks (2 Chron. 36:23; Neh. 1:4-5; 2:4, 20; Dan. 2:18-19, 28,37. 44). Elsewhere in the Old Testament that phrase occurs onlyfour times (Gen. 24:3. 7; Ps. 136:26; Jonah 1:9). It points toGod's sovereignty. He is the One who made heaven (Gen. 14:19,22; 2 Chron. 2:12; Ps. 115:15), who is in heaven (Deut. 4:39;1 Kings 8:30, 39, 43, 49; Eccl. 5:2), and who reigns from Histhrone in heaven (lsa. 66:1). Though Cyrus was a monarch overan extensive empire, Yahweh is far greater for He rules from heaven.
The emphasis in Ezra 1:2-3 on the temple sets the tone forthis and other post-exilic books. The temple was of utmost importancein the life of the people of Israel. Without the temple therecould be no sacrificial system, which was the nation's lifebloodin its relationship to God. 'The God of heaven' (v.2) is also the God of Israel who Cyrus said was in Jerusalem.
1:4. Cyrus' edict also instructed the returnees' neighborsin Persia to give them the equivalent of money (silver and gold),material goods. . . livestock, and freewill offerings (cf. v.6). The freewill offerings were for the temple and the other giftswere for the people themselves. This is reminiscent of the Exodusfrom Egypt when God miraculously took the nation out of bondageand had the Egyptians aid them with gifts of silver, gold, andclothing (Ex. 3:22; 11:2; 12:35). Now God was effecting a new'Exodus,' again bringing His people who had been inbondage back into the land of promise, much as He had done underMoses and Joshua. The people had been in bondage to Babylon becauseof their failure to keep their covenantal obligations, which Moseshad given them during the first Exodus. Once more God was miraculouslyworking in the life of the nation.
B. The reaction of the Israelites (1:5-11)
1:5-11. The religious leaders (priests and Levites) along withthe heads of the two tribes Judah and Benjamin) that had beentaken into exile by the Babylonians spearheaded the return toIsrael to rebuild the temple, the house of the LORD. The Jewswho returned totaled 49,897 (2:64-65). The neighbors of the returneesobeyed the king's decree by contributing to the effort (1:6).Even Cyrus contributed to the return by giving back the articlesbelonging to the temple of the LORD. These were the dishes. . pans. . . bowls, and other articles (vv. 9- 10) Nebuchadnezzarhad taken from the Jerusalem temple in 605 B.C. (Dan. Boom library wetlands stereo and surround download free. 1 :2), in597 B.C. (2 Kings 24: 13), and in 586 B.C. (2 Kings 25:14-15;Jer. 27:16; 52:18-19; cf. Ezra 5:14; 6:5; Dan. 5:2-3) and placedin a temple in Babylon, perhaps the Esagila temple built in honorof the god Marduk. Mithredath is a Persian name, and the wordfor treasurer (gizbar) is also Persian.
In Ezra 1:9-10 the articles total 2,499 but in verse 11 thetotal number of gold and silver items was 5,400. Why the difference?Surely Ezra would not be so foolish as to make a major mistakesuch as that when he so carefully wrote the rest of the book underthe Holy Spirit's inspiration. Even if one were to assume (asdo many critics) that a redactor brought together in verses 9-11two variant traditions, it would seem likely that Ezra would tryto reconcile them in some way. It seems better to suppose Ezrafirst listed some of the items, perhaps the bigger and more valuableones (vv. 9-10), then referred to the total number of items boththe larger and more valuable and the smaller and less significant(v. 11).
Another problem pertains to Sheshbazzar (v. 11), who was calledthe prince of Judah (v. 8). Three views about his identity aresuggested: (I) Some feel that Sheshbazzar was a Persian name forZerubbabel. Both are said to have laid the foundation of the temple(3:8-10; 5:16). Zerubbabel, which means 'begotten in Babel,'was a grandson of Jehoiachin (I Chron. 3:17-19), who had beendeported to Babylon but had been released from confinement (2Kings 25:27-30). Zerubbabel's relationship to Jehoiachin wouldexplain the title 'the prince of Judah.' However, itwould seem strange that Zerubbabel would have a second pagan namerather than having one name that reflected Yahweh worship (Sheshbazzarbeing a pagan deity). If Zerubbabel and Sheshbazzar were two namesof the same person, it is strange that he was never again referredto by the name Sheshbazzar except in Ezra 5:15-16.
(2) A second view is that this man was a Jew who was appointedgovernor by Cyrus but who died shortly after arriving in Palestineand was replaced by Zerubbabel. Though plausible, no solid evidenceexists for this view.
(3) A third view is that Sheshbazzar was the Shenazzar in 1Chronicles 3:17, and therefore was Zerubbabel's uncle.
(4) A fourth view is that Sheshbazzar was a Persian officialwho was sent to oversee the use of the king's money and to makeSure the king's wishes were carried out. It has been suggestedthat because Sheshbazzar was a Persian official the returneeslater referred to him (Ezra 5:15-16) to Support their claim oflegitimacy for their building project. (See comments on 5:13-16.)
C. The list of people who returned (chap. 2)
I. THE LIST RECORDED (2:1-63)
2:1-63. The list is divided into several parts. All of thepeople of the province (i.e., of Judah) returned to their hometowns(v. 1). Ezra first recorded the 11 civil and religious leaderswho were prominent (v. 2). Jeshua was the high priest (3:2); hisname is spelled Joshua in the Books of Haggai and Zechariah. Hewas a grandson of Seraiah (cf. 1 Chron. 6:14 with Hag. 1:1), apriest whom Nebuchadnezzar killed at Riblah (2 Kings 25:18-21).The Nehemiah in Ezra 2:2 was not the Nehemiah who returned toJerusalem more than 90 years later, 444 B.C. Nor was the Mordecaihere Esther's cousin (Es. 2:5-7), who lived in Susa about 60 yearsafter the Jews' first return. Nehemiah 7:7 records 12 names ratherthan 11 (cf. Ezra 2:2). (Three names have different spellings.In verse 2 Seraiah, Reelaiah, and Rehum are probably the samepersons as Azariah, Raamiah, and Nehum, respectively, in Neh.7:7.) Nahamani's name, not in Ezra's list, may have been droppedout by an early scribal error in the copying of the original manuscripts.It is likely that 12 men would have originally been listed assymbolic heads of the 12-tribe nation (cf. 12 male goats offeredfor the 12 tribes of Israel, Ezra 6:17).
Then Ezra listed people by their 18 families and clans, totaling15,604 (2:3-20). Next came a listing of inhabitants (totaling8,540) from 21 towns and villages (vv. 21-35). Then the priests(4,289 of them) were listed (vv. 36-39), followed by 341 Leviteswhich included singers and gatekeepers (vv. 40-42). The templeservants (vv. 43-54) and descendants of the royal servants (vv.55-58) totaled 392. The 652 returnees who could not clearly tracetheir ancestry (vv. 59-63) were listed last. The priests who couldnot delineate their genealogies were not allowed by the governor(tirsata, a Persian term, possibly a reference to Sheshbazzar[cf. comments on 1:8] or to Zerubbabel) to eat. . . the most sacredfood till a priest was ministering with the Urim and Thummim.The Urim and Thummim were parts of the high priest's breastplate,probably two stones used in Some way in determining God's will(cf. Ex. 28:30; Lev. 8:8; Num. 27:21; Deut. 33:8; Sam. 28:6; Neh.7:65).
Though such a list of names and locations seems unnecessaryto some modern readers, it would have been of great encouragementto the original readers as they saw their own families and townsrepresented.
2. THE TOTAL NUMBERS GIVEN (2:64-67)
2:64-67. When added together the numbers in verses 2-42, 58,and 60 which list the returnees come to 29,829 (including the11 prominent men listed in v. 2). However, the total in verses64-65--the whole company--is 49,897. The larger number may includewomen and children. It may also include Jews from the 10 Northerntribes who might have joined the remnant of the two Southern tribesof Judah and Benjamin (cf. 1:5). It may also have included thepriests who could not delineate their genealogies (2:61-62).
Ezra's grand total of 49,897 is very close to Nehemiah's totalof 49,942 (Neh. 7:66-67). Nehemiah's extra 45 people are in thesingers (Ezra had 200 but Nehemiah referred to 245). This mayhave been a scribal error, an error not in the original manuscriptsbut in the numerous copyings of the text in its transmission.A scribe, in copying Nehemiah 7:67, may have inadvertently pickedup the 245 in verse 68, in reference to mules, and inserted thatnumber for the 200 singers. This kind of error may also accountfor several variations in the other numbers in these lists. (Forfurther discussion see the comments on Neh. 7. Even the animalswere counted--a total of 8,136, most of them donkeys, commonlyused for riding (Ezra 2:66-67). The journey from Babylon to Israelwas about 900 miles and took about four months (cf. 7:8-9), butEzra did not state how long the return trip took. His focus wasnot on the people's hardships but on their task of rebuildingthe temple.
3. THE RESTORATION BEGUN (2:68-70)
2:68-69. When the returnees arrived back in Palestine at thehouse of the LORD (i.e., at its location site) they gave of theirpossessions according to their ability. They gave large amountsof money and material to begin the temple building project. Thelist of precious metals and materials differs from the correspondinglist in Nehemiah 7:70-72. Ezra's 61,000 drachmas (darics) of goldare 41,000 in Nehemiah. Ezra recorded 5,000 minas of silver whileNehemiah referred to 4,200. Ezra mentioned 100 priestly garmentswhereas Nehemiah recorded 597. These differences were probablyearly scribal errors. 2:70. The people then settled in theirancestors' towns and villages.
D. The rebuilding of the temple (3:1-6:15)
1. THE ALTAR AND THE FOUNDATION REBUILT (CHAP. 3)
3:1-2. The first task facing the people was the rebuildingof the altar of burnt offering, directly east of where the templebuilding itself would be located. This was essential for reestablishingthe sacrificial system which set these people apart as a nationand which was used by God as a means for atoning for their sins.The seventh month may refer to the seventh month after the peopleleft Babylon or to the seventh month after they arrived in Jerusalem.This was in September-October (see the chart 'Calendar inIsrael' near Ex. 12). In years past, the seventh month hadbeen a great month religiously for Israel. Three religious festivalswere held in the seventh month: the Feast of Trumpets on the 1stday (Lev. 23:23-25), the Day of Atonement on the 10th day (Lev.23:26-32), and the Feast of Tabernacles on days 15-21 (Lev. 23:33-36,39-43; Num. 29:12-39; cf. Ezra 3:4).
The words: The people assembled as one man, suggest they allagreed that the building project must begin. The men who headedup the constructing of the altar were Jeshua, the religious leader(a descendant of Aaron), and Zerubbabel, the civil leader (a descendantof David), along with fellow priests (other descendants of Aaron)and associates (other descendants of David). They built the altarso that they could offer sacrifices in accordance with what waswritten in the Law of Moses. It was imperative that the returneeswould come back to the Mosaic Covenant. Because their forefathershad left the covenant, the nation had been driven into Captivity.The former exiles did not want to make that same mistake.
3:3-6. Even though the returnees had fear of the peoples aroundthem, foreigners who had been deported by the Assyrian Empireinto Palestine, they built the altar, and offered burnt offeringson it (cf. Lev. 1; 6:8-13), starting on the first day of the,. . month (Ezra 3:6). These were the first sacrifices made therein 50 years--since 586 B.C. when the temple was torn down. Othersacrifices were offered in connection with all the appointed feasts,including, for example, the Feast of Tabernacles on days 15-21of that seventh month (cf. Lev. 23:33-36,39-43; Num. 29:12-39).The sacrifices showed that the people wanted to be responsiveto the Law of God.
3:7-9. There was a period of preparation for building the templefoundation for the work did not begin till the second month ofthe second year after their arrival (May-June 536. exactly 70years after the. first deportation in 605). Why this delay ofseven months after the altar was built? Because they had to getorganized and secure the building materials. The wood (cedar logs)came from Lebanon. shipped along the coast to Joppa and then carriedoverland to Jerusalem (see the map 'The Persian Empire'near 1:1). Lebanon was well known for its cedar forests and itsfine woodworkers. For the first temple. 430 years earlier (in966 B.C.), Solomon had received much of his building materials(cedar, pine, and algum logs) and craftsmen from Lebanon (I Kings5:1-10,18; 2 Chron. 2:1-16). Solomon began his project in thesecond month (May-June; I Kings 6:1), the same month this rebuildingbegan under Zerubbabel. Since Tyre and Sidon in Lebanon were underthe Persian Empire. Cyrus had to authorize this transaction (cf.Ezra 6:3-4), in which the logs, as in Solomon's time. were paidfor by money. . . food. . . drink. and oil.
Zerubbabel appointed the Levites as supervisors of the constructionproject. Centuries earlier Levites were involved in the tabernacleconstruction (Ex. 38:21) and in caring for and transporting it(Num. 1:50-51; 3:21-37). Now they were involved in the templeconstruction. Three Levite groups of supervisors were mentioned(Ezra 3:9)--Jeshua and his family, Kadmiel (cf. 2:40) and hisfamily, and the family of Henadad.
3:10-11. Nothing is mentioned about the actual process of layingthe temple foundation or the length of time involved. This isbecause the focus was on the results of this project on that communityof people who had braved the rugged conditions. They were followingthe command of Cyrus but, more importantly. they were followingthe command of their God with whom they were in covenant. As thefoundation. . . was laid the people were careful to follow inthe traditions of their forefathers who had been rightly relatedto God under the Mosaic Covenant. As the priests. . . and theLevites led the dedication service for the temple's foundations,they did the things that were prescribed by David. The order followedwas the same as when David brought the ark to Jerusalem. At thattime priests blew trumpets and Asaph sounded cymbals (I Chron.16:5-6). Here the priests blew trumpets and sons (descendants)of Asaph played the cymbals. The order was also similar to thetime when the ark was brought to the temple in Solomon's day (2Chron. 5:12-13), when Asaph and others played cymbals, harps,and lyres; and the priests blew trumpets. In this rebuilding servicethe priests and Levites sang, He is good; His love to Israel enduresforever, words almost identical to the song of praise in 2 Chronicles5:13 (cf. Ps. 136:1). This song of praise is highly significantfor by it the religious leaders were acknowledging that Yahwehhad again established His loving protection over the nation. Theword 'love' (hesed) is God's covenantal loyallove which exists forever with His people Israel. Now that thetemple worship was being reestablished, the people again recognizedthe commitment of God's unending covenantal love.
3:12-13. In contrast with the joy many people experienced onthat occasion, a few of the older priests and Levites and familyheads, who had seen the former temple (destroyed 50 years earlierin 586 B.C.) were discouraged. Perhaps they contrasted the roughnessof the current project with the grandeur of the Solomonic temple.Sixteen years later (in 520 B.C.) the same emotion of discouragementagain hit the builders of the temple (Hag. 2:1-9). The two sounds,the joy and the weeping (from sadness), mingled together and wereso loud that they were heard far away.
2. THE REBUILDING OPPOSED (4:1-6:12)
Ezra did not record all the events in those 21 years (from536) till the temple was finished (in 515). That is because hewas making a theological point that the temple of the Lord wascompleted despite opposition that might have stopped any otherproject. The temple was the basis for the post-exilic community'sfellowship with God. Not till the temple was built could the peoplereally live in accord with the covenant. Ezra's account of thisinterim period differs in tone from Haggai's account of opposition(from 520 to 518). Ezra did not dwell on the sinful conditionof the people as they lived in the land as did Haggai (Hag. I).Ezra's account focused on external pressures from the surroundingpeoples, whereas Haggai focused on the internal attitudes of thepeople who valued material possessions above spiritual things(Hag. 1:4. 6).
a. Attempts of enemies to stop the building (4:1-5)
4:1-2. The enemies used two methods of opposition to try tokeep the temple from being built. First they offered to help inthe construction process, thereby hoping to infiltrate the ranksand sidetrack the building project. When that did not work, theyfrightened the builders (perhaps with threats on their lives)and even hired counselors to frustrate them (vv. 4-5). The enemiesof Judah and Benjamin refer to the people living in Palestinesince the time of the fall of the Northern Kingdom in 722 B.C.The Assyrian Empire, which conquered the 10 Northern tribes, deportedsome of the people away to Assyria and brought in other peoplesto intermarry (2 Kings 17:23-24). This tactic prevented strongnationalistic uprisings in the conquered lands.
The 'enemies' (called 'the peoples around them,'Ezra 4:4) were the descendants of these mixed peoples and theforefathers of the New Testament Samaritans. These people in Ezra'sday claimed that they worshiped the same God, that is, Yahweh,the God of Israel. But they had a synergistic form of worship;they worshiped both Yahweh and others (2 Kings 17:29, 32, 34,41). Therefore their statement (Ezra 4:2) was not fully accurateand was apparently made to mislead the leadership of the returnedband. Esarhaddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here, was theAssyrian mono arch who aggressively pursued the policy of partialdeportation and to whose reign these enemies could trace theirancestry in Palestine. Esarhaddon, a son of Sennacherib, ruledfrom 681 to 669 B.C. Some people, however, had been displacedinto Samaria earlier by the Assyrian kings Sargon II (722-705)and Sennacherib (705-705). Judah and Benjamin's enemies were alsoappealing on the basis of the fact that they, like the Jews, werea 'displaced people,' having been brought in from theoutside. In a sense they were downplaying the nation of Israel's'roots' in the land.
4:3-5. The response by the govern. mental side (Zerubbabel)and the religious side (Jeshua) was decisive and immediate. Theyhad two reasons for not wanting to be sidetracked by this offerof help. First, the temple was for the LORD the God of Israel,who was not the god these people worshiped. Second, they had beencommissioned by King Cyrus himself to undertake the building projectand therefore had every right to carry it out on their own. Thisrebuff brought on the second form of opposition. As already stated,the enemies tried to discourage the workers and make them afraid,This policy of harassment continued on till the reign of Darius,king of Persia, who ruled from 521 to 486. It was during his reign,in 515, that the temple was completed. The account of the buildingprogram under Darius is resumed in Ezra 4:24 after a parenthesisin verses 623.
b. Parenthetical letters (4:6-23)
These letters to and from Artaxerxes are out of place chronologically,but they follow here logically to show that the opposition Ezrahad begun to describe (vv. 1-5) continued on for many years--to485 B.C., the year Xerxes began to reign (v. 6) and on into thedays of Artaxerxes (464-424). Artaxerxes was the king who wasreigning during the events recorded in chapters 7-10. For thenames and dates of the Persian kings in the post-exilic period,see the chart. Thus the letters may have been written at the timeof Ezra's return (458 B.C.). Therefore the letters were writtennearly 80 years later than the account into which they were placed.Ezra was not being deceptive by placing the letters here in hisbook since he clearly dated them by the ruler under which theywere written. Anyone familiar with the history of that part ofthe world at that time (as were the inhabitants of Israel whenthe Book of Ezra was written) would have clearly seen what Ezrawas logically doing.
4:6. Opposition continued during the time of Xerxes, Xerxes,also known as Ahasuerus in the Book of Esther, ruled from 485to 465. Ezra recorded nothing of the nature or results of theaccusation except that it apparently kept the Israelites fromworking on building projects. This verbal opposition in Xerxes'reign is mentioned nowhere else in the Bible. This verse setsthe stage for the following letter which was written in the reignof Persia's next king.
4:7. Opposition against the Jews was strong during the timeof Artaxerxes. The focus of the narrative is on two letters writtenduring his reign (464-424). Because the enemies' letter and theking's reply brought the work on the city walls and foundationsto a halt, it seems logical that the letter was written beforethe return of Nehemiah, for under Nehemiah the building projectsresumed and were completed. Though the letter was composed bypeople who spoke a northwest Semitic dialect (like Hebrew) itwas written in the Aramaic language (the trade language of theday). It was in square Aramaic script rather than in the slantedHebrew type of script or in cuneiform signs. Ezra 4:8-6:18 and7:12-26 are in Aramaic. Perhaps Bishlam, Mithredath, and Tabeelwere men from Samaria.
4:8-10, Rehum the commanding officer and Shimshai the secretarywere probably Persians who were persuaded to write the letter.In their introduction Rehum and Shimshai tried to point out toKing Artaxerxes that the participants in this opposition werefrom various parts of the world. Their complaint was not merelyfrom a single isolated group. Judges and officials from variousparts of the Persian Empire and people who had been deported toSamaria under the reign of the Assyrian King Ashurbanipal 200years earlier were opposed to the work. Ashurbanipal (669-626)continued the deporting done by his father Esarhaddon (4:2).
4:11-16. The writers of the letter (cf. This is a copy of theletter, v. 23; 5:6; 7:11) identified with the Persian king bynoting that they were his servants. The letter itself is recordedin 4:12-16. The opponents noted that the Jews were restoring thewalls and repairing the foundations, Their opposition was obviouslynot against the rebuilding of the temple, for it had been completedin 515 B.C. The. opposition was against an attempt to begin rebuildingthe walls of Jerusalem which the opponents called that rebelliousand wicked city (cf. vv. 15, 19). The apparent reason for thecomplaint was that if the city was allowed to be fortified, thenJerusalem and the territory which Jerusalem would control wouldno longer pay taxes or tribute money to the crown. This woulddishonor the king. Therefore the complainers felt it was theirpatriotic duty to tell the king what was happening so that hecould search the records and see that Jerusalem was a rebelliouscity, which is why it was destroyed. The letter added that ifthe city of Jerusalem was fortified then the Jews would take backall the territory they had previously occupied and the Persianking would have no territory left in Trans-Euphrates. They claimedhe would lose a huge portion of his empire.
4:17-23. In his reply the king actually strengthened the positionof the Israelites by leaving open the possibility that their workmight resume later by his permission. This, of course, did happenunder the leadership of Nehemiah. The king did search the archivesand found that Jerusalem had been powerful at one time. What anencouragement this must have been to Ezra's original readers torecall the years of David and Solomon and to know that even apagan king acknowledged the sovereignty of their empire centeredat Jerusalem. The king commanded that the building projects stop. . until I so order, This was the same king who later (444 B.C.)changed this edict and allowed Nehemiah to return and rebuildthe walls of Jerusalem (Neh. 2:1.9). However, the immediate resultwas a forced cessation of the building activity because the enemiesused force to back up a legal document from the Persian king.
c. The result of the opposition (4:24)
4:24. The narrative now picks up where it left off after verse5 (vv. 6-23 are a lengthy parenthesis). The result of the oppositionduring Cyrus' reign was that work on the temple was suspendeduntil the second year of. . . Darius (520 B.C.), some 18 yearsafter the people had returned to the 'and for the purpose of rebuildingthe house of God.
d. The continuation of the work (5:1-6:12)
This section informs the readers of certain historical eventsunder the reign of Darius. and also helps its readers understandthat the temple rebuilding was sovereignly ordained by God andcarried out through pagan rulers, this time Darius I (521-486).
5:1-2. The work on the temple had been stopped (4:1-5, 24),from 535 to 520 B.C. Now under the influence of two importantprophets, Haggai and Zechariah, it was resumed. The preachingof these two men is recorded in the biblical books bearing theirrespective names. Haggai prophesied from August to December 520B.C., and Zechariah prophesied for two years beginning in October-November520. They were helping by exhorting and encouraging (cf. 6:14;Hag. 1:8; 2:4; Zech. 4:7-9). They were vitally concerned withthe building of the temple because they realized that their nationcould never fulfill the obligations of the Mosaic Covenant tillthe temple worship was reinstated. Both of these prophets placedthe blame for the hard times the nation experienced during thisperiod on the people's lack of obedience in not rebuilding thetemple. However, Ezra did not deal with that question in his book.He stressed the outside opposition which was also a factor inslowing the work. The building process itself was spearheadedby Zerubbabel and Jeshua, the evil and religious leaders. respectively.
5:3-5. But as soon as the work was resumed, another effort(cf. 4:1-5) was made to stop it. Israel's leaders came into directconflict with the duly established local authorities who wereresponsible to the Persian crown. In a Babylonian record dated502 B.C. the name Tattenai and his office as governor of Trans-Euphratesare mentioned. Syria-Palestine was under him. an area includingbut much larger than Israel. Shethar-Bozenai was probably an assistantto Tattenai. It would have been Tattenai's responsibility, onhearing of this building activity in his territory, to investigateit. Audirvana plus 3 0 2 download free. Major political unrest was seething at the beginning of Darius'reign. Possibly Tattenai thought the temple-building project inJerusalem would grow into a full-scale rebellion against the empire.
God's promise/threat (Deut. 28) He said that the people wouldbe taken into captivity if they did not live according to thecovenant He instituted with them as they were ready to enter theland of promise. Not only was Nebuchadnezzar involved in the fallof Jerusalem; God Himself was responsible! Nebuchadnezzar wasmerely an agent of God's anger on His people (cf. 'My servantNebuchadnezzar' in Jer. 25:9; 27:6; 43:10)--an anger whichwas designed to purify the nation so that some would return tothe land as a believing remnant. The Exile did not mean that Yahwehwas defeated by Nebuchadnezzar's gods.
The group of officials asked Zerubbabel and Jeshua who authorizedthe project (the word structure is lit., 'wooden structure'),and asked for the names of the people responsible for it (cf.5:9-10). But despite this challenge, the work did not stop becausethe eye of their God was watching Over them (cf. 'God. . was over them,' v. 1). Occurring frequently in Ezra andNehemiah are the words 'the hand of the LORD was on him'and similar expressions (Ezra 7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31; Neh. 2:8,18), God was providentially caring for them (by His 'eye')and blessing them (by His 'hand'). Clearly God was atwork in spite of this opposition because through it the projectwas eventually given help.
5:6-10. Ezra recorded the letter (cf. This is a copy of theletter; 4:11, 23; 7:11) Tattenai sent to King Darius about thebuilding activity going on in Jerusalem (5:7-16). Tattenai beganhis letter by noting that work was being done on the temple ofthe great God in Jerusalem. This does not mean that Tattenai believedYahweh of Israel was the supreme God. Most likely he meant thatthe God to whom the Jews were building the temple was the majorGod of the area. In the ancient Near East there was a highly developedbelief in local deities. Tattenai noted that large stones andtimbers (cf. 6:4; 1 Kings 6:36) were being used in the work andthat the Jews were working with diligence and were making rapidprogress, He added that he had asked who authorized the work (cf.Ezra 5:3) and that he had asked for the names of those who wereleading the building program (cf. v. 4).
5:11-12. Tattenai's letter then included the Jews' answersto his questions (vv. 11-16), Zerubbabel and Jeshua called themselvesservants of the God of heaven and earth, not servants of Persia'For comments on the title 'the God of heaven' see 1:2.The true God, Yahweh, was superior to Darius' god, Ahura Mazda,whom Darius called 'the god of heaven.' Years earlierIsrael had a great king, Solomon, and had had a beautiful temple.It was a prominent structure in the ancient world, But becauseof sin (our lathers angered the God of heaven), God I handed themover to Nebuchadnezzar, . The Jews knew why the temple was destroyedand the people deported.
5:13-17. In response to Tattenai Zerubbabel and Jeshua statedthat Cyrus had allowed a remnant to return to Jerusalem to rebuildthe temple and even gave them articles which had been taken fromSolomon's temple (cf. 1:2-4, 7-11). The letter-writers also recountedthe fact that Cyrus gave Sheshbazzar the task of carrying outthe king's command--to return the articles and to build anothertemple in the city. Sheshbazzar was mentioned to show Tattenaithat the building program was legal. Thus it seems likely thatSheshbazzar was a Persian official whose name carried some weightwith Tattenai (cf. comments on 1:8 on several views of Sheshbazzar'sidentity). Are Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel the same person? Manythink so because Sheshbazzar laid the temple foundations, andso did Zerubbabel (3:8-10). However, this is not absolute proofthat the two men were identical. Sheshbazzar could have been responsible,as the king's representative, to see that the work was begun,and Zerubbabel the Jewish leader who completed the task. Tattenaiand the officials asked that the king research the records inBabylon (cf. 6:1-2) to find out if what the Jews had said abouta decree from Cyrus was true. That such records were carefullykept is attested by archeology.
6:1.5. Tattenai had requested that Babylon's archives be searchedfor the document (5:17) but it was not found there. Instead thescroll (of papyrus or leather) was found in. . . Ecbatana (modernHamadan), 300 miles northeast of Babylon and capital of Media(6: 1-2). The scroll was in Ecbatana, because that is where Cyrushad spent the summer of 538, when he issued the decree, This Ecbatanarecord was an official 'minute' with three details thatthe verbal and written proclamation (1:1-4) apparently did notcontain: (1) The temple was to be 90 feet high and 90 feet wide,with three courses of large stones and one of timbers (cf. 5:8;1 Kings 6:36). (2) The project was to be financed by funds fromthe royal treasury, This shows the earnestness of Cyrus' repatriationprogram. (3) The returned gold and silver articles were to beput in their places in the temple.
9-5 Chic
6:6-12. King Darius then gave three instructions to Tattenaiand his associates: (1) He told them to leave the Jews alone andnot interfere with the building of the temple (vv. 6-7). The wordsstay away from there were a common Aramaic legal statement. Thiswas to be in accord with the edict of the great King Cyrus. (2)Tax money was to be used to help finance the project and animalswere to be supplied daily so that sacrifices could be made atthe altar of the new temple along with food items for the offerings(vv. 8-10). Flour (from wheat), salt, and oil were to be usedin the grain offerings (Lev. 2:1-2, 7, 13), and wine for drinkofferings (Lev. 23:13) on feast days. (3) Anyone who disobeyedthe edict was to suffer a horrible fate (Ezra 6:11-12). He wasto be impaled on a beam taken from his own house, and his housewas to be demolished. Execution by impaling was practiced in theAssyrian and Persian Empires. Darius wanted no disturbance inthis part of his vast kingdom. The pagan king acknowledged thatGod had caused His name to dwell at Jerusalem. Darius probablythought of Yahweh as a local deity (cf. comments on 5:6-10), whereasEzra, in recording that statement, knew of the covenantal significancein Yahweh's name dwelling in Jerusalem. So Tattenai's inquirybackfired. Instead of stopping the temple work, he had to letit proceed and even had to help pay for it out of his revenues!Darius' curse on anyone who would destroy the . temple was fulfilledin: (a) Antiochus . Epiphanes, who desecrated it in 167 B.C.,and died insane three years later; (b) Herod the Great (37-4 B.C.),who added extensively to the temple to glorify himself. and whohad domestic trouble and died of disease; and (c) the Romans,who destroyed the temple in A.D. 70, and later had their empiredestroyed.
3. THE TEMPLE COMPLETED (6:13-15)
6:13-15, Tattenai, to his credit, carried. . . out the instructionsof Darius, and did so with diligence (cf. 'with diligence'in 5:8; 6:12; 7:21, 23). The work was done by the Jewish elderswho were encouraged by the preaching of the Prophets Haggai andZechariah (cf. 5:1). Ezra noted that the ultimate decree for thebuilding of the temple was from God Himself. God worked throughthe commands of the pagan Persian kings, Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes,Workers, prophets, kings, and God were all involved. Artaxerxeshad nothing to do with building the temple; apparently his namewas added to round out the account, for he had decreed the buildingof Jerusalem's walls (Neh. 2:1, 8). He also helped provide forsacrifices at the temple (Ezra 7:12-17). Some have suggested thatArtaxerxes' name may have been added by an early scribe but thereis no textual evidence of that. Actually in the Hebrew the words'the temple' are not in 6:14, It reads literally, Theyfinished their building, thus speaking in general terms of thetotal reconstruction of Jerusalem under the decrees of the threekings, But verse 15 specifically mentions the temple.
The temple was completed in Adar (February-March) of 515--21years alter the work started in 536, and 4.5 years after Haggaibegan his prophesying. This was 70.5, years alter the temple hadbeen destroyed on August 12, 586.
E. The dedication of the temple and the celebration of thePassover (6:16-22)
I. THE TEMPLE DEDICATED (6:16-18)
6:16-18. After the temple was finished, it was then dedicated.The comparatively small number of animals sacrificed (100 bulls,200 rams, 400 male lambs, and 12 male goats) contrasted sharplywith the tremendous amount sacrificed by Solomon at the dedicationof the first temple (22,000 cattle and 120,000 sheep and goats;1 Kings 8:63). This points up the comparative poverty of the post-exiliccommunity. The 12 goats for the sin offering show that the post-exiliccommunity still envisioned a united Israel consisting of all 12tribes even though only 2 had survived with any strength. Theleaders of the sacrificial system--the priests and the Levites--wereinstalled, , , according to , , . the Book of Moses, that is,according to that portion of the Law in which the legal systemis described--in parts of Leviticus and Numbers (Lev. 8; Num.3:5-10; 8:5-14). One of the motifs of Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and2 Chronicles is that the post-exilic community was under the leadership'of godly men who were steeped in the Scriptures and attemptedto do everything according to the Law. This shows that they hadlearned from the Exile that God's people suffer if they do notlive up to their covenantal obligations.
2. THE PASSOVER CELEBRATED (6:19-22)
6:19-21. Beginning with verse 19 the text is again in Hebrew(4:8-6:18 are in Aramaic). On the 14th day of the first month(April 515 B.C.) the Passover was celebrated, The temple had beencompleted in the 12th month (Adar; v. 15) and fittingly, in thevery next month, the Passover was re-inaugurated. This was thefirst time in 70 years that the people partook of this feast whichcommemorated their forefathers' release from Egyptian bondage(cf. Ex. 12:1-14; Lev. 23:5).
The Israelite returnees ate the Passover with all who had separatedthemselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors.This second group might have been: (a) Gentiles living in Judah(cf. Num. 9:14), or more likely (b) Jews who had remained in theland and had defiled themselves by practices that went againstthe Law, and then repented of those sins, thereby 'separating'themselves.
6:22. The seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread was on days 15-21of the first month, immediately after the Passover (cf. Lev. 23:6-8).The reference to Darius as the king of Assyria is not an anachronism(though the Assyrian Empire had ended in 609 B.C.) for the PersianEmpire included what was once Assyria. Perhaps this title wasa grim reminder that Assyria's harsh tactics were now ended, Shewas the first to deport Israelites from their land; but now acontingent of Jews was settled back in their land. This eight-daycelebration (the Passover, Ezra 6:19, and the seven-day Feastof Unleavened Bread, v. 22), 900 years after the first Passover,signaled the end of the Exile for a remnant of the nation wasonce again back in fellowship with Yahweh. Since the temple worshipwas restored, it was important for people who wanted to be infellowship with God and live according to the covenantal obligationsto be in the place where the sacrificial system was being practiced.The people had seen firsthand that God works through history,for He had caused pagan kings to issue decrees which let themreturn to the land of promise (much as He had caused Egypt's Pharaohto release Israel). The original readers of Ezra's book wouldrejoice in that fact and would be encouraged to participate fullyin the temple worship, which had been reestablished at such greatcost.
II. The Second Return and Reform under Ezra (chaps. 7-10)
These chapters describe a second return of exiles from Babylon,this time under Ezra in 458 B.C. (7:7). Here Ezra often wrotein the first person ('I' and 'we'): Ezra,a priest who knew the Scriptures, knew the importance of havingthe people back where the sacrificial system was being practiced.
A. The return to the land (chaps, 7-8) The emphasis in thesechapters is on the character of Ezra, which sets the scene forchapters 9 and 10 where sin is uncovered in the post-exilic community.Ezra is presented as a man who was strongly motivated by the Lawof God.
I. THE INTRODUCTION OF EZRA (7:1-10)
The events which transpire in this section of the narrativeoccurred during the reign of Artaxerxes who was introduced earlierin the book (4:8-23; 6:14). The return occurred in the king'sseventh year, which was 458 B.C.
7:1-5. After these things points to a gap of 57 years sincethe events at the end of chapter 6. The temple was completed in515 B.C. in the reign of Darius I. Alter Darius' death in 486his Son Xerxes ruled for 20 years (485-465). Since Xerxes wasthe Ahasuerus mentioned in the Book of Esther, the events of thatbook occurred between Ezra 6 and 7. Then Xerxes' son Artaxerxesruled from 464 to 424. From 515 to 458 (Artaxerxes' seventh year,7:7) was 57 years.
Ezra's lineage is traced back to Aaron, the first priest. Thislist is abbreviated, for it does not name every generation. BetweenAzariah and Meraioth (v. 3) six names appear in the genealogyin 1 Chronicles 6:7-10 (cf. comments there). Since Seraiah wasthe high priest when Jerusalem fell in 586 (2 Kings 25:18), Ezramay have been his great-grandson. Because of his priestly ancestry,Ezra, like the priests, had authority to teach (cf. Lev. 10:11;Ezra 7:10).
7:6. Ezra. . . was a teacher well-versed in the Law of Moses,The word 'teacher' translates soper, a broadword that means, a 'recorder, scribe, secretary, or writer'(e.g. 2 Sam. 8:17; Es. 3:12; 8:9; Ps. 45:1). The word also referredto a learned man who could read and write (e.g., Jehudi in Jer.36:23) and a learned man who could teach what he read in God'sLaw. Ezra was called a 'teacher' (soper) fourtimes (Ezra 7:6, 1112,21; cf. v. 25). And he was called 'Ezrathe scribe' six times in Nehemiah (8:1, 4, 9, 13; 12:26,36). 'Well versed' translates mohir, which isrendered 'skillful' in Psalm 45:1. Ezra had the blessingof the pagan King Artaxerxes as well as the blessing of the covenantGod of Israel. A few years later Nehemiah had an official positionbefore the king (Neh. 1:11), but Ezra held no such position. Itis enough for the author to note that he was a teacher who waswell versed in the Law. That was to be his major function in life.Because of the king's favor Ezra was promised that he could havewhatever he wanted. Rather than ask for something personal. Ezraused the monarch's favor to advance the cause of God and His people.For the first of eight times in the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah,mention is made of God's hand being on Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31; Neh. 2:8, 18).
7:7-10. Not much is said here about the trip from Babylon toJerusalem or the preparations for it. These few verses are a summaryof the journey that is detailed in the rest of chapter 7 and inchapter 8. Returning with Ezra were groups of people correspondingto the groups in Zerubbabel's return (chap. 2). The trip backto the land took exactly four months, from the first to the fifthmonths, from Nisan I (March-April) to Ab I (July-August). Thegood hand of . . . God was on Ezra because he devoted himselfto the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teachingit. 'Devoted himself' is literally, 'set his heartfirmly' (cf. 2 Chron. 19:3; 30:19), which gives the ideathat Ezra was inwardly determined. His determination was directedtoward doing three things: studying God's Law, obeying it, andteaching it to others-an inviolable order for a successful ministry!
2. THE CIRCUMSTANCES PROMPTING THE RETURN (7:11-28)
7:11-12. Artaxerxes wrote a letter (cf. This is a copy of theletter; 4:11, 23; 5:6) to Ezra that allowed Ezra and others toreturn to Israel. (On Ezra as a teacher see comments on 7:6.)No reason for the decree was given. It can be surmised that Ezrahad asked for permission to take a group back and that this decreewas the official granting of his request. The decree was sentto Ezra personally.
7:13-26. Artaxerxes listed certain freedoms the people wereto have as they journeyed to and lived in Israel. He gave thempermission to go to Jerusalem (v. 13). He gave them silver andgold to take with them and he allowed them to get more in Babylon(vv. 15-16, 20). He said that they could offer sacrifices on thealtar at the temple (v. 17). They were also given freedom to maketheir own decisions (v. 18). They could take back the utensilsof worship for the temple (vv. 19-20). (Apparently not all ofthem had been carried back with Zerubbabel; cf. 1:7-11.) Theycould have whatever else they needed for the temple up to a certainlimit (7:21-22). The wheat, oil, and salt were for use in thegrain offerings (cf. 6:9; Lev. 2:1-2, 7, 13), and the wine wasfor drink offerings (cf. Ezra 6:9; Lev. 12:13). As noted in theNIV margin, the amounts were enormous: 100 talents (3.5. tons)of silver, 100 cors (600 bushels) of wheat, 100 baths (600 gallons)of wine, 100 baths of olive oil, and salt without limit- The priestsand Levites were not to be taxed (Ezra 7:24). In return for grantingthese privileges the king was to receive some benefits from theexpedition. He wanted to avoid uprisings or feelings of angeragainst him (v. 23) and to have order in that part of his empire(vv. 25-26). Ezra was responsible to administer justice to allthe people of the area, that is, to all who knew the laws of hisGod--the Jewish people. Ezra also was to administer the judicialsystem by handing out punishment to any who would not obey (v.26). . 7:27-28. Ezra's response to the king's decree shows what kindof man he was. He praised the LORD for what was being done underhim. By calling Yahweh the God of our fathers he linked himselfwith the godly line that had been concerned with proper sacrificialworship. He also noted that God had given this idea to the king(put it into the king's heart). Ezra added that the purpose ofall this was to bring honor to the house of the LORD, The privilegesgranted by Artaxerxes were for God's glory, not Ezra's. Ezra alsosaid that God's good favor was shown to him in front of all theking's pagan advisers and officials, 'Good favor' translateshesed, God's covenantal love for His people. (That Heb.word is rendered 'love' in 3:11, in each verse in Ps.136, and elsewhere.) It refers to more than love; it means covenantallove, love borne out of loyalty to a Commitment. Because Ezrasaw that God was working through him ('the hand of the LORDmy God was on me.' cf. Ezra 7:6, 9; 8:18, 22, 31), he beganthe task of selecting people to make the difficult trip. Thisprobably was difficult and must have involved much personal contactand persuasion. But he was successful in enlisting leading men. . to go with him.
3. THE LIST OF THE RETURNEES (8:-14)
8:1-14. This list consists of the major men (family heads)who returned as well as the numbers of those who accompanied them.Most of the people listed were related to the families who hadreturned previously under Zerubbabel (537 B.C.) 79 years earlier(chap. 2). Many of the family names in 8:3c-14 are mentioned in2:3-15. Gershom was a descendant of Phinehas, son of Aaron's thirdson Eleazar (Ex. 6:25), and Daniel was descended from Ithamar,Aaron's fourth son (Ex. 6:23). The total number of men who returnedwas 1,514 including 18 heads of families and 1,496 other men.
With the 258 Levites assembled later (Ezra 8:15-20) the numbercame to 1,772. With women and children, the group may have totaledbetween 4,000 and 5,000. Even so, this group was much smallerthan the near-50,000 on the first return (2:64-65).
4. THE DETAILS OF THE JOURNEY AND ARRIVAL (8:15-36)
a. Levites recruited for the journey (8:15-20)
8:15. Levites were to function as teachers of the Law (cf.Lev. 10:11; Deut. 33:10). Therefore they were to have an extremelyimportant role in the reestablished community. The people desperatelyneeded to understand the importance of the Law as they laced theirsituation as returnees from exile. The Levites would have a difficulttime in the new land for they were to be involved in the disciplinedministry of temple service. Perhaps that is why none were presentwhen Ezra and his group were ready to depart from the canal ofAhava (cf. Ezra 8:21. 31), whose location is unknown. This canalmay have been a tributary of the Euphrates River. Even Zerubbabelhad comparatively few Levites on his return (733 [2:40-58), lessthan 1.5% of the 49,897 [2:64-65]).
8:16-17. Tap forms 5 5 0 3. Therefore Ezra sent 9 leaders and 2 men of learningto secure some Levites and temple servants from the man Iddo.Ezra told the messengers what to say, which seems to indicatethat this was a delicate task which needed to have some weightbehind the message. The 11 messengers were sent to Casiphia, whoselocation is no longer known. 8:18-20. The men were able to secure38 Levites from two families--18 from Sherebiah's family and 20from Jeshaiah's relatives--as well as 220 . . . temple servants.Only then was Ezra ready to start on the important journey. Withoutthe Levite teachers of the Law and people to serve at the templeall would be lost and the trip futile. b. Preparations made forthe journey (8:21-30)
8:21-23. First, spiritual preparation was made for the journey.Ezra was concerned with matters pertaining to God's people. SoEzra proclaimed a fast in preparation for the journey. He wantedthe assembled group thereby to humble themselves before . . .God in order to ask Him for a safe journey for themselves, theirchildren, and their possessions. Being humble before God showsone's spiritual dependence, his acknowledgment that God is intotal control. Ezra did not. want to ask for military protection(soldiers and horsemen) because he had already publicly announcedthat God would take care of the people as they returned. In contrast,Nehemiah readily accepted a military escort on his way back tothe land (Neh. 2:9).
8:24-27. Next, physical preparation was made for the journey.Ezra divided the silver. . . gold, and articles among 24 of thekey men in the group. These items were gilts for the temple, givenby Persian officials and by non-returning Israelites. They included25 tons of silver, silver articles weighing 3.75, tons, 3.75 tonsof gold, 20 bowls of gold that weighed about 19 pounds, and twoexpensive bronze objects. All this would be valued at many millionsof dollars today. No wonder Ezra was concerned about the people'ssafety (v. 21).
8:28-30. Ezra charged these key men with the responsibilityof getting the precious metals and valuables back to Jerusalemsafely. In his charge he said that these material possessionswere Consecrated to the LORD and that the silver and gold werefreely given by God's people. He emphasized the need for guardingthe money and articles carefully by noting that they would allbe weighed on arrival to be sure none had disappeared. The priestsand Levites accepted the responsibility of taking the metals andutensils to Jerusalem.
c. The people journeyed and arrived (8:31-36)
8:31-34. Only a few statements were made about the journeyand the arrival. The group left Babylon on the 1st day of thefirst month (7:9) and they left the Ahava Canal on the 12th ofthe same month. Since they were at the canal three days (8:15),the site of their canal encampment was about nine days' travelfrom Babylon, perhaps 100-130 miles away. The total journey wasabout 900 miles and must have been difficult for a group withouta military escort. However, Ezra was content merely to relatethat 'the hand of Our God was on us' (cf. 7:6, 9, 28;8:18, 22) and that the Lord granted the returnees protection.On arriving in Jerusalem, after a three-day rest, everything wasturned over to the priests and Levites and weighed (vv. 33-34).Several of these temple officials are also mentioned in the Bookof Nehemiah: Meremoth (Neh. 3:4, 21), Jozabad (Neh. 11:16), andBinnui (Neh. 3:24). 8:35-36. Then the exiles offered sacrificesto God. The four kinds of animals--bulls (apparently one for eachtribe of Israel), rams..lambs, and goats--were the same as thoseoffered at the temple dedication (6:17), but now the number wassmaller. A copy of the king's edict was given to the surroundingofficials (royal satraps and governors), who were to carry outhis wishes under Ezra's leadership. This caused the surroundingpeoples to assist the Jewish post-exilic community. The sectionends in an interesting climax--God's good hand was so evidenton His people that even surrounding peoples helped them in thesacrificial system, the means of fellowship with God.
B. The reform in the land (chaps. 9-10) In contrast with thehigh point of God's blessing on the people at the end of the previoussection (8:36), this section opens with a statement about thesevere sin into which the people of the post-exilic community hadfallen. The reason the people were back in the land was so thatthey would be able to worship God according to the ways of theirforefathers under the Law. However, when the people returned tothe land they still had a tendency to wander away from the wordsof God that had been written by Moses.
I. The People's Sin Of Intermarriage Reported (9:1-4)
9:1-2. Ezra's return had a profound effect on the people ofIsrael. The man who was devoted to the accurate teaching of theLaw became the focal point of a major reform. This occurred lessthan five months after his arrival (cf. 7:9 with 10:9). The leaderscame to me suggests that these were men who had previously returnedto the land under Zerubbabel and had established themselves asleaders and had looked into the problem. Ezra's return may havepricked their consciences as they reflected on the Law of God.They realized that something had to be done about the situationif the nation was to enjoy fellowship with the Lord. Outward sacrificewas fine, but only if it was accompanied by an inward conformityto the Word of God (Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:6-8).
The Jewish leaders reported to Ezra that Some Israelites hadbeen involved with their pagan neighbors' detestable practices(cf. Ezra 9:11, 14) which meant they had married Gentiles. Oneof God's major prohibitions was that His people were not to marryoutside the community of believers (Ex. 34:11-16; Deut. 7:1-4).This was not because of racial difference, for the peoples ofthe surrounding areas were of the same Semitic race. The reasonwas strictly religious. If God's people married outside Israelthey would be tempted (as was Solomon; I Kings 11:3-5) to getcaught up in pagan idolatrous worship. Intermarrying with peoplewho did not worship Yahweh was symptomatic of the way the peopleforsook other aspects of God's Law. If they would break this aspectof the Law in the most intimate of human relationships then theywould probably also break the Law in other less intimate humanrelationships. The peoples listed in Ezra 9:1 were many of thoseGod had warned about centuries before (Deut. 7:1), as well asthe surrounding nations of Ammon, Moab, and Egypt. Unfortunatelysome religious and civil leaders had been in the forefront ofthis evil practice.
9:3-4. Ezra's response was typical of the response of godlypeople in the Old Testament when they found out about sin. Tearinghis tunic and cloak was a sign of mourning (cf. Num. 14:6; Josh.7:6; Es. 4:1; Job 1:20), and pulling hair from his head and beardwas a sign of unusual grief or of intense anger (Isa. 22:12).He was appalled because of the people's sin (Ezra 9:3; cf. v.4). Ezra knew that it was for just this sort of sin that his nationhad gone into captivity (cf. v. 7). Perhaps he was afraid theywould go into captivity again (cf. v. 8).
2. EZRA'S PRAYER TO GOD (9:5-15) Ezra's prayer reveals muchabout him. He identified with the nation in their sin even thoughhe himself was innocent of the offense (cf. Dan. 9:5-6, 8-11,13, 15-16). Ezra understood that the nation stood together underthe covenant and that this breach of responsibility, especiallysince it had been led by leaders of the nation, could jeopardizethe entire nation before God.
9:5. The evening sacrifice was around 3 P.M. Ezra's physicalposition (on his knees with his hands spread out to the LORD)showed that he was throwing himself on the mercy of God. Ezraknew that the nation was guilty (vv. 6-7; cf. vv. 13, 15) so heassumed a position of begging before the Lord. There was no excusefor the people's actions. Ezra's prayer was made at the templewith weeping (10:1).
9:6-7. Ezra confessed the continuing problem of sin among thepeople of the nation. He reacted to the sin with embarrassment,using terms such as ashamed and disgraced. He felt embarrassedbecause it was for guilt like this that the nation had gone intocaptivity in the first place at the hand of foreign kings (viz.,Sargon II and Nebuchadnezzar). The Captivity was to be a methodof purifying the people and reestablishing a close relationshipbetween them and God. Apparently the Exile had not accomplishedits purpose because of the people's tendency to stray from theircovenantal obligations. Like a flood their sins, Ezra said, hadengulfed them for their sins were higher than their heads.
9:8-9. Ezra acknowledged the grace of God in allowing the peopleto return to the land. He reminded God and himself that it wasthe Lord's graciousness that allowed the kings of Persia to grantthe Jews freedom to return to the land of promise to rebuild thetemple. But now they were back in bondage--bondage to sin.
9:10-12. Ezra then confessed the men's present sin of intermarriage.Ezra asked, What can we say after this? By this question he wasacknowledging that the nation had no excuse before God (cf. v.6). No explanation was given for the leaders' disobedience. Theyhad broken God's commands to remain pure before Him, and to separatefrom the corruption and detestable practices (cf. vv. 1, 14) inthe land. They had directly disobeyed the clear Word of God. Foreignmarriages contaminated Israel, fostered the foreigners' prosperity,weakened Israel spiritually, and decreased her opportunity toenjoy the land's crops.
9:13-14. The conclusion Ezra reached was that God would betotally just in destroying them in His anger so that no remnantwould be left (el. 'remnant' in vv. 8, 13, 15). They deservedeven greater punishment than God was giving them (cf. v. 6). Ina nutshell, Ezra was describing the position of all mankind beforeGod. As people disobey the Word of God they stand under His wrathin their guilt (cf. 'guilt' in vv. 6-7, 13, 15; cf.John 16:8; James 2:10).
9:15. Ezra's prayer included no specific request; he simplythrew himself on God's mercy. By this he concluded his prayerin the same way he began. He acknowledged that no one in the entirecommunity was worthy to stand before the righteous God. In hisprayer Ezra affirmed several attributes of God: grace (v. 8),kindness (v. 9), anger (v. 14), and righteousness (v. 15). Ezrawas asking God to be merciful on the basis of His loyal love forthe nation.
Scrutiny 9 5 6 Commentary Enduring
3. THE PEOPLE'S CONFESSION OF SIN (CHAP. 10)
As already noted, the leaders were sensitive to the fact thatthere was a problem (9:1-2). Now other concerned Israelites joinedEzra in his grief.
a. The people acknowledged their sin (10:1-4)
10:1-4. Many people acknowledged that something had to be doneabout the situation. Apparently this sin had gone on and had beentolerated for some time. Children were born to some of those whohad intermarried (vv. 3, 44). No doubt some devout Jews were grievedbecause of this sin in the community. Perhaps they were afraidto speak up or had tried and were rebuffed. In any case, now thatsome of the leaders were joining Ezra in bemoaning the sin, theserighteous people joined in the mourning and began to demand thatsomething be done. A large crowd of Israelites gathered with Ezraand wept bitterly. One man, Shecaniah, spoke for all the peoplewho were weeping. He acknowledged the unfaithfulness of the nationbut he felt that there was still hope for Israel. He suggestedthat the people covenant before. . . God to divorce the foreignwomen and send them away along with the children they had borne.This was to be done according to the Law. Shecaniah promised Ezrathat the people would stand behind him in such a decision. Shecaniahwas calling on the nation to do something distasteful and difficult,something that could cause bitter division between family membersand friends. However, he appealed on the basis of the Law of Godwhich was supposed to be the people's rule of life. The Law alsowas a safeguard for this situation, for an Israelite could marrya woman from outside the nation if she had become Jewish in faith.Perhaps that is why each marriage was investigated thoroughly(vv. 16-19)--to see if any women had become Jewish proselytes.Though divorce was not the norm, it may have been preferable inthis situation because the mixed marriages, if continued, wouldlead the nation away from true worship of Yahweh. Eventually theywould destroy the nation. On the other hand some Bible studentsbelieve this plan was not in accord with God's desires (cf. Mal.2:16). Do two 'wrongs' make one 'right'? PerhapsEzra wrongly followed Shecaniah's advice in requiring these divorces.However, no specific support for this view is indicated in Ezra10.
b. The people took an oath (10:5-8)
10:5-8. The people's sincerity in their confession and repentancewas shown by the fact that they took an oath before God. Takingan oath was not a light matter; it bound the oath-taker to dowhat he had promised. If he did not, he would be punished. Ezrawithdrew to fast and mourn by himself. Jehohanan was the sameas Johanan (Neh. 12:23). He was the grandson of Eliashab (Neh.12:10-11), who was the high priest (Neh. 13:28). Hence, son ofEliashab (Ezra 10:6) means 'grandson of Eliashab' ('son'in Heb. often means a grandson or even a later descendant). Aproclamation was sent out to all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem.Anyone who did not come would lose his property and would be expelledfrom the assembly of the exiles. In effect such a person wouldno longer have any legal rights. Ezra had this authority to sendout a proclamation with threat of punishment, because of the edictof the king (cf. 7:26).
c. The people gathered at the temple (10:9-15)
10:9-11. The square to the east of the temple could accommodatethousands of people. The temple area was always the center ofaction in the Book of Ezra. On the appointed day (three days afterthe proclamation, in November-December 457) as the people weregathering, a rainstorm was in progress. This was the rainy season(v. 13). However, because of the oath (v. 5) and because of thethreat of punishment the meeting went on as scheduled. The peoplewere distressed out of fear of God's wrath and over concern abouttheir families being separated. As Ezra addressed the group, hecited their sin of unfaithfulness, pronounced their guilt, andchallenged them to acknowledge their sin and do something aboutit by becoming separate from their foreign wives.
10:12-15. The people responded that they agreed, but that thematter would take some time because of the large number of peopleinvolved and because of the rain. (In fact, it took three months,vv. 16-17.) Someone suggested that each man who had married aforeign woman should make an appointment with the elders and judgesof his hometown so that the matter could be settled locally. Thiswas a good suggestion because the elders and judges of each townwould know the individuals involved. They would know whether thewomen involved were worshipers of the Lord or were still involvedin pagan worship. Four leaders opposed the plan, though it isnot clear why. Perhaps they wanted to take care of the matterright away; or perhaps they did not want to take care of it atall. At least one of them, Meshullam, was guilty (v. 29).
d. The marriages examined (10:16-17)
10:16-17. In just 11 days the examining' began (cf. vv. 9,16). It took three . . months for all the marriages to be examined,from the first day of the 10th month (December-January 457) tothe first day of the 1st month of the next year (March-April 456).Obviously the problem was widespread and could not be settledin a day (v. 13). Each case was judged individually so that justicewould be done. By this action the community was not saying thatdivorce was good. It was a matter of following God's Law aboutthe need for religious purity in the nation (Ex. 34:11-16; Deut.7:1-4). Ezra wrote nothing about what happened to these foreignwomen or their children. Presumably they returned to their pagancountries.
e. The offenders listed (10:18-44)
10:18-44. Ezra concluded his account by listing the offendersin the foreign marriages. Involved in this serious sin were 17priests (vv. 18-22) and 10 Levites including a singer and 3 gatekeepers(vv. 23-24), and 84 others from around the nation (vv. 25-43).As the leaders had said (9:1), some priests and Levites were guilty.The guilty priests each offered a ram. . . as a guilt offeringin accord with Leviticus 5:14-15. The family names in Ezra 10:25-43correspond closely to those in 2:3-20. Some of these had childrenby these marriages (10:44). This was a grievous separation fromGod's covenant. Unfortunately the people would again slip intothe same kind of sin only one generation later (Neh. 13:23-28).
The narrative ends abruptly at this point. The message of thebook is complete. In order for the people to be back in fellowshipwith the Lord it was absolutely necessary for them to have propertemple worship (Ezra 1-6) and to live according to God's Word(chaps. 7-10). (Bible Knowledge Commentary, Walvoord andZuck)
In 2 Corinthians 9:5-6, Paul uses the same word of the Greek language four times. That word is EULOGIA, which usually means a blessing. A blessing means a declaration of God’s goodness.
The first use of the word in verse 5, means simply a gift. That is, Paul says that Corinth’s Christians had promised their ‘blessing’. This gift will declare the goodness of God to the poor people who receive it. They will be very thankful to God because of it (verses 11 to 12).
In the second use, Paul explains that he does not want anyone to give merely as a duty, or from shame. Rather, he wants them freely and gladly to choose to give, with willing hearts. To express this idea, Paul contrasts a blessing with greedy attitudes. If a greedy person ever gives anything, he gives unwillingly. That is, he does not want to give. Perhaps he only gives because someone else with greedy attitudes has forced him to hand over his money. That is not how Christian gifts should be. They should be an act of love and blessing, a declaration of God’s goodness. A Christian gives because of his strong desire to show God’s goodness.
In verse 6, Paul uses the word ‘blessing’ twice in a word-picture about the harvest. A farmer, when he sows seeds, sows plentifully. We could say that he hands over his precious seeds generously. He is like someone who gives a generous gift gladly. Paul says that the farmer sows for ‘blessings’. He sows plentifully because he believes in the goodness of God.
Scrutiny 9 5 6 Commentary David Guzik
The result is that the harvest is also plentiful. It is a great blessing; it shows the goodness of God. The sower and the people who gather the harvest then share together in their great joy*. They are very thankful to God for his great goodness. That is how Christian gifts should be.
Scrutiny 9 5 6 Commentary 17
Next part: Sow your seed plentifully for a good harvest (9:6)
Aol 9.5
* See complete article for these Bible references.
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