8 Now in the second H8145 year H8141 of their coming H935 unto the house H1004 of God H430 at Jerusalem, H3389 in the second H8145 month, H2320 began H2490 Zerubbabel H2216 the son H1121 of Shealtiel, H7597 and Jeshua H3442 the son H1121 of Jozadak, H3136 and the remnant H7605 of their brethren H251 the priests H3548 and the Levites, H3881 and all they that were come out H935 of the captivity H7628 unto Jerusalem; H3389 and appointed H5975 the Levites, H3881 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and upward, H4605 to set forward H5329 the work H4399 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
These were the sons H1121 of Levi H3878 after the house H1004 of their fathers; H1 even the chief H7218 of the fathers, H1 as they were counted H6485 by number H4557 of names H8034 by their polls, H1538 that did H6213 the work H4399 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 from the age H1121 of twenty H6242 years H8141 and upward. H4605 For David H1732 said, H559 The LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 hath given rest H5117 unto his people, H5971 that they may dwell H7931 in Jerusalem H3389 for ever: H5769 And also unto the Levites; H3881 they shall no more carry H5375 the tabernacle, H4908 nor any vessels H3627 of it for the service H5656 thereof. For by the last H314 words H1697 of David H1732 the Levites H3881 were numbered H4557 from twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 and above: H4605 Because their office H4612 was to wait H3027 on the sons H1121 of Aaron H175 for the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 in the courts, H2691 and in the chambers, H3957 and in the purifying H2893 of all holy things, H6944 and the work H4639 of the service H5656 of the house H1004 of God; H430 Both for the shewbread, H3899 H4635 and for the fine flour H5560 for meat offering, H4503 and for the unleavened H4682 cakes, H7550 and for that which is baked in the pan, H4227 and for that which is fried, H7246 and for all manner of measure H4884 and size; H4060 And to stand H5975 every morning H1242 to thank H3034 and praise H1984 the LORD, H3068 and likewise at even; H6153 And to offer H5927 all burnt sacrifices H5930 unto the LORD H3068 in the sabbaths, H7676 in the new moons, H2320 and on the set feasts, H4150 by number, H4557 according to the order H4941 commanded unto them, continually H8548 before H6440 the LORD: H3068 And that they should keep H8104 the charge H4931 of the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 and the charge H4931 of the holy H6944 place, and the charge H4931 of the sons H1121 of Aaron H175 their brethren, H251 in the service H5656 of the house H1004 of the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezra 3
Commentary on Ezra 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
Ezr 3:1-13. The Altar Set Up.
1. when the seventh month was come—The departure of the returning exiles from Babylon took place in the spring. For some time after their arrival they were occupied in the necessary work of rearing habitations to themselves amid the ruins of Jerusalem and its neighborhood. This preliminary work being completed, they addressed themselves to rebuild the altar of burnt offering. As the seventh month of the sacred year was at hand—corresponding to the latter end of our September—when the feast of tabernacles (Le 23:34) fell to be observed, they resolved to celebrate that religious festival, just as if the temple had been fully restored.
2. Jeshua—the grandson of Seraiah, the high priest, put to death by Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah (2Ki 25:18-21). His father, Josedech, had been carried captive to Babylon, and died there, some time before this.
Zerubbabel—was, according to the order of nature, son of Pedaiah (1Ch 3:17-19); but having been brought up by Salathiel, he was called his son.
builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon—This was of urgent and immediate necessity, in order, first, to make atonement for their sins; secondly, to obtain the divine blessing on their preparations for the temple, as well as animate their feelings of piety and patriotism for the prosecution of that national work.
3. they set the altar upon his bases—They reared it upon its old foundation, so that it occupied as nearly as possible the site on which it had formerly stood.
they offered burnt offerings … morning and evening—Deeming it their duty to perform the public rites of religion, they did not wait till the temple should be rebuilt and dedicated; but, at the outset, they resumed the daily service prescribed by the law (Ex 29:38, 39; Le 6:9, 11), as well as observed the annual seasons of solemn observance.
Ezr 3:4-7. Offerings Renewed.
4, 6. They kept also the feast of tabernacles … From the first day of the seventh month—They revived at that time the daily oblation, and it was on the fifteenth day of that month the feast of tabernacles was held.
7. They gave … meat … drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon—They opened negotiations with the Tyrians for workmen, as well as for timber, on the same terms and with the same views as Solomon had done (1Ki 5:11; 2Ch 2:15, 16).
Ezr 3:8-13. The Foundation of the Temple Laid.
8. appointed the Levites … to set forward the work—that is, to act as overseers of the workmen, and to direct and animate the laborers in the various departments.
9. Jeshua with his sons—not the high priest, but a Levite (Ezr 2:40). To these, as probably distinguished for their mechanical skill and taste, the duty of acting as overseers was particularly committed.
12. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers … wept with a loud voice—Those painful emotions were excited by the sad contrast between the prosperous circumstances in which the foundations of the first temple had been laid and the desolate, reduced state of the country and city when the second was begun; between the inferior size and less costliness of the stones used in the foundations of the second (1Ki 7:9, 10), and the much smaller extent of the foundation itself, including all the appurtenances of the building (Hag 2:3); between the comparative smallness of their present means and the immense resources of David and Solomon. Perhaps, however, the chief cause of grief was that the second temple would be destitute of those things which formed the great and distinguishing glory of the first; namely, the ark, the shekinah, the Urim and Thummim, &c. Not that this second temple was not a very grand and beautiful structure. But no matter how great its material splendor was, it was inferior in this respect to that of Solomon. Yet the glory of the second far outshone that of the first temple in another and more important point of view, namely, the receiving within its walls the incarnate Saviour (Hag 2:9).
13. the people could not discern the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people—Among Eastern people, expressions of sorrow are always very loud and vehement. It is indicated by wailing, the howl of which is sometimes not easily distinguishable from joyful acclamations.