5 And hired H7936 counsellors H3289 against them, to frustrate H6565 their purpose, H6098 all the days H3117 of Cyrus H3566 king H4428 of Persia, H6539 even until the reign H4438 of Darius H1867 king H4428 of Persia. H6539
Then H116 ceased H989 the work H5673 of the house H1005 of God H426 which is at Jerusalem. H3390 So it ceased H1934 H989 unto H5705 the second H8648 year H8140 of the reign H4437 of Darius H1868 king H4430 of Persia. H6540
And G1161 after G3326 five G4002 days G2250 Ananias G367 the high priest G749 descended G2597 with G3326 the elders, G4245 and G2532 with a certain G5100 orator G4489 named Tertullus, G5061 who G3748 informed G1718 the governor G2232 against G2596 Paul. G3972 And G1161 when he G846 was called forth, G2564 Tertullus G5061 began G756 to accuse G2723 him, saying, G3004 Seeing that by G1223 thee G4675 we enjoy G5177 great G4183 quietness, G1515 and G2532 that very worthy deeds G2735 are done G1096 unto this G5129 nation G1484 by G1223 thy G4674 providence, G4307 G5037 We accept G588 it always, G3839 and G2532 in all places, G3837 most noble G2903 Felix, G5344 with G3326 all G3956 thankfulness. G2169 Notwithstanding, G1161 that G3363 I be G4119 not G3363 G1909 further G4119 tedious G1465 unto thee, G4571 I pray G3870 thee G4571 that thou wouldest hear G191 us G2257 of thy G4674 clemency G1932 a few words. G4935 For G1063 we have found G2147 this G5126 man G435 a pestilent G3061 fellow, and G2532 a mover G2795 of sedition G4714 among all G3956 the Jews G2453 throughout G2596 the world, G3625 and G5037 a ringleader G4414 of the sect G139 of the Nazarenes: G3480 Who G3739 also G2532 hath gone about G3985 to profane G953 the temple: G2411 G2532 whom G3739 we took, G2902 and G2532 would G2309 have judged G2919 according G2596 to our G2251 law. G3551 But G1161 the chief captain G5506 Lysias G3079 came G3928 upon us, and with G3326 great G4183 violence G970 took him away G520 out of G1537 our G2257 hands, G5495 Commanding G2753 his G846 accusers G2725 to come G2064 unto G1909 thee: G4571 by examining G350 of G3844 whom G3739 thyself G846 mayest G1410 take knowledge G1921 of G4012 all G3956 these things, G5130 whereof G3739 we G2249 accuse G2723 him. G846 And G1161 the Jews G2453 also G2532 assented, G4934 saying G5335 that these things G5023 were G2192 so. G3779 Then G1161 Paul, G3972 after that the governor G2232 had beckoned G3506 unto him G846 to speak, G3004 answered, G611 Forasmuch as I know G1987 that thou G4571 hast been G5607 of G1537 many G4183 years G2094 a judge G2923 unto this G5129 nation, G1484 I do G626 the more cheerfully G2115 answer G626 for G4012 myself: G1683 Because that thou G4675 mayest G1410 understand, G1097 that G3754 there are G1526 yet but G2228 G3756 twelve G1177 days G2250 G4119 since G575 G3739 I G3427 went up G305 to G1722 Jerusalem G2419 for to worship. G4352 And G2532 they neither G3777 found G2147 me G3165 in G1722 the temple G2411 disputing G1256 with G4314 any man, G5100 neither G2228 raising up G1999 G4160 the people, G3793 neither G3777 in G1722 the synagogues, G4864 nor G3777 in G2596 the city: G4172 Neither G3777 can G1410 they prove G3936 G3165 the things G4012 whereof G3739 they G2723 now G3568 accuse G2723 me. G3450 But G1161 this G5124 I confess G3670 unto thee, G4671 that G3754 after G2596 the way G3598 which G3739 they call G3004 heresy, G139 so G3779 worship I G3000 the God G2316 of my fathers, G3971 believing G4100 all things G3956 which G3588 are written G1125 in G2596 the law G3551 and G2532 in G1722 the prophets: G4396 And have G2192 hope G1680 toward G1519 God, G2316 which G3739 they G3778 themselves G846 also G2532 allow, G4327 that there shall be G3195 G1510 a resurrection G386 of the dead, G3498 both G5037 of the just G1342 and G2532 unjust. G94 And G1161 herein G1722 G5129 do I exercise G778 myself, G846 to have G2192 always G1275 a conscience G4893 void of offence G677 toward G4314 God, G2316 and G2532 toward men. G444 Now G1161 after G1223 many G4119 years G2094 I came G3854 to bring G4160 alms G1654 to G1519 my G3450 nation, G1484 and G2532 offerings. G4376 G1161 Whereupon G1722 G3739 certain G5100 Jews G2453 from G575 Asia G773 found G2147 me G3165 purified G48 in G1722 the temple, G2411 neither G3756 with G3326 multitude, G3793 nor G3761 with G3326 tumult. G2351 Who G3739 ought G1163 G1163 to have been here G3918 before G1909 thee, G4675 and G2532 object, G2723 if G1536 they had G2192 ought G1536 against G4314 me. G3165 Or else G2228 let G2036 these G846 same G3778 here say, G2036 if G1536 they have found G2147 any G1536 evil doing G92 in G1722 me, G1698 while I G3450 stood G2476 before G1909 the council, G4892 Except G2228 it be for G4012 this G5026 one G3391 voice, G5456 that G3739 I cried G2896 standing G2476 among G1722 them, G846 Touching G3754 G4012 the resurrection G386 of the dead G3498 I G1473 am called in question G2919 by G5259 you G5216 this day. G4594 And G1161 when Felix G5344 heard G191 these things, G5023 having more perfect G197 knowledge G1492 of G4012 that way, G3598 he deferred G306 them, G846 and said, G2036 When G3752 Lysias G3079 the chief captain G5506 shall come down, G2597 I will know the uttermost G1231 of your G5209 matter. G2596 And G5037 he commanded G1299 a centurion G1543 to keep G5083 Paul, G3972 and G5037 to let him have G2192 liberty, G425 and G2532 that he should forbid G2967 none G3367 of his G846 acquaintance G2398 to minister G5256 or G2228 come G4334 unto him. G846 And G1161 after G3326 certain G5100 days, G2250 when Felix G5344 came G3854 with G4862 his G846 wife G1135 Drusilla, G1409 which was G5607 a Jewess, G2453 he sent for G3343 Paul, G3972 and G2532 heard G191 him G846 concerning G4012 the faith G4102 in G1519 Christ. G5547 And G1161 as he G846 reasoned G1256 of G4012 righteousness, G1343 temperance, G2532 G1466 and G2532 judgment G2917 to come, G3195 G1510 Felix G5344 trembled, G1096 G1719 and answered, G611 Go thy way G4198 for this time; G3568 when G1161 I have G2192 G3335 a convenient season, G2540 I will call for G3333 thee. G4571 He hoped G1679 also G260 G1161 G2532 that G3754 money G5536 should have been given G1325 him G846 of G5259 Paul, G3972 that G3704 he might loose G3089 him: G846 wherefore G1352 he sent for G3343 him G846 the oftener, G4437 and G2532 communed with G3656 him. G846 But G1161 after G4137 two years G1333 Porcius G4201 Festus G5347 came G2983 into Felix' G5344 room: G1240 and G5037 Felix, G5344 willing G2309 to shew G2698 the Jews G2453 a pleasure, G5485 left G2641 Paul G3972 bound. G1210
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezra 4
Commentary on Ezra 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
Ezr 4:1-6. The Building Hindered.
1. the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin—that is, strangers settled in the land of Israel.
2. we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon … which brought us up hither—A very interesting explanation of this passage has been recently obtained from the Assyrian sculptures. On a large cylinder, deposited in the British Museum, there is inscribed a long and perfect copy of the annals of Esar-haddon, in which the details are given of a large deportation of Israelites from Palestine, and a consequent settlement of Babylonian colonists in their place. It is a striking confirmation of the statement made in this passage. Those Assyrian settlers intermarried with the remnant of Israelite women, and their descendants, a mongrel race, went under the name of Samaritans. Though originally idolaters, they were instructed in the knowledge of God, so that they could say, "We seek your God"; but they served Him in a superstitious way of their own (see on 2Ki 17:26-34, 41).
3. But Zerubbabel and Jeshua … said … Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God—This refusal to co-operate with the Samaritans, from whatever motives it sprang, was overruled by Providence for ultimate good; for, had the two peoples worked together, familiar acquaintanceship and intermarriage would have ensued, and the result might have been a relapse of the Jews into idolatry. Most certainly, confusion and obscurity in the genealogical evidence that proved the descent of the Messiah would have followed; whereas, in their hostile and separate condition, they were jealous observers of each other's proceedings, watching with mutual care over the preservation and integrity of the sacred books, guarding the purity and honor of the Mosaic worship, and thus contributing to the maintenance of religious knowledge and truth.
4, 5. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, &c.—Exasperated by this repulse, the Samaritans endeavored by every means to molest the workmen as well as obstruct the progress of the building; and, though they could not alter the decree which Cyrus had issued regarding it, yet by bribes and clandestine arts indefatigably plied at court, they labored to frustrate the effects of the edict. Their success in those underhand dealings was great; for Cyrus, being frequently absent and much absorbed in his warlike expeditions, left the government in the hands of his son Cambyses, a wicked prince, and extremely hostile to the Jews and their religion. The same arts were assiduously practised during the reign of his successor, Smerdis, down to the time of Darius Hystaspes. In consequence of the difficulties and obstacles thus interposed, for a period of twenty years, the progress of the work was very slow.
6. in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they … an accusation—Ahasuerus was a regal title, and the king referred to was successor of Darius, the famous Xerxes.
Ezr 4:7-24. Letter to Artaxerxes.
7. in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, &c.—The three officers named are supposed to have been deputy governors appointed by the king of Persia over all the provinces subject to his empire west of the Euphrates.
the Syrian tongue—or Aramæan language, called sometimes in our version, Chaldee. This was made use of by the Persians in their decrees and communications relative to the Jews (compare 2Ki 18:26; Isa 36:11). The object of their letter was to press upon the royal notice the inexpediency and danger of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. They labored hard to prejudice the king's mind against that measure.
9. the Dinaites—The people named were the colonists sent by the Babylonian monarch to occupy the territory of the ten tribes. "The great and noble Asnappar" was Esar-haddon. Immediately after the murder of Sennacherib, the Babylonians, Medes, Armenians, and other tributary people seized the opportunity of throwing off the Assyrian yoke. But Esar-haddon having, in the thirtieth year of his reign, recovered Babylon and subdued the other rebellious dependents, transported numbers of them into the waste cities of Samaria, most probably as a punishment of their revolt [Hales].
12. the Jews which came up from thee to us—The name "Jews" was generally used after the return from the captivity, because the returning exiles belonged chiefly to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Although the edict of Cyrus permitted all who chose to return, a permission of which some of the Israelites availed themselves, the great body who went to settle in Judea were the men of Judah.
13. toll, tribute, and custom—The first was a poll tax; the second was a property tax; the third the excise dues on articles of trade and merchandise. Their letter, and the edict that followed, commanding an immediate cessation of the work at the city walls, form the exclusive subject of narrative at Ezr 4:7-23. And now from this digression [the historian] returns at Ezr 4:24 to resume the thread of his narrative concerning the building of the temple.
14. we have maintenance from the king's palace—literally, "we are salted with the salt of the palace." "Eating a prince's salt" is an Oriental phrase, equivalent to "receiving maintenance from him."
24. Then ceased the work of the house of God—It was this occurrence that first gave rise to the strong religious antipathy between the Jews and the Samaritans, which was afterwards greatly aggravated by the erection of a rival temple on Mount Gerizim.