i. It also led them to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God. 4. These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features. . And the word rendered breadth, may be rendered the extension or the length of it; it being improbable that the king should give orders about the breadth, and none about the length of it. And you, Ezra, according to your God-given wisdom, set magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are in the region beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach those who do not know them. There is some debate as to if this punishment involved flogging a man at his own house, hanging him to death at his house, or impaling him at his house as an early form of crucifixion. The Enduring Word Bible Commentary is the result of decades of studying God's Word. Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah: This response to the refusal of partnership revealed their evil intent. “Kenyon has identified as the only visible remains of Zerubbabel’s building a straight joint of stones with heavy bosses about 108 feet north of the southeast corner of the temple platform, which Dunand confirmed as similar to Persian masonry found in Phoenicia” (Yamauchi). 6 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. To alter the terms of a royal decree would in any country be a heinous offence. Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it diligently be done: In all this, we see that Artaxerxes went to great lengths to promote the operations of the temple in Jerusalem. Compared to the dedication of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:62-66), this was a meager dedication celebration. iii. According to 1 Esdras, a Greek translation of the Book of Ezra … Ezra 3:8-13. If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here: We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Ezra 5 – The Construction Is Resumed A. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. As God had moved the heart of Darius (Ezra 6:1-12), we see that God also moved the heart of Artaxerxes. ii. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. Click to enable/disable _gid - Google Analytics Cookie. Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or custom on any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God. c. Teach those who do not know: Artaxerxes gave Ezra authority to teach this generation of returned exiles. Like other monarchs of the Persian Empire, he wanted to placate the gods of the people and the territory that they had conquered. Whereas you are being sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem: This tells us that not only did Ezra go to Jerusalem, he was actually sent by Artaxerxes to gather information for the king and his seven counselors. “Later passages show that Ezra was primarily a priest and scholar rather than an administrator. i. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, and Shethar-Boznai, and your companions the Persians who are beyond the River, keep yourselves far from there. 3. b. a. Verse 11. 8. appointed the Levites . b. Then the children of Israel who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land in order to seek the LORD God of Israel. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. The Living Bible translates Ezra 7:10 as so: Ezra had determined to study and obey the laws of the Lord and to become a Bible teacher, teaching those laws to the people of Israel. Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God on its site. These degraded people are not simply benighted in theological error; they are corrupted by horrible vices. Build the house of God on its site: Darius recognized what the elders of the Jews recognized, that it was essential to build the temple upon its old foundations. But the [Most Holy Place] was left empty as the ark of the covenant had been lost through the Babylonian conquest… [The Holy Place] was furnished with a table for showbread, the incense altar, and one menorah instead of Solomon’s ten” (Yamauchi). The … We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website. Whatever seems good to you: Ezra was commanded to be careful, but also given latitude to make his own decisions about how to best spend the money he came with. David Guzik, a pastor, Bible teacher, and author, has spent the last 20 years researching each passage in the Bible in order to create what he considers to be his life's work. 1. The fact that sacrifice was made for the twelve tribes shows that regathered Israel had the real sense that they were the collective product of all twelve tribes, and there were not ten or any other number of “lost” tribes. It seems that there was no absolute custom for this; sometimes the people sacrificed the Passover lambs under the supervision of the priests and sometimes the priests did it for the people. It was a remarkable example of God’s providence that so many of these gold and silver articles of the house of God still existed intact and that King Cyrus commanded them to be returned. (Proverbs 21:1). i. Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. God’s blessing on the work did not make the work easy to do. He was a well-trained expert in the Word of God. Click to enable/disable essential site cookies. 5 Then arose Ezra, and made the chief priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they should do according to this word. (17-22) Providing for the temple and sacrificial expenses. Let the work of this house of God alone: Based on the search and recovery of the relevant document from King Cyrus, Darius made the appropriate command to Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River. Enduring Word Info The convert found an open door, as Rahab and Ruth had done.” (Kidner), ii. This in itself was an evidence of God’s hand in the matter; otherwise, they might have easily given up the search. This might seem absolutely unique, but there is good evidence that Persian monarchs had similar concern for the conquered temples in other regions of their empire. Ezra 6:3 "In the first year of Cyrus the king [the same] Cyrus the king made a decree [concerning] the … Check to enable permanent hiding of message bar and refuse all cookies if you do not opt in. King Artaxerxes issued a decree to stop rebuilding the temple (Ezra 4:21- 24). Persian officials wrote on scrolls of papyrus and leather, as discoveries made in Egypt show.” (Yamauchi), iv. (7-10) Ezra’s arrival to Jerusalem and his mission. However, given the relative wealth of Israel in the days of the first temple as compared to the second temple, the smaller gift recorded in Ezra may have been more beautiful to God. Then the people of the land tried to discourage the people of Judah. (19-22) The first Passover celebrated in the second temple. 1. 6:3-4 Because they had placed their own interests first, God sent them famine as a judgment (Haggai 1:5-6, 10-11). This in itself was an evidence of God’s hand in the matter; otherwise, they might have easily given up the search. I issue a decree that all those of the people of Israel and the priests and Levites in my realm, who volunteer to go up to Jerusalem, may go with you. “It is easy to realize how easily this might not have been found. Also let the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple which is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and taken back to the temple which is in Jerusalem, each to its place; and deposit them in the house of God”; a. Otherwise you will be prompted again when opening a new browser window or new a tab. Be careful to buy with this money: Ezra carried with him government money that was meant to advance the interests of Artaxerxes. They troubled them in building, and hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. Ezra 7. ii. 1. They assigned the priests to their divisions and the Levites to their divisions, over the service of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses. (1-2) God helps by sending prophets to move the work again. 3. Then Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, Shethar-Boznai, and their companions diligently did according to what King Darius had sent. c. They assigned the priests to their divisions… as it is written in the Book of Moses: They took care to resume the proper priestly service as commanded by the Book of Moses and previous pattern of David. You can also change some of your preferences. 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. 2. (24-26) Ezra is given legal power to enforce God’s Law. Even with the open doors, the work was still difficult and needed prophetic encouragement. “So ends the first stage, a generation long, of Israel’s rehabilitation. Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refuseing them will have impact how our site functions. The man who would have hindered and stayed the progress of the building, was compelled not only to hinder, but to help with great gifts.” (Morgan), iii. According to the good hand of his God upon him, Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the. For why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? If they could not attack the work through a subversive partnership, they would then attack the work through discouraging the workers, troubling th… The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them: You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page. Solomon sacrificed some 142,000 animals at his dedication of the temple; here at the dedication of the second temple they only sacrificed a total of 712 animals. ezra 6:19-22. and of the passover. i. b. after its profanation by Antiochus Epiphanes (cf. 2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them. There was still atonement and still the covenant with the whole people – for this was the implication of the twelve sacrifices.” (Kidner). Then King Darius issued a decree, and a search was made: This was the response to the respectful request made by Tattenai described in the last part of Ezra 5. b. And they sware. i. The descendants of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month, They slaughtered the Passover lambs for all the descendants of the captivity, With all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land, The children of Israel who had returned from the captivity ate together with all who had separated themselves from the filth of the nations of the land in order to seek the, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, © Copyright - Enduring Word | . Moreover I issue a decree as to what you shall do for the elders of these Jews, for the building of this house of God: Let the cost be paid at the king’s expense from taxes on the region beyond the River; this is to be given immediately to these men, so that they are not hindered. Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, Let the cost be paid at the king’s expense, let it be given to them day by day without fail, And pray for the life of the king and his sons, Let him be hanged on it… let his house be made a refuse heap… destroy any king or people who put their hand to alter it, Diligently did according to what King Darius had sent, They prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the Prophet and Zechariah, The temple was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, which was in the sixth year, t took four years from the resumption of construction. After finding it, Darius issued another decree for the builders of the temple to be left alone (vs. 6-10). i. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain. Click on the different category headings to find out more. 9. Not only did he base his decision on the precedent of King Cyrus, but he also wanted the prayers of the Jewish people for the king and his sons. Blessed be the LORD God of our fathers: Ezra knew that such generous and broad support and authority could only be granted by God who put such a thing as this in the king’s heart. Ezra 6:14 - And the elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. Yet, all was not the same as in the previous service in the days of Solomon’s temple. “If certain matters can only be settled by reference to great men, kings or men of affairs, make the application;’ and then betake yourself to prayer, believing that as He inclined the heart of Darius, in the instance before us, so He can do as He will among the armies of heaven, and the inhabitants of earth.” (Meyer), iv. And they sware. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. Ezra 6:3 - In the first year of King Cyrus, Cyrus the king issued a decree: ‘Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the temple, the place where sacrifices are offered, be rebuilt and let its foundations be retained, its height being 60 cubits and its width 60 cubits; on StudyLight.org (3-5) The text of the record found: Cyrus’ decree. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. 6:12 Destroy - Tho' this temple was at length most justly destroyed by the righteous hand of God, yet perhaps the Romans, who were the instruments of that destruction, felt the effects of this curse. b. There, the prophets had to encourage the people of God to resume the work after a significant period of inactivity. f. Let it be done diligently: At the end of it all, the king of the mightiest empire on the earth commanded that the temple be finished by the returned exiles and funded by the empire. God helps His people. His name, as the third royal patron of Israel’s rehabilitation, is added here to complete the picture, whether by the author or by an early scribe.” (Kidner). Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. “The mention of Artaxerxes, who belongs to the next century, takes us forward to the restoration of the city walls by Nehemiah, which this king authorized. (16-18) The dedication ceremony of the second temple. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the LORD made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. (Proverbs 21:1). i. Enduring Word Bible Commentary Ezra Chapter 6 Ezra 6 – The Second Temple Is Completed A. Darius responds to the request of the governor Tattenai. “The general plan of the second temple resembled the first. i. It was such a big job that even with all doing the work diligently it was not quickly completed. Click to enable/disable Google reCaptcha. Ezra 8. i. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. iii. Ezra 1 – Cyrus Allows the Exiles to Return A. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. You can check these in your browser security settings. Jewish tradition states that Ezra is the author of Ezra-Nehemiah as well as the Book of Chronicles, but modern scholars generally accept that a compiler from the 5th century BCE is the final author of these … “We may suspect a spirit of Jewish animosity in the ugly phrase ‘the filthiness of the heathen.’ But it was only too true that both the Canaanite and the Babylonian habits of life were disgustingly immoral. 3. 7 And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. ).” (Kidner). Yet the assurance that God had called him and had opened the doors gave Ezra the courage and strength to undertake this great task.” (Yamauchi). a. Click to enable/disable _gat_* - Google Analytics Cookie. d. You are to carry the silver and gold: Artaxerxes also authorized the giving of many silver and gold gifts to the temple, along with the freewill offering of the people and the priests. “Work on the temple made little progress because of opposition and the preoccupation of returnees with their own homes (Haggai 1:2-3). These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. In the first year of King Cyrus, King Cyrus issued a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem: “Let the house be rebuilt, the place where they offered sacrifices; and let the foundations of it be firmly laid, its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits, with three rows of heavy stones and one row of new timber. This money was to be spent on sacrificial animals and the promotion of temple worship at the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. iv. a. Then Darius the king made a decree, and a search was made in the house of the scrolls where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. So I was encouraged, as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me; and I gathered leading men of Israel to go up with me. b. 21. all such as had separated themselves . “The political motives for this forthrightness may have been many, including a desire to show respect for the policies of Cyrus and to promote stability in a part of the empire which was important for communications with Egypt, at a time when widespread unrest had only recently been quelled.” (Kidner). Truly, The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes. “According to Herodotus (3.159) Darius I impaled three thousand Babylonians when he took Babylon, an act that Darius himself recorded in the Beshitun Inscription.” (Yamauchi). (11-16) The king commissions helpers, a copy of the Law, and gifts for the temple to go with Ezra upon his return to Jerusalem. And the descendants of the captivity kept the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. Darius was the type of man to see such brutal executions through to completion. “Darius had ordered a similar exemption for cult-servants of Apollo.” (Kidner). i. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer. For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves; all of them were ritually clean. And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, issue a decree to all the treasurers who are in the region beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, may require of you, let it be done diligently, up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred kors of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribed limit. Also the articles that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver in full before the God of Jerusalem. The initial ministry of these prophets is mentioned in Ezra 5:1-2. Show All. “The vessels may have been some which had been overlooked when the captured vessels were restored by Cyrus (1:7ff), but it is just as likely that they were a goodwill gift, newly presented.” (Kidner). King Darius issued a decree for a search to be made for King Cyrus’ decree (v. 1). Ezra means 'help', or 'helper'. i. c. Whatever more may be needed for the house of your God… pay for it from the king’s treasury: Artaxerxes was very generous to Ezra and the work in Jerusalem, allowing him to draw on the king’s treasury for whatever he needed. And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel and the decree of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.