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Ezra Chapter
Five
New King James Version (NKJV)
Ezra
5:1 Then the
prophet Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo
prophets
prophesied to the Jews
who were in Judah and Jerusalem
in the name of the God of Israel
who
was over them.
YLT And prophesied have the prophets
(Haggai the prophet
and
Zechariah son of Iddo) unto the Jews who [are] in Judah and in Jerusalem
in
the name of the God of Israel -- unto them.
"Now the prophets" (Ezra 5:1). The
record here does not mention what the prophets prophesied; but it is clear that
they demanded that the Jews resume work on their temple. (See Vol. 3 of our
Commentaries on the Minor Prophets (Haggai)
pp. 187-197
for a discussion of
just how urgent the message of the prophets was.) At any rate
Israel heeded
it
and began to build the temple. (Coffman)
"Haggai ... and Zechariah" (Ezra 5:1).
"The work on the temple was renewed only three weeks after Haggai began
preaching
which was Sept. 20
520 B.C."[1]
"Zerubbabel is highly honored in Haggai and in Zechariah
4; Jeshua is honored in Zechariah 3 and Zechariah 6."[2] (Coffman)
Ezra
5:2 So Zerubbabel
the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak[a] rose up
and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the
prophets of God were with them
helping them.
YLT Then have Zerubbabel son
of Shealtiel
and Jeshua son of Jozadak
risen
and begun to build the house of
God
that [is] in Jerusalem
and with them are the prophets of God supporting
them.
Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel
and Jeshua the son
of Jozadak
Whose spirits were stirred up and quickened by the ministry of the prophets
the Lord accompanying it by his Spirit
( Haggai
1:12 Haggai 1:14 )
and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem;
to go on with the building of it; for they had laid the foundation before
and
perhaps had carried it up to some little height
at least
before they ceased
from it
( Ezra 3:10 )
and with them were the prophets of God helping them;
with words of counsel
comfort
and exhortation
directing and encouraging
them
and promising them protection and success: these are the prophets before
named.
Ezra
5:3 At the same
time Tattenai the governor of the region beyond the River[b] and
Shethar-Boznai and their companions came to them and spoke thus to them: “Who
has commanded you to build this temple and finish this wall?”
YLT At that time come to
them hath Tatnai
governor beyond the river
and Shethar-Boznai
and their
companions
and thus they are saying to them
`Who hath made for you a decree
this house to build
and this wall to finish?'
At the same time came to them Tatnai
governor on this side the
river
and Shetharboznai
and their companions
These were new governors and officers under the king of Persia in those parts
the old ones
Rehum
Shimshai being either dead
or removed upon this new king
coming to the throne: these came to the Jews
and said thus unto them
who hath commanded you to build this
house
and to make up this wall?
for it seems by this time they had raised up the walls of the temple from its
foundation to some height; for of these it must be understood
see ( Ezra
4:8 Ezra 4:9 ) for it can hardly be thought they
were as yet enclosing it with a wall round about it; now they asked them by
what authority they did this? who set them to work? and what were their names?
for that this question was asked
though not here expressed
is clear from ( Ezra
4:10 ) and to which an answer is given in the next verse.
Ezra
5:4 Then
accordingly
we told them the names of the men who were constructing this
building.
YLT Then thus we have said
to them
`What [are] the names of the men who are building this building?'
Then said we unto them after this manner
In answer to their questions; namely
Ezra and other Jews replied; for though
Ezra is said after this to come from Babylon in the seventh year of Artaxerxes
he might go thither on some business
and then return again at that time; some
indeed think these are the words of Tatnai and those with him; so Ben Melech
which seems to be favoured by ( Ezra
4:10 )
and by reading the words with an interrogation
as we do;
Aben Ezra says they are either the words of the builders
or of the scribes
the secretaries that came to question them; but they are the words of the
former
as order requires
or otherwise no answer would be returned
at least
as expressed; and the next clause may be read without an interrogation
and the
sense be
that they told them not only that they acted according to an edict of
Cyrus king of Persia
for this was said
as appears from ( Ezra
5:13 )
but they declared
what were the names of the men that did make this building;
or employed them in it
namely
Zerubbabel
Jeshua
and the chief men of the Jews;
they made no scruple of telling them who they were; neither ashamed of their
masters nor of their work
nor afraid of any ill consequences following
hereafter.
Ezra
5:5 But the eye of
their God was upon the elders of the Jews
so that they could not make them
cease till a report could go to Darius. Then a written answer was returned
concerning this matter.
YLT And the eye of their God
hath been upon the elders of the Jews
and they have not caused them to cease
till the matter goeth to Darius
and then they send back a letter concerning
this thing.
But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews
He in his providence looked favourably at them
smiled upon them
encouraged
them in the work by his good Spirit
and by the prophets
and gave them
success
and protected and defended them
see ( 2 Chronicles 16:9 ) ( Zechariah 3:9 ) ( 4:10 )
that they could not cause them to cease
till the matter came to
Darius;
they were not intimidated by what the governor and those with him said to them
but went on in their work; nor did the governor attempt to interrupt them
they
having referred him and their cause to Darius for the truth of what they had
said
and for further information from him:
and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter;
that is
Tatnai and those with him sent a letter to Darius about this affair
to which they had an answer
which are both related in this and the following
chapters.
Ezra
5:6 This is a copy
of the letter that Tattenai sent:
The governor of
the region beyond the River
and Shethar-Boznai
and his companions
the
Persians who were in the region beyond the River
to Darius the king.
YLT The copy of a letter that Tatnai
governor beyond the river
hath
sent
and Shethar-Boznai and his companions
the Apharsachites who [are] beyond
the river
unto Darius the king.
The copy of the letter that Tatnai
governor on this side the
river
and Shetharboznai
and his companions the Apharsachites
which were on
this side the river
Which is thought by some to be one of the nations mentioned
( Ezra
4:9 ) the name being pretty near alike to two of them; but perhaps
might be a distinct colony in those parts Tatnai was governor of:
these sent unto Darius the king;
and is as follows.
Ezra
5:7 (They sent a
letter to him
in which was written thus) To Darius the king: All peace.
YLT A letter they have sent unto him
and thus is it written in it:
They sent a letter unto him
wherein was written thus
Or this was the inscription of it:
unto Darius the king
all peace;
wishing him all kind of happiness and prosperity.
Ezra
5:8 Let it be known
to the king that we went into the province of Judea
to the temple of the great
God
which is being built with heavy stones
and timber is being laid in the
walls; and this work goes on diligently and prospers in their hands.
YLT `To Darius the king
all peace! be it known to the king that we
have gone to the province of Judah
to the great house of God
and it is built
[with] rolled stones
and wood is placed in the walls
and this work is done
speedily
and prospering in their hand.
Be it known unto the king
This seems to have been the usual form of beginning a letter to a king in those
days
( Ezra 4:12 ) that we went into the province of
Judea; which from a kingdom was reduced to a province
and was become a part of
the Babylonian
now Persian
monarchy
see ( Ezra
2:1 ) to the house of the great God; as the Jews called the Lord
their God; and even the Heathens had a notion that there was one supreme God
though they worshipped inferior ones; and some had a notion that Jehovah the
God of the Jews was he:
which is builded with great stones;
marble stones; as Jarchi F17
stones of rolling
as it may be rendered; which
according to Aben Ezra
were
so large and heavy
that they could not be carried
but were obliged to roll
them:
and timber is laid in the walls
cedar wood
as Aben Ezra interprets it
for beams
for flooring and raftering;
or rather
is put upon the walls
for the lining and wainscoting of them
which
was done with cedar wood:
and this work goeth fast on
and prospereth in their hands;
and
unless timely prevented
will soon be finished.
FOOTNOTES:
F17 So David de Pomis
Tzemach David
fol. 15. 3.
Ezra
5:9 Then we asked
those elders
and spoke thus to them: “Who commanded you to build this
temple and to finish these walls?”
YLT Then we have asked of these elders
thus we have said to them
Who
hath made for you a decree this house to build
and this wall to finish?
Then asked we those elders
The elders of the province of Judea; the chief men of it:
who commanded you to build this house
and to make up these walls?
see ( Ezra 5:3 ) .
Ezra
5:10 We also asked
them their names to inform you
that we might write the names of the men who were
chief among them.
YLT And also their names we have asked of them
to let thee know
that
we might write the names of the men who [are] at their head.
We asked their names also
The names of the elders
those that set men about this work:
to certify that we might write the names of the men that were the
chief of them;
take the names of them in writing
that they might with certainty acquaint the
king who they were
and that if it was necessary they might be called to an
account for what they were doing.
Ezra
5:11 And thus they
returned us an answer
saying: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and
earth
and we are rebuilding the temple that was built many years ago
which a
great king of Israel built and completed.
YLT `And thus they have returned us word
saying
We [are] servants of
the God of heaven and earth
and are building the house that was built many
years before this
that a great king of Israel built and finished:
And thus they returned us answer
To the purpose and in the manner following:
saying
we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth;
signifying that they were doing his work
in obedience to his will
and to whom
they were accountable:
and build the house that was builded these many years ago;
even five hundred years ago
or thereabout; so that they were not erecting a
building where there was none before
but were rebuilding what was in ruins:
which a great king of Israel builded and set up;
King Solomon
who was a great king for wisdom
honour
riches
peace
prosperity
and extent of his kingdom.
Ezra
5:12 But because our
fathers provoked the God of heaven to wrath
He gave them into the hand of
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon
the Chaldean
who destroyed this temple
and carried the people away to Babylon.
YLT but after that our fathers made the God of heaven angry
he gave
them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon the Chaldean
and this
house he destroyed
and the people he removed to Babylon;
But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto
wrath
By their idolatries; which accounts for it how it was that they who were the
servants of the great God of heaven and earth
and this temple built for the
honour of his name
were not preserved by him; but they were carried captive
and this house left desolate: it was for their sins for which
he (God) gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of
Babylon the Chaldean
who destroyed this house
and carried the people away
into Babylon;
see ( 2 Chronicles 36:19 2 Chronicles 36:20 ) .
Ezra
5:13 However
in the
first year of Cyrus king of Babylon
King Cyrus issued a decree to build this
house of God.
YLT but in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon
Cyrus the king
made a decree to build this house of God
But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon
That is
the first year he was king of Babylon
having taken it
otherwise he
was king of Persia many years before:
the same King Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God;
see ( Ezra 1:1-4 ) .
Ezra
5:14 Also
the gold
and silver articles of the house of God
which Nebuchadnezzar had taken from
the temple that was in Jerusalem and carried into the temple of
Babylon—those King Cyrus took from the temple of Babylon
and they were given
to one named Sheshbazzar
whom he had made governor.
YLT and also
the vessels of the house of God
of gold and silver
that Nebuchadnezzar had taken forth out of the temple that [is] in Jerusalem
and brought them to the temple of Babylon
them hath Cyrus the king brought
forth out of the temple of Babylon
and they have been given to [one]
Sheshbazzar [is] his name
whom he made governor
Ver. 14
15 And
the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God
Of which
and of what is said concerning them
and particularly of the delivery
of them to Sheshbazzar
whom Cyrus made governor of Judah
and ordered him to
carry them to Jerusalem
and build the temple there
and put them in it
see ( Ezra 1:7-11 ) .
Ezra
5:15 And he said to
him
‘Take these articles; go
carry them to the temple site that is
in Jerusalem
and let the house of God be rebuilt on its former site.’
YLT and said to him
These vessels lift up
go
put them down in the
temple that [is] in Jerusalem
and the house of God is builded on its place.
Take these vessels
go
carry them . . . and
let the house of God . . .—The three imperatives in this verse
without a copula
followed
by a fourth
vividly express the feeling of the suppliants in the remembrance
of the decree: thus we have another note of historical truth. (Ellicott)
Ezra
5:16 Then the same
Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundation of the house of God which is
in Jerusalem; but from that time even until now it has been under construction
and it is not finished.”
YLT Then hath this Sheshbazzar come -- he hath laid the foundations of
the house of God that [is] in Jerusalem
and from thence even till now it hath
been building
and is not finished.
Then came the same Sheshbazzar
and laid the foundation of the
house of God which is in Jerusalem
Which makes it clear
that by Sheshbazzar is meant Zerubbabel; for he it was
that laid the foundation of the temple
or at least by whose order it was laid
see ( Zechariah 4:9 )
and since that time even until now;
from the first of Cyrus to the second of Darius
a space of about eighteen
years
and just seventy from the destruction of the temple:
hath it been in building
and yet it is not finished;
the work going on slowly
not without interruption and intermission
through
the enmity of the Samaritans unto them
who had made false representations of
them; but these men
Tatnai and those with him
as the Jews gave them a very
particular account of things
as above
so they fairly and fully related them
in this their letter to the king.
Ezra
5:17 Now therefore
if it seems good to the king
let a search be made in the king’s
treasure house
which is there in Babylon
whether it is so that
a decree was issued by King Cyrus to build this house of God at Jerusalem
and
let the king send us his pleasure concerning this matter.
YLT `And now
if to the king it be good
let search be made in the
treasure-house of the king
that [is] there in Babylon
whether it be that of
Cyrus the king there was made a decree to build this house of God in Jerusalem
and the will of the king concerning this thing he doth send unto us.'
Now therefore
if it seem good to the king
let there be search
made in the king's treasure house
which is there at Babylon
&c.] Where were the archives of the kingdom
where the laws
decrees
edicts
and proclamations
and other things relating to the state
were laid
up
that recourse might be had to them upon occasion:
whether it be so
that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to
build this house of God at Jerusalem;
which the Jews affirmed was made by him
and upon which they proceeded:
and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter;
whether the Jews should be allowed to go on with the building of their temple
and finish it
or whether they should be restrained from it; signifying they
were ready to do his will and pleasure either way
as he thought fit.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
NKJV Footnotes:
a.
Ezra 5:2 Spelled Jehozadak
in 1 Chronicles 6:14
b.
Ezra 5:3 That is
the Euphrates