Ezra
Tene 1. Note in th* Jlrat ytar\ This is word fbr word wHh Uie two last verses of the preceding book; which stand hart in their proper place and connexion, but there are aotirely destitute of chronological connexion and reference.
Cynui] This prince, so eminent in anlicjuity, is said to have been the sod of Camby»e» kinz of Persia, and Mandane, daughter of Aitunsea king of the Medes; and was bom about aii hundred years oefbre Christ. Josephua •eoooniB for hU partiality to the Jews from ihia circumstance t that he was shown the placet in Isaiah the prophet, where he ia mentioned by name, and his exploits and conquests foretold; see Isa. xliv.SS. and xlv. l,&c. Finding hiimwlf thus distinguished by the Ood of the Jews, he was anxious to give him proofs of his enttitude in return; and BO made Ihe decree in favour of the Jews, restored their nerad vessels, gave them liberty to return to their own bad, and eoBOunged than to reMiU Ihe temple of Jehovah, Ae. ^
It is Terr probable that when Cyrus took Babylon, he faund Dantel there, who had been long ^ed as one of the wisest ministers of state in all the East; and it is most liketv that it was this person who pointed out lo him the proptieey of Isaiah, and gave him those farther intimations relative to the divine wiD irtiieh were revealed to himself. Of his death there are contradictory accounts. HerodatUM ■g^ tbathavH^turaedhia arms agkiast the. Bbsangete% I ofdir earlhj and ha Mth <* charged me to buHd hurt.1 IxRi^c ni Jorunrem, which is in Judah.
'■i 1\ ho ia llicrc rtmoiig you of all his people? hi-^ '.!tnl f)c will] him, r\rid let him po up to Jerueakiii. ivhifb m in Jiiduh. and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (■ he is the God,) which ia in JeniPrtlem.
4 Ami ivlwiOfver reiii;Uneth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place '' help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, besides the free-will-ofiermg for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
and killed the son of TamyrU their queen, the mother, impatient to avenge the death of her aon, sent him a defi> ance; promised to slut him with blood; and, having attacked him, pretended to be worsted and to fly; and thus she drew him and his army into an amhuacade, where h« was routed and slain, and a considerable part of bis army destroyed. The enraged queen having fbtind hia body, cut ofT his head, and threw it into a vessel mil of human uoo^ with this most bitter sarcasm: —
Kopeaw. Hbbod. Clio, e. 214. "Although living and victorious, thou hast destroyed me in slaying my son, whom thou hast overcome bf deeeit) but, as I nave threuened, I will now slake tm thirst with blood."
By — Jeremiah] l^it prophet, chap. xzv. 12. and zxiz. 11. had foretold that the Babylonish captivity sboald last only seventy yean: these were now ended j pyrus had fives the Jews permission and encouragement to return lo udea, and rebuild the temple of the Lord; and thus the prediction of Jeremiali was fulfiUed.
Verse 2. The Loan Ood of heaven"] It is not unworthy of remark, that in all the books wiitten prM>r to the captivity, Jeliovah is called Lori^ qf ho«i»; but in all th* books written after Ihe captivi^, as 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel, he ia styled, The God qf /isossn. Hie wordi^ however, nave the some meaning.
AU the kinrdoma iff the earth"] At this time the empire of the Medo-Peniaos was very extensive: according to ancient writers, (>rus, at this time, reigned over the Hedes, Persians, Hyrcanians, Armenians, Syrians, Assyrians, Arabians, Cappadociojis, Phrya^ions, Lydions, Ph<B> nidani^ BabyloniaiuL Bactriana, Indiant^ Saci, Cilicianib Paphlagonians, Mortandrians, and many others. His empire extended on the East, to the Red sea; on the Noan^ to the Euxine sea; on the Wbbt, to the island of Cypras and Egypt; and on the Soim, to Ethiopia.
Verse 4. H^osoerer remaiiuih in any place] Every one was at liberty to go, but none was oUisM to go. Thus their attachment to Ood was tried: he whose heart was ri^iu with Ood went; he who was eomfertably settled in Babylon, might go if he ehoae. Those who did not go ware commanded to aanst their brethren who WMit
6 T Then rote np the diief of the fathers of Jodah and Benjanun, and the priests, and the I^evites, with all them whose iq>irit > God had raised, to go up to build the house of the Lose which 18 in JerusEdem.
6 And all thev that uereabont them ^ strengthened their tiaiufl with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly oflered.
7 if i Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LoBo, ^ which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had pot them in the house of his gods;
8 Even those did Cyrua king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto i Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,
10 Thirty basins of gold, silver basins of a second tort four hundrea and ten, and other vessels a thousand.
1 1 All the vessels of gold and of silver leere five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto JerusalenL
NOW " these are the children of the province that went up out of
Verse 6. VeueU iif •Uvtr} Jrflc/et of sitver, gold, &c. Verae T. The king brought forth the veaseit] See on Vsraee 9— '11-
Verte 8. SheMaxMar, the jyrince qf Judah] lUa wu frtbMv tbe CbaJdeaa n&me of him who was oricimlly sailed Zenibtjsbel: ihe former sienifieaioy in qglktion; tbe l&Uer, a Urmiger ia Babjflm. iSie Istter mSiy be designed to re&r U his captive ttata, the fcrner lo prnpeat qf rdeat. Some think this was <)ai(e a different pereon; a Perna^ or Chaldean, aent by Cyrus to auperintend whatever officen or men Cynu mignt have >ent to aaaiat the Jewi on their return: and to procure them help in the Chaldean provioces, through which they mif^t be obliged to travel.
Verse 11. AUthev4»td»—-vere^ Jive thotuanA and four famdrad} Tilie idaee is without doubt corrupted: here it is Hid me aum of all the raielf, of every qua^ty and Idnd, W«B Jive thoiuandfour hundred; but die enumeration of the anictee, ae given in veree 9 and 10, gives the sum of Ave Ihomtand flow hundred and niiw^r-nfiu oaW. But weeaneorreetlhisaeeountfRMn 1 Eadras iL 13, 14.
I riiall set bodi aeeoonts dow^ that lh«y may be eom- Mred together.
Dia>mi tt m»ni mbo— t fnm a»Jnt m Aceordinff, therefore, to tbe sum total in JBxn, the sum total in Bedrae ie only 69 different. See the next chapter.
It may be aaid, that the veoeli did actually amount to 6400, sod that the chief of them only were intended to be spseified; and these happen to amount to 2499 1 but that it was not tbe design of Ezra to ineert tbe whole; and rhat the iiinA verse ehould be coniddered as atating, And of the chief ^ that iis tbe gold and silver articws, (Au ta Aa ■utmier. ButlheezMesswoinverss lO^oAerveeMt^nts wsoomsetansMs: Ihs^sis most msrifcslly eomipted.
the captivity, of those which had been carried away, *whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of ^bylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;
3 The children of Parosh, two thotiMind a hundred seventy and two.
4 The children of Shej^tiah, three Inmdred seventy and two.
5 The children of Arah, t seven hundred seventy and five.
6 The cbildren'of ■ Pahath-moab. of thecfaidren of Jeshua and Joab, bvo tiionsaad dght hundred and twelve.
7 The children of Elam, a thousand two hondred fifly and four.
8 The children of Zattu, nme htmdred forty and five.
9 The children of Zaccai, eevenhoDdred and
10 The children of ^ Bani, riz hnndred fiir^
11 The children of BebaifUzhaDdredtwen^
12 The children of Azgad, a thousoimd two hundred twenty and two.
13 The children of Adomkam. six hundred sixty and six.
14 The children of Bigvai, two tbousaDdfifVy and six.
15 Tbe children of Adui, four bondred ifty
NOTES ON CHAPTER IL Verae 1. These are M< cftiUrm ^ the province] 'Rm ii, of Judta i once a ftin jrdofn end a flonruhins noMoa, now a ■profvince eubdued, tributary, and ruined 1 Beh(M die goodnen and aeverity of Ood I Some diink Boitidm n meant 1^ the provinee; and that the thUdrm nf Ihe pnvtRce mean those Jews who were bom in Babylea. Bst the first ia moat likely to be die nwsning: for tnus we tad Judea styled, eh. V. 8. Beaidea, the pronnee is eootndwtisguished from Babylon even in ihia lat verae, Hu thiidrt» tfthepnninee— that had beenearriedawtjfiintoBabyheu Verse 2. Whieh came with Zerubbi^] IlKre an many difficuUiea in this table of names; but, aa we heve no leie than three copies of it, {thai coDtsined bne from ver. 1 — 67. a eeeond in Nebem. viL 6 — G9. and a third in 1 Eedraa v. 7— 43.) on a eaieAi) ezamjnation they will be found to conreet each other. "Hw versions ataa, and the Varia Lieelionee of KennieoU and De Baeei, do madh toward harmonizing the names.
Though tbe aum total at the end of each of ftieaB emmerationa ia equaL namely 42,360 1 yet the paitiealan reckoned up msJie in Ezra tmly 29,818; and in Nebemiab 31,089. We find that Nehemish mentions 1766 peraosa whidk are Dot in Bzra, and Bsnhss 4M not meniieaed ky NdieiAiah. Mr. AUing thinks that this cireasaMse^ which appears to render all hope of reconciling Ihem impossible, IS precisely the very point by which tbey «i ba recoiKiled; for, if we add ami* eurpbee to the ettm is Nehemiah, and the ettrphu of Ndiemish to the: in Bm, the numbers will be equaL
If we subtract thia sum, 31,683 from 42,310, have a deficiency of 10,777, from Aa mmbera as i uptndielext] and these are not named ben, sidHr I dieir rasters were not fbund, or tbey wcreaotsf AidA and Be^iamin. the tribes particalsrhr eoneensd, bat af tbe odier Isnielitiah tribea: aee veaf. iw.
VereeS. TTuehUdrmtifPttroeh] When die word dbil< dren is fbund in this table, prefixed to the nasM of a mm. It ■igaifies the deKendonta of thst person t asfrenftuavsns toTer.21. 'VVhereitiafiMmdpr«fixedioaBlM^tasa,Ae:.A ripiifiesdisteAaUtaiif>of^pliNf«sfaBvst.lLts&
16 The children of Ater of Hesekiah. unety and eight.
17 The children of Be>ai, three hundred
18 The children of * Jorah, a hundred and twelve.
19 The children of Heuihum, two hundred
20 The children of ' Oibbar, ninety and five.
21 The children of Beth-Iehem, a hundred
22 The men of Netophah, fitly and six.
23 The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eicht.
25 The children of Kirjath-aritn, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.
26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, aix hundred twenty aod one.
27 The men of Bfiehmae, a hundred twenty
28 The men of B^th-el and Ai, two hundred
29 The children of Nebo. filly and two.
30 The children of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six.
31 The ch3dren of the other ■ Elam, a thoa- ■and two hundred fifly and four.
32 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty,
33 The children of Lod, ' Hadid, and Ono, •even hundred twenty and five.
34 The children m Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
3d The children of Senaah, three thouaand and six hundred and thirty.
36 1[The priests: the children of ^Jedaiah,of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
37 The children of «Immer, a thousand fifly
38 The chihlren of ' Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
39 The cluldren of * Harim, a thousand and
40 1[ The Levitee: thechildrenof Jeshuaand Kadnuel, of the children of ' Hodaviah, seventy and four.
41 The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight.
42 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children ofAter, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and nine.
43 II ' The Nethinims: thechildren of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of TaU»aoth,
44 The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,
45 The children of Lebanan, the children of Haeabah, the children of Akicub,
46 The children of Haeab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,
47 The children of Oiddel, the children of Oahar, the children of Reaiah,
Verae 33. 71u dUUran of Lod, Hadid, and Ono] Hiese were nties in the tribe of Beojunin: eeeonlChtoa. viii. 12.
Yens 36. The priuU] The preceding list takes in ihe oenaui of Judah uul Beojunin.
Verse 65. TJu Mldrea qf iSUom«A*« wremtol The Ntlhinimt «nd othere oppouled to do the nieeoer eerrieei of the bolr^houw.
Terse o3< Tlu TirthaHia] Hat is genmlly suppoeed to be Nehemish, or ihe perwn wbo was the oommaodant; (aee chapter viii. 9. and x. 1.) fbr the word appeara u> be the name of an oAc*. Hie Vulgate and Sftuagint write it AiT^hataai the iSyridc and ^roWe leader it As ]>r{iicw 4^ Jiida4. Soma aiqipoea
48 The children of Rezin, the chiUroi of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
49 The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,
50 The children of Asnah, the chtUren of Mehunim, the children of ^ Nephuniin,
51 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur
52 The children of i Bazloth, the children of Mehida. the children of Hareha,
53 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,
54 The chUdren of Neziah, the chfldren of Hatlpha.
55 \ The children of ■ Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of" Peruda,
56 The children of Jaalah, the diOdren of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
57 The children of Shephattah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of f Ami.
58 All the 'Nethinims, and the children of 4 Solomon's servants irere three hundred ninety
59 And these were they which went up fVom Tel-melah, Tel-harea, Cherub, ' Addan, and Immer; but the^ could not show their father** house, and their * seed, whether they were of lerael;
60 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifly
61 If And of the children of the priests: the children of Hediaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai: which took a wife of the daughters f>f * Barzillai the Gileadite, and wu called afler their name:
62 These sought their register among- those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: "therefore 'were they, as polluted, pot from the priesthood.
63 And the * Tinhatha said unto them, that they ' should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with ' Urim and with Thummim.
64 H * The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundredand three* score,
65 Besides their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven; and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.
60" Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty wd five }
67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: tAetV asses, six thousand seven fauiidred and twenty.
68 t ■ And tome of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Loan which is at Jerusalem, offered freely fbr the bouse of God to set it up in his place:
69 They gave after their ability unto the
the word to be Peniani hat nothiog hlw it of the aaiBe inpot oeeurs in that laoguaf^ at preaent It as Coslfll suppoaed, it aignifiee muterity, or that /ear whieh is impreHed by the authority of a governor i it noay eome from OgiS nua, or tenit, AotD; the formar from uJm^ tenidan, to rum or
SheuUi not tat vT the matt hobfAbtgtJ tlMrewaaa bi|^ pnert then, but no Urim and Thummtm, these having been loet in the oaptivity.
Vtmo 66. Their kor»a—eete» htmind, 4c] "niey went into ciqjtivi^ stripped of every thing: tiiey now rctom from itjaboundiog in the moit nibatantiol ridiaii vis. horsey ^ or, according to Eadraa, 7036i mula4
Tb(]r lop ilH ItHLtt ubcTDMlta,*— <.
k br«Maro of tiie work threeseore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pounds of ■Uver, and oneaundred priesiB' garments.
70 « So the priests, and the Levites, and tome of thtt people, and the Bingera, and the porters, and the Nethinime, dwelt m their cities, and all braet in their cities.
ot^My- A ND ^ when the seventh month was ^SLatm j\. come, and the children of Israel — S2: — were in the ciiiea, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.
2 Then stoo^ up ■ Jeehua the eon of Jozadak, and hie brethren the priests, and ^Zerubbabel the ■on of' Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burntofferings thereon, as i( if ^ written in the law of Moses the man of God.
3 And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear wcu upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt-offerings thereon unto the Lord, even > burnt-offerings morning and evening.
4 IT « They kept also the feast of tabernacles, I as i7 M written, and " offered the daily burnt-offerings by number, according to the custom, "as the duty of every day required:
5 And afterward qffered the • continual burntoffering, beth of the new moons, and of all the aet feasts of the Lord that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill-offering unto the Lord.
6 From toe first day of the seventh month b^;aa they to offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord. But » the foondation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid.
7 IT They gave money also unto the masons, and to the ■'carpenters: and 'meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of
^tt-^ Htb. Ikt tmnfU of lilt LorintOMtiotTtifaiaidti.
Terae 69. Thnucore and one Uiouaand drama o; _ trnos^i darfcemonim, dr&kinoas, or dariet; a Persian coin, always of gold, and worth soout li. 5«: not lata than 76,260/. sterling in gold.
J'Im AouMiui pounds of nlver] tris manim, maneha or minas. As a might, the TnanA waa 100 shekels: as a coin, 60 shftela in value, or about 9L: 6000 of these iwanthi^ Ibettdbre, wilt amount to 46,0001. makiiMr ^ the wbolaasum of about 12(^000f.i and mthn is not included lite 100 garmmiafor pritstt.
Tbtu we find God, in the midat of judgment, remembered mercy: and gave them favour in the land of their captivity.
Vme 70. DvxsU in lluir cOtet] Iliey all went ta those eiliei which belmged originally to their respective fiunilies.
NOTES ON CHAPTER IH. Verse 1. Whm the Menth monUl vat come] H^e month T'Uri, which anawera to the latter part of our Sep- Umher, and beginning of October. It aeema that the Istaelitea bad left Babylon about the fpring of the year; dwt on their arrival at Jerusalem they constructed memsalves hots and sheda to lodge in among the ruins, in which tbsy muat have spent some montha. After thia^ they rsbnilt the allar of bumt-o&ringa, and the 'feast tabemaclea, which happened about diia timet ■nd continued to onr aaeriflees regutarlji as if the temple were standing.
Terae 2. JmAuo, the Km of Jozadak] He was grand- ■on of Serweh the high priest, who was put to death by Nrtaiehadnezzart 2 Kings zzzv. 18, 21. Thia Jeshus, or Joshua, was die first high ^iest after the captivity.
TerseS. Tft^sef Oe altari^on ki§ from] Rebuilt it on the same tpot on which it had formerly atood. Aa it was neoeasary to keep up the divine worship during the time iht^ should be employed in ra-edifjrlng the temple, they first reared this altar of biimt'Hifferinn; and all this thiT did, "Aough fearwaa upon them, "^because of the wwriandly dinosltioii of tbeb sorraundiiig neighboars.
Tyre, to bring cedar trees fh>m Lebanon to dw
sea of ' Joppa, > according to the grant that Ouj had of Cyrus king ofPersia.
8 It Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel. and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Leviies. and all they that were come oot of tbe captivity unio Jerusalem: "and appointed the Levites, from twenry years old and upwards, to set forward the work of the house of the Lord.
9 Then stood * Jeehua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of * Judah, ' together, to set Ibrward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, irtlA their sons and their brethren the Levites.
10 And when the builders laid the foandatioa of the temide of the Lord, ' they set the priecii in their apparel with trumpets, and tna viies the sons of i^ph with eyndials, to praise the Lord, after the ' ordinaDce of Dand king of Israelii ■ And they sang together by course id
praising and giving thanks unto the Lord; * becauM ne is good, * for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people ahonled with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the hum was laid.
12 <' But many of the priests and Levites, and chief of the fathers, irAo were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the Ibundation of this house was laid hefore their eves, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
13 So that the people could not discern (he noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the pet^Ie shooted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
ia imUen] This began on the fifitentk 6mj of ibe seveaOi month; but they had begun the regular ofieringa from ibe Jirst day of thia month, ver. 6. And these were religiously continued all the time they were building the temple.
Verse 7. Thty gave money a!to] Tliey copied tbe eonduct of Solomon while he was building his tempk; sk 1 Kii^ V. ll. He employed the l^rians, gave then mnt and driol^ Ac. t and thia permission they now had fnat Cyrus.
Verae 9. /n fA< aeeond year] "Vnc prwioua time had been employed in clearing the ground, fellinr timber, hewing stones, and transporting them to the place, and making other necessary preparations for the commcaeement of the building.
Verse 10. JifttrtkeortUnoMee^Da^dl With pmIm which be had composed; acting in the MSMiier whicJi fcs had directed.
Verae 12. Wept loith a loud voice] Tbtj aaw that tha glory had departed from Israel: in their circumstances U waa impossible to build such a house as the first temitlB was] and bad this been even possible, still it would haw been greatly inferior, because it wanted the ark of eoveoanl, the heaii-enly fire, the mercy-srat, the heavenly manna, Aaron's rod that budded, the divine sbekina, iha spirit ef prophecy, and most probably the Urim and Thummim.
Many ehautedfor joy] Finding th<y were wm restored to tlieir own land, and to (he worsnip of their God in his own peculiar city: theae, in general, had not seen the original temple; and, therefore, coiild not tal aflecKd in that way which the elderly people did.
The aignt must have been veiy afiecting* • wWa people, one part eryfn; aloud widi ecnvtp, the '■■^ shouting aloud iorjoy; and on the sane occasion ta^ ■ whicli both aides ieit an equal inlereatl The pro^al Bagftai comforted them on this occasion, fcy aamiog them that the glory of thia letter house should exceed that df tha former, because the Lord (Jesua Christ) waa to eorne!• this tem^ and fill it with his gloiy. Ssa Ba^mit diap. ii. 1— ft
2 Then they came to Zeruhbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them. Let us build wUh you:^ for we eeek your God, ub ye <Io; and we do sacrifice unto him; since the days of Bsar-haddou king of Assur, which brouKbt us up hither.
3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua. Euid the rest of the chief of the fathers of lerael, said unto tbem, ■> Ye have nothing to do with us to build a bouse unto our God} but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as ' King Cyrus the kinffof Persia faatb commanded us. *B^*S^ 4 Then * the people of the land ju-iiLLxi.i weakened the hands of the people of
. Judah, and troubled them in building, 5 And hired counsetlors against them, to Amtrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Dariuft kio; of Persia. A. u sfis. 6 And in the reign of i Abasueifi^n*. fUB> iQ tbe beginning of his reign, f&SRS^ wrote they unto Aim an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and
'turn 7 II And in t^e days of Artaxerxes olLxivTi. wrote ° Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, ^Stam rest or their "companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and
the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syriui tongue.
8 Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the
• scribe, wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their >■ companions; 4 the Dinaites, the Apfaarsathchites, the Tarpelites. the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Deha^ vites, aiid the Elamites,
10 ' And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnapper brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that or* on this side the river, * and >at such a time.
11 T[ This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, ana at such a time.
12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city^ and nave ' set up the wails thereof, and
* joined the foundations.
.13 Be it known now unto the king, that if this city be buiided, and the walls set up again, than will they not 'pay 'toll,tribute,and custom, and#o thou shalt endamage the 'revenue of the kings.
14 Now because ■ we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see thelc ing's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
15 That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city
Terse 1. JVdw uA<n the adveraaritM] Thsss were the SunaritaiM^ ami the dilfereat nadane with which the kinga of Aaayria had peopled Iirael, when they had carried die original lobBbilanta away into captivity. See ver. 9.
Ver«e 3. Lti ue baild itUh jwu] We ocknowledge the same GoJ, are solicitous for faia glory, and will gladly seaiBt you in this work. But that they came with no friendly iaientioOftbe context proves.
Vem 3. yip AatM MtAitig to do wUh ut] We cannot aekDOwled^ you as worshippers of the true Ood; and «stiiiot parueipate with you in any thing that relate* to bia wordiip.
Vsrse 4. Wtakentd tha hartda] Discouraged and oppoaed them by every possible means.
Terse 6. Hired emtuellor^ ' They found means to corrupt some of the principal officers of^tfae Persian court, so that the orders ofCynu were not executed i or at least so slowly, as to moke them nearly ineffectual.
UtMl the r»ign qf Dariut] This was probably Daritta the son of Bmtawpu.
Verse 6. Jn the reign tif Ahasumu} Tiu* is the person who is called Cambyia by the Greeks. He reiened ■even years and five months t end during the whole ofihat tima the building of the temple was ioiemipted.
Terse 7. M (As dav* of Artax»rxet\ After the death of Cunbvses, one of the Magi named Oropattus by Troaus Pompeins, Smerdit by Herodotus, Mardu* iiy JEsuiylua, aiid Sphmdaiaiu by Otesiae, usurped the empire, KngniDg himself to be Smirdit, the brother of Cam> byse% who had been put to death. This is the person Mined Ailax«rxea ht the teit: or, following the Heorews, ArtaAAatta. It is generally believed, that from the time of Cyrus the Oreiu, Xa-tu and Anaxerxes were names assumed by the Persiao sorereigns, whatever their names had been before.
Written in ths Syrian tongue'] Hiat is, the Syriae or Chaldean Aonuter was used i not the Hebrew.
bOerpreUd in As Sgrtan tongue] That is^ the toiptage, as well as die mtraeter, was the Syrian or Ckalilatc.
Terse S. Rekum ths Aaneellor] With this verse d>e C^oUm part of diis dia|Her begins; and the same language flontinueaiodisend of verae 18 of chapter n. Thaeemen wrote to Dariw io their own laBgnagst and the king in the aame diaUet remma sa answsr, eo^ v. Thie eiream- ■laass adds auAentieiqr to what is wnttent so aempaloiu was the inspired penman, that he not only save llw words which each spoke and wrote; but be gave una also in tlis very language in which tb^ were conceived, ukd in the cAarac<«r peculiar to that languftKe.
Verse 10. '£Tie great and noble Aanapper] Whether this was iS^oZiniinaMr, or Etarhaddon, or some othsr person, learned men and chronologists are not agreed, lite Syriac terms him AsjAid; Init of this person we snow DO more than, we do of Asnapper. He night have bmi the militaiy offiqer who was a^tnnted to escort this people to Judea.
Tersell. Andateudiatime] TbtvoiAraifstn-^/tneOt, has greatly perplexed all commentators and critics. The versions give us no light) and the Vulgate translates at dieunt eeuutem: "and they wish prospenty." Somtranslate it, and so forth t and our translators supposed that it referred to the date, which, however, is not i^ified i snd nticht have been as easily eotrnd as the word% and at sudi a Hme.
In our first translation of the Biblc^ that by Cnsrdat^ in 1S35, the panage stands dius: *'Am other on Uiis syds the water) and in Canaan."
In that by Beck, 1549, it U thus:."And odwr oo this syds the water, and in Ceneeth and in the margin he ent8r% "orpeaee^' "or health."
In Cardmanien'e Bible, printed at Rouen, 1666^ it stands thus; "And other that are nowe on lfa3ra syde the water."
In that printed by Barker, 1615, we find the text thusi "Akd othxb that are beyond tha river, and Cheeneih i" on which is the following marginal note i — " To wit, Eu-
Shrates: and he meaneth in respect of Bahel, that tbsr welt beyond it." And the note on CAcenefft is, "Whisb were a certain people that envied the Jews." All this is merely ^vesatn^, in the midst of obscurity: most of thesa having considered the orisinal word, nyj^CeeneA, as tha name of a people; and in this they follow the Syriae, wbii^ uses the voraAedneih.
Calmet thinks we should read rtyinv-baethy "sad at this timet" as if they had said, "We wish thee to enjoy the same health mm prtMperity at a3} future times, which thoa dost at preaenl.'' liiis ts not remote from the meaning of rhe Chaldee original.
Verse 13. ToU, tribute, and eiMfoml Tiie first term is supposed to imply the cap£Aiiumf«r; uie second an ofiMimnodiMssaiidfliaKAandiss; the third, a son of'/onrf tar. Othcra sumnae die first means a property tat; die second, a poll la* t and tlie third, what was paid on in- if a rebellious city, and hurtful uuto kin^ aivl
troviaces, and that they have ■ moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cauae was this city destroyed.
Ifl We certify the king, that if this city be bailded again, and the walls thereof set up, b^ this means thou shall have no portion on this side the river.
17 ^ Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the Bcribe. and to the rest of their < companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
18 The letter which ye sent unto Us hath been plainly read before me.
19 And I commanded, and search hath been made, ajid it is found that this city of old time hath ■ made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have neen made therein.
20 There have been mishty kings aUo over Jerusalem, whidi have 'ruled over all countries t beyond tbe river; and toU, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
31 "Qive ye DOW commandment to cause these men to cease, and that Oua city be not buil^ed, on^ another commandment shall be given Irom me.
22 Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings 1
23 1 Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes' letter wot read before Rehum, andShimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in luute to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease < by force and power.
A.U. 24 T hen ceased the work of the house
of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the * second year of the
~ — reign of Darius king of Persia.
fwt* and exports. In a word, if you ^rmit tbess people to rebuild and fortify their city, they viU tooo Mt you at Doueht, and pay you no kind of tribute.
vine 14. Now becaiue tM kave mamtmance Jrom the kii^s palaca] More literally; Now, beeaiue at all timet tM are aaUtanAA Ou talt ^ the palace. Salt was uied aatlweinUemof aa iBewruptiUecoTuiant! aodthoiewbo ate bread and adt together were coniidered aa having entered into a very solemn covenanL These hypocrites intimated that they felt dwir eonicience bound the league between them ana the king; and therefore, could not, conseientionaly. see any thinggoing on that was likaly to turn to die kii^s damage, liiey were pr<*ably alio penoni in dw pay of the Persian kiu.
TcmelB. Tfuboek»of0ureeonbqtthyJMmm}'nMl iM, ths reoDids of the Chatdeana, to whwa the PsrrisDS SDOoeeded.
Terse 17. P*ace, and at awk a liips.] The word Ttj» Vrt^tk, is like that which we have alrmdy considered on ver. 10. and ^obobly has ths same meaning.
Verse 19. Hath made insurrection agaitut kingt] How true is die proverb, " It is an easy thiw to find a staff to beat a dog. 'Hie stru^lea of the IsrasIiteB to preserve or regain their indepeodencyj which the^ had from God, are termed insurrection, rebellioiL and sedition t because at last Aivy fell uoder die power of their oppressors. Had they beeo suecessful in these struggles, such ofiensive words bad saw been used. In 168S the people ctf England strutted to throw off an oppressive gov eminent, that was chaiffng the times and the seasons, and overthrowing the reUgion of die country, and setting up in its plaes the spurious offspring of the pope and the oevd. Tbsy were successful; and it n called die revolution: had iheyfiuled^ it would have been called rebellion; and the parties prinapally oonoemed would have been put to death.
Terse 20. B^fond the rvMr] That is, the Euphrates. Bodi David aaa Solomm earned their eonquests beyond diis river. See 2 Sam. viii. 3, dbo. and 1 Kiiwa iv. SI. irtiefeit is said, SobmonraignadoparaUkbumotiujTM As riser (Euphrates) unto the bmd <^ jPhUimiuti and vnio tfu bordera ^ Egypt.
Yttjft 21. UnHt another commandttUfU AaU b» given Jrtm ais.] Hie rt^niildiog was only proriakuiaUy ioapended.
Hmd MrfZi Jiirkli UMaraiilwi meonawt ZanltibM triSahm^mtmimtlt lSbimdliii|i]rib*l«ip(g,l,C Tm-1. llw gwMrfHia |IJ imtmwmAmii ihc Euphnisjmd Um ompanin. b,«ib> ■utxiMr ikH S> t-K
THEN Uhe prophets. - Haggai the prophet, and " Zechariah the son *»'s.V'» of Iddo, urophesied unto the Jews that ^^-tL. were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.
2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Sbeattiel, and <*Jeshua son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerosaiem: and with them were the prophets of God helping
3 H At the same time came to them v Tatnai. governoc on this side the river, and Sheiharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, 1 Who hath commanded you to build diii house, and to make up this wall 1
4 ' Then said we tmto them after this manner. What are the names of the men* that make this building 1
5 But * the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned ■ answer by letter eoacerning this matter.
6 Tl The copy of the letter that Tat-
□ai, governor on this side the river, oiLxv.a and Bhethar-boznal, 'and his com- ^SSA.
panions the Apharaschites, which were on this side the river, «ont unto Darius th*
7 They sent a letter unto him, * wherein was written thus: Unto Darins the king, all peace.
8 Be it known unto the king, that we wentmto the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is budded with ' great atones, and
The decree was, L.et it cease for the present; nor kt it proceed at any tune widiout an order ezpreas from me.
Verse 23. Mada them to csose by fore* ami powo*] Commanded them, on pain of the king's displeasure, sol to proceed, obliging all to remit their Iwours, and pretMb^ bringing an armed force to prevent them from going nrwaro.
Verse 24. Soiteeaaedv!ttto^»teojidyoar<iP—Daruu\ They had begun in the first year of Cyrus, 8.0.536^ logo up to Jerusalem, and they were obli^ to deaiit fms bb building, B. C. B22 ( and thus ihcy continued till dwseeand year ocDanus, B. C. 519. See the chrooology ia dw margin, and the following obiq>ter.
Ttras 1. Aiigga»— and ZtdiaHak] These are ihe ams whose writings we have among die twelTaminorpn^hsia
Verse 2. TTkti roee up ZerubMel] Here we find drw daosea of men jtrinins m the saered work; JSimHstrf the civil governor; JtSltua the kigkvriml, or laufii iailiiit goveroori aaiEmggaiaaiZiduriJt^proptislt. Be* glofions it is when we see the cmf gtmnumati jBdag with the tacerdotal and prophaHc, for the aslahljAassr and extension of true religion t
Verse 3. ^I\ifnai, govsmorl He waa governor ef ths provtaces whiA beloi^sd to the Pnsian empire ea thsii side lAB Ei^rales, oomprdieading Syria, AnAia Dtmrta, Phanieia, axti Samaria. He seeras to hava been a smU and judicious man | sad to bave«eted with great pceiMS and rautioD, and without any kind of prtfitrfies. Tka manner in whidi he represented this to the aing, ia a fsl proof of this disposition.
VerBe4. What are tUmma] It is moat sridat d«t this is the ansvtr of die Jewo to the inqouT of Taam\ ves. 3; and die verse diould be read tfaua: Tmissmm unto theik vjfler this mannsr; art th4 a astir men whs makt Out building.,
TetM &. Ths eye ^ AOr Qod was upm 4bs Men\ The valdiful care of God was luwa the sMm. Thtf were asiufad of his/awwr; and wnf fnmd his mfrnm providejtce working in their behalt
Itaaber ia kid in the walU, and this work goeth fist on, and proBpereth in their hands.
9 Then aslced we those elders, and said onto them thua, ' Who commanded you to build this house, aau to make up these walls?
10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we mi^ht write the names of the men that w«re the chief of them.
11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God <^ heaven and «arth, and In^ the house that was boilded thefte many years ago, which a great king of Israel builaed ■ and set up.
Vla^ 1^ But 'after that our fathers had OLxm. provoked the Ood of heaven unto nS^SESr wrath, he gave them into the hand a* of * Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed th is house, and carried the people away into Babylon.
13 But in the nrstyear of 'Cyrus the king of Babylon, the tame King Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.
14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took «ut of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Crrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one * whose name was Sheahbazzar, whom he had made 'governor;
15 And said unto him, Take these vessds, go, carry them into the temple that i* in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.
16 Then came the same Sheshbax-
&_c.aai zar, and > laid the foundation of the « L house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and ^ yet it is not finished. \*c m!" 1' Now therefore, if it see» good OL to the king, i let there be search made icSiSur in the king's treasure-house, which it
■■ there at Babylon, whether it be so, that
a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house <^God at Jerundem, and let the king ■end his jdeasure to us concerning this matter.
UmIbi wifcii 11111111111 III ■mil fii iti il rriiiii.l h htanJ ml Aulinifci ■■.
*5i?o,ii'pHEN Darin* the king made a decree, X ' and search was nmde in the house —= — of the > rolls, where tlie treasures were
2 And there was found at " Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein -was a record thus written:
3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, the game Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubiu, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
4 • With three rowti of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the lung's house:
5 And also let v the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored^ and ■■brought agaiQ unto the temple which ts at JerusEuem, everyone to his place, and place them in the house of God.
6 Now, therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetnar-boznai, and ■ your com- >anion8, the Apharsachites, which ore beyond he river, be ye far from thence:
7 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 in his place.
8 Moreover, ^ I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not ■ hindered.
9 And that which they have need of both
Eoung bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the urnt-offerii^ of theOod ofheaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oO, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fhil:
10 ' That they may offer sacrifices * of aweet savour unto the Goo of heaven, and " pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall altar, this word, let timber be pulled down tram his house, and, being set up, ' let him be tumged thereon; ■ and let nis house be made a dunghill for this.
12 And the God that hath caused his ' name to dwell there, destroy all kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter ana to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. 1 Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
13 IT Then Tatnai, governor on this side the
Vane 9. WUh gnat «CMua1 They ve making • very mtnntg, and a very eo*tly building.
Terae U. W* art Ikt atrtanU ^ Oott ft«im)t] How siraple, plain, and instnuoui, ia thia eonfesaion I They warn the aerranta of the Ood of heaven t how came Aaa into bondage 1 Why, we proeolud tiu Ood ^ Aao- •sn, ripeoladly ai»urf againit him, and then he gave as into die handa of our SDamies.
Verae 16. 8keMtia*a.r\ ProbshW the militaiy officer that conducted the people fram Babylon, and bad the overaight of the work: but aome think that Ezra ia meant
Tbare ia a great deal of good aenae and candour in diia letter. Nothing of psamonorprejudice appeara inic They l«kl before the king a fair ataieinent, without any attempt to prejudice hie mind; and gave him ihoae dircctioDa which were moat likely to lead him to the tniUi, and to form a correct judsment on a huataeaa which, however it issued, mtMt be « eonaiderabto importance to the state. Ood waainall diia barinaaa: be waa now riving ao additiooal proof of bia continued regard a diaobediam people vhoiiL though ha bad pnnidted in his j^Mes^ Iw tm •parsd b bia Btarcjr.
Verae 2. At Aekmdha] Ecbatana in India, whither it is probable all the recordi of Cyrua had been carried, llua wai a sort of lumroer reaidence for the king of Persia.
Verae 3. The height Ihtreqf tkrerteort cuftUO This waa much larger than the temple of Solomon. Irua was aixfy eubiU high, and gtxUfeMiU broad: whareaa Solomon • waa only twntjf cubiU broad, and thirty cubiU high.
Verae 4. Three rmea ^ grtat gtmet, and a row ttfnm Hmbar} We have notioM Ihia kind of building Mforei three couraei of atonei, and then a courae of itrong bslkt and thia continued to the atjuars of the buitdiu.
ilnd Ut the arpmae* be gtcm] CnvaMd erdored wood to be cut at Libamu^ and conveyed to Jopps at his expenae: but it does not appear that he fiimiihed the other ezpanaes of the building] for we have already aeen that the Jewe contributed for the defrayii^ of all other*. Bat it afipeara that he provided, at hia own expena& the soeri- Jlce» and oftringt for the temple. See ver. 9.
Versed. Btye/arfrimttkeaul Do not tatemipt dts Jewa in their Iwiiding i bii^ on the eonlisry, fiirdiet them all in your power.
Verae 10. And pray /•r ^ Hf* of Ou king, and of hit sou] Even beainena believed that oSerings made in their behalf to the God of the Jewa would be availabla. And this principle haa had considerable influence in eartaia Blatea, where tbere was even a form of religion natahliahad the law, toinduoathsmtoiolsfataotberteai^ihattba state might ban the benefit of their pnjrara.
river, Shethar-boznai, snrf their companions, according to that which Darius the king had •cnt, BO ihey did speedily.
14 ^ And the ciuera of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying; ofHa^- rai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, nrcordinff to the commandment of the God of Israel, tinaaceording to the 'commandment of ''Cyrus, and * Darius, and ' Artaxerxes kin? of Persia, ^'c M?' '^"^ '^'^ house was finished on
01 Lxvi.z the third day ofthe month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the kins.
16 IF And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the reFit of (the children of the captivityj kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
17 And 1 offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, tivo hundred rams, fmir Iiiinrircii lamba; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, tweLvo he-goats, according to the number ofthe trihea of Israel.
IS An(3 th^ly set the priests in their * divisionB, and the Leyjfes in their ' courses, for the service of God, which ia at Jerusalem: " as ■ it is written Ift the book of Moses.
19 And the children of the captivity kept the paasover • upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
20 For the priests and the Levites were >> purified together, all of them were pure, and i killed the passover for all the children ofthe captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had
separated themselves unto them ftom the ' fikUness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lorn God of Israel, did eat,
22 And kept the ■feast of anleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and > turned the heart • of the kiiw of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their han£ in the work ofthe houi^e of God, the God of Israel
In iht HWiA jfi ef Arunno, Iiinc of Perm*. Kn no if u tmwmimm; ul
J^OW ■ after these things, in
Terse II. IjA tiwIbtT be vulUd down] WhRther this refen to tha puniihinent oi hanging and gibbeting, of whipping at a poat, or of empaling, is not quite clear. In China they tie culprits to posts; and the executioner cuts them open while alive, takes out (heir bowels, Ac. Empaling, thrusting s sharp slake through the body till it comes out at the side of ths neek, or hanging, ■eema to be what is intended hers.
Ld hU houM b4 made a dunghill] Let it be reduced to fuiiM) and never more used, except for the most sordid •ad unclean purposes.
Verse 14. According to the commandment (ff the God tif brael] He first gave the order, and stirred up the hearts otthe following Persian kings to Becoitd that order.
(y Cyrus] This sovereign eave his orders for tiie TefcuUdinff ofthe temple about A. M. 3463.
And Dariua] Darius HystaspcB confirmed the above erders, A. M. 3485.
And Ariaxerxe»\ Artaxerxes LoiuHmanus sent Ezra to Judeo, widi new privileges, A. M. 3537. With the permission, of the same king Nchemiah came to Judea in 3650. The writer reeapimlsles the different sovereigos who favoured (he Jews sner the Babvlonish captivitv. See Caimet.
Verse 15. 7^i» houae wen flnwAerf] The sixth year of Darius mentioned here, was about A. H. 3439, twenty years after (he foundation had been laid by ZerubbeJiel, under the reign of Cyrus.
Terse 18. And Oujf aU the priette] With this verse the Choldee or Aramitic part of (his ehuiier ends.
Verse 20. ITu Laiiea were purified together'] They were all ready at one time to observe d^ proper rites and eeremenies; and had no need of having a second passover, which was appointed by the law for those who had bsen secideDtally defiled, or at a distance from the ♦ftbrrnsftlf. See 2 Chna. xxx. 3L
Terse 21. And all mA at had eeparattd themeehee] llieae were the proaelytee who had embraced the Jewish religion by having mingled with the Jews in their captiviPr- This' proiresj that there the peor captives had so aci«l according to thi principles of their religion, that the heathens saw it, and walked in the light of the Li»d with them. A good uample is very persuasive; and ponicularly so, when nontbd on pars principles.
reign of ^Artaxerxes king of oil^^xxc. Persia, Ezra ' the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hitkiah, c. ttmot.
2 The son of Shallum, the eon of Zadok, the son of Ahitub,
3 ThesonofAmariah, the SOD of Azariah, the son of Mernioth,
4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, Um son of Bukki,
5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phioehss. the son of Eleazar, the eon of Aaron the chief priest:
6 This Ezra went np from Babylon; and he vas <* a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given; and the Idng granted him all his request, ■ according- to the Band ofthe Lord his God apon him.
7 ' And there went up some of the cluldren of Israel, tmd ofthe priests,' and ' the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and ^ the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fiflh month, which tras in the sevenlh year ofthe king.
Terse 23. T\trned the heart qf the king Auyria] I am of Calmet's mind, that king of Assyria here is pot for king of Persia. Cyrus and his successors possessed all die rigbts and estates of the ancient Idngs of Assyria; and therefore, the same monarch may be sgrled king of Assyria, as well OS king of Persia.
Darius had a very high character, as a wise, just, asd merciful prince. To strengthen his title to ibe enm, ha married two of the daughters of Cynui Koi, no doub^ lit show bis afiectioa to uiis bmily, be the goon chstrislly confirmed the edict which Cyrus had mode in favour e^'dw Jews.
Terse 1. In the reign qf Artaxerxet.] This was Artaxerxes Longimanus, the seventh of wiiose reign chroaologers place A. H. 3547, #iziy-n^ years after Cyras hod sent back.Zerubliabel.— Cbltnc/. See the AiirpArfiew.
iSSm ff/* SlmifaAl Either this oould not have been Seraiah the high priest, wno had been put to death by Nebncfaadnezzsr, a hundrd and twenty-one yean before this tiis^ or;he term son here must rignify only his deacmdami*, tr one of hit dtMcendanU. Were it otherwise, Ezra ntf now be at least a hundred and tvmiy-two yean ot a^ supposing him to have been bom in the year <w bis britei's death; if; indeed, Seraiah the high priest was his iuha: but this is evidently impossible. In this place then an only sixteen generations reckoned betsreen Ean and Aaxea, but in 1 ChroQ. vi. 7, 8, dbc there are not leas than fiwmfy two. We must iherelore aupply the deficient genersiiaas from the sbove ploosi between Amsrish son of Msniadi, 1 C%ron. vi. 7. snd Azariah the son of Jnfasumo, vsr. ML lliera are odier discrepancies relative to genealogies ia these hittoricat bot^a whi<^ it would be useless to inves tigale. On these differences much has been okeady said in different ports of this comment.
Verse 17. Twetvt he-goaia] This was a ein-offering for every tribe.
Veres 6. A ready certfre} "ivid tPV topher maekir, doss not merely signify a QWsdy iBriter. or an eretllmU pmmam, but 0M> mU was saunentiy skilful in expooading the low. In this sense the word yprnf^amt, teribt, is repconfly used in the New Testament; and we find that hoa in As OldandNewTeaiamentithadthesamesignificsiNa. 1%* iS^toc gives the sense of the word by translstisgl^Afllk "ma^* tophro (AecimOp a wtte teribe^ or expimdaT.
Verse 9. He came to Jenualtm in A* Mk mamA\ From the following versa we learn tfist fisra and his eon^y sat off from Bsbylou en dis fiist day of d» flnl
9 For npoa the first dmi the firrt month i began he to ffo up from Babflon, and on the fiirat day of the fifth month came he to Jeriualem, ' accoraino' to the good hand of his God upon him.'
10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to i seek the law of the Lobd, aw) to do tC, and to " teach ia Israel statutes and judgments.
11 ^ Now this is the copy of the letter that the kioe Artazerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the comraandmeuts of the Lobd, and of his statutes to
.12 Artaxerxes, "king of kings, <* unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the Taw of the God of heaven, perfect peace, p and at such a time.
13 I make a decree, that all they of the j^ple of Israel, and qf his priests and Levite^ in mv realm, which are minded of their own- free will togo up to Jerusalem, go with thee.
14 Forasmuch as thou art sent ' of the king, and (rf* his ■ seven counsellors, to inquire concerniiv Judah and Jerusalem^ according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;
15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered rnito the God of Israel, * whose habitation is in Jeru- ^eta;
16 ■ And all the silTer and gold that thou canst find in all the province orBobylon, with the free-will-offerins of the people, and of the
Sieats, * offering wmingly for the house of their >d which is in Jerusalem;
17 That thou mayest buy s^edily with this money bollocks, rame. Jambs, with their * meatofferings, and their arink-offeriogs, and ' offer them upon the altar of the hoase of your Gtod which ts in Jerusalem.
IS And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, apd to thv brethren, to do with the rest of the nlver ana the gold, that do after the will of your God,
19 The vessels aHao that are given thee for the service of the house of thy Qod, those deliver thou before the Qod of Jerusalem. < 30 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house oi* thy Qod, which thou shalt have oecasioa to bestow, bestow it out of the kmg's treast»r&-house.
SI And I, even I, Artazerxes the king, do make a decree to ell the treasurers which are nontht utd ibus we find they wtn upwards o(/our mcmllu on Atir journey. They oould not traTcl &st, u tbOT were s creai company, eoropoeed in part of the aged tOM iiytrm, Deeides multitudu of women and eMldren. Ifiay ■^^pMT slao to have ukea a circuitous route; see on d»p. vii).
Verve 10. Ezra had prqxtrtd hit hta.ri\ Uovisafine ebsnteter of a minister of Ood. He prepares psn htkin, bft fixes, purposes, and determines, lebabo, "with his bearjL" with all his puwara and aneciioDs, to »eek the law qf Oad. and to do it himself, that he may be properly qualified to Uarh iu atatuiea and judgmaitt to Israel.
Verse 12- Artaxerxet, king tif xinga) Hub letter, from the be^iooing of this verse to the tMot verse 26. is io the Arattutic or C/uidet language.
Yerse 13. TVuir ownfrte wUI] None shall be forced either lo n or ttay. He who loves his Qod will avail nimsrrif of this bvourable opportunity.
Verse 14. Hi» seven anuutilora\ It is very likely that the wivy coundl cS the king eonnated of seven persons siMiply. The ttamu of thsM seven eoonsellors, or cham- Wlotiisi may be found in Esther, chap. i. 10.
Verse 16. And all the nlver and goldj The kii^ atid his eounsellors hod already made a present to the house of the God of Israel; and Em is oow empowsred to receive •ny eoatrifaution which an? of the inhuttsnts of tbs pro* vittoe of Babylon may ihiak proper lo give.
faevond the river, that whatsoever Bxra the
priest, the scr3>e of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily,
2i! Unto a hundred talents of silver, and to a hundred ' measures of wheat, and to a hundred baths of wine, and to a hundred baths of oU, and salt without prescribing hoiD much.
S3 * Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why shotild there be wrath aipiinst the realm of the king and his sons)
24 Also we certify you, that, touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinim, or ministers of this house of God, it shall. not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them.
25 And thou, Ezra, aller the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, * set magistrate^ aM judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, eQI such as know the laws oS thy God; ar^ ^ teach ye them that know them
26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be exmuted speedily upon him, whether it be unto' death, or ' to banisnment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment,
27 f " Blessed be the Loan God of our fathers, * which hath put suck a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of the Lobd which is in Jerusalem:
28 And 'hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as ■ the band of the Lobd my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
THESE k ore nowthfechief of their ^cS^si.* fathers, and this is the genealogy " of them that went up with me from '""^ Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.
the fullest liberty to order every Aing according is their own institutioDB; binding them to no fonn or mode at
VerseZS. IVkvthoutd there be wr«&] Ashebeliaved he was appointed in the Almighnr to do Ihia worit, ha therefore wished to do it heartily; linowhig that if he did not, God would be displeased, and that the ui^dom wo^ be rut off from Attn or bis ■poeterity.
Yene2i. n^uxanotbelatqfulloimpoeettiin AalbiOB persons had no private revenues, it would have been unreasonable to liave laid them under taxation.
Veree 26. ITAeAer it be unio dealA] Then include almosteveryspeciesofpunishraentwhiehrtiODldbeinflicled * on culpriu m any civilized slate. With this verae the ChxUdee put of diis chapter ends.
Vene 29. And I wa» etrengihmedi In what dm king decreed be sawths band of uodt hs ihMsfaw gave him the praise, and took eonrags. iWe is a bmk sniilils spint of iriety in these reflections. Ezra simply states lbs cssei shows what the king had determined; udtellawbat he said; and then poinu out tfas grand agent in the whols business: itwtftdie Load Ood of hie wsra. TUuaChid hod put it into the king's heart to bsautiff the house «f Ahovski and, as that Muse w«a bailt for lbs sslmtioa at thessulMftBsn»bsains.Ood^ise for potting it intethc
3 or the 80IU of Phioehas; Genhom: or the soiuoflthamar; Daniel: of the sods of David; I Hattasli.
3 Of the 'eons of Shechaniah, of the eone of k Pharoeh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned, by genealogy of the males, a hundred and fifly.
4 Of the Bone of Pahath-moab; Eiihoenai the Bob of Zeraiiiah, and with him two hundred malei.
5 OfUie soneoTShechaniah; the sonof Jahar ziel, and with him three hundred males.
6 Of the sons also of Ad in; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifly males.
7 And of the sons of Elam: Jeshaiah the son irf'Athaliah, and with him seventy males.
8 And ol the sons of She|)liatiahi Zebadiafa the son of Midiael, and with him fourscore males.
9 Of the sons of Joab; Ohadiah ihc son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males.
10 And of the sons of Shelomitb: the son of JTosiphiah, and with him a hundred and threescore males.
11 And of the sods of Bebai; Zechariah - the con of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.
12 And of the sons of Azgah; Johanan > the son of Hakkatan, and with him & hundred and ten males.
13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these. Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemateh, and with them threescore males.
14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.
15 IT And I gathered Uiem t<»ether to the river that runneth to Ahava: and there * abode we in tents three days.: and I vfewed the people and the priests, and found there none of the "sons of Levi.
16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and
kinf^a heart to repair it: be who loves Ood and man will r^ee in the aatanliidiinent of the divine wonhip, becauae tbw k the readiest wi^ to promote the best interests of man.
TTOTBS ON CHAPTER Vm.
Vene ^ QfOu ton* of SkeiJunttah] There were three of this name t theseoondii mentioned ver.6.mnd the tliird (top. X. 2. They were all difi^nt persona, as may be mea from their fathers' house.
Verse IS. TTu rivtr thai runneih to Ahata] Ahava VBs a river itaeH^ which is st^vosed to be the some that is called Dianoy or Adiava, in the province of Adiabene; sod psihapa the place whence the people of Ava oame who weretrnMij^hy ibekinff of AHjrnatoPBleatioe) 2 Kings xvii. 24.
iVme qf the sons of Lerf] None that wm timply Leoitea. He found pnttta, and tliey wue aona <^ Levi; but no LevUet that were not priwta.
Versa 17. Ai the place Casipkia] l^e most judicious fiomowotaton are agreed ihaihy Casipkia, ihe Caspian mountaiva, between Media and Hyrconia, are intcoaed; where, probably, the NeUUnim were emplt^ed in working n\vct mines; Ico keaeph, from wtiich the word comes,
* verae 22. IwaaaJtamadtortyuira — a banal He had represented God, the object of bis worship, as supremely powerliu], and as having the strongest affeeii^ for tiis true foUowerst be eould ncO. dterefore, consistently wilh hla daslamfions, ask a band of suldiers from the kino; to protect them on tha way, when they were going ezpreraly to r^iU the temple of JehOToh, and reaiore bis worship. He^ therefore, foiuid it necessuy to seek, the Lord by fa/^b^gvAprayer, that they mii^ht have maa him those Buecoure without which they might become a prey to their enemies; and then the relijcion wliich they profeaaed wtmld be considered by the heathen as Use and vain. "Dhu we see ihu this good man had more anxiety fbcihe glory of God than for his own personal safety.
for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for ZedMriah, and for MeshuUam, chief men; also Ibr Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of nDderstanding.
17 And I sent them with c«mimandnietit onto Iddo the chief, at the place Casiphia, and rllaU them what they should say imio Iddo, and to hii brethren the Nethinim, at the plaee Cat^p^ that they shonld bring unto us miniaten fiv the house of our God.
IS And, by the good hand of our God upon ol they 4 brought ns a man m undentoadng, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebudi, with his boob and bfai brethren, eighteen;
19 And Haehabiah, and with him Jeshaiali of the sons of Merari, hjs brethren and their sont, twenty:
20 ' Also of the Nethinira, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of tin Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim; all of them were expressed by name.
21 % Then I ■proclaimed a there, at the river of Ahava, that we might < afflict oorselres before our God. to seek of him a " right way iiR-iu, Emd for our little ones, and for all oar subatanee.
22 For * I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help oa against l&e enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, * The hand of oar God U upon all them for ■ good that seek him: but his power and his wrath it ' against all tbeoa that ■ forsake him.
23 So we fasted, and besought our God ftr this } and he was ' entreated of us.
24 IF Then I separated twelve of the diief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashahiahi and tea af their brethren with them.
25 And weighed imto them * the wStvtt, and the gold, and the veeseU, even the o^rfaw of the bouse of' our God, which the king, ana hit counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered:
26 I even weighed -unto their hand eixhtm-
Verse 26. St/«er vessels a hundred tolsnia] Thstiste anghi ofallttieatverveas^ amoontad to 168 MlWa;. not that thne were 100 vesMla of nlnr, sadks tdmd'm
Reckoning, in ronnd siims, 660 talmta of utnr st ws. the talent, amount to 392,540^. aterling. SiHer tokH 100 talents, amount to 4S,00(V.; gM, IW talents, at TOMT.
fore iheae basins were worth 1 100/.; the whole i to 1,038,600/. sterling. But these diflircni weiate coins are variously computed; some making the "^T"" tofeot only 353/. 1I». lOid., and the talent of gwW mttl&s. I Id., calculationa whidi I have elsewhere intrwistwi- Fint copper, prtrioua aa gold.] What these wese ws cannot telT The Syriootraiaates |0%piUHi»U>1 nediodio eorinthio toba, to be Teseels of the Stat C Aian braaa; so called from (he hnaa fmnd after the 1 ing of Corinth bv Ludua Jlfummiua, whit^ v copper, rold, and'silver, alt melted logetho-, aa is _ Buppoecd. But it WW probably some faetiHama mode (here, that took the poliriu and assDined thobnga*- nessofj^o/a, and beeausa of its Jurdkuss was aan«mble. Tliere is atil) a eertain lactirtous metal made i the Asiatics of this kind: I have seen lUs metal made J it is aa bright ^pd fine aa gold, takes a »o«t uwa ■ite polirii, and will scarcely tarnish. I ha«e 1^ aa exposed to every variation of the air, even amojy ms brass, copper, Ac. for tom/v yeare together, wittatf Bcorcely at all oxidized. It rcrjuiroi much art m Um making; h»it the constituent materials are of syaM ^M*^ Vessels of this metal, because of tfieir hiatra aasaMsM^ft for domeatio and ornamental uses, ar«^ in many re^ee^ more valuable than gold itsplf. The only UmaOur m ^ get at firet the fru^ colour, which depend oa the degree 9 Keot, and the timt eipployed in ^sfoit: tatt there are, however, proper rules to asecrtun them. I^JJI^S.? widely difierent froih the or mwlu of Prmnee sad Ebb«b4 is less expensive, and moch more vahisUe.
dred aad fifty taSttnta oT ulver, and aflver vcs- ■eb a hundred tolentB, and of gold a hundred
27 Aim twenty basioa of gold, of a thoufiand drams; and two vessels of 'fiae copper, ■'jtrecioua as gold.
88 And I said unto them, Ye are * holy unto tiie Lobd; the reasels are ' holy also; and the vilrer and the gold are a free-wtll-offering unto the Lord God of your fathers.
89 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the chief of th« priests and the Le- - rites, and chieref the fathers of Israel, at Jer'a- •alem, in the «hambera of the house of the
30 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and tha g«ld, and the ves- «da, to bring them to Jerasalem, unto the bouse «rour God.
31 T Then we departed fVom the river of AhaTa on the twelfth day of the first month, to CO unbo Jerusalem: and > the hami of our God waa upon «s, and be deTivered us from the hand 4Mr(he enemy, end ef such as lay in wait by the
33 IT Now en the fourth day was the sitver, And the gold, and the vessels, < weighed in the iioaee ef eur God by the hand pf Meremoth the ■on oTUriah the priest; and with him toot Ele- «xar the son of Phtnehas } and with them wot Joaabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiali the son ofBinmii, Levites;
34 By number emd hf weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time.
35 AUo the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, k offered burnt-oflerings unto the God of lerael, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and aix rams, seventy and seven Iambs, twelve hegoats Jbr a sin-oSering: aU this wa» a burntoffering unto the Lora.
, 36 f And they delivered the king's > eommisnoiu unto the kin^e lieutenants, and to the
V«ne 35. Tmlnt indlocks fer all Im-o*^ Thou^ of tribe* tfaeie were only Jttdah snd Benjamin^yei they oflend a bullock fer etery tribe, u if prticat. Tnerecan 1m liule doubt that ihere were iodiviiJiiaU there from all the twelve tribea; pouibly ums familiea of each: but no oc^ilete tribe but those mentioned above.
ji aad ia prohablyof Pernan orii:ii>, though here ay etm^tlad. The Vulgate rendeir i! re^ tatrapt •sfrm of the Ungt «hich i> th( ^VniMi aofrsfr. Aviceroytn Persian is)1^J^>>^ »fnJbah-dar; f^yy^ i^btC^Vy* M>u&<i^^temn. (u^bbl darn- Jru:^ aicnifiea a person id whom one han coiiScmiim: aiid \fLj <wU, is an epithet ef a vizir, llws? iwn worfja coiyiined will make nearly that ofrhe text, hia I lo ^ve any sf ftese c^raologies with confidence. Odier woras Might be proposed as oandidates, but where there is ■o litdfl eertofaty conjecture is useless: were it neceiaary • diaaertatim mi^t be written on the Perrian wrda, and 3P«r»Unf»rma oftpetA, in Ait and hpo fbllmetng book$. B«a prob^ly after my toU but &w of my rMden would niaak me lor my poias.
Verse 1. Tlu peopfe of hrael] These were they who had returned at first with ZerubbabeL and were settled in the land of Judeaj and whom Bzra fiwnd on hit •nimlto ba littls better than the CWnaanilish mwfons, from whom God bad eommanded Ibem ever to keep ■Bpuiate. '
Svernors on this side tlie river; and they flirercd the people, and the house of God.
priests, and the Levites, have not ■ separated themselves from the people of the lands, ' dotng* according to their abominations^ even of the. Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabttes, the Egyptians, and the Amoritea.
2 For they have >> taken of their daughters for themselves, aitd for their sons; bo that the * holy seed have ' mingled themselves with the people of tfiose lands: yea, the hand of the princes and rulers hath been chief in this treepass.
3 And when I heard this thing, ■ I rent my garment and my mantle, and pnicked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down taatonled.
■ 4 Then were assembled wto roe every one that ■ trembled at the words of the God of iBrael, because of the transgression of tliose that hod been carried away; and I sat astonied until the * evening sacrifice.
5 If And at the evening sa^ifice 1 arose up from my * heaviness; and having rent mv garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and ' Bforead out my hands unto the Lord my God,
S And said, O my Ood, I am ' ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for
■ our iniquities are mcreased over our head, and our » trespass is grown up unto the heavens.
7 Since the days of our fathers have ' we been in a _great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities * have we, our kings, aha our priests, been delivered into the haaaof the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to 'coofuaion of face, as it is this day.
The^rtf of the Tntfan youth were the Mef, the moat Hhatnma! ao we My the Jtrtt men of the kingdop^ for the noble», &c.
Verses. Irmlmffmrmentttndinfmanttt\ T^ouier and inner garment t m sign of great grief. Ivia aimifi' cant act ie fcequently mentiooed in £e SaCrsd Writings and WM oommon among all aoetent nsdoiu.
Phuktifth* hair} SKorfiif Ae bead and beard were •tgna of ezeesaiTe grief) much mors so the phtekinff tyf the hair, which must produce exquisite pain. All this teatifledhiaabharrence, not merely of tlie act of having taken «nui«e wives, but their having aW joined them in their tdclairouM abominatioiM.
Verse 4, TTtoea that had hem carried away] Thoae that had retuntMl long before, with Zenibbabel; see ver. I.
Until th* sranfaf Mcrfjlee.} "nie mor^ng sacrifice waatbe>«tofaU the offerings of the day; the evmbw aaerifice the iaeL As the latter waa offisred betmen tfta two evening*, i. <l between tURM^ahd the end of twUigiai ■o the former waa offered between breai ^ day and nmrtse. Ezra eat aetoni^ed; confbuitded in his mind, dis> Ireaaed in hia soul, and scarcely knowing what to do. Hs probably had withdrawn himself into some aequnlared place, or into some secret jmn«f the lemidei apendisglhe time in meditation and refleelion.
Verse 6. Pell upon tny kneee] In (oken of the deepest humility. Spread out my kande; aaif tofoyAirid oBths merey of God. We hen already had occatioa toax^ain tbeae signifieut ads.
Verie6. /amaaAameduMfMuAl Ood had bean ao often provoked, and had ao often pwdoned them, and they had continued to tntnsgms, iliat he was ashamed to go baeit
Siiniothstbnaeof grace,toaakformercytn their betnlC ■B IS the genuine foelingofevny reawakened tecMftlin 98T
& AnA now for a ' tittle space eraee hath been ahovted from the Lord our Qoa, to leave ue a remnant to escape, and to give ub a < nail in his holy place, that oar Goa niay ^ lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.
9 < For we were bondmen; ' yet our Ood hsth not forsaken us in our bondag;e, but > hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and ■ to repair the desola- ■tions thereof, and to give ua " a wall in Judah and In Jerusalem.
10 And now, O our God, what shall we sav after this? for we hare forsaken thy commaoaments,
11 Which thon hast commanded * by thy ser- Tants the prophets, saying, The land, nnto which ye go to poesess it, is an unclean land with the p fiFthinees of the j>eople of the lands, with their abominations^ which nave filled it irom one end to another with their uncteaoneaa.
12 Now therefore ' give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, * nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and < leavetffor an inheritance to your children for ever.
13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God ■ hast ^punished us less than
14 Should we * again break thy commandments, and 'poin in affinity with the people of these abonunations? wouldest not thou be ' angry with us till thou hadst consumed tis, to that tkere should be no remncmt nor esoftping?
Tme 8. And rune for a Hilie 9ptue\ This intereal in which they were reniming from mtt itude lo tbsir own
And now/or a BtUt apaea gnea hath hten ^owed] God bw diapoaed the bearti of me Penian kingi to publUi edicta in amfmow.
To Uase ua a remnant to tacapa] T^e ten tribes are «as irrecorembly into caftdvi^t a gnat part even ^ Judah and Beojuaia bad continued b^ikl the Eufd)^^ so that Earn might well my, dtere waa but a ramnaat whifln had ue^wd.
May enUghtm our eyta] To give ub a thorough knowledge of ounelvee, and of our bignaet intereat, and to ena- Ue us to re-eetabliah lue worship, ia die reaaon wl^ Ood has brmi^t UB back to this plaoe.
A Kttte reviving} We were parialiin^, aad our bopea ware almost daaai and becauM of our bus, we were «entaneedtodaat^: but God, in bia gnat mercy, baa given ua a neia trial; and he begins wilh little, to aee if we will Buike a wiae and Eaitbful uae of it.
Vereeia WkatallaUwaaajf^fteFiltia?\ Erea in die mldat ot Oima bwinniiigB of rBBpile and meny we have begun to pKmihemei»aaewl
Verae II. Have JUUd it/rvm one end to ano&er} The abominadoiiB have beea like a sweeping mighty torrent, that has increased till it &lled the whole hnd, and carried every thing before it.
Verae 13. Aiwf punUhed ua laaa than oar iniguitiea} Great, numeroua, aod op]»e8>ive, as our calamities have beeat yet, merely as temporal puniabmenta, tbey have been much leas ttun our provaeauooa have deeerved.
Teres IS. 7%«uartr{^At«Ruj Tbouait mervt/ui: thia IS oae ot the many jneaaioga of tbeword p^toaaaJ:/ and to thia aeaning Sl Paul rafsra^ when he ae^ God dadareahia rimaaaMMaaJor theremiaaionqf aiautkaiara p(ut,Roiii.iii. S5. See the note there.
A our irafpaaaet] We han no rigfataoufiwee; we are maUud and cosend with our tfsmaaea.