Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building. By threatening them, or by dissuading the workmen from going on, by endeavouring to hinder their having materials from the Tyrians and Zidonians, or money out of the king's revenues to bear the expenses as ordered; see Ezra 6:4 . read more
Weakened the hands - Discouraged and opposed them by every possible means. read more
The world's opposition to the Church. We observe, in reference to the world's opposition to the Church— I. THAT IT OFTEN SEEKS TO HINDER USEFUL ENTERPRISE , These Samaritans sought to "trouble them in building" ( Ezra 4:4 ). As Israel was employed in rebuilding the ruined temple, so the Church is engaged in erecting a great spiritual temple; this noble enterprise is hindered by the varied enmity of the world. The moral building is hindered as well by the pleasures as... read more
The world's opposition to the Church. We observe, in reference to the world's opposition to the Church— I. THAT IT OFTEN SEEKS TO HINDER USEFUL ENTERPRISE , These Samaritans sought to "trouble them in building" ( Ezra 4:4 ). As Israel was employed in rebuilding the ruined temple, so the Church is engaged in erecting a great spiritual temple; this noble enterprise is hindered by the varied enmity of the world. The moral building is hindered as well by the pleasures as... read more
Ezra 4:4. But the people of the land Hebrew of that land; namely, the Samaritans, the present inhabitants of that province. Weakened the hands of the people of Judah As they could not divert them from the work, they endeavoured to discourage them in it, by persuading them it was in vain to attempt it, and that they would never be able to finish what they had begun. And troubled them in building Laying all the impediments they could in their way; by false reports and slanders; by... read more
Opposition stops the work (4:1-24)As a result of Assyria’s resettlement program of two centuries earlier, a race of people grew up in the area around Samaria and Jerusalem who were of mixed blood and mixed religion. They were known as Samaritans (see notes on 2 Kings 17:24-33). The Jewish leaders refused their offered help in building the temple of God, no doubt to prevent wrong ideas from corrupting Israel’s religion. The Samaritan group reacted bitterly. They opposed the Jewish builders so... read more
troubled them in = terrified them from. read more
Ver. 4. Weakened the hands— See Nehemiah 6:9. Jeremiah 38:4. read more
4, 5. Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, c.—Exasperated by this repulse, the Samaritans endeavored by every means to molest the workmen as well as obstruct the progress of the building and, though they could not alter the decree which Cyrus had issued regarding it, yet by bribes and clandestine arts indefatigably plied at court, they labored to frustrate the effects of the edict. Their success in those underhand dealings was great; for Cyrus, being frequently... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 4:1-5
We have here an instance of the old enmity that was put between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. God's temple cannot be built, but Satan will rage, and the gates of hell will fight against it. The gospel kingdom was, in like manner, to be set up with much struggling and contention. In this respect the glory of the latter house was greater than the glory of the former, and it was more a figure of the temple of Christ's church, in that Solomon built his temple when there was no... read more