Ezra 4:15. In the book of the records of thy fathers That is, thy predecessors, the former emperors of this empire; namely, in the Assyrian and Babylonish records; which, together with the empire, were now in the hands of the Persian kings. 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
Opposition during Artaxerxes’ reign 4:7-23Artaxerxes was the successor of Ahasuerus (Xerxes), who ruled the Persian Empire from 464 to 424 B.C. [Note: See William H. Shea, "Who Succeeded Xerxes on the Throne of Persia?" Journal of the Adventist Theological Society 12:1 (Spring 2001):83-88, who argued that Darius succeeded Xerxes.] Clearly the incident reported in these verses took place long after the temple was complete. It really involved the attempt by Israel’s enemies to halt the rebuilding... read more
Feud Between the Jews and SamaritansThis chapter describes the desire of the Samaritans to take part in the rebuilding of the Temple, and their successful opposition to the Jews on their request being refused.1. The adversaries] The term is here anticipatory of the opposition subsequently displayed. The people thus designated were the Samaritans, who, in the main, were the descendants of the immigrants who, to replace the Israelite population that had been deported after the fall of Samaria,... read more
(15) The book of the records of thy fathers.—“The book of the records of the Chronicles” which in Esther 6:1 is “read before the king.” This extended beyond his own fathers back to the times of the predecessors of the Median dynasty.Of old time.—From the days of eternity, or time immemorial. The spirit of exaggeration if not of falsehood appears in every word here. read more
THE COST OF AN IDEALIST’S SUCCESSEzra 4:6-23THE fourth chapter of the Book of Ezra contains an account of a correspondence between the Samaritan colonists and two kings of Persia, which follows sharply on the first mention of the intrigues of the enemies of Judah and Benjamin at the Persian court in the later days of Cyrus, and which precedes the description of the fortunes of the Jews in the reign of Darius. If this has its right chronological position in the narrative, it must relate to the... read more
CHAPTER 4 1. The offer of the Samaritans refused (Ezra 4:1-6 ) 2. The letter to King Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7-16 ) 3. The king’s reply (Ezra 4:17-22 ) 4. The work is stopped (Ezra 4:23-24 ) Ezra 4:1-6 . The adversaries were the Samaritans. (There is an interesting correspondence with the book of Acts. After the Spirit of God had begun His blessed work, the enemy from without and then within started his hindering work.) They had watched silently the work of restoration and then appeared... read more
PRETENDED FRIENDSHIP AND OPPOSITION (vv. 1-5) Satan is subtle in the way he attacks a work of God. He appears to be friendly, as is seen in the way the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin came to Zerubbabel and other leaders of Judah, offering to help them to build the temple. They say they have been brought there by the King of Assyria (which was true), and that they had sacrificed to the Lord since that time (v. 2).This may have some semblance of truth in it, but they were Gentiles who had... read more
BACK TO THE HOMELAND CYRUS’ PROCLAMATION (Ezra 1:0 ) Babylon has had its days, and with its downfall has come that of the Assyrian Empire. The Medes and Persians, with Cyrus at their head, are now in power, and in the providence of God, Daniel, the Jewish prophet and statesman, has influence at this court, as in that of Nebuchadnezzar. By a study of the earlier prophets, especially Jeremiah, he has become aware that the time is nigh for the captivity of Judah to end and his people to... read more
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Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezra 4:15
The book of the records - Compare Esther 2:23; Esther 6:1; Esther 10:2. The existence of such a “book” at the Persian court is attested also by Ctesias.Of thy fathers - i. e., thy predecessors ripen the throne, Cambyses, Cyrus, etc. If Artaxerxes was the Pseudo-Smerdis (Ezra 4:7 note), these persons were not really his “fathers” or ancestors; but the writers of the letter could not venture to call the king an impostor. read more