Ezra 4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:6

And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign ,.... According to Jarchi, this was Ahasuerus the husband of Esther; but, as most think F4 Spanhem. Introduct. Chron. ad Hist. Eccl. p. 54. & Universal History, Vol. 5. p. 203. Prideaux, p. 175. , was Cambyses, the son and successor of Cyrus; so Josephus F5 Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 11. c. 4.) sect. 4,6. Vid. R. David Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 2. fol. 8. 2. So Dr. Lightfoot, Works, vol. 1. p. 139. ; who was an enemy to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:7

And in the days of Artaxerxes ,.... The same with Ahasuerus, in the preceding verse; and who also is Cambyses, which is his name in Heathen authors, Artaxerxes being a common name to the kings of Persia; though some F6 Prideaux's Connect. par. 1. p. 175. Authors of the Universal History, vol. 5. p. 199,203. So Vitringa, Hypotypos. Hist. Sacr. p. 108. think this was Smerdis, the magician and impostor, who was between Cambyses and Darius; but as he reigned but seven months, it is not... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:8

Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort. This means the same letter as before; which, according to Jarchi, was sent in the name of Mithredath Tabeel and his company, was endited by Rehum, master of words or sense, and written by Shimshai the scribe, whom he makes to be a son of Haman F9 So Midrash Esther, fol. 85. 3. ; but it was written rather in all their names. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:9

Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions ,.... who all signed the letter; namely, the governors of the following nations: the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites ; which were colonies from several parts of Chaldea, Media, and Persia, and were settled in the several cities of Samaria, as several of their names plainly show, as from... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:10

And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over ,.... The river Euphrates: and set in the cities of Samaria ; placed there in the room of the Israelites carried captive; this Asnappar was, according to Jarchi and others F12 Kimchi Sepher Shorash. fol. 166. 2. & Vajikra Rabba in ib. T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 94. 1. Sennacherib; but, with Grotius, Shalmaneser; rather he was Esarhaddon, the son of the former, and grandson of the latter; so Dr. Prideaux ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:11

This is the copy of the letter they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king ,.... Which Ezra brought with him from Babylon, and is contained in the five following verses: thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time ; this was the inscription of the letter, or the beginning of it. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:12

Be it known unto the king ,.... The intent of this letter was, that it might be known to the king what follows: that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem ; this they observe partly out of contempt of the Jews, having been lately captive in Babylon, and partly to insinuate what ingratitude they were guilty of; that having got their liberty, and come to Jerusalem, they made use of it to the king's detriment: building the rebellious and the bad city ; as they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:13

Be it known now unto the king ,.... And let it be seriously and thoroughly considered by him and his counsellors: that if this city be builded, and its walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom ; being able to defend themselves against the king's forces, sent to reduce them to their obedience; these three words take in all sorts of taxes and levies on persons, goods, and merchandise: and so thou shall endamage the revenue of the kings ; not only his own,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:14

Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace ,.... Have posts under the king, to which salaries were annexed, by which they were supported, and which they had from the king's exchequer; or "salt" F15 מלח "salem vel sale", Montanus, Vatablus, Michaelis. , as in the original, some places of honour and trust formerly being paid in salt; hence, as Pliny F16 Nat. Hist. l. 31. c. 7. observes, such honours and rewards were called "salaries": and it was not meet for us to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:15

That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers ,.... That is, his predecessors in the Babylonian monarchy; though, as the Medes and Persians were included in that, and joined the Babylonians in their wars with others, and particularly with the Jews, the records of the Medes and Persians might also be applied to: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved... read more

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