Ezra 5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:7

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. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:8

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:9

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 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:10

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. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:11

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:12

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:13

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 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:14-15

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 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:16

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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:17

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 ,.... 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... read more

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:11

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:12

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:14-15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 5:17

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