Ezra 5:7-17

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 5:8

With great stones - They are making a very strong and a very costly building. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 5:11

We are the servants of the God of heaven - How simple, plain, and ingenuous is this confession! They were the servants of the God of heaven. How came they then into bondage! Why, they provoked the God of heaven - repeatedly sinned against him, and then he gave them into the hands of their enemies. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 5:16

Sheshbazzar - Probably the military officer that conducted the people from Babylon, and had the oversight of the work; but some think that Ezra is meant. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 5:17

The - treasure house - גנזיא ginzaiya . This is a Persian word, gunji , a treasury. There is a great deal of good sense and candour in this letter. Nothing of passion or prejudice appears in it. They laid before the king a fair statement without any attempt to prejudice his mind, and gave him those directions which were most likely to lead him to the truth, and to form a correct judgment on a business which, however it issued, must be of considerable importance to the state. God... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 5:3-17

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 5:3-17

Opposition revived. We have in these verses a twofold account of two different things. In Ezra 5:3 , Ezra 5:4 , in the first place, we have the historian's account of the revived opposition called out by the revival of the work of temple-building on the part of the Jews. In Ezra 5:6-10 we have an almost identical but slightly fuller account of the same matter in the letter sent by the opponents themselves to Darius. In Ezra 5:5 , in the next place, we have the historian's account... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 5:3-17

Wisdom in trial. Hardly had the Jews recommenced their work, when they again found themselves subjected to a— I. TRIAL OF FAITH . "At the same time," etc. ( Ezra 5:3 ). Again their unfriendly neighbours came to the attack. They challenged their right to build up the walls: "Who hath commanded you to build?" "By whose authority do ye these things?" The names of the leading men were demanded ( Ezra 5:4 ), with a view of sending them on to the Persian court. Pressure was... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 5:6-17

The letter to Darius. The occasion of this letter was the resumption of the work of rebuilding the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem after an interval of sixteen years. The authors of it are Tatnai, the governor, probably of all the provinces west of the Euphrates, and Shethar-boznai, who may have been the scribe or secretary associated with him, as Shimshai was with Rehum (see Ezra 4:8 ). Or possibly Shethar-boznai was the leading man of the Apharsachites; for these are mentioned as more... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 5:8

We went into the province of Judaea. It has been supposed, on the strength of a doubtful passage in Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 3:7 ), that Tatnai ordinarily resided at Jernsalem. But this expression indicates the contrary. Most probably the satrap of Syria held his court at Damascus. The house of the great God is a remarkable expression in the mouth of a heathen. It has some parallels, e.g. the expressions of Cyrus in Ezra 1:2 , Ezra 1:3 , and of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2:47 and ... read more

Group of Brands