We have maintenance - See the margin. The phrase “to eat a man’s salt” is common in the East to this day; and is applied not only to those who receive salaries, but to all who obtain their subsistence by means of another. The Persian satraps had no salaries, but taxed their provinces for the support of themselves and their courts. read more
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
Ezra 4:12. And have set up the walls thereof This was a mere calumny, for they had attempted no such thing as to build the walls of Jerusalem. They had indeed built some houses, without which the place could not be inhabited, and were now employed in erecting the walls of the temple: but they had not begun to encompass the city with walls, to defend it against the incursions of their enemies. This was not undertaken till long after. The assertion of the Samaritans, therefore, was without... read more
Ezra 4:13. Then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom “By the first of these, Grotius understands that which every head paid to the king, and which we call poll-money; by the second, the excise, as we now speak, which was upon commodities and merchandise; and by the last, the land- tax.” Dodd. read more
Ezra 4:14. Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace In the Hebrew it is, we are salted with the salt of the palace. That is, are sustained by the king’s munificence, or have a salary from him, as Junius translates it. In ancient times, it appears, it was usual to allow those who had deserved well, and on that account were honourably provided for at the king’s charge, among other things, a daily quantity of salt; it being a thing very necessary in human life. Locke, however,... read more
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
Jews. Nehemiah, Hanani, and friends. Occurs eight times in Ezra, viz. Ezra 4:12 , Ezra 4:23 ; Ezra 5:1 , Ezra 5:5 ; Ezra 6:7 , Ezra 6:7 , Ezra 6:8 , Ezra 6:14 . The name by which they were known to Gentiles, because the majority belonged to Judah. set up the walls. Quite true; for Nehemiah's work had long preceded this. And note that, when Nehemiah's work was done (Ezra 7:4 ) and the houses built, the house of God was still lying waste (Haggai 1:1-4 ). The Temple not mentioned here. read more
we have maintenance = the salt of the palace is our salt. See note on Numbers 18:19 . read more
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Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezra 4:13
Toll, tribute, and custom - Rather, “tribute, provision, and toll” (so Ezra 4:20). The “tribute” is the money-tax imposed on each province, and apportioned to the inhabitants by the local authorities; the “provision” is the payment in kind, which was an integral part of the Persian system; the “tolI” is probably a payment required from those who used the Persian highways.The revenue - The word thus translated is not found elsewhere, and can only be conjecturally interpreted. Modern commentators... read more