Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 8:24-30

We have here an account of the particular care which Ezra took of the treasure he had with him, that belonged to God's sanctuary, Observe, 1. Having committed the keeping of it to God, he committed the keeping of it to proper men, whose business it was to watch it, though without God they would have waked in vain. Note, Our prayers must always be seconded with our endeavours; the care of Christ's gospel, his church, and ordinances, must not be so left with him but that it must also be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:25

And I weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels ,.... When he delivered them to them; this he did as a proof of his own integrity and faithfulness, and as a security against any charge or accusation of embezzling any part of them, and to set them an example, and also that they might be under no temptation of acting such a part, and might be vindicated should they be charged with it: even the offering of the house of our God ; what was freely offered for the service of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:26

I even weighed unto their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver ,.... Which, according to Scheuchzer F1 Physica Sacra, vol. 4. p. 651. amount to 975,000 imperials, and, of our money, 2,229,450 pounds sterling: and silver vessels one hundred talents; which came to 35,300 pounds, or 50,000 imperials; according to Jarchi, there were one hundred vessels, and every vessel weighed a talent, and so Aben Ezra, which, with Brerewood F2 De Pond. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 4. , was three... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:27

Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams ,.... Which were upwards of 1000 pounds of our money; for Bishop Cumberland says F5 Scripture Weights and Measures, ch. 4. p. 115. , the Persian "daric", "drachma", or "drachm", weighed twenty shillings and four pence; and, according to Dr. Bernard, it exceeded one of our guineas by two grains; see Gill on 1 Chronicles 29:7 . and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold ; which perhaps is the same with the Indian or Persian... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 8:26

Silver vessels a hundred talents - That is, The weight of all the silver vessels amounted to one hundred talents; not that there were one hundred vessels of silver, each a talent in weight. Reckoning in round sums, 650 talents of silver at £450 the talent, amount to £292,500 sterling. Silver vessels, 100 talents, amount to £45,000; gold, 100 talents, at £7,000 per talent, amount to £700,000 independently of the 20 basons of gold, amounting to 1000 drachms. Now the golden drachm or... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:15-31

DETAILS OF EZRA 'S JOURNEY FROM BABYLON TO JERUSALEM ( Ezra 8:15-31 ). We gather from scattered statements in this passage— 1. That Ezra, with his companions, after a journey of nine days' duration, reached Ahava from Babylon on the ninth day of the first month; 2. That he rested three days at Ahava, and proclaimed a fast; 3. That he was there joined by a small number of Levites and a considerable body of Nethinims from the immediate neighbourhood; 4. That,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:21-30

Before starting. Ezra's body of travellers now duly assembled and organised, what else was required? On the one hand, they were in a condition of much danger. Without being very numerous, they were numerous enough to be worth attacking while prosecuting their journey. On the other hand, they were in a position of much responsibility, being intrusted with the care of many treasures for God's house. These were the two things Ezra had to see to before they actually moved. The plans he adopted... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:24-30

The custody of the treasure. After fasting and prayer, before the caravan moved from the halt on the banks of the Ahava, Ezra made arrangements for the custody of the offerings with which he was intrusted. Whatever is done under Divine direction is intended to instruct, and in these arrangements we may seek for matter of profitable meditation. Let us then consider— I. THE TREASURE . The vessels which were for the service of the house of the Lord typified his saints ( Acts 9:15 ; ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:24-36

Zionwards. Ezra and the company he had gathered were now fairly on their way homewards, and we may look at them, looking also at ourselves, as— I. TRAVELLERS TO JERUSALEM . "Then we departed to go unto Jerusalem" (verse 31). They had come forth from a land of captivity and comparative privation, and were on their way to the land where they would no longer be bondsmen, and where every possible privilege would be theirs to enjoy: they were "going home;" to the land consecrated to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:25

And weighed unto the the silver, etc. We may gather from this that the silver and gold were in bars or ingots, and not in coined money. The Persians had coined money at this tin. e, but the Treasury kept the bulk of its stores in bars (Herod; 3.96). read more

Group of Brands