Ezra 1:6-11

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 1:5-11

We are here told, I. How Cyrus's proclamation succeeded with others. 1. He having given leave to the Jews to go up to Jerusalem, many of them went up accordingly, Ezra 1:5. The leaders herein were the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, eminent and experienced men, from whom it might justly be expected that, as they were above their brethren in dignity, so they should go before them in duty. The priests and Levites were (as became them) with the first that set their faces again towards... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 1:6

And all they that were about them ,.... Their neighbours, the Chaldeans: strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things ; which they either did of themselves at their own motion, or by the direction and example of Cyrus, Ezra 1:4 and perhaps many of them to ingratiate themselves into the favour of their new monarch: besides all that was willingly offered : by the rich Jews, who thought fit, at least for the present,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 1:7

And Cyrus brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord ,.... Or ordered them to be brought forth: which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem ; out of the temple there, when he took it and burnt it: and had put them in the house of his gods ; in the temple of Belus at Babylon, see 2 Chronicles 36:7 , by which means they were providentially preserved. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 1:8

Even these did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer ,.... Or Mithridates, a name common with the Persians, from their god Mithras, the sun they worshipped: and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar prince of Judah ; delivered them by tale to him; who, according to the Jewish rabbins, as Jarchi says, was Daniel, who was so called, because he stood in six tribulations; but it does not appear that Daniel went up to Jerusalem with the captivity, as this man did,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 1:9

And this is the number of them ,.... Of the vessels delivered, as follows: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver ; these, according to Ben Melech, were vessels in which water was put to wash hands in; but rather they were, as Aben Ezra observes from the Jerusalem Talmud F18 T. Hieros. Yoma, fol. 41. 1. , vessels in which they gathered the blood of lambs and bullocks slain for sacrifices: nine and twenty knives ; which, because the handles of them were of gold... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 1:10

Thirty basins of gold ,.... Cups or dishes with covers, as the word seems to signify; but, according to Jarchi and Aben Ezra, they were vessels in which the blood of sacrifices was received, and out of which it was sprinkled on the altar: silver basins of a second sort four hundred and ten ; perhaps lesser than the other, however not so valuable, being of silver; in the Apocrypha:"And this was the number of them; A thousand golden cups, and a thousand of silver, censers of silver twenty... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 1:11

All the vessels of gold, and of silver, were five thousand and four hundred ,.... Those that are mentioned make no more than 2499, which Aben Ezra thinks were the larger vessels; but this general sum takes in great and small, as in 2 Chronicles 36:18 in the letter of Cyrus, before mentioned, these vessels are more particularly described, and their several numbers given, which together amount to the exact number in the text, 5400; the apocryphal Ezra makes them 5469: all these did... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 1:6

Vessels of silver - Articles of silver, gold, etc. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 1:7

The king brought forth the vessels - See on Ezra 1:9-11 ; (note). read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 1:8

Sheshbazzar , the prince of Judah - This was probably the Chaldean name of him who was originally called Zerubbabel: the former signifies joy in affliction; the latter, a stranger in Babylon. The latter may be designed to refer to his captive state; the former, to the prospect of release. Some think this was quite a different person, a Persian or Chaldean, sent by Cyrus to superintend whatever officers or men Cyrus might have sent to assist the Jews on their return; and to procure... read more

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