The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river ,.... Which is thought by some to be one of the nations mentioned, Ezra 4:9 the name being pretty near alike to two of them; but perhaps might be a distinct colony in those parts Tatnai was governor of: these sent unto Darius the king ; and is as follows. read more
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Get Bible verse every day in your inbox
Read on Mobile
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 5:3-17
We have here, I. The cognizance which their neighbours soon took of the reviving of this good work. A jealous eye, it seems, they had upon them, and no sooner did the Spirit of God stir up the friends of the temple to appear for it than the evil spirit stirred up its enemies to appear against it. While the people built and ceiled their own houses their enemies gave them no molestation (Hag. 1:4), though the king's order was to put a stop to the building of the city (Ezra 4:21); but when they... read more