Ezra 3:3-6

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 3:1-7

Here is, I. A general assembly of the returned Israelites at Jerusalem, in the seventh month, Ezra 3:1. We may suppose that they came from Babylon in the spring, and must allow at least four months for the journey, for so long Ezra and his company were in coming, Ezra 7:9. The seventh month therefore soon came, in which many of the feasts of the Lord were to be solemnized; and then they gathered themselves together by agreement among themselves, rather than by the command of authority, to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:3

And they set the altar upon his bases ,.... Which might remain of the old altar; or the meaning is, that it was fixed and settled on the same spot where it stood before: for fear was upon them, because of the people of those countries ; and therefore they hastened to erect an altar, and offer sacrifices to the Lord, in hope that he would appear for them, and help them against their enemies; or rather, as some render the words F17 כי "quamvis", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:4

They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written ,.... According to the rules prescribed for the observation of it in Leviticus 23:34 this began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month: and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required ; for on all the eight days of the feast there was a certain number of sacrifices fixed for every day; and exactly according to the law concerning them did they offer them at this time;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:5

And afterwards offered the continual burnt offering ,.... Not after the feast of tabernacles, as if they then began to offer the daily sacrifice; for that they did as soon as the altar was set up, and on the first day of the month, Ezra 3:3 , rather the sense is, that after the daily burnt offering of the morning, they offered the other sacrifices peculiar to the several days of the feast of tabernacles; they never neglected that, yea, always began with it; all the rest were after it, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 3:6

From the first of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the Lord ,.... And which day was not only a new moon, but a grand festival, the feast of blowing of trumpets, Leviticus 23:24 , and no doubt but they observed the tenth day of this month, with all the rites of it, which was the day of atonement, Leviticus 23:27 , but the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid ; they began first with sacrifices, that having thereby given thanks to God for their... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 3:3

They set the altar upon his bases - Rebuilt it on the same spot on which it had formerly stood. As it was necessary to keep up the Divine worship during the time they should be employed in re-edifying the temple, they first reared this altar of burnt-offerings; and all this they did, "though fear was upon them," because of the unfriendly disposition of their surrounding neighbors. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 3:4

They kept also the feast of tabernacles , as it is written - This began on the fifteenth day of the seventh month; but they had begun the regular offerings from the first day of this month, Ezra 3:6 . And these were religiously continued all the time they were building the temple. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 3:1-3

The first sacrifice. The third chapter begins much as the second chapter concluded, with a picture of the restored Israelites in their respective "cities" or homes. But they do not stay there very long. The temple and the temple worship, for which they had laid by ( Ezra 2:68 , Ezra 2:69 ) before dispersing, is still much on their minds. These verses tell us of the consequent action next taken in that direction— 1. on the part of the people specially; 2. on the part of their... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 3:1-3

The altar rebuilt. The return from Babylon is supposed to have been in the spring. The first employment of the people would be to construct for themselves huts, or so to repair dilapidated buildings as to make them fit for habitation. This accomplished, no time was lost in setting about the great work of re-establishing their ancient worship. So "when the seventh month was come," the month Tisri, corresponding to portions of our September and October, they repaired to Jerusalem to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 3:1-7

§ 2. RESTORATION OF THE ALTAR OF BURNT SACRIFICE , AND CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES . read more

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