Ezra 6:18-28

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 6:13-22

Here we have, I. The Jews? enemies made their friends. When they received this order from the king they came with as much haste to encourage and assist the work as their predecessors had done to put a stop to it, Ezra 4:23. What the king ordered they did, and, because they would not be thought to do it with reluctance, they did it speedily, Ezra 6:13. The king's moderation made them, contrary to their own inclination, moderate too. II. The building of the temple carried on, and finished in a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 6:18

And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God which is at Jerusalem ,.... All in their proper classes and courses, to do the work of the temple at Jerusalem in their turns: as it is written in the book of Moses ; see Numbers 3:6 , from hence it is plain the Pentateuch was not written by Ezra, as suspected by Spinosa F13 Tract. Theolog. Polit. c. 8. p. 163. , but by Moses; see the argument of the book of Genesis. See Gill on ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 6:19

And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month. The month Nisan or Abib, which was the month following that in which the temple was finished, Ezra 6:15 , this passover was kept at the exact time the law commanded, Exodus 12:2 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 6:20

For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure ,.... They were all to a man pure, and all purified as one man; all were of one mind to purify themselves, and took care to do it, and did it with as much dispatch as if only one man was purified; so that they were more generally prepared for service now than in the times of Hezekiah, 2 Chronicles 29:34 and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests and for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 6:21

And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity ,.... The tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with some of the ten tribes mixed with them: and all such as had separated themselves unto them, from the filthiness of the Heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat ; such of the Gentiles in the dominions of Babylon, and came with the Jews from thence, who were enlightened into the knowledge and worship of the true God, and not only renounced their idolatry, here... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 6:22

And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy ,.... Which immediately followed upon the passover, Exodus 12:18 , for the Lord had made them joyful ; the building of the temple being finished, and the service of it restored to its original purity: and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel ; by giving them leave to go on in building the temple, and by encouraging and assisting them... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 6:18

And they set the priests - With this verse the Chaldee or Aramitic part of this chapter ends. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 6:20

The Levites were purified together - They were all ready at one time to observe the proper rites and ceremonies, and had no need of having a second passover, which was appointed by the law for those who had been accidentally defiled, or were at a distance from the tabernacle. See 2 Chronicles 30:3 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 6:21

And all such as had separated themselves - These were the proselytes who had embraced the Jewish religion by having mingled with the Jews in their captivity. This proves that there the poor captives had so acted according to the principles of their religion, that the heathens saw it, and walked in the light of the Lord with them. A good example is very persuasive; and particularly so when founded on pure principles. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 6:22

Turned the heart of the king of Assyria - I am of Calmet's mind, that king of Assyria is here put for king of Persia. Cyrus and his successors possessed all the rights and estates of the ancient kings of Assyria, and therefore the same monarch may be styled king of Assyria as well as king of Persia. Darius had a very high character, as a wise, just, and merciful prince. To strengthen his title to the crown, he married two of the daughters of Cyrus, and, no doubt, to show his... read more

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