Ezra 8:1-32 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 8:1-20

Ezra, having received his commission from the king, beats up for volunteers, as it were, sets up an ensign to assemble the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah, Isa. 11:12. ?Whoever of the sons of Sion, that swell with the daughters of Babylon, is disposed to go to Jerusalem, now that the temple there is finished and the temple-service set a-going, now is their time.? Now one would think that under such a leader, with such encouragements, all the Jews should at length have shaken... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 8:21-23

Ezra has procured Levites to go along with him; but what will that avail, unless he have God with him? That is therefore his chief care. In all our ways we must acknowledge God, and in those particularly wherein we are endeavouring to serve the interest of his kingdom among men. Ezra does so here. Observe, I. The stedfast confidence he had in God and in his gracious protection. He told the king (Ezra 8:22) what principles he went upon, that those who seek God are safe under the shadow of his... read more

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 8:31-36

We are now to attend Ezra to Jerusalem, a journey of about four months in all; but his multitude made his marches slow and his stages short. Now here we are told, I. That his God was good, and he acknowledged his goodness: The hand of our God was upon us, to animate us for our undertaking. To him they owed it, 1. That they were preserved in their journey, and not all cut off; for there were enemies that laid wait for them by the way to do them a mischief, or at least, like Amalek, to smite the... read more

John Gill

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

These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them ,.... Which follows from hence to the end of Ezra 8:14 , that went up with me from Babylon ; with Ezra the priest and scribe, the writer of this book: in the reign of Artaxerxes the king ; that is, Darius Hystaspis, in the seventh year of his reign, see Ezra 7:1 , though many think Artaxerxes Longimanus is meant. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:2

Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel ,.... Not Daniel the prophet, he was of the royal blood, and of the tribe of Judah; this was a priest, a descendant of Ithamar, as Gershom was of Eleazar in the line of Phinehas: of the sons of David; Hattush ; perhaps the same with him in 1 Chronicles 3:22 , who was a descendant of David the king; these three men seem to have come alone without any of their families, at least they are not mentioned, nor their numbers... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:3-14

Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh ,.... Who is so described, to distinguish him from another Shechaniah, Ezra 8:5 , Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy, of the males an hundred and fifty ; males only were reckoned, not women and children; though that there were such that went up is clear from Ezra 8:21 , from hence to the end of Ezra 8:14 an account is given of the number of the males that went up with Ezra, who were chiefly, if not altogether, sons... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:15

And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava ,.... From whence also the river bore the same name; or that from the river, see Ezra 8:21 , and may be the same with Adiabene, a country in Assyria, which had its name from the river Adiava: and there abode we in tents three days ; or pitched their camp; this was the place of their rendezvous: and I viewed the people and the priests ; mustered them, took the number of them, and what tribe and families they were of: ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:16

Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding. These were all in the camp, in some part of it, to whom Ezra sent messengers to come unto him; three of them are of the same name; the first nine were men of chief note, rank, and dignity in their family, and the other two were noted for men of good sense, and that could... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:17

And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief, at the place Casiphia ,.... Not a place by the Caspian sea, and near the Caspian mountains, as Munster, which was too far off to go and return in the time they must, see Ezra 7:9 , but, as Jarchi, a place in Babylon so called, a village near it, or a parish or street in it, where Ezra knew lived many of the Levites and Nethinims, and where Iddo was the chief of the Levites, and over them both: and I told them what they should say... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 8:1-20

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 8:21-23

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

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 8:31-36

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:3-14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:17

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