Ezra 8:18 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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:18

And by the good hand of our God upon us ,.... Favouring their designs and orders, protecting those that were sent, and inclining those they were sent to use their interest and authority with those that were under them, and making them willing also to agree to what was proposed to them: they brought us a man of understanding of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel ; an Israelite, of the tribe of Levi, in the line of Mahli a son of Merari, the third son of Levi: and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:1-20

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:1-20

The rendezvous, or the second muster. We have been told twice before in this story that Ezra went up from Babylon to Jerusalem ( Ezra 7:6-8 , Ezra 7:9 ), and that he did not go by himself. But we only now enter upon the actual details of this second and supplementary expedition. Who were those that went up with him? And what was the nature of the first step which he and they took in common? We may answer these questions in the opposite order. The first step was to meet Ezra at the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:1-20

The Church preparing itself for duty. I. THAT IT IS PREPARED BY COMING OUT FROM A HUMILIATING CAPTIVITY . "This is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon" ( Ezra 8:1 ). Ezra and his comrades must quit the scene of their captivity before they can carry the sacred vessels to Jerusalem; the Church must arise and leave its moral Babylon before it can serve God in successful enterprise. II. THAT IT IS PREPARED BY PRAYERFUL SOLITUDE . "To... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:15-20

The halt at the Ahava. The journey of the children of Israel from Babylon to Jerusalem may be viewed, like that of their fathers from Egypt to Canaan, as a type of the pilgrimage of Christians from the abominations and miseries of the sinful world to the purity and happiness of heaven. In this view the halt at the "river that runneth to Ahava" may suggest— I. THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SEASONS FOR REELECTION . 1. The halt furnished Ezra with such a season. 2. The... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:15-31

DETAILS OF EZRA 'S JOURNEY FROM BABYLON TO JERUSALEM ( Ezra 8:15-31 ). We gather from scattered statements in this passage— 1. That Ezra, with his companions, after a journey of nine days' duration, reached Ahava from Babylon on the ninth day of the first month; 2. That he rested three days at Ahava, and proclaimed a fast; 3. That he was there joined by a small number of Levites and a considerable body of Nethinims from the immediate neighbourhood; 4. That,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:18

By the good hand of our God upon us. This is Ezra's usual mode of acknowledging the good providence and favour of Almighty God (see Ezra 7:6 , Ezra 7:9 , Ezra 7:27 ; and Ezra 8:31 ). Similar expressions occur also in Nehemiah ( Nehemiah 2:8 , Nehemiah 2:18 ), but not elsewhere in Scripture. A man of understanding. In the Hebrew Ish-sekel , which some take for a proper name, but without any necessity. No such name is known to have existed; and the real name of "the man of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezra 8:18

And Sherebiah - Either a name has fallen out before the words “a man of understanding,” or the “and” here has crept into the text by accident. Sherebiah appears among the most earnest of the Levites under Nehemiah (see the marginal references). read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezra 8:18

Ezra 8:18. By the good hand of our God That is, by the blessing of God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, &c. They did not return without their errand; but, though the warning was short, they brought about forty Levites to attend Ezra. By this it appears they were not averse to go, but were slothful, and only wanted to be called upon to go. read more

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 8:18

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:1-20

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:1-20

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:1-20

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:15-20

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:15-31

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 8:18

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Ezra 8:18

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Ezra 8:18

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