Ezra 5:1

AFTER A 15-YEAR DELAY; WORK ON THE TEMPLE RESUMED;

THE GOVERNOR REPORTS TO DARIUS I;

THE HISTORICAL SITUATION

The opposition of the people of the land had succeeded in weakening the purpose of Israel to rebuild the temple. As we learn from Haggai and others of the Minor Prophets, the lack of zeal and devotion on the part of God's people themselves had also contributed to this long delay (Haggai 1:2-11). Under the urgent admonitions of Haggai, both Zerubbabel and Jeshua rose up and vigorously began work on the temple. The foundation had been laid much earlier, but that foundation was probably little more than a ground-breaking that projected the size of the structure but did little else.

Also a new governor, operating from his headquarters in Damascus, under the authority of the Persian ruler who, at this time was Darius Hystaspes, was in charge of the satrapy that included Palestine. The governor was Tattenai, a far more noble person than the evil Rehum, a governor who came much later, and whose sympathies were totally in favor of the Samaritans and who was bitterly opposed to Israel.

We may be sure that when work was resumed on the temple that the Samaritans went immediately to Damascus to enlist the aid of the new governor in stopping it. Tattenai, however, refused to take any action against the temple work until he had consulted his overlord Darius I.

This chapter provides the sacred record of these developments.

WORK ON THE TEMPLE RESUMED

"Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel, prophesied they unto them. Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God helping them."

"Now the prophets" (Ezra 5:1). The record here does not mention what the prophets prophesied; but it is clear that they demanded that the Jews resume work on their temple. (See Vol. 3 of our Commentaries on the Minor Prophets (Haggai), pp. 187-197, for a discussion of just how urgent the message of the prophets was.) At any rate, Israel heeded it, and began to build the temple.

"Haggai ... and Zechariah" (Ezra 5:1). "The work on the temple was renewed only three weeks after Haggai began preaching, which was Sept. 20,520 B.C."[1] "Zerubbabel is highly honored in Haggai and in Zechariah 4; Jeshua is honored in Zechariah 3 and Zechariah 6."[2]

"And began to build the house of God" (Ezra 5:2). This supports our view that the first laying of the foundation was a very elementary thing. Haggai complained that the house of God "lay in waste" (Haggai 1:4); and that is the same terminology that was used after Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it. Furthermore, as Hamrick pointed out, "Haggai 1:12-15 does not mention any previous attempt to build the temple; and this probably means that Sheshbazzar's beginnings had been so meager that the project had to be started anew."[3]

"Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel" (Ezra 5:2).