The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river ,.... Which is thought by some to be one of the nations mentioned, Ezra 4:9 the name being pretty near alike to two of them; but perhaps might be a distinct colony in those parts Tatnai was governor of: these sent unto Darius the king ; and is as follows. read more
They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus ,.... Or this was the inscription of it: unto Darius the king, all peace ; wishing him all kind of happiness and prosperity. read more
Be it known unto the king ,.... This seems to have been the usual form of beginning a letter to a king in those days, Ezra 4:12 that we went into the province of Judea; which from a kingdom was reduced to a province, and was become a part of the Babylonian, now Persian, monarchy, see Ezra 2:1 to the house of the great God; as the Jews called the Lord their God; and even the Heathens had a notion that there was one supreme God, though they worshipped inferior ones; and some had a notion... read more
Then asked we those elders ,.... The elders of the province of Judea; the chief men of it: who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls ? see Ezra 5:3 . read more
We asked their names also ,.... The names of the elders, those that set men about this work: to certify that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them ; take the names of them in writing, that they might with certainty acquaint the king who they were, and that if it was necessary they might be called to an account for what they were doing. read more
With great stones - They are making a very strong and a very costly building. read more
Opposition revived. We have in these verses a twofold account of two different things. In Ezra 5:3 , Ezra 5:4 , in the first place, we have the historian's account of the revived opposition called out by the revival of the work of temple-building on the part of the Jews. In Ezra 5:6-10 we have an almost identical but slightly fuller account of the same matter in the letter sent by the opponents themselves to Darius. In Ezra 5:5 , in the next place, we have the historian's account... read more
Wisdom in trial. Hardly had the Jews recommenced their work, when they again found themselves subjected to a— I. TRIAL OF FAITH . "At the same time," etc. ( Ezra 5:3 ). Again their unfriendly neighbours came to the attack. They challenged their right to build up the walls: "Who hath commanded you to build?" "By whose authority do ye these things?" The names of the leading men were demanded ( Ezra 5:4 ), with a view of sending them on to the Persian court. Pressure was... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 5:3-17
We have here, I. The cognizance which their neighbours soon took of the reviving of this good work. A jealous eye, it seems, they had upon them, and no sooner did the Spirit of God stir up the friends of the temple to appear for it than the evil spirit stirred up its enemies to appear against it. While the people built and ceiled their own houses their enemies gave them no molestation (Hag. 1:4), though the king's order was to put a stop to the building of the city (Ezra 4:21); but when they... read more