Only a portion of the Israelites took advantage of the permission of Cyrus. Many remained in Babylon, since they were disinclined to relinquish the…

Immediate result of the decree.

(5) With all them whose spirit God had raised. — Namely, all is the more …

Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin ,
&c.] Princes of these tribes, and heads of families in…

The same God who raised up the spirit of Cyrus to proclaim liberty to the Jews also raised up their spirits to accept it. For some, the temptation …