Albert Barnes Commentary Ezra 5
Albert Barnes Commentary
Ezra 5
Albert Barnes Commentary
Ezra 5
"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." — Ezra 5:1 (ASV)
Haggai and Zechariah stirred up Zerubbabel and Joshua (Ezra 5:2; Haggai 1:14), and warned the people against neglecting the building of the temple in order to give themselves to the beautifying of their own houses (see Haggai 1:4, Haggai 1:9). Zechariah was the son of Berechiah, and grandson of Iddo (see the marginal reference; Matthew 23:35). Compare a similar application of “son” in the case of Jehu (see the 2 Kings 9:20 note).
In the name of the God of Israel, even to them—Rather, “in the name of the God of Israel, which was upon them.” The two prophets addressed the Jews regarding their being God’s people, or, in Hebrew phrase (see the Jeremiah 15:16 margin), “having God’s name called upon 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." — Ezra 5:2 (ASV)
Began to build - i. e., “made a second beginning” - recommenced the uncompleted work.
Helping them - By infusing zeal into the people .
"At the same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?" — Ezra 5:3 (ASV)
Governor on this side the river - Compare the note on Ezra 4:10. Tatnai was apparently satrap of Syria, which included the whole tract west of the Euphrates from Cilicia to the borders of Egypt. Zerubbabel must have been, to some extent, under his authority.
Who hath commanded you to build? - There was no doubt a formal illegality in the conduct of Zerubbabel and Jeshua, since all edicts of Persian kings continued in force unless revoked by their successors. But they felt justified in disobeying the decree of the Pseudo-Smerdis (see the note on Ezra 4:7), because the opposition between his religious views and those of his successor was widely known.
"The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shethar-bozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who were beyond the River, sent unto Darius the king;" — Ezra 5:6 (ASV)
Apharsachites, like Apharsites, and Apharsathchites (Ezra 4:9), are thought by some to be forms of the word “Persians,” which is applied here generally to the foreign settlers in Samaria. (Others identify the first and the third names with the “Paretaceni,” a people on the Medo-Persian border.)
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