Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezra 5
Charles Ellicott Commentary
Ezra 5
Charles Ellicott 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. 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 5:1-2 (ASV)
Now the intervention of the two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, occurs, whose testimonies and predictions should at this point be read. They reveal a state of apathy to which Ezra does not allude—a state of affairs that, in fact, would have thwarted the whole design of Providence if it had not been changed. Hence the abrupt return of the spirit of prophecy, some of whose last utterances provoked or “stirred up”—as Cyrus had been stirred up—the spirit of the two leaders and of the heads of the families.
"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)
Then rose up. —This does not suggest that they had become indifferent. But the voice of prophecy inspired them to go on without formal permission from Darius, who was known to secretly favor them already.
The prophets of God helping them. —In these two prophets, we can read the invigorating sayings that encouraged the people almost from day to day and from stage to stage of their work.
"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)
Tatnai, governor on this side the river. —Satrap, or Pechah, of the entire province of Syria and Phoenicia, and therefore with a jurisdiction over Judea, and over Zerubbabel its Pechah or sub-Satrap. What Shimshai was to the Samaritan Pechah, Rehum, Shethar-boznai seems to be to Tatnai—his secretary.
Who hath commanded you? —It is obvious that the overthrow of Smerdis, the Magian hater of Zoroastrianism and destroyer of temples, had encouraged the builders to go on without fearing interference from the Court of Darius. Moreover, the two prophets had made their duty too plain to be deferred. Still, the decree of the preceding chapter had never been expressly revoked.
"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? Then we told them after this manner, what the names of the men were that were making this building. But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease, till the matter should come to Darius, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it. 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; they sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus: Unto Darius the king, all peace. Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goeth on with diligence and prospereth in their hands. Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall? We asked them their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were at the head of them. And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and finished. But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon. But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God. And the gold and silver vessels also of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; and he said unto him, Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in its place. Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not completed. Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king`s treasure-house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter." — Ezra 5:3-17 (ASV)
Tatnai’s appeal to Darius.
"Then we told them after this manner, what the names of the men were that were making this building." — Ezra 5:4 (ASV)
Then said we. —The Septuagint must here have read, “then said they.” But there is no need to change the text; the sentence is not a question, but a statement: “we said to the effect, what the names were.”
What are the names of the men ...? —It is clear that this graphic account is much compressed. We must understand that the authorities demanded the names of the chief promoters of the building in order to make them responsible.
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