Charles Ellicott Commentary Ezra 6:14

"And the elders of the Jews builded and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia." — Ezra 6:14 (ASV)

Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia. — This verse includes all the agents in the great work that the book deals with: from Cyrus to Artaxerxes; the elders, that is, the heads of the Jews; the prophets ; but all is from the God of Israel, whose commandment Cyrus and all others fulfilled.

Artaxerxes king of Persia. — This is evidently the Artaxerxes Longimanus of the following account, whose contributions and help did so much toward the perfecting of the general design, even though the “finishing” mentioned here took place fifty years before his reign. Observe that he alone is called “king of Persia,” which shows that Ezra is writing in his time and adds his name to the original record. Just as the later Artaxerxes is introduced, so is the earlier Cyrus, in this comprehensive review.