John Gill Commentary Ezra 4:14

"Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not meet for us to see the king`s dishonor, therefore have we sent and certified the king;" — Ezra 4:14 (ASV)

Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace
Have posts under the king, to which salaries were annexed, by which they were supported, and which they had from the king's exchequer; or "salt" ^F15 , as in the original, some places of honour and trust formerly being paid in salt; hence, as Pliny ^F16 observes, such honours and rewards were called "salaries":

and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour ;
to see any thing done injurious to his crown and dignity, to his honour and revenues, when we are supported by him; this would be ungrateful as well as unjust:

therefore have we sent and certified the king ;
of the truth of what is before related; and, for the further confirmation of it, refer him to the ancient records of the kingdom, as follows.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F15: (xlm) "salem vel sale", Montanus, Vatablus, Michaelis.
• F16: Nat. Hist. l. 31. c. 7.