Ezra 3 and 4
1 When the seventh month came, and the children of Israel were in the
towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem.
towns, the people gathered as one man to Jerusalem.
As one man Is a hebrew idiom meaning they were united.
Just like in luke the people of Judah returned to their ancestral homes.
2 Then arose Jeshua the son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of
the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law
of Moses the man of God. 3 They set the altar in its place, for fear was on
them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings
on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening.
Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel with his kinsmen, and they built the altar of
the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the Law
of Moses the man of God. 3 They set the altar in its place, for fear was on
them because of the peoples of the lands, and they offered burnt offerings
on it to the LORD, burnt offerings morning and evening.
“and offered burnt offerings on it.”
The Jews started offering sacrifices on the altar long before the Temple
was finished. It is always nice to do God’s work in exactly the way He
prescribes, but sometimes, such as here, the right thing to do is to do the
best you can even if things are not exactly as they should be.
The Jews started offering sacrifices on the altar long before the Temple
was finished. It is always nice to do God’s work in exactly the way He
prescribes, but sometimes, such as here, the right thing to do is to do the
best you can even if things are not exactly as they should be.
4 And they kept the Feast of Booths, as it is written, and offered the daily
burnt offerings by number according to the rule, as each day required
burnt offerings by number according to the rule, as each day required
“Feast of Booths.” This is one of the three annual feasts that the
Israelites were to celebrate in Jerusalem each year. It is traditionally
referred to as the “Feast of Tabernacles,” but “Booths” is more accurate
(Exod. 23:14-17; Lev. 23:34-43).
Israelites were to celebrate in Jerusalem each year. It is traditionally
referred to as the “Feast of Tabernacles,” but “Booths” is more accurate
(Exod. 23:14-17; Lev. 23:34-43).
5 and after that the regular burnt offerings, the offerings at the new moon
and at all the appointed feasts of the LORD, and the offerings of everyone
who made a freewill offering to the LORD. 6 From the first day of the
seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the
foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. 7 So they gave money
to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians
and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa,
according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
and at all the appointed feasts of the LORD, and the offerings of everyone
who made a freewill offering to the LORD. 6 From the first day of the
seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the LORD. But the
foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. 7 So they gave money
to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians
and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa,
according to the grant that they had from Cyrus king of Persia.
Joopa was the only seaport until Herod built Caesarea which then became the
major trading port.
major trading port.
Now Zerubbabel was more or less the political leader of the people who
returned. Zerubbabel was a grandson to the one king of Israel, Jehoiachin.
And so, had they followed the monarchy, he would have been the king, but he
didn't assume the position of a monarch. But he was the leader of the people
in a political sense; whereas Jeshua the priest was the leader of the people in
a spiritual sense. Jeshua was the priest leading them in spiritual things;
Zerubbabel became more or less a governor over this remnant of people that
returned. However, he was of the royal line of David and could have assumed
the position of the king. However, the monarchy had ended and is not to be
picked up again until Jesus Christ comes. And He will sit upon the throne of
David and God's promise to David that there shall not cease one from his
family sitting upon the throne forever will be fulfilled when Jesus comes
again and establishes God's eternal kingdom upon the earth.
returned. Zerubbabel was a grandson to the one king of Israel, Jehoiachin.
And so, had they followed the monarchy, he would have been the king, but he
didn't assume the position of a monarch. But he was the leader of the people
in a political sense; whereas Jeshua the priest was the leader of the people in
a spiritual sense. Jeshua was the priest leading them in spiritual things;
Zerubbabel became more or less a governor over this remnant of people that
returned. However, he was of the royal line of David and could have assumed
the position of the king. However, the monarchy had ended and is not to be
picked up again until Jesus Christ comes. And He will sit upon the throne of
David and God's promise to David that there shall not cease one from his
family sitting upon the throne forever will be fulfilled when Jesus comes
again and establishes God's eternal kingdom upon the earth.
8 Now in the second year after their coming to the house of God at
Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of
their kinsmen, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to
Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites from twenty
years old and upward, to supervise the work of the house of the LORD.
They are beginning to rebuild the temple.
9And Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, and Kadmiel and his sons, the
sons of Judah, together supervised the workmen in the house of God, along
with the sons of Henadad and the Levites, their sons and brothers.
10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD,
the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the
Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to
the directions of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively,
praising and giving thanks to the LORD,
“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”
And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD,
because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of
the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen
the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this
house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people
could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the
people’s weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound
was heard far away.
sons of Judah, together supervised the workmen in the house of God, along
with the sons of Henadad and the Levites, their sons and brothers.
10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD,
the priests in their vestments came forward with trumpets, and the
Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the LORD, according to
the directions of David king of Israel. 11 And they sang responsively,
praising and giving thanks to the LORD,
“For he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.”
And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the LORD,
because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. 12 But many of
the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ houses, old men who had seen
the first house, wept with a loud voice when they saw the foundation of this
house being laid, though many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people
could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the
people’s weeping, for the people shouted with a great shout, and the sound
was heard far away.
Ezra 4
1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned
exiles were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel,
1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned
exiles were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel,
“Judah and Benjamin.” The two tribes that made up the nation of “Judah.”
After Solomon died, the United Kingdom of Israel, which was 12 tribes was
split into “Israel,” which had ten tribes and “Judah,” which was composed of
Benjamin and Judah. Israel was carried away captive by the Assyrians
were allowed to return to their homeland by the Persians. Nevertheless,
history shows us that the majority of Judeans stayed where they had
settled and remained in Mesopotamia.
“exiles who had returned.” The Hebrew is idiomatic: “the sons of the exile,”
that is, those who had been taken captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar but
had now returned to Judah.
that is, those who had been taken captive to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar but
had now returned to Judah.
2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of fathers’ houses and said to
them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have
been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who
brought us here.”
them, “Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have
been sacrificing to him ever since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria who
brought us here.”
“Esarhaddon.” A son of Sennacherib, king of Assyria, who brought those
particular people to Israel. A number of successive kings imported people
conquered by the Assyrians into Israel. It was not just one king who did that.
particular people to Israel. A number of successive kings imported people
conquered by the Assyrians into Israel. It was not just one king who did that.
“who brought us up here.” When the Assyrians conquered the northern
kingdom of Israel, they deported the Israelites and brought in people from
other nations they had conquered and repopulated Israel (2 Kings 17:24-41).
These pagans began to worship Yahweh, but also continued to worship their
own gods, thus creating a kind of perverted worship of Yahweh that persisted
until the time of Christ. These imported people became the Samaritans of the
New Testament, and the fact they were foreigners and worshiped Yahweh in
a perverted way explains why they were so hated by the Jews of Christ’s time.
kingdom of Israel, they deported the Israelites and brought in people from
other nations they had conquered and repopulated Israel (2 Kings 17:24-41).
These pagans began to worship Yahweh, but also continued to worship their
own gods, thus creating a kind of perverted worship of Yahweh that persisted
until the time of Christ. These imported people became the Samaritans of the
New Testament, and the fact they were foreigners and worshiped Yahweh in
a perverted way explains why they were so hated by the Jews of Christ’s time.
3 But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ houses in
Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to
our God; but we alone will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King
Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to
our God; but we alone will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King
Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
At this point the temple was not yet finished but they did as God had told
them to sort of do the best you can under the circumstances. We can learn
something from this. Maybe you have to go with what you have at the time
but raise the bar so others who need to rise up to meet the bar.
4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made
them afraid to build 5 and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their
purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius
king of Persia.
them to sort of do the best you can under the circumstances. We can learn
something from this. Maybe you have to go with what you have at the time
but raise the bar so others who need to rise up to meet the bar.
4 Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah and made
them afraid to build 5 and bribed counselors against them to frustrate their
purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius
king of Persia.
Some versions say that they “hired counselors” but bribed is more true to
fact.
fact.
6 And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an
accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
The Letter to King Artaxerxes
7 In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the
rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was
written in Aramaic and translated.
7 In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the
rest of their associates wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia. The letter was
written in Aramaic and translated.
Ahasuerus is the Hebrew name for Artaxerxes.
8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against
Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:
Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows:
So here we are at the beginning of a squabble tha will go on for many years.
9 Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their
associates, the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of
Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites,
associates, the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of
Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites,
10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported
and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond
the River.
and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond
the River.
“Osnappar.” This is apparently the Assyrian king Ashurbanipal.
“brought over.” This is a reference to the fact that the people the
Assyrians brought into Israel were from beyond the Euphrates River,
and had to be “brought over” it to Israel. The prophet Ahijah foretold
that Israel would be carried away captive and scattered “beyond the
river” (1 Kings 14:15).
Assyrians brought into Israel were from beyond the Euphrates River,
and had to be “brought over” it to Israel. The prophet Ahijah foretold
that Israel would be carried away captive and scattered “beyond the
river” (1 Kings 14:15).
11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent.) “To Artaxerxes the king:
Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And
now 12 be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us
have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city.
They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.
Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And
now 12 be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us
have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city.
They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations.
The text reads build but the accuracy is rebuild becuse Solomon had built
the temple.
the temple.
13 Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls
finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will
be impaired. 14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting
for us to witness the king’s dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king,
finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will
be impaired. 14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting
for us to witness the king’s dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king,
The eating of salt indicates they sent this letter because they had a salt
covenant with the king. They were informing him because of that salt
covenant. It gets explained in the next verse.
covenant with the king. They were informing him because of that salt
covenant. It gets explained in the next verse.
15 in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your
fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a
rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up
in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. 16 We make known to
the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no
possession in the province Beyond the River.”
fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a
rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up
in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. 16 We make known to
the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no
possession in the province Beyond the River.”
The King Orders the Work to Cease
17 The king sent an answer: “To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the
scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest
of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now 18 the letter that you
sent to us has been plainly read before me.
17 The king sent an answer: “To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the
scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest
of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now 18 the letter that you
sent to us has been plainly read before me.
It does not read this way in the text but this is the essence of what the
text said.
text said.
19 And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found
that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and
sedition have been made in it. 20 And mighty kings have been over
Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom
tribute, custom, and toll were paid. 21 Therefore make a decree that these
men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is
made by me. 22 And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should
damage grow to the hurt of the king?”
23 Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum
and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the
Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. 24 Then the
work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until
the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and
sedition have been made in it. 20 And mighty kings have been over
Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom
tribute, custom, and toll were paid. 21 Therefore make a decree that these
men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is
made by me. 22 And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should
damage grow to the hurt of the king?”
23 Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum
and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the
Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. 24 Then the
work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until
the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
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