Ezr 4:24, 6:1-15, 7:1, 8, 11-26, Neh 2:1-8, 3:1 | TSK | STEP | So. Darius.This was Darius Hystaspes, one of the seven princes who slew the usurper Smerdis: he ascended the throne of Persia, A.M. 3483, B.C. 521, and reigned 36 years.

Ezra 4:24

So.

Darius.This was Darius Hystaspes, one of the seven princes who slew the usurper Smerdis: he ascended the throne of Persia, A.M. 3483, B.C. 521, and reigned 36 years.

5:5; 6:1; Hag 1:15

Ezra 6:1-15

1 Darius, finding the decree of Cyrus, makes a new decree for the advancement of the building.

13 By the help of Tatnai and Shethar-boznai, according to the decree, the temple is finished.

16 The feast of the dedication is kept;

19 and the passover.

and search.

4:15,19; 5:17; Job 29:16; Pr 25:2

rolls. Chal. books.

Ps 40:7; Jer 36:2-4,20-23,29,32; Eze 2:9; 3:1; Re 5:1

laid up. Chal. made to descend.

at Achmetha. or, at Ecbatana, or, in a coffer.[achmta ,] probably from the Persian [chm,] {kham,} "a house for a summer residence," with a prefix, [a,] {aleph,} and the Chaldee termination [ta,] {tha,} most likely denotes Ecbatana, as the Vulgate and Josephus read, the summer residence of the Persian monarchs. It was situated in a mountainous region at the foot of mount Orontes, or Jasonius, according to Ammianus, on the southern confines of Media and Persia, and according to Pliny, 750 miles from Seleucia the Great, 20 miles from the Caspian passes, 450 miles from Susa, and the same from Gazæ Atropatene, and in lat. 37 degrees 45 min., long. 88 degrees, according to Ptolemy. The building of the city is ascribed to Semiramis by Diodorus, but to Deioces by Eusebius, (in Chron. 1.1,) and Herodotus, who states that it was surrounded by seven walls, strong and ample, built in circles one within another, rising each above each by the height of their respective battlements; each being distinguished by a different colour, the first white, the second black, the third purple, the fourth blue, the fifth orange, the sixth plated with silver, and the seventh with gold. The largest of these was nearly the extent of Athens, i.e., 200 furlongs, according to Dion Chrysostom; but Diodorus Siculus states the circumference of Ecbatana to be 250 furlongs. Within the inner circle stood the king's palace and the royal treasury, so much celebrated for its splendour and riches by Polybius. It is highly probable, as D'Anville and Major Rennel suppose, that the present Hamadan, whose ruins attest its former splendour, occupies the site of Ecbatana. It is situated in Al Gebal, at the foot of the lofty mountain Alwend, about 80 leagues from Ispahan, and also from Bagdad.

the first year.

1:1-4; 5:13-15; 2Ch 36:22,23

the place.

De 12:5,6,11-14; 2Ch 2:6; Ps 122:4

the height.

1Ki 6:2,3; 2Ch 3:3,4; Eze 41:13-15; Re 21:16

three rows.

1Ki 6:36

the expenses.

7:20-23; Ps 68:29; 72:10; Isa 49:23; 60:6-10; Re 12:16

the golden.

1:7,8; 5:14; Jer 27:16,18-22; Da 1:2; 5:2

which Nebuchadnezzar.

2Ki 24:13; 25:14,15; 2Ch 36:6,7,10,18; Jer 52:19

brought. Chal. go.

Tatnai.

5:3

your companions. Chal. their societies.

5:6

be ye far.

Ge 32:28; 43:14; Ne 1:11; Ps 76:10; Pr 21:1,30; Isa 27:8

Ac 4:26-28; Ro 8:31

Let the work.

Ac 5:38,39

I make a decree. Chal. by me a decree is made. the king's.

4; 4:16,20; 7:15-22; Ps 68:29-31; Hag 2:8

hindered. Chal. made to cease.

4:21,23; 5:5

young bullocks.

Le 1:3-5,10; 9:2; Ps 50:9-13

lambs.

Ex 29:38-42; Nu 28:1-29:40

wheat.

Le 2:1-16; Nu 15:4-31; 1Ch 9:29

salt.

Le 2:13; Mr 9:49

let it be given.

Isa 49:23

sweet savours. Chal. rest.

Ge 8:21; Le 1:9,13; Eph 5:2

pray.

7:23; Jer 29:7; 1Ti 2:1,2

whosoever.

7:26

timber.

Es 5:4; 7:10

hanged. Chal. destroyed. his house.

2Ki 9:37; 10:27; Da 2:5; 3:29

caused.

Ex 20:24; De 12:5,11; 16:2; 1Ki 9:3; 2Ch 7:16; Ps 132:13,14

destroy.

Ps 5:10; 21:8-10; 137:8,9; Isa 60:12; Ob 1:10; Zec 12:2-4

Ac 5:38,39; 9:5; Re 19:14-21

I Darius.

Es 3:14,15; 8:14

speed.

13; Ec 9:10

Tatnai.

4:9,23; 5:6

so they did.

Es 6:11; Job 5:12,13; Pr 29:26

And the elders.

3:8; 4:3

through.

5:1,2; Hag 1:12-14; 2:2-15; Zec 2:1-4:14; 6:1-15

finished it.

Zec 4:9

according.

Isa 44:28; Hag 1:8

commandment. Chal. decree. Cyrus.

13; 1:1-4; 4:24; 5:13

Artaxerxes.This was Artaxerxes, the third son and successor of Xerxes, surnamed [Makrocheir,] or Longimanus, or in Persian, {Ardsheer deeraz dest,} "Ardsheer the long-handed;" so called, according to the Greeks, from the extra-ordinary length of his hands, but according to the Easterners, from the extent of his dominions. He ascended the Persian throne, A.M. 3540, B.C. 464, and reigned forty-one years. He is said to have been the most handsome person of his age, and to have been a prince of a very mild and generous disposition.

7:1

A.M. 3489. B.C. 515. Adar.

Es 3:7,13; 8:12; 9:1,15,17,19,21

Ezra 7:1

1 Ezra goes up to Jerusalem.

11 The gracious commission of Artaxerxes to Ezra.

27 Ezra blesses God for this favour.

A.M. 3547. B.C. 457. Artaxerxes.

12,21; 6:14; Ne 2:1

Ezra.

10; 8:1-10:44; Ne 8:2-9

Seraiah.

2Ki 25:18; 1Ch 6:4-14; 9:11; Ne 11:11; Jer 52:24-27

Hilkiah.

2Ki 22:4,8; 2Ch 34:9,15

Ezra 7:8

Ezra 7:11-26

the copy.

4:11; 5:6

a scribe.

6; Mt 23:2,13; Mr 7:1-13

Artaxerxes.The title of the king would, in Persian, run thus: {Ardsheer shahinshah,} or {padshah,} "Ardsheer, king of kings," i.e., great or supreme king or emperor.

1Ki 4:24; 20:1; Isa 10:8; Eze 26:7; Da 2:37,47; 1Ti 6:15; Re 17:14

Re 19:16

unto Ezra, etc. or, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe ofthe law of the God of heaven, peace, etc. and at such a time.

4:10,11,17

I make.

5:13; 6:1; 2Ch 30:5; Es 3:15; 9:14; Ps 148:6

minded.

1:3; Ps 110:3; Php 2:13; Re 22:17

of the king. Chal. from before the king. seven counsellors.Seven princes of Persia having conspired against and slain the usurper Smerdis, and thus made way for the family of Darius, which afterwards filled the throne, the Persian kings of this race had always seven chief princes as their counsellors, who possessed peculiar privileges, were his chief assistants in the government, and by whose advice all the public affairs of the empire were transacted. The names of these counsellors are given in the parallel place of the book of Esther.

Es 1:14

according.

25,26; De 17:18,19; Isa 8:20

thy God.

1:3; 5:8; 6:12; Da 2:47; 6:20,26

the silver.

6:4,8-10; Ps 68:29,30; 72:10; 76:11; Isa 60:6-9; Re 21:24-26

whose habitation.

6:12; 2Ch 2:6; 6:2,6; Ps 9:11; 26:8; 76:2; 135:21

all the silver.

8:25-28

offering.

1:4,6; 1Ch 29:6,9,17; 2Co 8:12; 9:7

buy speedily.

6:9,10; De 14:24-26; Mt 21:12,13; Joh 2:14

their meat offerings.

offer them.

whatsoever.

that do.

after the will.He gave them the fullest liberty to order every thing according to their own institutions; binding them to no form or mode of worship.

The vessels.

8:27-30,33,34

the God of Jerusalem.

bestow it.

Artaxerxes.

beyond the river.

Ezra the priest.

6,10,11

measures. Chal. cors.

Lu 16:7; *marg:

baths of wine.

Eze 45:14; Lu 16:6; *marg:

salt.

Le 2:13

Whatsoever is commanded. Chal. Whatsoever is of the decree.

13,18

let it be.

Ps 119:4

why should there be wrath.As Artaxerxes believed he was appointed by the Almighty to do this work, he therefore wished to do it heartily; knowing that if he did not, God would be displeased, and that the kingdom would be cut off from him or his posterity.

6:10-12; Zec 12:3

touching any.

7; 2:36-55

the wisdom.

14; 1Ki 3:28; 1Ch 22:12; Ps 19:7; 119:98-100; Pr 2:6; 6:23; Jas 1:5

Jas 3:17,18

set magistrates.

Ex 18:21-25; De 16:18; 1Ch 23:4; 2Ch 19:8-10

beyond the river.That is, "west of the Euphrates," which was beyond with regard to the king of Persia, who was on the east.

6:6

teach ye.

10; 2Ch 17:7-9; Ne 8:1-3,7,8; 9:3; 13:1-3; Mal 2:7; Mt 13:52; 23:2,3

Mr 6:34; Ro 10:14-17

whosoever.

6:11; Da 3:28,29; 6:26

the law of thy God.

2Ch 30:12

whether it be.

Ex 21:1-22:31; Le 20:1-27; De 13:1-18

banishment. Chal. rooting out.

Ps 52:5

Nehemiah 2:1-8

1 Artaxerxes, understanding the cause of Nehemiah's sadness, sends him with letters and commission to Jerusalem.

9 Nehemiah, to the grief of the enemies, comes to Jerusalem.

12 He views secretly the ruins of the walls.

17 He incites the Jews to build.

Nisan.

the twentieth.

I took up.

Why is thy.

sorrow.

Then I.Probably the king spoke as if he had some suspicion that Nehemiah harboured some bad design, and that his face indicated some conceived treachery, or remorse; and, indeed, the words rendered sad, and sorrow of heart, might be rendered evil, and wickedness of heart.

Let the king.Far from wishing ill to my master, I wish him to live for ever.

1Ki 1:31; Da 2:4; 3:9; 5:10; 6:6,21

the city.

1:3; Ps 102:14; 137:6; La 2:9

the place.

2Ch 21:20; 28:27; 32:33

For what.

1Ki 3:5; Es 5:3,6; 7:2; Mr 10:51

So I prayed.

1:4,11; 2Sa 15:31; Pr 3:6; Php 4:6

If it please.

Ezr 5:17; Es 1:19; 5:8; 7:3; 8:5

and if thy.

Ru 2:13; 2Sa 14:22; Pr 3:4

the queen. Heb. the wife.It was probably Esther who was present at this time, and who seconded Nehemiah's request.

So it pleased.

4; 1:11; Isa 58:12; 61:4; 65:24

I set him a time.It is probable that this time was no more than six months, or a year; after which he either returned, or had his leave of absence lengthened, as we find he was twelve years governor of the Jews.

let letters.

that they may.

the wall.

the house.

the king.

18; Ge 32:28; Ezr 5:5; 6:22; 7:6,9,27,28; Pr 21:1; Isa 66:14; Da 1:9

Ac 7:10; 26:22; 2Co 8:16

Nehemiah 3:1

1 The names and order of them that built the wall.

Eliashib.

12:10; 13:28

the sheep gate.This gate is supposed to have immediately communicated with the temple, and to have been called the sheep gate, because the sheep intended for sacrifice passed through it. But, after all which learned men have written on this subject, which is but of little interest, we scarcely know any thing about these gates: what they were, why called by these names, or in what part of the wall they were situated, beyond what may be learned from the parallel passages.

12:39; Joh 5:2

sanctified it.

12:30; De 20:5; Ps 30:1; *title

Pr 3:6,9

the tower.

12:39; Jer 31:38; Zec 14:10