Ezra 4

Ezra 4:2

Esar-haddon] The sonne of Sennacherib, 2 Kings XIX. 37. and grandchild of Salmaneser: And this seemes to be the last of the Assyrian Kings; And the same with Asnapper; and to be him that carried Manasseh prisoner to Babylon, then under the Assyrian Empire, 2 Chron. XXXIII. 11. And is likely the man whom Ptolomie calls Assaradinus, and the Greeks Sardanapalus, of Sar for Esar, haddon, and Pul; Pul being much used in the names of the Assyrian, and Chaldean Kings.

Brought us up hither So that those adversaries, ver. 1. seeme to be the race of those Samaritanes brought in by Salmanesar, 2 Kings XVII. 6, 24. Or a second kinde of plantation by his grandchilde, ver. 9. which ever continued fierce enemies to the Jewes, whatever they mischeivously pretend here, John IV. 9. Luke IX. 52, 53. And this makes that Answer returned to them here, ver. 3.

Ezra 4:5

Darius] Hystaspis

Ezra 4:6

Ahasuerus] Ahasuerus seemes most probably to be the man whom Heathen Authors call Smerdis Magus, the sonne of Cyrus, and younger brother of Cambyses, reigning a very short time.

Ezra 4:7

Artaxerxes] As they had formerly done in the dayes of this Artaxerxes; who most likely is Cambyses. For to understand this of Artaxerxes Longimanus, and much more of Artaxerxes Mnemon; And the Temple to be builded in the dayes of Darius Nothus, and much more of Darius Ochus, will no wayes stand with these Scriptures, and the notation of times contained in them, Zech. III. 9. and Hag. II. 3.

Syrian tongue] Hebr. Aramite. This was in ordinary use under the Assvrian, Chaldean, and Persian Monarchy, Esay XXXVI. 11. Dan. II. 4. This we commonly call the Chaldee tongue. It differs from the Hebrew Dialect, Esay XXVIII. 11. and chap. XXXIII. 13. and XXXVI. 11. Yet in the dayes of our Saviour it grew common among the Jewes also; and is in that regard called the Hebrew tongue in the New Testament, John XIX. 13, 17. Acts XXI 40. and XXII. 2.

Ezra 4:8

Rehum] This, and all the rest to chap. VI. 19. is penned in the Chaldee Dialect. And so chap. VII. 11, -27.

Ezra 4:12

building the rebellious and the bad Citie] So ver. 13. and 16. They only went about to build the Temple.

Ezra 4:16

the river] So chap. V. 6. Jordan, or rather Euphrates, ver. 17. and 20. From Persia, it is beyond the river.

Ezra 4:24

work of the House of God] Though their Letter, and the Kings Answer mention only the Citie, yet they extend it here to the House of God.