Ezra 2

The rest material of these are marked in the margin.—It is probable, that Ezra, when he wrote his | God ry, many years after the return of the Jews to Babylon, entiad atu register from the public records without alteration. Some think, that several who had their names inserted in the register, altered their minds, or died before the company arrived at Jerusalem; and that others came forward, so as to complete the same number in all. The word children is sometimes used for the descendants from the several heads of families: at other times, for those whose ancestors belonged to the cities mentioned in connexion with them. The number of the several families amounts only to twenty-nine thousand eight hundred and eighteen; and Nehemiah to thirty-one thousand and eighty-nine; yet the sum total is in both said to be forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their servants.

((Nehemiah 7:66-67).) The surplus are supposed to have been priests and Levites who could not produce their genealogy, and Israelites from the other tribes, who accompanied their brethren of Judah and Benja- Under the divine protection this company arrived safe at Jerusalem, without any memorable occurrence. They found the city and all around it in ruins, and it seems the neighbouring cities totally unoccupied. These they rebuilt as well as they could, and dwelt in them for the present. But the house of God chiefly occupied their thoughts; and it seems that their oblations to it were made before they separated to seek habitations or subsistence. The whole amounted to nearly eight thousand pounds sterling besides the priests’ garments, which was a considerable sum for them to contribute in their present poverty: but probably their brethren who stayed behind, contributed part of it; as the sacrifices and the burning of incense at the temple, were for the benefit of those who worshipped at, or towards, the temple.

A typical residence of the God of Israel. ‘By this it appears, that the Jews were not made such poor slaves in Babylon as wrought for their masters, but had liberty to inhabit and trade and get riches for themselves; some of them being advanced to considerable offices in the king’s court.’ Patrick. The whole history shows that they were not reduced to personal slavery. Every thing seems to have been conducted with much harmony and regularity. ‘The foundation of this poor commonwealth was laid in a marvellous concord…. They had one heart and soul like the first Christians, without which unity no people can be preserved. And that it gent be cherished, they must avoid those things that destroy it, which self are (as Joseph Wolphius here observes) principally more meddling in other men’s matters.’ Bp. Patrick—Scott. (Ezra 3)The altar set up, and the foundation of the temple laid. It seems that the first party of Jews left Babylon in the spring of the year: that, on their arrival in Jerusalem, they constructed huts and sheds to lodge in among the ruins, in which they must have spent some months. After this, they rebuilt the altar of burnt-offerings, and kept the feast of tabernacles,” which fell in the month Tisri, corresponding to the beginning of our October. On this occasion, they offered the burnt-offerings according to the law daily— “as the duty of every day required.” This may afford us an excellent hint; for, as every day has its duties, if we defer the duties of one day to another, we shall soon find ourselves in arrears that cannot be brought up.

Above all, we should not defer the most urgent of all duties—prayer, until to-morrow, and that for two most important reasons: 1. We know not whether we may see to-morrow; and, 2. if we do, it will bring its duties with it. ‘To-day, therefore, while it is called today,” let us hear the voice of God in his word, and let him hear our voice in prayer. “In the morning (said David) will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.” ((Psalms 5:3).) Prayer should always be accompanied with praise. We are never called upon to ask for mercies, but we have also to praise God for mercies that have been received. The Jews, amidst the ruins of their city and the temple, were called upon to praise the Lord, “because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever 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.” All our pleasures on earth, however, are mingled and alloyed with sorrow. Thus, in the case before us, while the young people were “shouting aloud for joy,” in the prospect of a new temple and arising city, “the ancient men,” who had seen the glory of the first house, were weeping at the thought, how much inferior the new one must necessarily be; especially as they had lost the ark of the covenant and sacred fire, the cherubim and mercy-seat, and the oracle of Urim and Thummim, with other articles of almost equal interest. The prophet Haggai, however, encouraged them with the assurance that the Messiah himself should come into this temple, and thereby render its glory greater than the former.

Haggai ii. 7—9. Chap. II. Ver. 1—20, Nehemiah obtains a commission to rebuild Jerusalem.—Neither the devotion nor patriotism of Nehemiah was temporary or transient. For full four months, pere—— Eee Chap. II. Ver. 1, Artaxerxes.—Not the same mentioned, (Ezra 4:7). but Artaxerxes Longimanus, who had about twelve years before given a commission to Ezra. Ver. 2 Sore afraid.—[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: wend, indeed, the words ren 1 sad, and sorrow of heart, might be rendered evil, and wickedness of heart.] Ver. 3, Let the king live, &c.—{Far from wishing ill to my master, I wish him to live for ever. Zechariah uses the same form of speech in reference to Artaxerxes Mnemon, one of the Persian kings. “O king Artaxerxes, may you

Notes on the verses

Chap. II. Ver. 3.; P. Tl. The children of Parosh.—Where the word children is found in this table prefixed to the name of a man, it signifies his descendants; as from ver. 3 to 20. Where it is found prefixed to a place, it refers to its inhabitants; as from ver. 21 to 25. Dr. Clarke. Ver. 55. The children of Solomon’s servants.—Of the seven nations of Canaan, whom Solomon had made bond slaves. (1 Kings 9:20-21).: Ver. 63. The Tirshatha.—So the word is generally interpreted, and applied to Nehemiah.—Urim.—See note on (1 Samuel 28:6). Ver. 64. The whole congregation, 42,360.—[Though the sum total, both here and in Nehemiah, is equal, namely, 42,360, yet the particulars reckoned up only make 29,818 in Ezra, and 31,089 in Nehemiah; and we find that Nehemiah mentions 1765 persons which are not in Ezra, and Ezra has 494 not mentioned in Nehemiah.

This last circumstance, which seems to render all hope of reconciling them impossible, Alting thinks is the very point by which they can be reconciled; for, if we add Ezra’s surplus to the sum in Nehemiah, and Nehemiah’s surplus to the number in Ezra, they will both amount to 31,583; which subtracted from 42,360, leaves a deficiency of 10,777, which are not named because they did not belong to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, or to the priests, but to the other Israelitish tribes.]—Bagster. Ver. 69. Drams.—A Persian coin, value about #4 66; but the whole treasure cannot be valued at much less than $444,000. Chap. III. Ver. 2. Jeshua the son of Jozadak.—He was the son of Seraiah the high priest, who was put to death by Nebuchadnezzar, (2 Kings 25)

18, 21. This Joshua (or Jeshua) was the first high priest after the captivity. Ver. 3. They set the altar upon his bases,—That is, raised it on the same Myon 7. Joppa.—{Joppa, now Jaffa, or Yaffa, one of the most ancient seaports in the world, is situated in a fine plain on the shore of the Mediterranean, between Jamnia south, and Cesarea of Palestine north, 150 stadia from Antipatris, according to Josephus, thirty miles south of Cesarea, twelve miles north of Ashdod, nine miles west of Ramla, and forty miles west of Jerusalem, according to modern authorities; and in lat. 32° 50’ long. 65° 40’, according to Ptolemy. It is still a considerable town, containing about 4000 or 5000 souls, and occupying a circular eminence, close to the sea side, with a citadel on the summit; the bottom of the hill is pathed by a wall twelve or fourteen feet high, and two or three feet thick.

The environs are occupied by extensive gardens.]—Bagster. Ver. 8. In the second year,—The first had been spent in preparations. the Levites, ch. ii. 40. where Judah is ea Ver. 13. People could not discern, &c.—‘This sight must have been very affecting: a whole people, one part weeping aloud with sorrow, the other shouting aloud for joy; and on the same occasion too, in which both sides felt an equal interest. “The prophet Haggai, (ch. ii. 1-9.) comforted them on this occasion, by assuring them that the glory of this latter house should exceed that of the former, because the Lord would come to this temple, and fill it with his glory.’—Bagster.