Ezra 4

Chap. IV. Ver. 1—24. The building opposed and stopped by a decree of Artaxerxes.—So good a work as building a temple to the Lord, one might think, would have no enemies nor opposers; but the better the work, the greater the opposition; and that opposition is most to be dreaded which comes under the form of friendship and alliance. The Samaritans, Ver. 9. Then stood Jeshua.—Not the (or Cutheans,) we may recollect, were the people of the king of Assyria, whom he had placed in the cities of Judah, from which he had carried the Jews away ((2 Kings 17:24), &c.) These formed a sort of mongrel religion, by uniting their own superstitions with some crude notions of the divine law. When they heard that the Jews had come back, and were about to rebuild their city and temple under the patronage of the great Cyrus, they were desirous to join with them in the work, that they might share in their prosperity and returning glory.

The seed of Abraham, however, justly object to this. With all their pretence to serve Jehovah, these men were uncircumcised idolaters, and had no part nor lot in Israel. The latter, therefore, refuse to unite with them; and because they do, the Samaritans immediately become their bitter enemies. First, they attempt privately to circumvent, and afterwards publicly oppose them; and upon the death of Cyrus, so far succeed with his successors, as to impede the progress of the work for more than seven years. The charge alleged against the Jews is, that they were bad subjects; but the proof lies only in their attachment to their own sovereigns, and aversion to foreign sway; and that lies, not so justly against them as against Zechariah, whom (or his brother Jeconiah rather, (2 Chronicles 36:9-10).) they considered as their lawful sovereign.—As to Nebuchadnezzar, being both a foreigner and a Pagan, he could not constitutionally be their king, nor could it might be necessary and proper to submit to him as a conqueror. The Samaritans, however, were defeated in their object by the death of Ahasuerus, (or Cambyses;) and his successor, Artaxerxes, (or Smerdis;) but Providence raised them up a protector and a friend in Darius Hystaspes, as we shall see in the next chapter.

Notes on the verses

Chap. IV. Ver. 5. Hired counsellors.—That is, bribed the counsellors of the king. See ch. vii. 14. Esther i. 14. And thus prevented the benevolent design of Cyrus from being properly executed. The following account of subsequent Opposition to the end of this chapter, is according to Dr. Hales, here inserted by way of anticipation and parenthesis. Ver. 6. Ahasuerus.—This was Cambyses, son of Cyrus, who succeeded his father, A. M. 3475, and reigned seven years and five months.—Bagster. Ver. 7. Artaxerxes—Was one of the Magi, who usurped the throne after the death of Cambyses, for seven months, feigning himself to be Smerdis, brother of Cambyses: he is called Oropestus by Justin, Smerdis by Herodotus, Mardus by Aeschylus, and Sphendadates by Ctesias.—Written in the Syrian tongue, &c.—That is, probably both the language and character were Syrian or Chaldaic; and, therefore, from the eighth verse of this chapter, led Hodevah to (Ezra 7:27), the original is not Hebrew, but Chaldee, in those parts which consist of letters, decrees, &c. originally written in that language.)—Ver. 10. Asnapper—is supposed by many to be Shalmaneser or Esarhaddon, but more probably the commander-in-chief of this expedition. Ver. 11. And at such a time.—The Hebrew particle (Ceeneth) is variously explained, but the rendering of our translation is best supported. Ver. 14. We have maintenance from the palace.—See Margin. Salt is reckoned among the principal necessaries of life, and Sh observes, “It is impossible to lead a civilized life without salt.” Hence, by a very natural figure, salt is used for food or maintenance in general. I am well informed, says Parkhurst, that it is a common expression of the natives in the East Indies, “To eat such a one’s salt,” meaning, “I am fed by him.” Salt was also, as it still is, among eastern nations, a symbol of friendship and hospitality; and hence to eat a man’s salt is to be bound to him by the ties of friendship. The learned Joseph Mede observes, that in his time, when the emperor of Russia would show extraordinary grace and favour unto any, he sent him bread and salt from his table; and when he invited the Baron Segismund, the Emperor Ferdinand’s ambassador, he did it in this form. “Segismund, you shall eat our bread and salt with us.” —Bagster,