Ezra 1

Judah restored to their own land, (see chap. xxv. 12, xxix. 10.),.: - The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, tltat he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying.’] God, who had so long £go. designed. him for this work, suggested these thoughts to him, and excited him, to prosecute them; which hfc.did, not only by causing his will and pleasure to be proclaimed, but to beputin writing, that none mightmistake his meaning,

Ezra 1:2

Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, TJie Lord God of heaven. It is.aL observation of Mr. Mede, that as, before the captivity, when they spake of God they called him the Lord of hosts; so the constant style. of the holy books after the captivity, is the God of heaven. As here, and chap. vL 10. vii. 21. But it is a question, whether Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, penned thesewritings themselves, wherein they proclaimed the God of the Jews to be the Lord God of heaven: or; whether they were drawn up by some of the Jews that attended upprithem. It seems likely to me, that God, who. raised up. the spirit of Cyrus to be a peculiar instrument of the freeing his people from slavery, did enlighten his mind to understand that there was but one only God whom the. Jews worshipped, and who spake in those holy books which were shewn him. And Artaxerxes might call the law of Moses the law of the God of heaven, knowing the Jews worshipped no Other God, whose law this was. Hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth.] That is, all those large dominions which the Assyrians and Babylonians had enjoyed. And he hath charged me to build him a hoxtse at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.] So he understood from Isa. xlv. 13. where God saith of Cyrus, he sliall build my city, of which the temple was the principal part: and more plainly, chap. xliv. 28. he shall say to Jerusalem, Thou shalt.be built; and to the temple f Hiy foundation shall be laid. Josephus hath thus paraphrased upon these wt>rds,‘E7rei fiE^o Qzbg rrig olKOVfiivriQ airldu%E BaoiXIa, &C Because the greatest God hath constituted me the’king of the world, I believe him to be he whom the. people of Israel adore. For he foretold me king by his prophets, and that I should build his temple at Jerusalem, in the land ofJndea.

Ezra 1:3

Who is there among you of all his people? &c. Not of the Jews only, but of Israel also, who were under his government, the Assyrians and JVIedes being ^his subjects. And so Josephus (as I observed before) says, that Zerubbabel sent the edict of Cyrus into Media, to the rest of the ten tribes: to whom he not only makes a promulgation of liberty to go to their own country, but desires them to go, and prays God to be with them and prosper them in building God’s house, whom he acknowledges to be the true and only God. This was a marvellous encouragement to them.

Ezra 1:4

And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth. This seems to relate to such as were desirous to go up with their brethren, but were forced to stay behind for want of necessaries to support them in so long a journey. I*et the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and zvith beasts.] He therefore requires his officers to furnish them with such things as they needed. Besides the free-will-offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.] Which he supposed the richer sort of Jews would readily make to assist their poor brethren; though they themselves being well settled in Babylon, did not think fit to stir till they saw how, these would succeed. VeT. 5. Tlien rosetip the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all those whose spirits God had raised tip.] * There were some of other tribes besides Judah and Benjamin thatwentqp, (1 Chron. ix. 3.) though these were the principal, who all needed a special motion from God to quicken and encourage them to this enterprise; the difficulties being so great which they were to encounter in a long journey, and their country lying waste when they came thither; this made those who had got possessions in Babylon to choose to, stay there., To build the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem.] This was the design, which people of great piety, cheerfully undertook, that the public. worship of the true God might be restored, whom they now worshipped^only m private.

Ezra 1:6

Andall they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things. Such was the.au T thority of the king, and such was the influence of God upon their hearts, that all their neighbours encouraged them to this work, and enabled them to undertake this journey to Jerusalem. Besides all that was willingly offered.] Their brethren freely offered them their assistance, though they did not think fit to go along with them. Ver,.?. Also Cyrus, the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord,.which Nebuchadnezzar had broitght forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in thehouse of his gods.~\ Where by a singular providence they had been preserved till this time, being looked upon as sacred things, which Nebuchadnezzar would not turn to his own private use, but dedicated tbhisgods. Some think the ark was among the sacred things which Cyrus caused to be restored; but it should first be proved that it was carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon, which now here appears to be true. The argument they bring for it is, that in the second temple sacrifices were offered as in the firsthand all solemn days observed, especially the great day.of expiation, when the law ordained the blood should be sprinkled before the mercyseat, which could not be done when there was none; and there was none, if there was no ark. But, as the Jews universally acknowledge, this was one of the five things wanting in the second temple; so, unless the Divine Glory had been there also, the aTk would have signified little. Therefore it is more likely, that by the absence of these, God would signify, he was withdrawing his presence from that house of stone, to dwell in the temple of Christ’s body: who offered himself to God, and thereby put an end to those figurative sacrifices.

Ezra 1:8

Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer. This was a name frequent among the Persians, derived from their god Mithra: as Cyrus himself had his name (Hesychius saith) from the sun, which in their language was called Kvpoc. And numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.] Which was another name for Zerubbabel, mentioned chap. iii. 2. 8. v. 14. 16. For it was common in the time of the captivity for the great men of Judah to have two