Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,
Cyrus. The son of Astyages and Esther. See App-57 , on the genealogy of the Persian kings. So named Neh 200 years before he was born (Isaiah 44:28 ). The book of Esther precedes the book of Ezra-Nehemiah, and Nehemiah 1:1 Nehemiah 7:4 precedes Ezr 1:1-14 . See note on Nehemiah 1:2 .Esther 3:8 ; Esther 10:3 , and App-57 .
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
mouth . Compare 2 Chronicles 36:21-23 .Jeremiah 29:10-14 .
spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .
Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
God of heaven. See note on 2 Chronicles 36:23 . Appropriate in the mouth of Cyrus, and in contrast with all heathen inscriptions.
hath given me. The son of Astyages (the venerable king = Ahasuerus) and Esther. Trained by Mordecai and Nehemiah, he was brought up in the knowledge of God and His Word.
charged me to build. Compare Isaiah 44:24-28 ; Isaiah 45:1-6 , Isaiah 45:13 .
an house. This proclamation put first, as it is the great subject treated of by Ezra.
Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.
Who is there . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .
build = rebuild.
And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.
whosoever [of the captive people] remameth in any place, &c. Note the Figure of speech Ellipsis.
remaineth = is left.
the men of his place: i.e. his Persian neighbours.
God. Hebrew. Elohim. (with Art.) = the [true] God, App-4 .
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
the chief of the fathers: i.e. those named in the next chapter.
chief = heads.
judah and Benjamin. But the other tribes found representatives. Compare Ezra 2:59 , Ezra 2:70 , where the terms "of Israel" and "all Israel" are used. In 1 Chronicles 9:3 , Ephrairn and Manasseh are mentioned by name. See note on 1 Kings 12:17 .
And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.
their hands = them. Put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Part), for themselves.
Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;
which Nebuchadnezzar had brought. Compare 2 Kings 24:13 ; Ezr 25:14 . 2 Chronicles 36:1 .Jeremiah 27:18-22 ; Jeremiah 28:6 ; Jeremiah 52:18 , Jeremiah 52:19 . Daniel 1:2 ; Daniel 5:2 .
Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
Sheshbazzar = the Chaldean name of the prince of Judah. Not Zerubbabel, which means born at Babel. Probably = Nehemiah, for he was the son of Hachaliah and Zidkijah (Nehemiah 10:1 ), and therefore a "prince of. Judah".
And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,
chargers = basons or bowls. Hebrew. 'agartal. In Numbers Ke'arah, plate or dish. Eng. "charger", from French charger, to load. Hence used of both a dish and a horse.
Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.
All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.
