1.
Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.
Darius: i.e. Darius (Hystaspis). See Chronological Structure and notes (pp 617, 618), and App-67 .
Babylon. See note on Ezra 5:13 .
2.
And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:
Achmetha = Ecbatana, the capital of ancient Media.
3.
In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;
first. year of Cyrus. Compare Ezra 1:1 .
offered. Chaldee. deba'h. Same as Hebrew. zebach. App-43 .
4.
With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expences be given out of the king's house:
rows = layers or stories, as in 1 Kings 6:36 .
new timber. Should be "timber, one": i.e. one row. In changing the ancient characters into the modern square characters the aleph ('a) in had'a ("one"), in the ancient character, was mistaken for, Tau, the "th" in hadath ("new"), and so was transliterated. The Septuagint has preserved the original reading, and the Revised Version notes it in the margin. The two lines should read: "layers of great stones, three; and a layer of timber, one".
house = treasury: "house" being put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6 , for the treasures in it.
5.
And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.
vessels. Compare Ezra 1:7 .
is = was.
6.
Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
7.
Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.
Jews. See note on Ezra 4:12 .
8.
Moreover I made a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expences be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
I make a decree. This was a new decree of Darius Hystaspis.
9.
And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:
GOD. Chaldee. 'elah . (Singular) Same as Hebrew Eloah. App-4 .
GOD of heaven. See note on 2 Chronicles 36:23 .
wine = strong red wine. Hebrew. chemer. See App-27 .
10.
That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.
sweet savours. See note on Leviticus 1:9 .
11.
Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
alter. A similar strong threat in the inscription of Darius on the Behistun rock ( App-57 ). Compare Daniel 3:29 .
12.
And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.
alter. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ): "alter [this decree]".
13.
Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.
14.
And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.
commandment = decree.
Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton, to mark the important fact that three kings, at various times, were concerned in the rebuilding of Jerusalem. The last named was the first in order. Darius was Darius Hystaspis, and Artaxerxes was Astyages (the father of Cyrus), the same as in Nehemiah 2:1 . See App-57 and App-58 ; and notes on p. 618.
15.
And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
Adar = the twelfth month. See App-51 .
16.
And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,
children = sons.
17.
And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
offered = brought near. App-43 .
all Israel. See note on 1 Kings 12:17 . Note the number "twelve". App-10 .
18.
And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.
as it is written = according to the writing.
the book of Moses: i.e. the Pentateuch. See App-47 .
19.
And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.
And, &c. Here recommences the Hebrew language. See note on Ezra 4:8 .
kept the passover. One of the ten so recorded. See note on Exodus 12:28 .
20.
For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.
21.
And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,
heathen = nations.
the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4 .
22.
And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.