Ezra 1:6

6 And all they that were round about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.

Ezra 1:6 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 1:6

And all they that were about them
Their neighbours, the Chaldeans:

strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods,
and with beasts, and with precious things;
which they either did of themselves at their own motion, or by the direction and example of Cyrus, ( Ezra 1:4 ) and perhaps many of them to ingratiate themselves into the favour of their new monarch:

besides all that was willingly offered:
by the rich Jews, who thought fit, at least for the present, to remain in Babylon.

Ezra 1:6 In-Context

4 And whosoever is left, 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, besides the freewill-offering for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.

5 Then rose up the heads of fathers' [houses] of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem.

6 And all they that were round about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.

7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of Jehovah, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put in the house of his gods;

8 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.