Ezra 6:10

10 So that they may make offerings of a sweet smell to the God of heaven, with prayers for the life of the king and of his sons.

Ezra 6:10 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 6:10

That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God
of heaven
Such as will be acceptable to him, ( Genesis 8:21 )

and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons;
prayer being wont to be made at the time of the morning and evening incense; and the Jews used to pray for other people besides themselves, and especially when desired, and particularly for kings and civil magistrates, to whom they were subject, see ( Jeremiah 29:7 ) ( 1 Timothy 2:1 1 Timothy 2:2 ) , the sons of Darius Hystaspis, for whose life, as well as his own, he would have prayer made, were, according to Herodotus ^F4, three by his first wife, the daughter of Gobryas, before he began to reign, the eldest of which was Artobazanes; which sons must be here meant, since this was towards the beginning of his reign; he had afterwards four more by Atossa the daughter of Cyrus, the eldest of which was Xerxes, who succeeded him: many of the Heathens had an high opinion of the God of the Jews, and of their prayers to him for them; even the Emperor Julian ^F5 styles him the best of all the gods, and desired the Jews to pray to him for the welfare of his kingdom; nor need it seem strange that Darius should desire the same, since he was a devout prince; his father Hystaspes is supposed by some to be the same that was one of the most famous among the Persian Magi, or ministers in sacred things; and Darius himself had so great a veneration for the men of that sacred order, that he commanded that it should be put upon his sepulchral monument, that he was master of the Magi ^F6; and by his familiarity with the priests of Egypt, and learning their divinity, had the honour, while alive, to have deity ascribed to him ^F7.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Polymnia, sive, l. 7. c. 2.
F5 Opera, par. 2. ep. 25. p. 153.
F6 Porphyr. de abstinentia, l. 4, c. 16.
F7 Diodor. Sic. l. 1. p. 85.

Ezra 6:10 In-Context

8 Further, I give orders as to what you are to do for the responsible men of the Jews in connection with the building of this house of God: that from the king's wealth, that is, from the taxes got together in the land over the river, the money needed is to be given to these men readily, so that their work may not be stopped.

9 And whatever they have need of, young oxen and sheep and lambs, for burned offerings to the God of heaven, grain, salt, wine, and oil, whatever the priests in Jerusalem say is necessary, is to be given to them day by day regularly:

10 So that they may make offerings of a sweet smell to the God of heaven, with prayers for the life of the king and of his sons.

11 And I have given orders that if anyone makes any change in this word, one of the supports is to be pulled out of his house, and he is to be lifted up and fixed to it; and his house is to be made waste for this;

12 And may the God who has made it a resting-place for his name send destruction on all kings and peoples whose hands are outstretched to make any change in this or to do damage to this house of God at Jerusalem. I, Darius, have given this order, let it be done with all care.