Ezra 5

1 Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zekharyah the son of `Iddo, prophesied to the Yehudim who were in Yehudah and Yerushalayim; in the name of the God of Yisra'el [prophesied they] to them.

2 Then rose up Zerubbavel the son of She'alti'el, and Yeshua the son of Yotzadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Yerushalayim; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.

3 At the same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetar-Bozenai, and their companions, and said thus to them, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?

4 Then we told them after this manner, what the names of the men were who were making this building.

5 But the eye of their God was on the Zakenim of the Yehudim, and they did not make them cease, until the matter should come to Daryavesh, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it.

6 The copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetar-Bozenai, and his companions the Afarsekhi, who were beyond the River, sent to Daryavesh the king;

7 they sent a letter to him, in which was written thus: To Daryavesh the king, all shalom.

8 Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Yehudah, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.

9 Then asked we those Zakenim, and said to them thus, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?

10 We asked them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were at the head of them.

11 Thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and eretz, and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Yisra'el built and finished.

12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nevukhadnetztzar king of Bavel, the Kasdai, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Bavel.

13 But in the first year of Koresh king of Bavel, Koresh the king made a decree to build this house of God.

14 The gold and silver vessels also of the house of God, which Nevukhadnetztzar took out of the temple that was in Yerushalayim, and brought into the temple of Bavel, those did Koresh the king take out of the temple of Bavel, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbatztzer, whom he had made governor;

15 and he said to him, Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Yerushalayim, and let the house of God be built in its place.

16 Then came the same Sheshbatztzer, and laid the foundations of the house of God which is in Yerushalayim: and since that time even until now has it been in building, and yet it is not completed.

17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure-house, which is there at Bavel, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Koresh the king to build this house of God at Yerushalayim; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

Ezra 5 Commentary

Chapter 5

The leaders forward the building of the temple. (1,2) letter against the Jews. (3-17)

Verses 1-2 The building of the temple was stopped about fifteen years. Then they had two good ministers, who urged them to go on with the work. It is a sign that God has mercy in store for a people, when he raises up prophets to be helpers in the way and work of God, as guides, overseers, and rulers. In Haggai, we see what great things God does by his word, which he magnifies above all his name, and by his Spirit working with it.

Verses 3-17 While employed in God's work, we are under his special protection; his eye is upon us for good. This should keep us to our duty, and encourage us therein, when difficulties are ever so discouraging. The elders of the Jews gave the Samaritans an account of their proceedings. Let us learn hence, with meekness and fear, to give a reason of the hope that is in us; let us rightly understand, and then readily declare, what we do in God's service, and why we do it. And while in this world, we always shall have to confess, that our sins have provoked the wrath of God. All our sufferings spring from thence, and all our comforts from his unmerited mercy. However the work may seem to be hindered, yet the Lord Jesus Christ is carrying it on, his people are growing unto a holy temple in the Lord, for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 5

This chapter relates, how that the people of the Jews were stirred up by the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah to set about the building of the temple again, notwithstanding the orders to the contrary from the deputy governors of the king of Persia; nor could the present ones cause them to cease from it; though it must be owned they behaved towards them in a better manner than the former ones did, Ezr 5:1-5, and who, upon the answers received from the Jews, wrote a letter to Darius, to know the truth of things; and in which they seem to state fairly the case of the Jews, as they had it from them, so far as they understood it, Ezr 5:6-17.

\\son of Iddo\\ The grandson of Iddo; for he was the son of Berechiah, Zec 1:1,

\\prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name\\ \\of the God of Israel\\; this they both did in the second year of Darius; the one began in the sixth month, and the other in the eighth month of the year, Hag 1:1, Zec 1:1, even "unto them"; or "against them", as De Dieu; reproving them for their sloth and neglect of building the temple, when they were careful enough to raise up goodly houses for themselves to dwell in; and for being intimidated by the command of the king of Persia, which only forbid the building of the city, that is, the walls of it, but not the temple any more than their own houses; and besides, there was now a new king, from whom they had not so much to fear. 20094-950306-0810-Ezr5.2