Ezra 6:8

8 But also it is commanded of me, that that behooveth to be made of those priests of (the) Jews, that the house of God be builded (again); that is, that costs be given busily to those men (out) of the ark, (or the coffer,) of the king, that is, of the tributes, that be given of the country beyond the flood, lest the work be hindered. (And it is also commanded by me, what behooveth to be done for those elders of the Jews, so that the House of God can be rebuilt; that is, that their costs, or their expenses, be given to them out of the king's treasury, that is, from the taxes paid in the province west of the Euphrates River, so that the work shall not be hindered, or interrupted.)

Ezra 6:8 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 6:8

Moreover, I make a decree, what ye shall do to the elders of
these Jews, for the building of this house of God
This must be considered as an additional decree of Darius, which was peculiarly made by him, in which more was granted in favour of the Jews, and as an encouragement to them to go on with the building of the temple; though Josephus ^F1 says this is no other than a confirmation of the decree of Cyrus; for, according to him, all that is here granted to them, or threatened to others, from hence to the end of ( Ezra 6:10 ) , was contained in the decree:

that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river;
what was collected out of his dominions on that side the river Euphrates, towards the land of Israel: according to Herodotus ^F2, this Darius was the first of the kings of Persia that exacted tribute; under Cyrus and Cambyses only presents were brought; but he imposed a tribute, and was therefore called (kaphlov) , an huckster, as Cambyses had the name of lord, and Cyrus that of father: the same writer gives an account of the several nations he received it from, and the particular sums, which in all amounted to 14,560 Euboic talents of gold; among whom are mentioned all Phoenicia and Syria, called Palestine, the tribute of which parts is the tribute beyond the river he referred to: and this king was well disposed to the Jewish nation, temple, and worship, before he was king, if what Josephus ^F3 says is true, that, while a private man, he vowed to God that, if he should be king, he would send all the sacred vessels that were in Babylon to the temple at Jerusalem: and out of the above tribute it is ordered,

that forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not
hindered;
from going on with the building, for want of money to buy materials, and pay the workmen.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Antiqu. l. 11. c. 4. sect. 6.
F2 Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. 89-95.
F3 Antiqu. l. 11. c. 3. sect. 1.

Ezra 6:8 In-Context

6 Now therefore Tatnai, duke of the country that is beyond the flood, and Shetharboznai, and your counsellors, (the) Apharsachites, which be beyond the flood, depart ye far (away) from them; (And so now Tatnai, the governor of the province that is west of the Euphrates River, and Shetharboznai, and your counsellors, or your officials, the Apharsachites, who also live there in the province west of the Euphrates River, should go far away from these people, that is, they should leave them alone;)

7 and suffer ye, that that temple of God be made of the duke of (the) Jews, and of the elder men of them; and that they build (again) that house of God in his place. (and allow ye, that the Temple of God be rebuilt by the leader of the Jews, and their elders; yea, that they rebuild the House of God there in its place.)

8 But also it is commanded of me, that that behooveth to be made of those priests of (the) Jews, that the house of God be builded (again); that is, that costs be given busily to those men (out) of the ark, (or the coffer,) of the king, that is, of the tributes, that be given of the country beyond the flood, lest the work be hindered. (And it is also commanded by me, what behooveth to be done for those elders of the Jews, so that the House of God can be rebuilt; that is, that their costs, or their expenses, be given to them out of the king's treasury, that is, from the taxes paid in the province west of the Euphrates River, so that the work shall not be hindered, or interrupted.)

9 That if it be needed, give they both calves, and lambs, and kids into burnt sacrifice to [the] God of heaven; (and also that) wheat, (and) salt, and wine, and oil, by the custom of (the) priests that be in Jerusalem, be given to them by each day, that no complaint be in any thing. (And that whatever the priests who be in Jerusalem need, give it to them, yea, calves, and lambs, and goat kids for the burnt sacrifices to the God of heaven; and also wheat, and salt, and wine, and oil, yea, whatever is needed for each day, so that no complaint be made about anything.)

10 And (then) offer they offerings to [the] God of heaven; and (also) pray they for the life of the king, and of his sons.