PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible — Ezra
Gill, John, 1697-1771 · 29,988 words · 164 reading sections
Ezra 5:2
Ezra 5:2 Ver. 2. Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak,.... Whose spirits were stirred up and quickened by the ministry of the prophets, the Lord accompanying it by his Spirit, Hag 1:12, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem; to go on with the building of it; …
122 wordsSECTION 62Ezra 5:3
Ezra 5:3 Ver. 3. At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions,.... These were new governors and officers under the king of Persia in those parts, the old ones, Rehum, Shimshai, &c. being either dead, or removed upon this new king coming to the throne: t…
178 wordsSECTION 63Ezra 5:4
Ezra 5:4 Ver. 4. Then said we unto them after this manner,.... In answer to their questions; namely, Ezra and other Jews replied; for though Ezra is said after this to come from Babylon in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, he might go thither on some business, and then return again at that time; some indeed think these …
234 wordsSECTION 64Ezra 5:5
Ezra 5:5 Ver. 5. But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews,.... He in his providence looked favourably at them, smiled upon them, encouraged them in the work by his good Spirit, and by the prophets, and gave them success, and protected and defended them, see 2Ch 16:9, that they could not cause them to …
162 wordsSECTION 65Ezra 5:6
Ezra 5:6 Ver. 6. The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river,.... Which is thought by some to be one of the nations mentioned, Ezr 4:9 the name being pretty near alike to two of them; but perhaps might b…
81 wordsSECTION 66Ezra 5:7
Ezra 5:7 Ver. 7. They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus,.... Or this was the inscription of it: unto Darius the king, all peace; wishing him all kind of happiness and prosperity.…
36 wordsSECTION 67Ezra 5:8
Ezra 5:8 Ver. 8. Be it known unto the king,.... This seems to have been the usual form of beginning a letter to a king in those days, Ezr 4:12 that we went into the province of Judea; which from a kingdom was reduced to a province, and was become a part of the Babylonian, now Persian, monarchy, see Ezr 2:1 to the hous…
221 wordsSECTION 68Ezra 5:9
Ezra 5:9 Ver. 9. Then asked we those elders,.... The elders of the province of Judea; the chief men of it: who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls? see Ezr 5:3.…
39 wordsSECTION 69Ezra 5:10
Ezra 5:10 Ver. 10. We asked their names also,.... The names of the elders, those that set men about this work: to certify that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them; take the names of them in writing, that they might with certainty acquaint the king who they were, and that if it was necessar…
75 wordsSECTION 70Ezra 5:11
Ezra 5:11 Ver. 11. And thus they returned us answer,.... To the purpose and in the manner following: saying, we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth; signifying that they were doing his work, in obedience to his will, and to whom they were accountable: and build the house that was builded these many years…
115 wordsSECTION 71Ezra 5:12
Ezra 5:12 Ver. 12. But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath,.... By their idolatries; which accounts for it how it was that they who were the servants of the great God of heaven and earth, and this temple built for the honour of his name, were not preserved by him; but they were carried cap…
104 wordsSECTION 72Ezra 5:13
Ezra 5:13 Ver. 13. But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon,.... That is, the first year he was king of Babylon, having taken it, otherwise he was king of Persia many years before: the same King Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God; see Ezr 1:1.…
55 wordsSECTION 73Ezra 5:14
Ezra 5:14 Ver. 14,15 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God,.... Of which, and of what is said concerning them, and particularly of the delivery of them to Sheshbazzar, whom Cyrus made governor of Judah, and ordered him to carry them to Jerusalem, and build the temple there, and put them in it, se…
65 wordsSECTION 74Ezra 5:16
Ezra 5:16 Ver. 16. Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem,.... Which makes it clear, that by Sheshbazzar is meant Zerubbabel; for he it was that laid the foundation of the temple, or at least by whose order it was laid, see Zec 4:9 and since that time even un…
160 wordsSECTION 75Ezra 5:17
Ezra 5:17 Ver. 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 Babylon,.... Where were the archives of the kingdom, where the laws, decrees, edicts, and proclamations, and other things relating to the state, were laid up, that recourse might be h…
157 wordsSECTION 76Ezra 6:1
Ezra 6:1 INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 6 Darius, on receiving the letter from his officers in Samaria, searched for the decree of Cyrus, and found it, and which he confirmed, Ezr 6:1 and made a fresh decree, and ordered expenses to be given out of his tribute for the building of the temple, and for the sacrifices of it; and t…
256 wordsSECTION 77Ezra 6:2
Ezra 6:2 Ver. 2. And there was found at Achmetha,.... Which Jarchi and Aben Ezra take to be the name of a vessel in which letters and writings were put for safety; but it was no doubt the name of a place; the Vulgate Latin version has it Ecbatana; and so Josephus {s}; which was the name of a city in Media, where the k…
208 wordsSECTION 78Ezra 6:3
Ezra 6:3 Ver. 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,.... See Ezr 1:1, the place where they offered sacrifices; to God in times past, ever since it was built by Solomon: and let the foundations thereof be strong…
228 wordsSECTION 79Ezra 6:4
Ezra 6:4 Ver. 4. With three rows of great stones,.... Which Jarchi interprets of the walls of it, and these stones of marble; and so Ben Melech: and a row of new timber; of cedar wood upon the rows of stone, see 1Ki 6:36 or for the lining and wainscoting the walls: and let the expenses be given out of the king's hou…
108 wordsSECTION 80Ezra 6:5
Ezra 6:5 Ver. 5. And also let the golden and silver vessels,.... See Ezr 1:7 and which confirms what the Jews said to Tatnai, Ezr 5:14.…
29 wordsSECTION 81Ezra 6:6
Ezra 6:6 Ver. 6. Now therefore Tatnai, governor beyond the river,.... The river Euphrates, that side of it towards the land of Israel; Josephus {z} calls this man master of the horse: Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence; keep at a distance from the J…
88 wordsSECTION 82Ezra 6:7
Ezra 6:7 Ver. 7. Let the work of this house of God alone,.... Suffer them to go on with it, and do not hinder them; it looks, by these expressions, as if he had some suspicion or hint given him that they were inclined to molest them, or that there were some that stirred them up to it, and were desirous of it: let the…
97 wordsSECTION 83Ezra 6:8
Ezra 6:8 Ver. 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 wit…
364 wordsSECTION 84Ezra 6:9
Ezra 6:9 Ver. 9. And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven,.... All which were used for burnt offerings, see Le 1:2 wheat, salt, wine, and oil; "wheat", or "fine flour", for the "minchah" or meat offering; "salt", for every offering; "wine…
113 wordsSECTION 85Ezra 6:10
Ezra 6:10 Ver. 10. That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven,.... Such as will be acceptable to him, Ge 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 …
347 wordsSECTION 86Ezra 6:11
Ezra 6:11 Ver. 11. Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word,.... Act contrary to this command, will not obey it, but as much as in him lies changes and revokes it: let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him, be hanged thereon; that is, let a beam be taken from it, and a…
105 wordsSECTION 87Ezra 6:12
Ezra 6:12 Ver. 12. And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there,.... Whose name is not only called upon there, and that called by his name; but who grants his presence, and causes his Shechinah, or divine Majesty, to dwell there, as in Solomon's temple, which Darius had some knowledge of: destroy all kings an…
142 wordsSECTION 88Ezra 6:13
Ezra 6:13 Ver. 13. Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions,.... Having received and read the above letter: according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily; acquainted the Jews with what the king had written; were so far from hindering the work going for…
84 wordsSECTION 89Ezra 6:14
Ezra 6:14 Ver. 14. And the elders of the Jews builded,.... Went on with the building of the temple: and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo; or grandson, as before; being animated and encouraged by them; and as they foretold and promised it would, be, so it was; …
449 wordsSECTION 90Ezra 6:15
Ezra 6:15 Ver. 15. And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar,.... The twelfth month of the year with the Jews, and answers to part of our February and part of March: which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king; four years after the decree came forth.…
58 wordsSECTION 91Ezra 6:16
Ezra 6:16 Ver. 16. And the children of Israel,.... Those of the ten tribes that remained after the body of the people were carried captive, or came with the Jews at their return: the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity; those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin: kept the dedication…
86 wordsSECTION 92Ezra 6:17
Ezra 6:17 Ver. 17. And offered, at the dedication of this house of God, an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs,.... Hecatombs of various sorts, which were always reckoned grand sacrifices, even among Heathens, of which Homer sometimes speaks; some of these were for burnt offerings, and others peace …
165 wordsSECTION 93Ezra 6:18
Ezra 6:18 Ver. 18. And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God which is at Jerusalem,.... All in their proper classes and courses, to do the work of the temple at Jerusalem in their turns: as it is written in the book of Moses; see Nu 3:6, from hence it is pla…
102 wordsSECTION 94Ezra 6:19
Ezra 6:19 Ver. 19. And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month. The month Nisan or Abib, which was the month following that in which the temple was finished, Ezr 6:15, this passover was kept at the exact time the law commanded, Ex 12:2.…
56 wordsSECTION 95Ezra 6:20
Ezra 6:20 Ver. 20. For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure,.... They were all to a man pure, and all purified as one man; all were of one mind to purify themselves, and took care to do it, and did it with as much dispatch as if only one man was purified; so that they were more gen…
484 wordsSECTION 96Ezra 7:1
Ezra 7:1 INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 7 In this chapter we have the lineage and character of Ezra described, Ezr 7:1, his expedition to Jerusalem, and of many others with him, Ezr 7:7, a copy of the commission King Artaxerxes gave him to execute, Ezr 7:11, and his thankfulness, Ezr 7:27. Ver. 1-5. Now after these things,...…
194 wordsSECTION 97Ezra 7:6
Ezra 7:6 Ver. 6. This Ezra went up from Babylon,.... A second time; for that he went up with Zerubbabel is clear from Ne 12:1, and is plainly intimated, Ezr 5:4, and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given; the meaning is, not that he had a quick hand in writing out copies of…
314 wordsSECTION 98Ezra 7:7
Ezra 7:7 Ver. 7. And there went up some of the children of Israel,.... Perhaps some of the ten tribes, as well as others of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin; who, notwithstanding the edict of Cyrus, chose to remain in Babylon, and in the countries of it, until they saw how things would go in Judea; and hearing that th…
193 wordsSECTION 99Ezra 7:8
Ezra 7:8 Ver. 8. And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month,.... With the above company; this was the month Abib, answering to part of July and part of August: which was in the seventh year of the king; as in the preceding verse.…
46 wordsSECTION 100Ezra 7:9
Ezra 7:9 Ver. 9. For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon,.... The month Nisan, answering to part of March and part of April; this was New Year's day: and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem; the first of the month Ab, as in the preceding verse; so that he was just…
114 wordsSECTION 101Ezra 7:10
Ezra 7:10 Ver. 10. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord,.... To attain to the knowledge of it, that he might be master of it, and expert in it, and know what was not to be done, and what to be done; he had set his heart upon this, bent his studies this way, and taken a great deal of pains in sea…
185 wordsSECTION 102Ezra 7:11
Ezra 7:11 Ver. 11. Now this is the copy of the letter that the King Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest,.... This title relating to his office is justly given him, since he was the son of an high priest, and lineally descended from Aaron, as the above account of his pedigree shows: the scribe, even a scribe of the w…
138 wordsSECTION 103Ezra 7:12
Ezra 7:12 Ver. 12. Artaxerxes, king of kings,.... Having many kings and kingdoms subject and tributary to him; for this was not merely a proud haughty title which the eastern kings {p} assumed, particularly the Persians; for after Cyrus they were so in fact, who took this title also, and had it put on his sepulchral m…
255 wordsSECTION 104Ezra 7:13
Ezra 7:13 Ver. 13. I make a decree,.... Which, according to the laws of the Medes and Persians, when signed, might not be changed, Da 6:8, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm; who remained there, and took not the benefit of the edict of Cyrus, which gave them leave to go…
147 wordsSECTION 105Ezra 7:14
Ezra 7:14 Ver. 14. Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors,.... Such a number the kings of Persia used to have from the times of Darius Hystaspis, who was chosen out of seven nobles to be king, and ever after the Persian kings had seven counsellors privileged, as those nobles were, Es 1:14…
139 wordsSECTION 106Ezra 7:15
Ezra 7:15 Ver. 15. And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem. In the temple built there; for the service of which, either for purchasing and procuring vessels that were wanting in it, or for sacrifices to be offered…
77 wordsSECTION 107Ezra 7:16
Ezra 7:16 Ver. 16. And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon,.... Not that he might take it wherever he found it, whether the owners of it were willing he should have it or not; but whatever was freely offered by them, as Jarchi, that he was allowed to take, whatever he could get …
137 wordsSECTION 108Ezra 7:17
Ezra 7:17 Ver. 17. That thou mayest buy speedily with this money,.... Thus freely contributed by one and another: bullocks, rams, lambs; which were for burnt offerings: with their meat offerings, and their drink offerings; which always went along with the burnt offerings, according to the law of Moses; and which the…
99 wordsSECTION 109Ezra 7:18
Ezra 7:18 Ver. 18. And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren,.... The priests, that he should think fit to take in to his assistance in this work: to do with the rest of the silver and gold; which should be left after the sacrifices were offered up: that do after the will of your God; as they shoul…
75 wordsSECTION 110Ezra 7:19
Ezra 7:19 Ver. 19. The vessels also that were given thee for the service of the house of thy God,.... These were vessels of silver, basins of gold, and vessels of fine copper; not what formerly belonged to the temple, they were delivered by Cyrus to Sheshbazzar; but what the present king and his counsellors freely off…
172 wordsSECTION 111Ezra 7:20
Ezra 7:20 Ver. 20. And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shall have occasion to bestow,.... For the beautifying and ornamenting the temple, Ezr 7:27, bestow it out of the king's treasure house; where the money collected by tribute, tax, and custom, was deposited; his exchequer, as …
64 wordsSECTION 112Ezra 7:21
Ezra 7:21 Ver. 21. And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river,.... The receivers of his tribute, tax, and custom, beyond the river Euphrates, on the side towards the land of Israel: that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven; s…
95 wordsSECTION 113Ezra 7:22
Ezra 7:22 Ver. 22. Unto one hundred talents of silver,.... Which amounted to 35,300 pounds sterling; these, according to Jarchi, were to buy the offerings or sacrifices with: and an hundred measures of wheat; or corn, the same measure with the homer, each of which held ten ephahs, or seventy five wine gallons, five p…
193 wordsSECTION 114Ezra 7:23
Ezra 7:23 Ver. 23. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven,.... In the law given by Moses to the people of Israel: let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven; for the service of it, particularly sacrifices: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? through the n…
80 wordsSECTION 115Ezra 7:24
Ezra 7:24 Ver. 24. Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God,.... The king had a right and perfect knowledge of the distinct offices and services of those persons, see Ezr 7:7,it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or cust…
856 wordsSECTION 116Ezra 8:1
Ezra 8:1 INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 8 In this chapter we are told who and how many went up with Ezra to Jerusalem, Ezr 8:1, the gathering of them together at a river, from whence he sent to Babylon for Levites to come to him, who did, Ezr 8:15, the proclaiming a fast for a safe and prosperous journey, Ezr 8:21, the deliver…
193 wordsSECTION 117Ezra 8:2
Ezra 8:2 Ver. 2. Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel,.... Not Daniel the prophet, he was of the royal blood, and of the tribe of Judah; this was a priest, a descendant of Ithamar, as Gershom was of Eleazar in the line of Phinehas: of the sons of David; Hattush; perhaps the same with him i…
103 wordsSECTION 118Ezra 8:3
Ezra 8:3 Ver. 3-14. Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh,.... Who is so described, to distinguish him from another Shechaniah, Ezr 8:5, Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy, of the males an hundred and fifty; males only were reckoned, not women and children; though that there were such that…
203 wordsSECTION 119Ezra 8:15
Ezra 8:15 Ver. 15. And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava,.... From whence also the river bore the same name; or that from the river, see Ezr 8:21, and may be the same with Adiabene, a country in Assyria, which had its name from the river Adiava: and there abode we in tents three days; or pit…
108 wordsSECTION 120Ezra 8:16
Ezra 8:16 Ver. 16. Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding. These were all in the camp, in some part of it, to whom Ezra sent messengers…
117 wordsSource & rights
Public domain; John Gill (1697–1771). Source item is marked Public Domain on Internet Archive.
Project Gutenberg source record →
Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.