of their purposes would sting them to the quick. Lesson-Never do anything that may invol'°'e humiliation. Reflection-What an agony of mortification there will be in the vanquished insolence of the lost I ' II. THE REQUISITION MADE BY DAR.IDS (vers. 8-10). 1. Tlwt .from the king's revenue from beyond the river expenses be given to the builders of God's l,,ouse. (1) Not from the kingdom in general, but from that portion whence the opposition came. What a public defeat I Yet not so public as that of the enemies of Christ before an assembled universe in the great day of judgment. (2) The leaders of the oppo- sition are the very persons required to raise and make these payments. What u retribution I J<~ye for eye ; tooth for tooth. 2. That all they required for sacrifice and offering should be supplied. (1) For burnt offerings" young bullocks and rams and lambs." (2) For meat and drink offerings "wheat, salt, oil, and wine." In the service of God there is nourishment and refreshment (see John iv. ·34; vi. 27, 55). (3) These, " according to the appointment of the priests, to be given day by day without fail." We need the continual efficacy of the sacrifice of Calvary. We need a daily supply of i;piritual as well as natural food. 3. Their patriotism and lO'f!alty concerned in carrying out this. (1) Patriotism. To avert the anger of the God of heaven. To conciliate his favour. The blessing of God is essential to the prosperity of a nation (Job :xii. 16-25; Ps. luv. 6, 7; Dan. ii. 21). (2) Loyalty. ..~o ensure his blessing upon the king and his sons (see 1 Kings xi, 11-13; xm. 33, 34). Ill. THE MALEDICTION DENOUNCED UPON THOSE WHO MAY FAIL 'l'O FULFIL THE REQUISITION (vers. 11, 12). 1. Civil penalties. (1) Hie house to be demolished. Infliction not only upon his person, hut also on his family. (2) The timber of it to be made into a cross or gibbet for his crucifixion or destruction. Thus held up to public execration ( see Deut. x:xi. 22, 23). (3) The place of his house' to be made a dunghill. That his very memory might be abhorrent to men. 2. The vengeance of heaven imprecated. (1) Civil penalties are for the breach of the royal decree; the vengeance of heaven for "putting their hand" to injure the "house of God'' (see Josh. vi. 26; 1 Sam. xiv. 24). (2) This vengeance imprecated upon "kings;" may refer to deputies, and particularly to Tatnai and Shethar-boznai. (3) It is also called down upon the "people." Those "of the land" particularly intended; Query-Does not this suggest a belief in a future state; for if the civil penalties are to the death, what more can there be else ? Let us "fear him who c,in destroy both soul and body in hell. "--J. A. M.
EXPOSITION. Ver. 13.-So they did speedily. Tatnai ingly ; but the visions of Zechariah seem less and Shethar-boznai showed no reluctance. calculated to stir popular foaling. Still the They be.d no enmity against the Jews. Once knowledge that the angels of God were inter- dearly advertised of the king's wishes, they esting themselves in the restoration of the carried them out withzeaL The rapid com- temple (Zech. i. 9-21; ii. 3, &c.), and the pletion of the temple must be in part attri- many promises that God would " comfort buted to their good-will Zion," and "choose Jerusalem" (i 17 ; ii, Ver. 14.-And the elders of the Jews 12 ; iii. 2), and that the temple should as- builded. See above, eh. v. 5, 9. Probably suredly be brought to completion (i. 16 ; iv. the same as "the chief of the fathers" of eh. 9), helped no doubt to strengthen the hands ii 68, and eh. iii 12. While the younger of Zerubbabel, and to keep up the zeal of the men were those who actually laboured, the people. According to the commandment o1 elders superintended the work. Zerubbabel Cyrus, and Darius, and Artuerxes king of and Jeshua are no doubt included among Persia.· The commandm'.ents of Cyrus and them, And they prospered through the of Darius have been set forth by the writer propheaying of Haggai . . . and Zachariah. (see eh. i. 3 ; vi. 3-5, 7) ; but nothing he.s It can well be understood that Haggai's been said as yet of any commandment given earnest exhortations, his warnings, his by any Artaxerxes to " build " or " finish " threats, his sarcastic reproaches (eh. i. 4, 9), the house. On the contrary, the only Arta- his prophecies of a coming glory to the house xerxes mentioned has been declared to have greater than any known previously (eh. ii. expressly forbidden the work to proceed (eh. 9), would rouse the spirit of the people, and iv. 7-22). 'l'he Artaxerxcs of that place, make them labour diligently and persever- moreover, reigned between Cyrua und Du.riua, en. vr. 13--22.] THE BOOK OF EZRA. 87