Ezra 3:10

And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord,.... The masons, whose work it was, Ezra 3:7 they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets; these were set in a proper place

And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the

After the ordinance of David, Heb. by or according to the hands of David, i.e. in such manner and with such psalms, or songs, and instruments as God hath appointed by the hands or ministry of David.

Ezra 3:10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.Ver. 10. With trumpets] These were used on all occasions of rejoicing. With cymbals] Instruments of a shrill sound used also by the heathens at offering of their sacrifices (Aelian.). So, in imitation of the Urim and Thummim, Exodus 28:30, the Egyptian high priest wore about his neck a sapphire stone which was called Aληθεια. Satan Dei Mimus ut et Momus. See before, Ezra 3:7. After the ordinance of David] He very much added to the Church music. He likewise anticipated the age of the priests, entering into their service five years earlier than the Mosaical appointment.

(10) After the ordinance of David, king of Israel.—All goes back to earlier times. As the first offerings on the altar were according to what was “written in the law of Moses, the man of God,” so the musical ceremonial of this foundation is according to the precedent of David (see 1 Chronicles 6, 1 Chronicles 16:25). The trumpets belonged to the priests, the cymbals to the Levites, in the ancient ordinances of worship.

Verse 10. After the ordinance of David] With psalms which he composed, acting in the manner which he directed.

10. And when the builders &c.] By ‘the builders’ is clearly meant the workmen, not, as some commentators, Zerubbabel and Jeshua. they set the priests &c.] So also R.V. text. (1) According to this reading, (a) the subject of the verb must be the leaders of the people (as described in Ezra 3:2); (b) the word ‘set’ in the Hebrew is the same as ‘appointed’ in Ezra 3:8 (see note); (c) and a parallelism may be noted between Ezra 3:8-11. Ezra 3:8; Ezra 3:10 describe the appointment (8) of the Levites, (10) of the priests; Ezra 3:9; Ezra 3:11 the work (9) of the Levites, (11) of the priests. But the parallelism in other respects breaks down. In Ezra 3:8, the subject of the first clause (‘Zerubbabel &c. began’) is also the subject of the second (‘and they appointed’). In Ezra 3:10 the subject of the first clause cannot (except by the very unlikely interpretation which identifies ‘the builders’ with Zerubbabel and Jeshua) be taken as the subject of the second. Again in Ezra 3:8, after the word ‘appointed’ we find the sign of the accusative before ‘the Levites’ (so also in 1 Chronicles 15:17-18). In Ezra 3:10 its absence is very noteworthy, when taken in conjunction with the evidence for the other reading. (2) According to some MSS. and ancient versions the priests stood, R.V. margin. This reading is supported by thirteen Hebrew MSS. (according to Kennicott and de Rossi), by the LXX. (ἔστησαν), by the Vulgate (steterunt), and by the parallel version in 1Es 5:59 (‘and the priests stood’ &c.). It is more likely to have been the original reading, and to have been altered by the insertion of a single small letter (yτdh) so as to correspond with the form which appears in Ezra 3:8, ‘appointed’. Supposing the received text to be the original, we have to account for (α) the omission of this letter in the authorities quoted above, (β) the absence of the sign of the accusative, (γ) the statement that Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the priests appointed the priests. Adopting the intransitive ‘stood’, (α) we are able to account for the common text by the supposition that it is a reproduction of the form used a few lines above; (β) the construction is perfectly simple, cf. 2 Chronicles 29:26; 2 Chronicles 35:10; (γ) though the parallelism of verses is lost, the order of the sentences is less artificial; with the introduction of the foundation of the Temple a fresh subject is started; (δ) in the ceremonies of the Temple the priests would be independent, ‘they stood’: the expression ‘they caused to stand or set’, though suitable as applied to ‘the Levites’, the subordinate order (Ezra 3:8), is less suitable as applied to ‘the priests’. in their apparel] literally ‘arrayed’ or ‘vestured’, i.e. in their priestly garments, cf. Ezra 2:69. In the similar description given in 1 Chronicles 5:12 the same word receives closer definition ‘arrayed in white linen’ or ‘byssus’. with trumpets] as in 1 Chronicles 15:24; 1 Chronicles 16:6; 2 Chronicles 5:12.

They set the priests - Or, according to another reading, “The priests stood.” The Levites the sons of Asaph - i.

10. To praise the Lord — Not only in evidence of their joy and gratitude, but also to thrill the builders and all the people with inspiration and enthusiasm.