Ezra 6

Ezra 6:1

ANd search was made] Or, after that search had been made. That is, after the decree of Cyrus was found, Darius made another decree to build the temple. See vers. 6.

rolls] Chald. books.

laid up] Chald. made to descend.

Ezra 6:2

at Achmetha] Or, Echatana, or, in a coffer. A place where the kings of Persia kept court in the summer, as they did a Shushan in the winter, Esth. 1. 2. Kings used to have winter and summer houses, Jere. 36. 22. Amos 3:15.

a roll] For their books were written, and laid up in rolls of parchment to be kept for posterity, Jeremiah 36:2. So the Jews have the law in rolls to this day.

Ezra 6:3

the height thereof threescore cubits] Cyrus gave leave to built it larger then it was before. See 1 Kings 6:2.

Ezra 6:5

brought] Chald. go.

Ezra 6:6

your companions] Chald. their societies.

Ezra 6:8

I make a decree] Chald. by me a decree is made.

hindred] Chald. made to cease. For lack of money, and materialls.

Ezra 6:10

of sweet savours] Chald. of rest.

of his sons] Of them which he had left, which he the rather injoyned, because his first children dyed young, as Ctesias reporteth.

Ezra 6:11

let him be hanged thereon] Chald. let him be destroyed.

Ezra 6:12

that hath caused his name to dwell there] Who hath appointed that place to have his name called upon there constantly: or, to make it the place of his own speciall residence, Psalms 132:14.

Ezra 6:14

of Haggai the prophet] Whom God stirred up to assure them, that he would give their work good successe.

commandment] Chald. decree.

Artaxerxes] Not Artaxerxes mentioned, chap. 4. 7. for he hindered the building of the temple, but another that succeeded Darius, chap. 7. 1. Or else the meaning is, that they builded in the dayes of Cyrus and Darius, and ceased in the dayes of Artaxerxes, as they were commanded, chap. 4. 5, 21. Or, it may be he might give a commandment to build the temple a while before he died, which was not executed till Darius his time who succeeded him, and might confirm this by another decree, which might take effect.

Ezra 6:15

of the moneth Adar] This is the twelfth moneth, and containeth part of February, and part of March.

Ezra 6:16

the children of the captivity] Chald. the sons of the transportation.

Ezra 6:18

as it is written] Chald. according to the writing.

in the book of Moses] Numbers 3:6. and Numbers 8:9.

Ezra 6:20

for their brethren the priests] Either he means, the Levites killed for the priests, or some priests for the rest.

Ezra 6:21

and all such as had separated themselves unto them] Which were of the heathen, and had forsaken their idolatry, to worship the true God, and so were to be admitted to the passcover by the law, Exodus 12:48. Numbers 9:14.

Ezra 6:22

for] Or, because.

and turned] Or, seeing he had turned.

of the king of Assyria] Meaning Darius, either because the Assyrians were subject to him, as well as the Persians: or, because he kept his court there at that time, having left Persia to be governourned by his son. The king of Babylon is called king of Assyria, 2 Chronicles 33:11.