Ezra Chapter 1
1:1. The first year of Cyrus king of Persia: Cyrus conquered Babylon on October 12th, 539 B.C. with his general
Ugbaru. He entered Babylon himself on October 29th, B.C. Cyrus was the great king of the empire revealed in
Daniel 2:32 as the breast and arms of silver that would succeed the Babylonian Empire. (In Dan. 7:5 it is pictured
as a bear, being raised up on one side, having three ribs in its mouth.) The proclamation of Cyrus fulfilled the
prophecy given in Jeremiah 25:11-14 and 29:10. About two hundred years before, Isaiah had even called Cyrus
by name (Is. 44:21-28; 45:1, 5), which motivated the liberal critics, who deny the possibility of supernatural
revelation and predictive prophecy, to refer to the second part of Isaiah as "Deutero" Isaiah. The Lord stirred up
the spirit of Cyrus: The Lord's sovereignty is depicted in the "stirring up." Isaiah 45:13 says "I have raised him up
[same verb] ... he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward" (cf. v. 5, where God
is said to have raised up the spirit of the chief fathers of Judah and Benjamin to return to Jerusalem; and 1 Chr. 5:
26; 2Chr. 21:16; 36:22; Jer. 51:11; Hag. 1:14). The Lord is not only the God of Israel or Judah, but of the whole
world. He inspired the favorable decree of Cyrus (cf. prov. 21:1).
1:2. The contents of the "proclamation" of verse 1 are now given in verses 2-4. This action of Cyrus needs to be
understood in the context that it was his policy to do this for many different peoples in his empire. He would restore
images of non-Babylonian deities to their former cities, help bring back the native worshipers, rebuild their
sanctuaries, and solicit their patronage. This type of action is reflected in the famous Cyrus Cylinder monument, in
which Cyrus refers to Marduk as "my lord" but not to Yahweh. Isaiah 45:4 is clear that Cyrus was not a believer,
since he did all of this "though thou hast not known me" (cf. Ex. 5:2, and Pharaoh's use of the term; Is. 19:21, that
in a future day the Egyptians will know the Lord; and Jer. 31:34, that Israel will also know the Lord in a future day).
This decree was discovered by Darius I (521-484 B.C.) 20 years later (6:2). he hath charged me relates to Isaiah
44:28 and 45:13. Some surmise that Daniel may have shown him the prophecy (Josephus, Antiquities xi. 1).
1:4. And whosoever remaineth recalls Isaiah 10:20 where the message was that "the remnant" would return, not
only to Jerusalem but to the Lord. Let the men of his place is a reference to the Gentile neighbors who were to
help by their donations. this would recall the days of the Exodus (see Gen. 15:14 and the "great substance" which
was fulfilled in Ex. 12:35, 36) as the Gentiles are now to help the Israelites with silver, and with gold, and with
goods, and with beasts. Isaiah also referred to this as a "second" exodus in 43:14-28 and 48:20, 21 (cf. Jer. 16:14,
15). In addition to these voluntary gifts, there were to be payments and releases from the royal treasury, specified
in a separate document that found its way into the royal archives (6:8-10).
1:7. Some vessels were taken to Babylon in 605 B.C. (Dan. 1:2), some in 597 B.C. (2 Kin. 24:13), and the rest in
586 B.C. (2 Kin. 25:14, 15; Jer 27:16-22). Those which Cyrus did not send back were restored by Darius I about
518 B.C. (6:5). The furniture of the temple, including the ark of the covenant, was destroyed in 586 B.C. (2 Kin. 25:
13; Jer. 3:16). The written order for their return and for the temple's rebuilding at the royal expense is preserved in
6:1-5.
1:8. Mithredath is a well-known Persian name meaning "Given to [the god] Mithra." Mithra was worshiped as a god
from the earliest times of the Indo-Aryans. Sheshbazzar may mean either "Shamash [the sun-god] Protects the
Son" or "Sin [the moon-god] Protects the Father." Early Jewish historians identified this man with Zerubbabel,
whereas modern scholars are rather united in the opinion that Sheshbazzar was not Zerubbabel. He is mentioned
only here and in verse 11; 5:14; and 5:16. Most likely he was succeeded by Zerubbabel. The prince of Judah
means a person raised to a position of authority; it need not imply royal descent.
1:9-11. The vessels totaled 5,400, of which the 2, 499 listed in verses 9 and 10 were evidently the largest or most
important. The closing words, that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem, mark one of the turning points of
history. The journey would take approximately four months (7:8. 9).
Ezra Chapter 2
2:1-70. This section is divided into eight groups: Zerubbabel and his companions (vv. 1, 2); Jewish families (vv. 3-
19); Palestinian towns (vv. 20-35); priests (vv. 36-39): Levites (vv. 40-42); Nethinim (vv. 43-54); Solomon's
servants (vv. 55-58); those with uncertain genealogies (vv. 59-63). The section ends with a list of totals (vv. 64-67)
and a short statement relating their arrival and the gifts they gave to the temple (vv. 68-70).
2:2. Zerubbabel was a grandson of King Jehoiachin, and either the son of Shealtiel (cf. 3:2; Neh. 12:1; Hag.1:1), or
of Pedaiah, brother of Shealtiel (cf. 1 Chr. 3:19). Possibly it was a case of levirate marriage (cf. Deut. 25:5-10).
Jeshua was the high priest (Zech. 3:1), whose name (in Greek, "Jesus") is spelled Joshua in Haggai and Zechariah,
and was Zerubbabel's fellow leader. The close relationship between the two men and their offices (the priesthood
and royalty) was pictured by Zechariah as uniting in one man: "the man whose name is THE BRANCH" (Zech. 6:11-
13; cf. Jer. 23:5 for "the Branch" as a messianic title). Their Nehemiah was not the famous wall-builder who was to
come on the scene some 80 years later. The related lists in Nehemiah 7:6-73 and 1 Esdras include 12 names. The
number of the men of the people of Israel are listed either by the names of their ancestors of the names of their
towns. Some returned with Zerubbabel in 536 B.C. and others returned later with Ezra (cf. chs. 8, 10; Neh. 10).
2:3-19. This portion relates records of a recognized family or clan.
2:21-35. In this passage, the laity are identified by place names or towns. There is geographical order to this list. It
begins in the south with Beth-lehem and Netophah and moves north to Anathoth and Azmaveth, then to the
northwest and the old Gibeonite confederacy with Kirjath-arim, and then to the far north of Judah with Michmas,
Beth-el, and Ai, then to the southwest with Nebo, Magbish, Elam, and Harim, and then to the vicinity of Joppa with
Lod, Hadid, and Ono, and finally to the northwest with Jericho and Senaah.
2:36-39. There were 4, 289 priests who returned, about a tenth of the total of returnees.
2:40-42. Three classes of Levites are mentioned: (1) the regular Levites, who assisted the priests; (2) the singers;
and (3) the porters, or doorkeepers. Asaph was an outstanding musician in King David's day, and he had been
appointed minister of music in the temple (1 Chr. 15:19; 16:5). His descendants were also official musicians.
Psalms 50 and 73-83 are attributed to him.
2;43-54. The Nethinim were founded by David and his officials according to 8:20. The Hebrew name points out the
idea of "Given" or "Dedicated Ones" and is a variation of one of the descriptions of the Levites themselves, of
whom God said, "They are wholly given unto me" (Num. 8:16). See the note on 1 Chronicles 9:2.
2:59-63. Those mentioned in this section could not prove their ancestry. There are two separate classes: (1)
laymen (vv. 59, 60); and (2) priests (vv. 61-63). Genealogies were of great importance in ancient Israel. A man
who had no knowledge of his tribe or clan was under a serious disability, and was excluded from the priesthood (v.
62). Barzillai means "Iron-man." He had been a staunch supporter of David. He was also a man of wealth (2 Sam.
19:32). In adopting this family's names, he may have laid himself open to the charge of renouncing his own
birthright, the priesthood. Tirshatha is a Persian term, "The One to Be Feared" and is like the term "His
Excellency." It was used of Nehemiah (cf. 8:9; 10:1), and here evidently refers to Shesbazzar who settled the
ecclesiastical question (not the high priest). Till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim seems to indicate
that this tragic situation was not reconciled. Whether the Urim and Thummim has been lost in the Exile, or whether
the ability to use them had been withdrawn after the departure of the shekinah glory in 592 B.C. (Ezek. 8-11), is
not clear. Psalm 74:9 says, "We see not our signs: there is no more any prophet: neither is there among us that
knoweth how long." Note Exodus 28:30 for the employment of the Urim and Thummim.
2:64-67. The total given in Ezra and Nehemiah 7 is 42,360, but the individual items add up to different totals: Ezra,
29, 818; Nehemiah, 31, 089; and 1 Esdras, 30, 143. Some have attempted to reconcile the differences as
members of the northern tribes, or as women, or as adolescents. Most likely the totals have been obscured by
either textual corruption or by the omission of certain families. The singing men and singing women were distinct
from the temple choirs of verse 41 (cf. 2 Sam. 19:35).
2:68, 69. The house of the Lord would indicate that the site continued to be used in the exilic period, even though
it was in ruins (cf. Jer. 41:5; Hag. 2:9). Offered freely indicates a healthy spiritual atmosphere (cf. 3:5) which was in
addition to the royal grant in 3:7. The phrase after their ability relates well to 1 Corinthians 16:2 and 2 Corinthians
8:3 where "beyond" their ability is even mentioned. Nehemiah 7:70-72 gives a more detailed summary, mentioning
separately the contributions of the governor, of some of the heads of houses, and of the rest of the people.
Ezra Chapter 3
3:1. The seventh month: This was the first day of the month (v. 6), which was the Feast of Trumpets (Num. 29:1-6),
which foreshadowed Israel's final gathering. The seventh month was Tishri (September-October) and most likely
was September 25, 536 B.C. if there was a two-year delay in the beginning of the journey from Babylon after
Cyrus's decree. The laying of the temple foundation in the next year would have brought to a close the 70-year
captivity Jeremiah had predicted in Jeremiah 25:1-12, 605 B.C. to 535 B.C. The journey was approximately nine
hundred miles from Babylon to Palestine and would have taken at least four months (cf. 7:8, 9).
3:3. This action is a tribute to their determination to succeed despite tremendous obstacles. All of chapter 4 is
devoted to the long series of hostilities that covered the time period of Ezra and Nehemiah some 80 to 90 years
later.
3:9. Judah: Some suggest a change due to dittography (writing a letter twice when it should have been written
once.) It may read Hodaviah. As a result, the first three names here are the same as in 2:40, and represent special
Levitical families placed in charge of the temple workmen.
3:10. A comparison of 5:1-6 and the Book of Haggai shows that little was achieved until 520 B.C. apart from the
actual laying of the foundations. The same order was observed when the ark was brought to Jerusalem in David's
time (1 Chr. 16:5, 6; cf. Num. 10:8).
3:12, 13. It had been about 50 years since the first temple had been destroyed, and many of the older men
(ancient men) who had seen the earlier buildings wept now because of the sorrowful contrast in size and splendor.
When the temple was completed later in 520 B.C., there were still some of these old men who wept again. Haggai 2:
3 and Zechariah 4:10 relate Zechariah's challenge to those who "despised the day of small things."
Ezra Chapter 4
4:1 Adversaries: From this point to the end of the Book of Nehemiah there is conflict.
4:2 Since the days of Esar-haddon: The descendants from intermarriages between Israelites and foreigners who
were transplanted to Samaria by Esar-haddon, the king of Assyria from 680 to 669 B.C., now approached
Zerubbabel and said, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do. Actually Isaiah in 734 B.C. prophesied
that the 10 northern tribes would cease to be a distinct people within 65 years (Is. 7:8). Esar-haddon was
responsible for the transplanting of foreigners into Samaria (2 Kin. 17:24). This proposal was the more dangerous
since it came under the guise of true religion (2 Cor. 11:15; cf. 2 Cor. 6:17). The procedure by the Assyrians
effectively stifled a nationalistic spirit and created a mixed religion.
4:6 Ahasuerus (485-465 B.C.), also called Xerxes I, is known from the Book of Esther. The mention of him marks
simply that with the passage of time, from 535 B.C. in verses 1-5, the antagonism of the enemy had not cooled off.
The word accusation is the same word in Hebrew as for Satan, “The Accuser” (1Chr. 21:1; Job 1:6; Zech. 3:1).
This written accusation to Xerxes in 486 B.C. is not referred to anywhere else in the Old Testament.
4:7 The time now moves to Artaxerxes’ day (464-424 B.C.), whose reign spanned the events of chapter 7 to the
end of Nehemiah. The complaints to him, and their outcome, show not only the dogged persistence of Israel’s
enemies, but the uncertainty of a great king’s patronage. Artaxerxes was the one who later allowed Ezra to return
to Jerusalem. During his reign, Nehemiah obtained a reversal of policy and went back to Jerusalem with his
blessings (Neh. 1, 2). The Syrian tongue is the Aramaic language, the commercial language of the Fertile
Crescent during the first millennium B.C. Not only is the letter of 4:11-16 written in Aramaic, but so also is the entire
section from 4:8 through 6:18.
4:8-10 This portion contains an imposing list of people who opposed the work in Jerusalem. Rehum was the “high
official” or chancellor who presided quite probably over a group of minor officials, and was directly responsible to
the satrap, or to the Persian king if he was in fact a satrap. Asnapper is a reference to Ashurbanipal the great
Assyrain king (668-626 B.C.), who completed the transplanting in Samaria of peoples that Esar-haddon (v. 2) had
played a major part in relocating. The river is the Euphrates River.
4:12 Rebellious and the bad city: The choice of the word rebellious is important, because the Persian Empire was
continually plagued with rebellions during the fifth century B.C., one notable one by Megabyzus of the Trans-
Euphrates area. Jerusalem had a history of rebellions against foreign powers, such as those under Jehoiakim (2
King. 24:1) and Zedekiah (2 Chr. 36:13) and even as far back as during the reigns of Hezekiah and Manasseh (2
Chr. 32:33) in the days of the Assyrians.
4:21 Until another commandment shall be given from me provided a glimmer of hope, for it made a policy review
possible and with it, by the grace of God, the mission of Nehemiah (Neh. 2).
4:24 This verse does not continue the previous discussion (vv. 7-23), but picks up the thought of verse 5, going
back to the time of Zerubbabel, and finishes with the same phrase as in verse 5. The reign of Darius king of
Persia: Two items mentioned were not addressed in verses 1-5: (1) The work was not only hindered but halted. (2)
The year of Darius (521-484 B.C.) in which the deadlock was broken was 520 B.C. (cf. Hag. 1:1; Zech 1:1) or
about 15 years later.