Matthew Poole and continuators on Ezra 1

1 NOw in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia , (that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled) the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

To wit, of his Empire or Reign in Babylon: For he had now been King of Persia for many Years.

i. e. Put into him a Mind and Will to this work.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word]. 22▪ [illegible: 1 word]. 25. 12. [illegible: 1 word]. 10.; [illegible: 1 span].

2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of Heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth , and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

To wit, in those parts of the World, all that vast Empire formerly under the Assyrians and Babylonians. The Gift of which he ascribes to the great God, either by virtue of those common notions which were in the Minds of the Heathens, who though they worshipped Idols, yet many of them did acknowledge a true and supream God: Or by that clear and express Prophecy of Isaiah concerning him, Isa. 44. 28. & 45. 1, 13. so long before he was born; which Prophecy the Jews had doubtless shewed him, which also carried a great evidence with it, especially to him who was so highly gra[illegible: 1+ letters]ified and incouraged by it: or by a special Illumination which God vouchsafed to him, as he did to Nebuchadnezzar and Darius, and some others of the Heathen Princes.

Either by his Prophets, Isaiah formerly, or Daniel now: or by an inward suggestion to his Mind.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word] 44. 28. [illegible: 1+ letters] [illegible: 1+ letters]5. 13.

3 Who is there among you of all his people ? his God be with him , and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God) which is in Jerusalem .

To wit, of Israel. A material clause; by vertue of which they justly refused the help of those Aliens who pretended to join with them in the building, ch. 4. 2, 3.

Let his God help him, as I also shall do.

Or only, in Ierusalem, as it is in the Hebrew. So it notes the place where he allows and requires them to build it.

4 And whosoever remaineth , in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold , and with goods, and with beasts, besides the free-will-offering for the house of his God that is in Jerusalem.

Who, when his Brethren were gone up, was desirous to go with them, but forced to tarry there for want of necessaries for his Journey.

I require my Officers to take care that they may be supplied, either by the voluntary Contributions of the People; or by a moderate Tax to be laid either only upon those Jews who were resolved to stay, or upon the Gentiles also; which the Persian Monarchs being absolute had a power to do; and which was the more reasonable because the King himself submitted to it, and bore a great part of the burden, and because it was for the House of that great God to whom they all owed their present Peace and great felicity.

Which upon this occasion I give you leave to transport.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]im [illegible: 1 word] ▪

5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin , and the priests and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised to go up , to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

And with them some of other Tribes, as appears from 1 Chr. 9. 3. but these only are named, because they were most considerable for number and quality.

To whom God had given that pious Disposition, and that Fortitude and Resolution which it required to break through their difficulties, which were great and many, such as their present penury, the length, and hazards, and costliness of the journey, their settlements in comfortable Habitations, their dispersion in several and distant places, which hindred the Conjunction of their Counsels and Actions, the multitude of their Enemies, the actual possession of their Country by others, the great backwardness of many of their own Brethren to go with them, and many other discouragements.

6 And all they that were about them, strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.

Either because they had embraced, or at least favoured the Jewish Religion, concerning which they were instructed by the Israelites that had now for a long time dwelt among them: or rather, that they might hereby gratifie the Kings humour, and purchase his favour: for they perceived him to be hearty and forward in the work.

Marginal references: That is, helped them.

7 Also Cyrus the King brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchad-nezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem , and had put them in the house of his gods:

Obj. These are said to have been cut in pieces, 2 Kin. 24. 13. how then are they here returned? Ans. That Hebrew word used 2 Kin. 24. 13. signifies not so properly to cut in pieces, as to cut off, as from the use of the word, Deut. 25. 12. 2. Sam. 4. 12. 2 Kin. 18. 16. Ier. 9. 26. And these vessels when they were taken away from the Temple, might very well be said to be cut off from it, because they had for so long time been so constantly, and as it were inseparably united to it, and kept in it. In like manner the meat-offering and drink-offering are said to be cut off from the house of the Lord, Joel 1. 9. And it is very improbable that they should deface and cut in pieces these magnificent Vessels which they could so easily transport whole to Babylon. Although if some of the larger of them had been cut into two or more parts, yet the parts of them might be delivered to the Jews, who could without great difficulty restore them to their former Unity and Form.

Marginal references: 2 Kin. 24. 13. 2 Chr. 36. 7.

8 Even those did Cyrus king to Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah .

i. e. He caused them to be delivered to the Jews by number.

i. e. Zorobabel, as appears by comparing ch. 3. 8. with 5. 16. to whom the Persians, or rather the Chaldeans, had given this name of Sheshbazzar, as they gave other names to Daniel and his companions, Dan. 1. 7.

And the Captain and Governour of these returning Jews, chap. 2. 2. So the Scepter is not yet departed from Iudah.

Marginal references: See Ch. 5. 14.

9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives :

Large Knives used in the killing of the Sacrifices, which are here mentioned, because the Hafts of them were made of, or covered with Gold or Silver.

10 Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort , four hundred and ten: and other vessels a thousand .

The first or chief were of Gold, and these of Silver are called the second, or next to them for worth and use.

He speaks of vessels of a middle size; for great and small were 5400, as it follows here. Or, as some render it, other vessels by thousands: they were not distinctly numbred according to their various forms and uses, but were promiscuously put together by thousands.