Ezra 1:1-4
first <0259> [Now in the.]
Cyrus ..................... Cyrus <03566> [Cyrus.]
Cyrus is said to have been the son of Cambyses, king of Persia, and Mandane, daughter of Astyages, king of Media: he was born about 600 years before Christ, and died at the age of 70, after a reign of 30 years. He was mentioned by name, and his conquests foretold, by the prophet Isaiah, about a century before his birth. Josephus states the partiality he evinced towards the Jews, arose from the circumstance of these prophecies being shown him, probably by Daniel.
spoken <06310> [by the mouth.]
Lord's ....... Lord <03068> [the Lord.]
disseminated <05674> [made a proclamation. Heb. caused a voice to pass.]
Lord God <0430 03068> [Lord God.]
given <05414> [hath given.]
kingdoms <04467> [all the kingdoms.]
According to the testimony of ancient writers, Cyrus, at this time, reigned over the Medes, Persians, Hyrcanians, Syrians, Assyrians, Indians, etc., and all lesser Asia.
instructed <06485> [he hath charged.]
God ...................... God ....... God <0430> [his God.]
God ...................... God ....... God <0430> [he is the God.]
<0582> [let the men.]
helped ...... silver <05375 03701> [help him. Heb. lift him up.]
voluntary offerings <05071> [the freewill.]
Ezra 1:7-11
Cyrus <03566> [Also Cyrus.]
Nebuchadnezzar <05019> [Nebuchadnezzar.]
Sheshbazzar <08339> [Sheshbazzar.]
gold basins .... basins <0105 02091> [chargers of gold.]
29 <08672> [nine.]
vessels <03627> [the vessels.]
5,400 <0505 02568> [five thousand.]
Instead of 5,400, the enumeration of the articles in ver. 9, 10, only amounts to 2,499; but in the account, Esdras 2:13, 14, the amount is 5,469, as will be evident from the following statements: In Ezra. In Esdras. Gold chargers..... 30 Gold cups......... 1,000 Silver ditto...... 1,000 Silver cups....... 1,000 Knives............ 29 Silver censers.... 29 Gold basons....... 30 Gold vials........ 30 Silver ditto...... 410 Silver vials...... 2,410 Other vessels..... 1,000 Other vessels..... 1,000 _____ _____ Said to be........ 5,400 Total............. 5,469 But only.......... 2,499 _____ _____ Deficiency........ 2,901 Surplus........... 69 It is supposed that they actually amounted to 5,400, but that only the chief of them were specified, the spoons, etc. being omitted.
captives <01473> [captivity. Heb. transportation.]
Ezra 6:1-12
searched <01240> [and search.]
archives <05609> [rolls. Chal. books.]
deposited <05182> [laid up. Chal. made to descend.]
Ecbatana <0307> [at Achmetha. or, at Ecbatana, or, in a coffer.]
[achmta <\\See definition 0712\\>,] probably from the Persian [chm,] {kham,} "a house for a summer residence," with a prefix, [a,] {aleph,} and the Chaldee termination [ta,] {tha,} most likely denotes Ecbatana, as the Vulgate and Josephus read, the summer residence of the Persian monarchs. It was situated in a mountainous region at the foot of mount Orontes, or Jasonius, according to Ammianus, on the southern confines of Media and Persia, and according to Pliny, 750 miles from Seleucia the Great, 20 miles from the Caspian passes, 450 miles from Susa, and the same from Gaz‘ Atropatene, and in lat. 37 degrees 45 min., long. 88 degrees, according to Ptolemy. The building of the city is ascribed to Semiramis by Diodorus, but to Deioces by Eusebius, (in Chron. 1.1,) and Herodotus, who states that it was surrounded by seven walls, strong and ample, built in circles one within another, rising each above each by the height of their respective battlements; each being distinguished by a different colour, the first white, the second black, the third purple, the fourth blue, the fifth orange, the sixth plated with silver, and the seventh with gold. The largest of these was nearly the extent of Athens, i.e., 200 furlongs, according to Dion Chrysostom; but Diodorus Siculus states the circumference of Ecbatana to be 250 furlongs. Within the inner circle stood the king's palace and the royal treasury, so much celebrated for its splendour and riches by Polybius. It is highly probable, as D'Anville and Major Rennel suppose, that the present Hamadan, whose ruins attest its former splendour, occupies the site of Ecbatana. It is situated in Al Gebal, at the foot of the lofty mountain Alwend, about 80 leagues from Ispahan, and also from Bagdad.
first year <08140 02298> [the first year.]
place <0870> [the place.]
height <07314> [the height.]
three layers ....... layer <05073 08532> [three rows.]
expense <05313> [the expenses.]
gold <01722> [the golden.]
Nebuchadnezzar <05020> [which Nebuchadnezzar.]
carried to ...... brought <02987 01946> [brought. Chal. go.]
Tattenai <08674> [Tatnai.]
colleagues <03675> [your companions. Chal. their societies.]
stay far <01934 07352> [be ye far.]
work on <05673> [Let the work.]
I ... hereby issue orders <07761 02942 04481> [I make a decree. Chal. by me a decree is made. the king's.]
interruption of the work <0989> [hindered. Chal. made to cease.]
oxen <08450 01123> [young bullocks.]
lambs <0563> [lambs.]
wheat <02591> [wheat.]
salt <04416> [salt.]
be given <01934 03052> [let it be given.]
incense <05208> [sweet savours. Chal. rest.]
praying <06739> [pray.]
anyone <03606> [whosoever.]
beam <0636> [timber.]
impaled <04223> [hanged. Chal. destroyed. his house.]
name <08036> [caused.]
overthrow ................ destroy <04049 02255> [destroy.]
I Darius <0576 01868> [I Darius.]
precision <0629> [speed.]
Ezra 7:6
skilled <04106> [a ready.]
{Sopher mahir} does not merely signify a speedy writer, or an excellent penman, but one eminently skilful in expounding the law, {sophro chochmo,} "a wise scribe," as the Syriac renders.
scribe <05608> [scribe.]
law <08451> [the law.]
given ......... requested <05414 01246> [granted him.]
hand <03027> [according to.]
Ezra 7:8
Ezra 7:11-28
copy <06572> [the copy.]
scribe ..... scribe <05608> [a scribe.]
Artaxerxes <0783> [Artaxerxes.]
The title of the king would, in Persian, run thus: {Ardsheer shahinshah,} or {padshah,} "Ardsheer, king of kings," i.e., great or supreme king or emperor.
Ezra <05831> [unto Ezra, etc. or, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, peace, etc. and at such a time.]
I .... issued ......... from <04481 07761> [I make.]
wishes to do so <05069> [minded.]
[of the king. Chal. from before the king. seven counsellors.]
Seven princes of Persia having conspired against and slain the usurper Smerdis, and thus made way for the family of Darius, which afterwards filled the throne, the Persian kings of this race had always seven chief princes as their counsellors, who possessed peculiar privileges, were his chief assistants in the government, and by whose advice all the public affairs of the empire were transacted. The names of these counsellors are given in the parallel place of the book of Esther.
law <01882> [according.]
God <0426> [thy God.]
silver <03702> [the silver.]
which ............... who resides <01768 04907> [whose habitation.]
all ... silver ......... all <03702 03606> [all the silver.]
contributions <05069> [offering.]
sure ... purchase <0629 07066> [buy speedily.]
meal offerings <04504> [their meat offerings.]
bring them <01994 07127> [offer them.]
whatever <04101> [whatsoever.]
do .................... keeping <05648> [that do.]
will <07470> [after the will.]
He gave them the fullest liberty to order every thing according to their own institutions; binding them to no form or mode of worship.
vessels <03984> [The vessels.]
God ... Jerusalem ................. God <0426 03390> [the God of Jerusalem.]
supply .... do so from <05415 04481> [bestow it.]
Artaxerxes <0783> [Artaxerxes.]
Trans-Euphrates <05103 05675> [beyond the river.]
Ezra ... priestly <03549 05831> [Ezra the priest.]
cors <03734> [measures. Chal. cors.]
baths ... wine ... baths <01325 02562> [baths of wine.]
salt <04416> [salt.]
Everything ........ required <03606 02941> [Whatsoever is commanded. Chal. Whatsoever is of the decree.]
precisely <0149> [let it be.]
Why .... be wrath <04101 01934 07109> [why should there be wrath.]
As Artaxerxes believed he was appointed by the Almighty to do this work, he therefore wished to do it heartily; knowing that if he did not, God would be displeased, and that the kingdom would be cut off from him or his posterity.
any <03606> [touching any.]
wisdom <02452> [the wisdom.]
appoint judges <04483 08200> [set magistrates.]
Trans-Euphrates <05103 05675> [beyond the river.]
That is, "west of the Euphrates," which was beyond with regard to the king of Persia, who was on the east.
know ........... know ...... taught <03046> [teach ye.]
Everyone <03606> [whosoever.]
law .... God .... law <01882 0426> [the law of thy God.]
does ...................... appropriate ... whether .... death or ... or <01934 02006 04193> [whether it be.]
banishment <08332> [banishment. Chal. rooting out.]
Blessed <01288> [Blessed.]
There is a most amiable spirit of piety in these reflections. Instead of expatiating on the praises of his munificent patron, or boasting of his own services, he blesses God for "putting such a thing in the king's heart;" and for all the assistance and favour shown him by the king and his counsellors.
so ........ king <05414 04428> [put such.]
heart .... king <03820 04428> [in the king's heart.]
honor <06286> [to beautify.]
He .... conferred <05186> [extended.]
advisers <03289> [his counsellors.]
strength <02388> [And I was strengthened.]
In what the king decreed he saw the hand of God: he therefore gave Him the praise, and took courage.
hand <03027> [as the hand.]
