Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezra 6:11
Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
11. The penalty.
Also I have made a decree ] The same words as in Ezr 6:8, Ezr 4:19.
whosoever shall alter ] See especially Dan 6:15. The word ‘alter’ here probably includes infringement of the decree as well as alteration of its terms.
let timber be pulled down ] R.V. let a beam be pulled out, more correctly. The beams of the man’s own house should be the instruments of execution.
and being set up, let him be hanged thereon ] R.V. let him be lifted up and fastened thereon. The subject of both words is the malefactor. The punishment here referred to is probably that of impalement, to which allusion is frequently made in Assyrian and Persian inscriptions. It may indeed be a form of crucifixion, such as is also implied in Gen 40:19 and Est 2:23. The passages in Num 25:4; Deu 21:22-23; Jos 8:29, where this frightful form of punishment is spoken of, seem to show that among the Israelites the victims were often first executed, and that the corpses were then hung upon a tree till nightfall. The Hebrew and Aramaic word for ‘lift up’ which is used in a perfectly general sense for elevation of any sort, e.g. Psa 145:14; Psa 146:8, and Targum of Psa 93:3, Jer 3:2, was applied technically to execution by impalement or crucifixion, as in the Targum of Est 7:10. This double meaning of the word may illustrate the Saviour’s word ‘I, if I be lifted up from the earth’ (Joh 12:32).
and let his house be made a dunghill for this ] See 2Ki 10:27; Dan 2:5; Dan 3:29. A repulsive metaphor for shameful overthrow, cf. 1Ki 14:10; Job 20:7; Zep 1:17.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Being set up, let him be hanged thereon – Rather, let him be lifted up and crucified upon it. Crucifixion was the most common form of capital punishment among the Persians.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 11. Let timber be pulled down] Whether this refers to the punishment of hanging and gibbeting of whipping at a post, or of empaling, is not quite clear. In China they tie culprits to posts; and the executioner cuts them open while alive, takes out their bowels, &c. Empaling thrusting a sharp stake through the body till it comes out at the side of the neck, or hanging, seems to be intended here.
Let his house be made a dunghill] Let it be reduced to ruins, and never more used, except for the most sordid and unclean purposes.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
11, 12. whosoever shall alter thiswordThe warning was specially directed against the turbulentand fanatical Samaritans. The extremely favorable purport of thisedict was no doubt owing in some measure to the influence of Cyrus,of whom Darius entertained a high admiration, and whose two daughtershe had married. But it proceeded still more from the deep impressionsmade even on the idolatrous people of that country and that age, asto the being and providence of the God of Israel.
Ezr6:13-15. THE TEMPLEFINISHED.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word,…. Act contrary to this command, will not obey it, but as much as in him lies changes and revokes it:
let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him, be hanged thereon; that is, let a beam be taken from it, and a gallows or gibbet made of it, and hang him on it:
and let his house be made a dunghill for this; be pulled down, and never rebuilt more, [See comments on Da 2:2],
[See comments on Da 2:9].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(11) Alter this word seems to mean violate this command, since the alteration of a decree was a thing unheard of.
Hanged is literally crucified. Among the Persians crucifixion was generally the nailing of a body to a cross after decapitation; among the Assyrians it was transfixion or impalement. Here the being set up refers of course to the man, and not to the beam.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
11. Let him be hanged thereon Or, fastened thereon, that is, crucified, or impaled, a mode of execution common among many ancient nations.
See note on Est 2:23.
Let his house be made a dunghill A proverbial saying, indicating that the houses were to be reduced to ruinous heaps, and made receptacles for all manner of filth.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ezr 6:11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.
Ver. 11. Let timber be pulled down from his house ] 1. Let his house be pulled down for a penalty. The Popish Council of Toulouse called together against the Albigenses (those ancient Protestants) made this cruel constitution, We decree that that house, wherein is found a heretic, be pulled down to the ground. 2. Let that timber be set up for a gibbet, and let him be hanged thereon Chaldee, destroyed. Compare that of the apostle, 1Co 3:17 , If any man destroy the temple of God (which temple ye are), him shall God destroy; and let those look to it who turn it into a den of thieves, into a brothel house, slaughter house, pest house of noisome lusts, qui podicem ex ore faciunt, by their unsavoury speeches, and spoil themselves worse than by tumbling in an out house.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
alter. A similar strong threat in the inscription of Darius on the Behistun rock (App-57). Compare Dan 3:29.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Ezr 6:11-12
Ezr 6:11-12
CRUCIFIXION WAS SET AS THE PENALTY FOR VIOLATORS
“Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this: and the God that hath caused his name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples that shall put forth their hand to alter the same, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with all diligence.”
There are two parts of this penalty: (1) the crufixion of the offender, and (2) an invocation that the God of heaven would also execute divine justice upon him.
“The extremely favorable impact of Darius’ decree upon the temple project was no doubt due, in part, to the influence of Cyrus, two of whose daughters Darius had married; but it also came, no doubt, from the deep impressions made upon the idolatrous peoples of that age with regard to the being and providence of the God of Israel.”
“Let him be hanged thereon” (Ezr 6:11). This, of course, was crucifixion, a punishment widely used by the Persians. “Keil cites a word from Herodotus as saying that Darius impaled 3,000 Babylonians when he took their city. Therefore, this was no idle threat.” Cook added that, “Crucifixion was the most common form of punishment among the Persians.”
E.M. Zerr:
Ezr 6:11. It is an established prin. ciple that a law without a penalty is, in reality, no law at all. On that basis it was consistent for the king of Persia to attach a penalty for the violation of his decree. And it was in a very impressive form in which the offender was to be punished. He not only was to be executed by hanging, but was to furnish the material for his own gallows. House be made a dunghill means that the place where his house had stood was to be used as a place for refuse.
Ezr 6:12. Caused his name to dwell there. The last word refers to the temple that was to be rebuilt by order of the king. He thus is offering an indirect prayer to God, asking him to support the Persian decree by punishing all persons who try to violate it. The whole document was made binding by the signature of Darius.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
whosoever: Ezr 7:26
timber: Est 5:4, Est 7:10
hanged: Chal, destroyed
his house: 2Ki 9:37, 2Ki 10:27, Dan 2:5, Dan 3:29
Reciprocal: 2Sa 21:6 – hang Dan 3:28 – and have