Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezra 4:13

Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be built, and the walls set up [again, then] will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and [so] thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

13. set up again ] R.V. finished.

then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom ] R.V. they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll. Cf. Ezr 4:20, Ezr 7:24. The R.V. gives the right order according to the Aramaic. The first word denotes the contribution of provinces, and the imperial taxation levied on districts; the second word probably the duties on merchandise or on the produce of the land for maintenance of provincial rule; the third, tolls levied upon travellers, for maintenance of roads and communication.

and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings ] R.V. and in the end it will endamage the kings. The A.V. is certainly wrong in translating by the second person singular. The verb refers to the city of ‘Jerusalem’, which would become the author of mischief.

The word rendered by the A.V. ‘the revenue of’ and by the R.V. ‘in the end’, has caused much perplexity. Neither 1Es 2:18 nor the versions LXX., Vulg. and Syr. have attempted to translate it.

In most Hebrew Bibles it is read ‘Aphtm’. It has been conjectured to be a word of Persian origin (cf. old Persian ‘Apatama’, ‘most remote’: the Pehlevi ‘af-dom’ = ‘end’), and to be used here as an adverb ‘in the end’, ‘eventually’.

Some of the best Hebrew texts however now read ‘Aphts’ (? = ‘revenue’).

The rendering ‘revenue was a mere conjecture of the medival Hebrew commentators based upon the context, and by some scholars is still preferred.

This expression of loyal interest in the welfare of the king’s treasure was a somewhat transparent method of conciliating the royal favour to their side.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Toll, tribute, and custom – Rather, tribute, provision, and toll (so Ezr 4:20). The tribute is the money-tax imposed on each province, and apportioned to the inhabitants by the local authorities; the provision is the payment in kind, which was an integral part of the Persian system; the tolI is probably a payment required from those who used the Persian highways.

The revenue – The word thus translated is not found elsewhere, and can only be conjecturally interpreted. Modern commentators regard it as an adverb, meaning at last, or in the end, and translate, And so at last shall damage be done to the kings.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 13. Toll, tribute, and custom] The first term is supposed to imply the capitation tax; the second, an excise on commodities and merchandise; the third, a sort of land tax. Others suppose the first means a property tax; the second, a poll tax; and the third, what was paid on imports and exports. In a word, if you permit these people to rebuild and fortify their city, they will soon set you at naught, and pay you no kind of tribute.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

13. toll, tribute, and customThefirst was a poll tax; the second was a property tax; the third theexcise dues on articles of trade and merchandise. Their letter, andthe edict that followed, commanding an immediate cessation of thework at the city walls, form the exclusive subject of narrative atEzr 4:7-23. And now fromthis digression [the historian] returns at Ezr4:24 to resume the thread of his narrative concerning thebuilding of the temple.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Be it known now unto the king,…. And let it be seriously and thoroughly considered by him and his counsellors:

that if this city be builded, and its walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom; being able to defend themselves against the king’s forces, sent to reduce them to their obedience; these three words take in all sorts of taxes and levies on persons, goods, and merchandise:

and so thou shall endamage the revenue of the kings; not only his own, but his successors’;

this they thought would be a very striking and powerful argument with him.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(13) Toll, tribute, and custom.Toll for the highways; custom, a provision in kind; tribute, the money tax.

The revenue.Rather, at length; literally and at length damage will be done to the kings.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

13. Toll, tribute, and custom Comprising all kinds of revenue. It is difficult to decide the precise import of each term. Following the etymology of the original words used, we may say that toll ( ) denotes some tax or portion measured out, an assessment; probably a poll tax. Tribute ( ) comes from a root which signifies to consume, to use up. Hence Furst defines it as a tax on articles consumed; excise. Custom ( ) from the root which means to walk, or travel, may denote a sort of road tax or toll levied on travellers or caravans who passed over the public roads.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Ver. 13. Toll, tribute, and custom By the first of these, mindah, Grotius understands that which every head paid to the king, and which we call poll-money; by the second, belo, the excise, as we now call it, which was levied upon commodities and merchandize; and by the last, halak, the land-tax. But Witsius, in his Miscell. part 2 is of opinion, that the first word rather signifies that part which every man paid out of his estate, according as it was valued; the second, that which was paid for every head; and the third, that which was paid upon the highway by every traveller who went about the country with any kind of merchandize.

REFLECTIONS.1st, No sooner was Cyrus, the professed friend of the Jewish people, asleep in the grave, and Ahasuerus advanced to the throne of Persia, than the enemies of God’s people determined to improve the opportunity. Happy were it, if the church’s friends were as watchful to serve her interests, as her enemies are to do her mischief.

1. The general design was, to render them odious to the government, by representing them as a turbulent seditious people; and the vouchers for the accusation were, the Samaritan governors whom the king of Persia had appointed, backed and supported by all the colonies of different nations settled in Samaria. Note; (1.) Lying accusations are the lot of all God’s people. (2.) When godliness is to be oppressed, subscriptions will not be wanting to support any charge, however malicious or unjust. (3.) The many join in the general cry, usually without knowing why or wherefore.

2. The particulars of the letter are here recited, and show as much of the old serpent’s cunning and malice as we might expect to find. [1.] To ingratiate themselves, and obtain the easier credit, they profess a high zeal for the king’s honour, and deep gratitude for the maintenance or salaries which they received from him; and therefore they could not unconcerned see his government injured. Note; Pretended fears of danger to the state, are a common plea for the oppression of God’s people. [2.] They brand the Jews as a people infamously disloyal; call Jerusalem the rebellious and bad city, which had in all times past been dangerous to kings and provinces; and, for the confirmation of their assertion, appeal to the records which contain Zedekiah’s rebellion. Note; (1.) The enemies of God’s people will not spare hard names; and the most are so easily influenced, that they conclude that a bad name must imply a bad thing. (2.) Dangerous designs are often imputed to God’s people, when they of all others mean to be quiet in the land. (3.) If once an evil thing has been done by professors of religion an age ago, they are sure to have it laid at their door ever after, however much they disapprove and condemn it. (4.) When men desire occasion to stumble, the devil will not fail to supply them with it. [3.] They make a most lying report of the state of Jerusalem, and give a most malicious insinuation of the consequences: they declare that the walls of the city are set up, when it does not appear that a stone had been taken from the rubbish; that the temple alone engaged them; and that it was soon to be feared, there would be a general revolt of all the conquered provinces on this side the Euphrates, encouraged by the example of the Jews, to the dismembering of his kingdom, and the great loss of his revenue. Note; They who set their hearts against God’s people hesitate not at lies; and, gross or improbable as they are, the world is always ready to swallow them.

2nd, God in wisdom sometimes permits innocence to be oppressed, and suffers the lying misrepresentations of the enemies of his people to prevail. But the day is coming when the lying lips shall be put to silence; and they who have loved as well as they who made a lie shall lie down together in the pit.
1. The king, without sending persons to the spot to make inquiry, credits the representations which his counsellors. who had been probably bribed, strenuously reported (for in a court what will not gold do?); and having found in the records Zedekiah’s and Jehoiakim’s struggle for liberty, and that former kings of Jerusalem had extended their dominions to the river Euphrates, he readily concludes that the danger was imminent, orders an immediate stop to be put to the building of the city, and appoints his governors in Samaria to see his orders executed. Note; It is difficult for kings, beset with courtiers and flatterers, to know the truth.

2. With delight and eagerness their enemies run to execute, yea to exceed their orders. They were only enjoined to cause the Jews to cease building the city, which was never begun; this, however, was easily construed to extend to the temple; and, having power on their side, there could be no resistance: thus the work continued at a stand, till the second year of Darius Hystaspes. Note; (1.) Nothing gives greater pleasure to a carnal world, than the suppression of God’s cause and truth. (2.) Patient submission under unjust oppression, is a hard lesson. (3.) Though for a while God permits wicked men and oppressors to ride over our heads, their triumphing is but for a moment.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Ezr 4:13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up [again, then] will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and [so] thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

Ver. 13. Be it known now unto the king ] q.d. This is no light business, but of greatest importance; and, therefore, fit to be noted and noticed.

Then will they not pay toll, tribute, &c. ] This is an old device of the devil and his imps, to represent God’s people to the world as anti-magistratical, and disturbers of the public peace. Thus they dealt by the primitive Christians, who were the emperors’ best subjects, and yielded them greatest respect and profit. Thus Francis, king of France, pretended and professed to the princes of Germany, whose friendship he desired, that he pursued the Lutherans with fire and sword, for no other cause but for that they were levellers, and enemies to civil government. This drew from Calvin, who was then but twenty-five years of age, that golden book of his, Institutions of Christian Religion, to free the Reformed Churches of that slur and slander. The like was suggested by the Arminians in the Low Countries, and by the Episcopal party here. It was in Tacitus’s time, unum crimen eorum qui crimine vacabant, the only fault of such as were indeed without fault.

And so thou shalt endamage the revenue ] Diminish the annual revenues of the crown, which are well called the king’s strength here, because if these fail little good can be done, either at home or abroad, Henry, king of Navarre (afterwards king of France), was wont to say, that he was a husband without a wife, a soldier without money, and a king without a kingdom. What would the king of Spain’s greatness soon come to were it not for his yearly incomes, his mines of America?

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

if this city: Neh 5:4, Psa 52:2, Psa 119:69

pay: Chal, give

toll: Ezr 7:24, Mat 9:9, Mat 17:25, Rom 13:6, Rom 13:7

revenue: or, strength

Reciprocal: Ezr 4:22 – why should Neh 5:14 – the bread Neh 9:37 – it yieldeth Mat 22:17 – is Mar 12:14 – is it Luk 20:22 – General

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezr 4:13. Then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom By the first of these, Grotius understands that which every head paid to the king, and which we call poll-money; by the second, the excise, as we now speak, which was upon commodities and merchandise; and by the last, the land- tax. Dodd.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

4:13 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up [again, then] will they not pay toll, tribute, and {k} custom, and [so] thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.

(k) Meaning, the gifts that are wont to be given to kings when they pass by any country.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes