Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezra 4:23
Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter [was] read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
23. Now ] R.V. Then, i.e. Thereupon.
read before ] cf. 18.
they went up in haste ] R.V. they went in haste. Far from being slack in executing the king’s decree: gratified malice made them prompt as well as desirous to stay the work.
made them to cease by force and power ] Literally ‘with an arm and with troops’. Vulg. ‘in brachio et robore’, cf. Eze 17:9, ‘without great power’ (lit. arm); Dan 11:15; Dan 11:31 (‘arms’ = strength). The LXX. render ‘with horses and force’ ( ). The Samaritans stopped the Jews from building “by main force”. If the Jews resisted, resistance was useless in the face of the royal decree.
Perhaps we may see in the reference to the ruinous condition of the walls and defences of Jerusalem, Neh 1:3, the results of the forcible means taken by the Samaritans to cause the work to cease.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 23. Made them to cease by force and power.] Commanded them on pain of the king’s displeasure not to proceed, obliging all to remit their labours, and probably bringing an armed force to prevent them from going forward.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Now when the copy of King Artaxerxes letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions,…. By him or them to whom it was particularly directed:
they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews; not only in obedience to the king’s command, but from an eagerness of spirit to put a stop to the proceedings of the Jews, to whom they had an aversion, instigated by the Samaritans:
and made them to cease by force and power; from going on with the building of the temple, which they reckoned a part of the city, and within their commission; this they did by showing the power and authority they had under the king’s hand, and by the forces they brought with them to compel them to it, should they refuse to obey; or, however, they threatened them highly what they would do, if they did not desist.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
23. Went up in haste The haste was the more necessary that the Jews might have no opportunity to learn and expose their misrepresentations of their work. Had they had an opportunity to show that they were building not the city but the temple, the Samaritans might not have been so successful with the king.
By force and power Literally, by arm and might, that is, by sheer violence. They forced them to cease work.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ezr 4:23 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter [was] read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
Ver. 23. They went up in haste ] Perurgente diabolo, the devil driving them, and their own malicious dispositions egging them thereunto (Bern.). So, when Queen Mary lay a dying, Harpsfeild, arch-deacon of Canterbury, being at London, made all post-haste home to dispatch those martyrs whom he had then in his cruel custody (Acts and Mon. 1562). So ambitious are wicked men of hell, they take long strides, and mend their pace, as if they feared lest it should be taken up before they come thither.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Ezr 4:23
23Then as soon as the copy of King Artaxerxes’ document was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their colleagues, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews and stopped them by force of arms.
Ezr 4:23 stopped them by force of arms From Neh 1:3 it seems that the Samaritans not only stopped them, but destroyed the work they had done (cf. The Jewish Study Bible, p. 1677). However, this possibly refers to the rubble remaining from the destruction of Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 B.C.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
by force. Chaldee by arm; “arm” being put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for the force put forth by it.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Rehum: Ezr 4:8, Ezr 4:9, Ezr 4:17
they went up: Pro 4:16, Mic 2:1, Rom 3:15
force: Chal, arm
Reciprocal: Ezr 5:6 – copy Ezr 6:8 – hindered Ezr 6:13 – Tatnai Hag 1:2 – This
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ezr 4:23. And made them to cease by force and power As they abused the king by their misinformations, in the obtaining of this order, so they abused him in the execution of it; for the order was only to prevent the building of the city and its walls. But, having power in their hands, they on this pretence stopped the building of the temple. See what need we have to pray, not only for kings, but for all in authority under them; because the quietness of our lives depends much on the integrity and wisdom of inferior magistrates as well as the supreme.