Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezra 6:17
And offered at the dedication of this house of God a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
17. and offered ] R.V. And they offered. A fresh sentence: Ezr 6:16 treated of the general festivities: this verse describes the special sacrificial offerings.
at the dedication of this house ] These words evidently imply a comparison between the modest sacrifices offered at this dedication and the enormous number offered by Solomon at the dedication of the firs Temple (1Ki 8:5; 1Ki 8:63). Solomon offered then for ‘the sacrifice of peace-offerings two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep’. The numbers also mentioned in connexion with the dedication-festivals of Hezekiah (2Ch 30:24) and Josiah (2Ch 35:7) very largely exceed the offerings of Zerubbabel and his companions.
The decay of material wealth and splendour must have vividly impressed itself upon the mind of many a patriot Jew, who looked only for a renewal of worldly empire. To them it must have seemed ‘a day of small things’ (Zec 4:10) by the side of the recollections of the kingdom.
a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats &c.] Compare Num 7:87, ‘and the males of the goats for a sin-offering twelve’, at the dedication of the altar. It is noticeable that in the reign of Hezekiah, at the purification of the Temple, we are told ‘they brought seven bullocks, and seven rams, and seven lambs, and seven he-goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah’ (2Ch 29:21). The number ‘seven’ there denotes the consecration, the number ‘twelve’ here denotes the ideal unity, of the community. The sin offering ‘of twelve he-goats according to the number of the tribes of Israel’, was an incident full of deep religious pathos. The remnant who had returned make solemn confession of sin in the name of the whole scattered and dispersed race. They acknowledge the essential unity of Israel’s tribes alike in the consequences of sin, in the possibilities of restoration, and in the renewed consecration to God’s service.
The symbolical representation of a restored and ideal Israel is thus indicated by the verse (cf. Ezr 2:2; Ezr 2:70, Ezr 8:35). We need not necessarily assume (as some commentators) that each tribe was literally represented upon the occasion. Compare the prophet’s picture of a reunited Israel (Eze 37:15-28) and Elijah’s offering on Mt. Carmel, 1Ki 18:31.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Compare with this modest sacrifice, which suits well the day of small things Zec 4:10, the lavish offering of Solomon (see the marginal reference n).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 17. Twelve he-goats] This was a sin-offering for every tribe.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
17. twelve he-goatsas at thededication of the tabernacle (Num 7:87;Num 8:17).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And offered, at the dedication of this house of God, an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs,…. Hecatombs of various sorts, which were always reckoned grand sacrifices, even among Heathens, of which Homer sometimes speaks; some of these were for burnt offerings, and others peace offerings, by way of thankfulness to God for the finishing of the temple; part of which belonging to the offerers, they feasted upon it with great gladness of heart:
and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel; for though the ten tribes were carried captive by Shalmaneser, yet, as before observed, there were some of them that remained in the land, and others that went and returned with the two tribes; and therefore a sin offering was made for them all, for the typical expiation of guilt contracted since they had been in an Heathen land, and, temple service had ceased.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(17) Twelve he goats.The people are not now Judah or Judah and Benjamin, but all Israel. On the Day of Atonement, on the new moons, and on all the great feasts the kid was the sin-offering for the people. But only here is one offered for each tribe.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. A hundred bullocks Compare the far larger offering of Solomon at the dedication of the first temple. 1Ki 8:63. But the present offering was large and liberal, according to the circumstances of the worshippers.
According to the number of the tribes The chastisements of the exile had thoroughly subdued these Jews, and the Israelites that had returned with them, and now, at this feast of dedication, they seek to wipe out their ancient schism, making an atonement for it by a sin offering, and, by the offering of twelve he goats, present themselves before Jehovah as the representatives of all the tribes who had been one people and one nation at the dedication five hundred years before. Thus was fulfilled the prophecy of Jeremiah, (l, 4, 5,) that Judah and Israel should return together, going and weeping, and join themselves in a perpetual covenant.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Ezr 6:17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.
Ver. 17. An hundred bullocks, &c. ] This little (in comparison of what was done at Solomon’s dedication, 1Ki 8:63 ) was highly accepted in heaven: as was likewise Noah’s sacrifice, which yet could not be great: because that after a great trial of affliction, “the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality,” 2Co 8:2 ; which, saith Aristotle, is not to be measured by the worth of the gift, but by the will of the giver, O , (Arist. Ethic. lib. 4). See Trapp on “ Ezr 2:6 “
Twelve he-goats
According to the number of the tribes of Israel
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
offered = brought near. App-43.
all Israel. See note on 1Ki 12:17. Note the number “twelve”. App-10.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
offered: Ezr 8:35, Num 7:2-89, 1Ki 8:63, 1Ki 8:64, 1Ch 16:1-3, 2Ch 7:5, 2Ch 29:31-35
a sin offering: Lev 4:3, Lev 4:13, Lev 4:14, Lev 4:22, Lev 4:23, Lev 4:28, 2Ch 29:21-23
according to: Though the tribes of Benjamin and Judah, with the priests and Levites, formed the bulk of the people, yet many from the other tribes had returned with them from captivity. 1Ki 18:31, Luk 22:30, Rev 7:4-8, Rev 21:12
Reciprocal: Exo 24:4 – according Lev 9:3 – Take ye Lev 16:5 – General Num 7:10 – dedicating Num 15:24 – one kid 2Sa 6:17 – offered 1Ch 29:21 – sacrificed 2Ch 29:32 – the number Ezr 2:70 – General Eze 46:12 – a voluntary Mat 19:28 – the twelve Act 26:7 – our Jam 1:1 – to
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ezr 6:17. And offered a hundred bullocks, &c. Few in number in comparison of those which Solomon had offered at the dedication of his temple. But, being according to their present ability, their offering was accepted, for it was made after a great trial of affliction, and in the midst of deep poverty, as the apostle speaks in another case, 2Co 8:2. Indeed, these hundreds were more to them than Solomons thousands to him. And they offered them willingly and cheerfully, for this service was performed with joy, all being glad to see the temple built, and the concerns of it in so good a posture. For a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats One for every tribe, to make atonement for their sins, which they looked upon as necessary in order to the acceptance of their services. It appears from many passages of Scripture, that though Shalmaneser had carried captive the ten tribes, yet many of them had remained in their country, and were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar, together with Judah and Benjamin, with whom they returned out of Babylon, as many others of the ten tribes did, who were carried away at the taking of Samaria.