Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezra 6:8
Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, [even] of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
8. The injunction; official support, ( a) money for the building.
I make a decree ] cf. Ezr 6:11, Ezr 4:19, Ezr 7:13.
of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river ] The king addressing the governor of the whole country W. of the Euphrates refers to that portion of the territorial tribute which the governor would remit to the king’s treasury, the greater portion being reserved for his own use and for satrapial administration.
goods ] So the LXX. ‘possessions’ ( ): Vulgate ‘treasury’ (arc). The Aramaic word occurs again in Ezr 7:26.
The royal contribution lays no burden upon the rest of the satrapy. It literally fulfilled the edict of Cyrus: it was ‘given out of the king’s house’ (Ezr 6:4) when it was paid out of the royal share in the tribute.
forthwith expences be given ] R.V. expenses be given with all diligence, ‘with all diligence’ (A.V. ‘forthwith’), see note on chap. Ezr 5:8. LXX. .
that they be not hindered ] According to this translation, the words depend upon the previous clause. So also Vulg. ‘ne impediatur opus’. The verb occurs in Ezr 4:21; Ezr 4:23. Here the hindrance apprehended seems rather to be to the execution of the royal command than to the activity of the Jews. It is probable that we should rather render ‘which is not to be neglected’, a short abrupt clause denoting the urgency of the royal rescript, an instance of the idiom found also in Dan 6:15 ‘no decree may be changed’ (lit. a decree not to change). The first part of the injunction relating to the payment will then conclude with a peremptory command for the order to be carried out, just as the second part relating to material for the sacrifices concludes with a demand for unremitting regularity in their supply (Ezr 6:12).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Ezr 6:8-11
Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews.
The Scriptural warrant for an established Church
Look at this history, and consider candidly the great principles involved in these facts. Consider–
I. Who these men were who issued these decrees concerning the building, and concerning the supplies of the house of God at Jerusalem. They were Gentile kings.
II. What it was that these kings ordered. They ordered–
1. The building of the house, and that the expenses incurred thereby should be taken from the kings treasury.
2. The supply of the house, with every item of all the details necessary for carrying out the worship of God–rams, and lambs, and bullocks, and wheat, and wine, and oil, and salt, according to the appointment of the priests.
3. They assigned certain reasons why this should be done.
(1) That sacrifices of sweet savour might be offered to the God of Heaven.
(2) That prayer might be made for the life of the king and his sons.
(3) That wrath might not come upon the kings realm, implying that, if they did not do this, the realm incurred the wrath of God.
4. They insisted upon all this by imposing a heavy penalty upon any recusant subject. The penalty in the decree of Darius was death; the penalty in the decree of Artaxerxes was varying, according to the discretion of the executive magistracy, whether unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment; but in each case, there was a penalty for non-payment.
III. The parties addressed in the decree, and included amongst the contributors. These were not the people only who approved of, and could enjoy the worship of the house, but they included also the adversaries, who did not approve of–who could not enjoy–and who would not join in the worship of the house; yet, although they did not approve, although they would not join in the worship of that house, they were compelled by the kings decree to contribute to the expense of building, and to the continued supply of the materials of that worship. And remember all this was done by those kings, according to the commandment and in harmony with the revealed will of the Lord God of Israel. (H. MNeile, M. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
From proceeding in their work for want of money.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8-10. of the king’s goods, even ofthe tribute beyond the river . . . expenses be given unto thesemenThe decree granted them the privilege of drawing from hisprovincial treasury of Syria, to the amount of whatever they requiredfor the furthering of the work and providing sacrifice for theservice of the temple, that the priests might daily pray for thehealth of the king and the prosperity of the empire.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Moreover, I make a decree, what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews, for the building of this house of God,…. This must be considered as an additional decree of Darius, which was peculiarly made by him, in which more was granted in favour of the Jews, and as an encouragement to them to go on with the building of the temple; though Josephus a says this is no other than a confirmation of the decree of Cyrus; for, according to him, all that is here granted to them, or threatened to others, from hence to the end of Ezr 6:10, was contained in the decree:
that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river; what was collected out of his dominions on that side the river Euphrates, towards the land of Israel: according to Herodotus b, this Darius was the first of the kings of Persia that exacted tribute; under Cyrus and Cambyses only presents were brought; but he imposed a tribute, and was therefore called , an huckster, as Cambyses had the name of lord, and Cyrus that of father: the same writer gives an account of the several nations he received it from, and the particular sums, which in all amounted to 14,560 Euboic talents of gold; among whom are mentioned all Phoenicia and Syria, called Palestine, the tribute of which parts is the tribute beyond the river he referred to: and this king was well disposed to the Jewish nation, temple, and worship, before he was king, if what Josephus c says is true, that, while a private man, he vowed to God that, if he should be king, he would send all the sacred vessels that were in Babylon to the temple at Jerusalem: and out of the above tribute it is ordered,
that forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered; from going on with the building, for want of money to buy materials, and pay the workmen.
a Antiqu. l. 11. c. 4. sect. 6. b Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. 89-95. c Antiqu. l. 11. c. 3. sect. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(8) Moreover.I also make my decree.
Of the kings goods.From the tribute collected to be sent to Persia sums were previously to be deducted.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Ezr 6:8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, [even] of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.
Ver. 8. Moreover I make a decree ] So did some of the heathen emperors for the persecuted Christians, Charles V for the Lutherans (at the motion of Albertus, archbishop of Mentz, and Ludovicus, palatine of Rhine), and Henry III of France for the Protestants; which yet was but sorrily observed though sworn to. It is written by an Italian (no stranger to the court of Rome) that their proverb is, Mercatorum est, non regum stare iuramentis, that it is for merchants, and not for kings, to keep to their oaths.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
I make a decree. This was a new decree of Darius Hystaspis.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Ezr 6:8-10
Ezr 6:8-10
DARIUS’ ORDERS THAT EXPENSES WERE TO BE PAID OUT OF TAX REVENUES
“Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses be given with all diligence to these men, that they be not hindered. And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven; and also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests that are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail; that they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.”
“And pray for the life of the king, and of his sons” (Ezr 6:10). “Jeremiah’s admonition for the Jews to seek the peace of Babylon during their residence there in the captivity (Jer 29:7), was interpreted as a requirement that they should pray for their rulers, which the Jews do even until this day. In view of the kindness to them of the Persian kings, they would not have neglected to do this.” Furthermore this has come down even into Christianity as an apostolic order (1Ti 2:1-2).
“Offerings to the God of heaven” (Ezr 6:9-10). Many able commentators have warned us that actions and words as we find here should not be construed as meaning that men like Darius were genuine believers in the one true God. “Such acknowledgements as this we find here by Persian kings they could make without any renunciation of their polytheism. They could honor Jahve as a mighty god, yea, even as the mightiest god, without being unfaithful to the pagan gods of their fathers.”
E.M. Zerr:
Ezr 6:8. While his officers were not to dabble in the work, they were ordered to furnish support in the way of materials. Not out of their personal property, but to draw on the treasury of that part of the realm beyond the river for expense money, and give it to the leaders of the work among the Jews.
Ezr 6:9-10. Great empires always keep accurate accounts of the things going on in their realms. We have seen that a record was’ kept of the Jews and the treatment done to them. That would necessarily include the account of their captivity and the occasion for it. And after being brought into the land now being ruled by the Persians, those people had been prevented from practicing their religious services of sacrifices and offerings. But God had opened the hearts of the heathen kings and caused them to see the righteousness of restoring the temple to the unfortunate Jews. It was appropriate, therefore, that the services belonging thereto be restored also. For the purposes of their temple service, the decree of Darius was extended to the order for animals for the altar, and other things needed in their congregational activities. Darius did not dictate what animals were to be selected, but left it to the priests at Jerusalem. It is noteworthy that the king requested prayer to be offered for him. That was a lawful request. In Jer 29:7 the Jews were instructed to pray in behalf of the city of their captivity, and in 1Ti 2:2 is the command for Christians to pray for temporal rulers. This is all in keeping with other teaching regarding God’s interest in secular governments. Dan 2:21; Dan 4:17 says that God takes a hand in governments of the world. It is proper, therefore, that the people of God should pray for those rulers.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
I make a decree: Chal, by me a decree is made
the king’s: Ezr 6:4, Ezr 4:16, Ezr 4:20, Ezr 7:15-22, Psa 68:29-31, Hag 2:8
hindered: Chal, made to cease, Ezr 4:21, Ezr 4:23, Ezr 5:5
Reciprocal: Lev 22:25 – a stranger’s 2Ch 30:5 – established Ezr 7:20 – bestow it Neh 9:37 – it yieldeth Neh 11:23 – the king’s Eze 45:17 – the prince’s Dan 6:26 – make Rom 13:6 – pay 2Co 9:14 – by
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Ezr 6:8-9. That of the kings goods, forthwith expenses be given That the work might not be stopped for want of money to carry it on, he orders certain sums to be paid them out of his own revenue. And that which they have need of both young bullocks, &c. He orders that they should be supplied with every thing they wanted for maintaining the sacrifices at the temple, when it should be built, both for burnt-offerings and meat- offerings. Let it be given them day by day That the morning and evening sacrifices might not fail to be offered every day.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
6:8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, [even] of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be {d} not hindered.
(d) For lack of money.