esdras-4:12-16-rvr1960

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 4:6-23

The Subsequent History Of The Enmity Revealed Against The Returnees Up To The Time Of Nehemiah (Ezra 4:6-23 ). What follows up to Ezra 4:23 goes beyond the question of building the Temple. The writer now wishes to bring out precisely how dangerous these adversaries would in the future prove to be, and how long lasting was their enmity. Their attitude was to be seen as not just a temporary one, but as a constant one, which would grow ever more belligerent, would seek to frustrate all that the... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 4:8-23

Ezra 4:8 to Ezra 6:18 . Extract from an Aramaic Document. Ezra 4:8-Isaiah : contains a letter, together with the king’ s reply to it, written by adversaries of the Jews to Artaxerxes for the purpose of frustrating the building of the city walls. The writers are different from those mentioned in Ezra 4:7 as writing to Artaxerxes; two letters are, therefore spoken of, so that what is said in Ezra 4:7 cannot be in reference to the letter now dealt with. Moreover, this letter has nothing to do... read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Ezra 4:12

Have set up the walls thereof: either, 1. The Jews had begun to build or repair some part of the walls which Nebuchadnezzar had left, which they aggravate in this manner. Or, 2. This is a mere fiction, which, being confidently affirmed, they thought would easily find belief with a king whose heart and ears they possessed by their hired counsellors, and others of their friends, or the enemies of the Jews. read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Ezra 4:14

Thus they pretend the king’s service to their own malicious designs and private interests. read more

Matthew Poole

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Ezra 4:15

The records of thy fathers; political fathers, i.e. thy predecessors, the former emperors of this empire, namely, in the Assyrian and Babylonish records, which together with the empire were now in the hands of the Persian kings, to be searched or read as the king’s pleasure was, or as the affairs of the empire required. read more

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Ezra 4:1-24

CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES.] In this chapter we have—(i.) The proposal of the Samaritans to unite with the Jews in building the Temple, and its rejection (Ezra 4:1-3). (ii.) The opposition of the Samaritans because of the rejection of their proposal (Ezra 4:4-5). (iii.) The letters of the Samaritans to King Artaxerxes against the Jews, one of which is here given (Ezra 4:6-16). (iv.) The reply of Artaxerxes to their letter (Ezra 4:17-22). (v.) The stoppage of the building of the Temple (Ezra... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:1-24

Chapter 4And when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity [had built the towers,] started to build the temple of the Lord unto the LORD God of Israel; they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and they said, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as you do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon the king of Assur, which brought us up hither. But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Ezra 4:1-24

Ezra 4:1 . The adversaries of Judah. These were the Samaritans; that is, Jews of the ten tribes, apostate from the religion of their fathers, now intermarried with the heathen, who were worshippers of God and of idols. Consequently they could not be admitted into the Jewish church. This people, Asnapper the Assyrian general, had brought and planted in the cities of Samaria. The other adversaries are here named, the principal of whom was Tobias, at the head of the Ammonites. These several... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Ezra 4:4-24

Ezra 4:4-24Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah.The hostility of the Samaritans to the JewsI. The tactics of the wicked. If they cannot bend the good to their wishes and aims by plausible pretences, they alter their tactics and betake themselves to unscrupulous opposition in various forms.II. The venality of the wicked. The Samaritans “hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purposes.” It is reasonable to infer that these counsellors were men of some... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Ezra 4:14

Ezra 4:14Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace.Good cause for great zealI. We acknowledge a very gracious fact.1. We have been maintained from the King’s palace--(1) In things temporal.(2) In things spiritual.2. Our maintenance from the King’s palace has cost His Majesty dear. He spared not His own Son.3. We have had a bountiful supply.4. We have had an unfailing portion.5. The supply has ennobled us.6. How cheering it is to have such a soul-satisfying portion in God.II. Here... read more

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 4:6-23

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 4:8-23

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Ezra 4:12

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Ezra 4:14

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Ezra 4:15

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Ezra 4:1-24

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:1-24

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Ezra 4:1-24

The Biblical Illustrator - Ezra 4:4-24

The Biblical Illustrator - Ezra 4:14

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