ezra-4:7-24-esv

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Ezra 4:24

House. They went beyond the order, which only forbade the building of the city, ver. 21. --- Darius, the year of the world 3485. (Calmet) --- He was the son of Hystaspes, (St. Jerome) and not Nothus, the sixth from Cyrus, as Sulpitius and Scalinger believe. (Tirinus) read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Ezra 4:6-24

6-24 It is an old slander, that the prosperity of the church would be hurtful to kings and princes. Nothing can be more false, for true godliness teaches us to honour and obey our sovereign. But where the command of God requires one thing and the law of the land another, we must obey God rather than man, and patiently submit to the consequences. All who love the gospel should avoid all appearance of evil, lest they should encourage the adversaries of the church. The world is ever ready to... read more

Frank Binford Hole

F. B. Hole's Old and New Testament Commentary - Ezra 4:1-99

Ezra 4 IN THE OPENING verses of chapter 4, another striking feature comes into view. As is always the case when a work of God takes place, there were adversaries, and their first move had in it a strong element of flattery, and was therefore a very seductive one. They came with the profession of seeking and serving the true God, and so they offered to assist in the building of the house, as being partners in the work. This brought to light a fifth feature marking this revival a feature of... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Ezra 4:1-10

The Building of the Temple Hindered v. 1. Now, when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin, the mixed population to the north of Judah, the Samaritans, who had mingled the Assyrian religion and customs with a remnant of the knowledge of Jehovah, besides continuing in their opposition to the members of the southern kingdom, heard that the children of the captivity, the returned exiles, builded the Temple unto the Lord God of Israel, v. 2. then they came to Zerubbabel, the governor of the... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Ezra 4:11-24

The Letter To Artaxerxes v. 11. This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king, at least a summary of the contents, if not an exact copy. Thy servants, the men on this side the river, and at such a time, that is, "and so forth," all the compliments of the introduction being omitted. v. 12. Be it known unto the king that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, they had been returning from Babylon for a matter of some seventy years... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Ezra 4:1-24

B.—THE INTERRUPTION AND AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENT RESPECTING THE MACHINATIONS OF THE ENEMIESEzra 4:1-24I. The Interruption of the Building of the Temple. Ezra 4:1-51Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel; 2Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon king... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Ezra 4:1-10

the Building of the Temple Opposed Ezra 4:1-10 So long as you lead a languid and unaggressive life, the enemy will leave you alone, but directly you begin to build God’s temple, you may count on His strenuous opposition. When we are permitted to go on from day to day without much temptation, we may fear that we are doing little to destroy evil and construct good. But the virulent hate of the wicked one is a comfortable sign that his kingdom is suffering serious damage. Let us so live that we... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Ezra 4:11-24

the Enemy’s Short-Lived Triumph Ezra 4:11-24 The promoters of this letter were descendants of the heathen colonists who had been sent into the land by the Assyrians, 2 Kings 17:24 . It was written to the then reigning monarch, Artaxerxes, which Ezra seems to have copied from the records of Persia, because it stands in the original in the Chaldee language. Notice that now the Israelites are first called Jews, i.e ., Judahites, Ezra 4:12 . They urge that the Temple-building should be stayed... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Ezra 4:1-24

In this chapter we have the story of the opposition of the Samaritans, and the consequent cessation of work on the Temple for a time. The historic chronology presents difficulties. The subject is not of vital importance. Perhaps, however, the simplest solution is that in the first five verses we have a general statement of the fact that this opposition continued from the reign of Cyrus to that of Darius; while in verses six to twenty-three there is a more detailed account of the opposition. ... read more

Peter Pett

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