Ezra 5:14

5:3-17 While employed in God's work, we are under his special protection; his eye is upon us for good. This should keep us to our duty, and encourage us therein, when difficulties are ever so discouraging. The elders of the Jews gave the Samaritans an account of their proceedings. Let us learn hence, with meekness and fear, to give a reason of the hope that is in us; let us rightly understand, and then readily declare, what we do in God's service, and why we do it. And while in this world, we always shall have to confess, that our sins have provoked the wrath of God. All our sufferings spring from thence, and all our comforts from his unmerited mercy. However the work may seem to be hindered, yet the Lord Jesus Christ is carrying it on, his people are growing unto a holy temple in the Lord, for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

Verse 14. - The vessels also of gold and silver. See Ezra 1:7-11 . On the great importance attached to these vessels, see the comment on Ezra 1:7. So long as they remained at Babylon they were a tangible evidence of the conquest, a glory to the Babylonians, and a disgrace to the Jews. Their retention was a perpetual desecration. Their restoration by Cyrus was an act at once of piety and of kindliness. On the temple of Babylon , out of which Cyrus took them, see the comment on Ezra 1:7. Ezra 5:14

And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was {f} Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; (f) Read Ezr 1:8.

13. Cyrus the king … made a decree—The Jews were perfectly warranted according to the principles of the Persian government to proceed with the building in virtue of Cyrus' edict. For everywhere a public decree is considered as remaining in force until it is revoked but the "laws of the Medes and Persians changed not" [Da 6:8, 12, 15].

14 . And the vessels also of gold and silver ] R.V. And the gold and silver vessels . See note on Ezra 1:7-11 . into the temple of Babylon ] See note on Ezra 1:7 , ‘the house of his gods’, i.e. the great temple at Babylon, which Nebuchadnezzar had restored. Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor ] Literally ‘pekhah’. In Ezra 1:8 , Sheshbazzar is called ‘prince of Judah’. In Haggai 1:1 &c. Zerubbabel is called ‘pekhah’. For the identification see note on Ezra 1:8 .

The Ethiopian Eunuch, chamberlain to queen Candace, was ‘over all her treasure’, ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς γάζης αὐτῆς ( Acts 8:27 ). The word for ‘the treasury’, used in the gospels, means “the place for keeping the ‘gaza’,” γαζοφυλάκιον (cf. Mark 12:41 ; Luke 21:1 ; John 8:20 ). and numbered them ] so A.V. R.V. Better, and he numbered them. The king made the gift; his officer had the charge of its disposition and valuation. unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah ] There seems to be no good reason to doubt that the Sheshbazzar mentioned here and in Ezra 5:14 ; Ezra 5:16 is the same as Zerubbabel. For although Zerubbabel ( Ezra 3:2 ; Ezra 3:8 , Ezra 4:3 , Ezra 5:2 ) is not designated by any official title in our book, still (1) the manner in which he is regarded as the representative of the Jewish returned exiles in Ezra 4:2 , (2) the fact that his name, as that of the chief layman and of the head of the Davidic line, is associated with that of the High-priest Jeshua in the general administration, Ezra 3:2 ; Ezra 3:8 , Ezra 4:3 , Ezra 5:2 ; Haggai 1:1 ; Zechariah 3:4 , (3) the title of ‘governor (pekhah) of Judah’ given him by the prophet Haggai ( Ezra 1:1 , Ezra 2:2 ; Ezra 2:21 ), and given also to Sheshbazzar ( Ezra 5:14 ) make it reasonable to suppose that Sheshbazzar was another name of Zerubbabel, just as Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, were the names given in the Captivity to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah ( Daniel 1:6-7 ).

In the first year, however, of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus made a decree, etc.; comp. Ezra 1:3 . The infin. לבנא like Ezra 5:3 . - On Ezra 5:14 and Ezra 5:15 , comp. Ezra 1:7-11 . ויחיבוּ, praeter. pass. of Peal; they were given to one Sheshbazzar, (is) his name, i.e., to one of the name of Sheshbazzar, whom he had made pechah. Zerubbabel is also called פּחה, Haggai 1:1 , Haggai 1:14 , and elsewhere.

In the first year, however, of Cyrus king of Babylon, King Cyrus made a decree, etc.; comp. Ezra 1:3 . The infin. לבנא like Ezra 5:3 . - On Ezra 5:14 and Ezra 5:15 , comp. Ezra 1:7-11 . ויחיבוּ, praeter. pass. of Peal; they were given to one Sheshbazzar, (is) his name, i.e., to one of the name of Sheshbazzar, whom he had made pechah. Zerubbabel is also called פּחה, Haggai 1:1 , Haggai 1:14 , and elsewhere.