Bible Commentary


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1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,

2 Thus said Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he has charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

4 And whoever remains in any place where he sojournes, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.

5 Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

6 And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.

7 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;

8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

10 Thirty basins of gold, silver basins of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.


Now in the: 2Ch 36:22, 2Ch 36:23

Cyrus: Cyrus is said to have been the son of Cambyses, king of Persia, and Mandane, daughter of Astyages, king of Media: he was born about 600 years before Christ, and died at the age of 70, after a reign of 30 years. He was mentioned by name, and his conquests foretold, by the prophet Isaiah, about a century before his birth. Josephus states the partiality he evinced towards the Jews, arose from the circumstance of these prophecies being shown him, probably by Daniel.

by the mouth: Jer 25:12-14, Jer 29:10, Jer 33:7-13

the Lord: Ezr 5:13-15, Ezr 6:22, Ezr 7:27, Psa 106:46, Pro 21:1, Dan 2:1

made a proclamation: Heb. caused a voice to pass, Mat 3:1-3, Joh 1:23

Reciprocal: Deu 30:3 - gather thee 1Ki 8:34 - forgive the sin 1Ki 11:23 - God 2Ch 6:25 - forgive the sin 2Ch 18:31 - God moved them 2Ch 21:16 - the Lord 2Ch 36:20 - until the reign Ezr 1:5 - whose spirit Ezr 4:3 - king Cyrus Ezr 6:3 - the first year Ezr 6:14 - Cyrus Ezr 9:9 - in the sight Ezr 10:7 - they made Neh 1:11 - grant Psa 102:13 - the set Psa 126:1 - turned again Isa 13:3 - them that Isa 40:9 - General Isa 41:27 - I will give Isa 44:28 - saying Isa 45:1 - to subdue Jer 27:22 - until Jer 50:9 - I will raise Jer 51:11 - the Lord hath Eze 37:12 - and bring Dan 6:25 - king Dan 6:28 - and in Dan 10:1 - Cyrus Mic 4:10 - there shalt Hag 1:14 - stirred Mat 1:22 - that Mat 21:3 - straightway Act 7:23 - it came Php 2:13 - to will

Lord God: 1Ki 8:27, 2Ch 2:12, Isa 66:1, Jer 10:11, Dan 2:21, Dan 2:28, Dan 5:23

hath given: Jer 27:6, Jer 27:7, Dan 2:37, Dan 2:38, Dan 4:25, Dan 4:32, Dan 5:19-21

all the kingdoms: According to the testimony of ancient writers, Cyrus, at this time, reigned over the Medes, Persians, Hyrcanians, Syrians, Assyrians, Indians, etc., and all lesser Asia.

he hath charged: Isa 44:26-28, Isa 45:1, Isa 45:12, Isa 45:13

Reciprocal: Gen 24:7 - Lord Deu 2:24 - behold Ezr 5:8 - the great God Ezr 5:15 - let the house Est 1:3 - of Persia Psa 145:6 - And men Isa 14:17 - opened not the house of his prisoners Isa 40:9 - General Isa 41:2 - gave Isa 41:25 - shall he call Isa 41:27 - I will give Isa 44:8 - ye are Isa 45:3 - that thou Isa 45:5 - I girded thee Isa 46:11 - the man Isa 49:23 - kings Jer 25:12 - when Jer 27:5 - and have Jer 29:10 - after Jer 50:9 - I will raise Dan 6:25 - king Dan 6:28 - and in Dan 8:3 - one Dan 10:1 - Cyrus Jon 1:9 - the God Mic 4:10 - there shalt Rev 16:11 - the God

his God: Jos 1:9, 1Ch 28:20, Mat 28:20

he is the God: Deu 32:31, Psa 83:18, Isa 45:5, Jer 10:10, Dan 2:47, Dan 6:26, Act 10:36

Reciprocal: Lev 25:10 - proclaim Ezr 5:3 - Who hath commanded you Ezr 5:8 - the great God Ezr 7:13 - minded Ezr 7:14 - thy God Est 3:4 - he had told Isa 41:25 - shall he call Isa 45:13 - he shall build Jer 51:50 - remember Dan 3:28 - Blessed

let the men: Ezr 7:16-18, Act 24:17, 3Jn 1:6-8

help him: Heb. lift him up, Ecc 4:9, Ecc 4:10, Gal 6:2

the freewill: Ezr 2:68-70, 1Ch 29:3, 1Ch 29:9, 1Ch 29:17

Reciprocal: 1Ch 29:5 - General 2Ch 29:31 - and as many 2Ch 31:14 - the freewill Ezr 1:6 - willingly offered Psa 28:9 - lift Eze 46:12 - a voluntary

whose spirit: Ezr 1:1, 2Ch 36:22, Neh 2:12, Pro 16:1, 2Co 8:16, Php 2:13, Jas 1:16, Jas 1:17, 3Jn 1:11

Reciprocal: Exo 35:21 - General 1Sa 10:26 - whose hearts 1Ch 5:26 - stirred up 2Ch 21:16 - the Lord Ezr 4:2 - Zerubbabel Ezr 8:1 - the chief Psa 102:14 - General Isa 49:17 - children Isa 51:14 - captive Jer 31:6 - Arise Jer 31:16 - they Eze 45:17 - the prince’s Hag 1:14 - stirred Mat 21:3 - straightway Act 7:23 - it came

strengthened their hands: that is, helped them, Ezr 7:15, Ezr 7:16, Ezr 8:25-28, Ezr 8:33

willingly offered: Ezr 1:4, Psa 110:3, 2Co 9:7

Reciprocal: Gen 24:53 - precious Exo 25:2 - willingly Exo 35:21 - General 2Ki 12:4 - and all the money 2Ch 35:8 - his princes Ecc 10:19 - but Act 18:23 - strengthening 2Ti 2:20 - vessels

Also Cyrus: Ezr 5:14, Ezr 6:5

Nebuchadnezzar: 2Ki 24:13, 2Ki 25:13-16, 2Ch 36:7, 2Ch 36:10, 2Ch 36:18, Jer 27:21, Jer 27:22, Jer 28:3-6, Dan 1:2, Dan 5:2, Dan 5:3, Dan 5:23

Reciprocal: Jdg 17:5 - an house of gods 2Ch 4:19 - all the vessels Ezr 8:28 - the vessels Ezr 9:9 - in the sight Isa 52:11 - be Jer 50:2 - her idols Jer 51:44 - I will bring Dan 10:1 - Cyrus

Sheshbazzar: Ezr 1:11, Ezr 5:14, Ezr 5:16, Hag 1:1, Hag 1:14, Hag 2:2-4, Zec 4:6-10

Reciprocal: Ezr 6:5 - the golden Ezr 8:25 - weighed Dan 10:1 - Cyrus

chargers of gold: Num 7:13, Num 7:19-89, 1Ki 7:50, 2Ch 4:8, 2Ch 4:11, 2Ch 4:21, 2Ch 4:22, 2Ch 24:14, Mat 14:8

nine: Mat 10:29-31

Reciprocal: Exo 25:29 - the 2Ki 12:13 - bowls 2Ki 25:15 - and such things

Reciprocal: Num 7:13 - charger Jer 52:18 - bowls

the vessels: Rom 9:23, 2Ti 2:19-21

five thousand: Instead of 5,400, the enumeration of the articles in 2Ti 2:9, 2Ti 2:10, only amounts to 2,499; but in the account, Esdras 2Ti 2:13, 2Ti 2:14, the amount is 5,469, as will be evident from the following statements:

In Ezra                In Esdras

Gold chargers    30        Gold cups        1,000

Silver chargers    1,000        Silver cups        1,000

Knives        29        Silver censers    29

Gold basons        30        Gold vials        30

Silver basons    410        Silver vials    2,410

Other vessels    1,000        Other vessels    1,000

Said to be        5,400        Total            5,469

But only        2,499

Deficiency        2,901        Surplus        69

It is supposed that they actually amounted to 5,400, but that only the chief of there specified, the spoons, etc. being omitted.

captivity: Heb. transportation, Mat 1:11, Mat 1:12

Reciprocal: Ezr 1:8 - Sheshbazzar Ezr 2:2 - Zerubbabel Ezr 4:1 - children of the captivity Ezr 5:14 - Sheshbazzar Psa 85:1 - thou hast Jer 27:22 - then