Ezra Chapters 5-6 Commentary

Ezra Chapters 5-6

Chapter 5 5:1 The work on the temple had been stopped (4:1-5,24), from 535 to 520 B.C. Now under the influence of two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, it was resumed. According to the book of Haggai, this prophet spoke from August to December, 520 B.C., (Haggai 2:1-9, 20-23) and Zechariah (1:1) spoke for two years beginning in October through November of 520. They encouraged, exhorted, and rebuked the people. Both of these prophets placed the blame for the hard times that the nation was experiencing on the people’s lack of obedience. Haggai 1:6 describes the deplorable conditions in Judah: housing shortages, disappointing harvests, lack of clothing and jobs, and inadequate funds, perhaps as a result of high inflation. Money seemed to go into bags full of holes. In addition, instead of working on the temple, the people were selfishly rebuilding and furnishing their own homes, apparently with the cedar paneling which was supposed to be reversed for the temple construction (Haggai 1:1-4).

5:2 The building process itself was spearheaded by Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and civil and religious leaders.

5:3-5 The man named “Tattenai” (TAT uh nigh), apparently was the Persian governor of Samaria during the reign of Darius the Great (521-486 B.C.). “Shethar-bozenai” (SHEE thahar BAHZ nigh), was another official in the Persian government. Tattenai demands authority for what he sees as action subversive to the interest of the king of Persia. Tattenai secured a list of the builders, in case any legal action had to be taken against them.

The governor, however, elected not to stop the construction until he had time to seek direction from King Darius. The author of Ezra sees this restraint as due to the providence of God who was watching over the leaders of the Jews. The reader should note that the name “Tattenai” is also found in secular sources dating from 502 B.C., which names him as governor of the land beyond the River.

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This fresh flurry of activity in Judah certainly caught the attention of this governor. Let us remember that the first two years of the reign of Darius were filled with revolts in various parts of the empire. “The demand for credentials and, above all, names, portended fresh hazards. Credentials had certainly existed but might well be untraceable after so many years; and names taken down could be hostages of fortune. But the eye of their God upon them was better than fortune, and the integrity of the leaders evidently showed through well enough to make any immediate action other than a report seem uncalled for. What God’s word had set in motion (1:1), had, as ever, no lack of His care, His watchful eye, to see it through. At this stage only fear could have halted the work” (Kidner p.

54).

5:6-17 Here is the official report of Tattenai to Darius. Be impressed with the accuracy of the writer. As a good historian, the author gives us firsthand material wherever possible: here, as in 4:11, the copy of the correspondence; similarly in 1:2-4 and 6:2-5 material from the archives.

5:8 “The huge stones (lit., stones that had to be rolled) were of particular concern to the governor. They seemed larger than necessary for a worship center. Tattenai might have suspected that a military fortress was being constructed” (Smith p. 680). The mention of “beams are being laid in the walls” shows that Solomon’s method of construction was being followed (1 Kings 6:36; Ezra 6:4). The first temple had three courses of stones and one of timbers, the ratio being the same. Some feel this method of construction was a precaution against earthquake damage.

The governor notes that the construction was succeeding and was being done with great care. “That these Persian officials should say ‘the great God’ may seem strange. But the Persians liked to use the religious language of their subject peoples” (Breneman p. 110).

5:9-10 The questions asked were legitimate. Second, Tattenai indicated that he had questioned the authorization of the project. Third, he had secured a list of the leaders of the project.

5:11-17 The answer which the Jews gave is a classic piece of brevity and honesty. First, they were rebuilding the temple built by the great Solomon.

But because of their unfaithfulness (sin), God had allowed that temple to be destroyed by the Babylonians. However, Cyrus had issued a decree to have this temple rebuilt and properly furnished. The Jews then respectfully requested that a search be done in the royal archives to find the original decree which had been issued by Cyrus.

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“Sheshbazzar” (shesh BAZ ur), is mentioned in only two paragraphs. In Ezra 1:8-11 Cyrus entrusts him with the vessels and with the task of rebuilding the temple. In Ezra 5:14-16 the same basic information is given. A view of long standing is that Sheshbazzar was but another name, perhaps a court name, for Zerubbabel, as Belteshazzar was for Daniel; for both men were governors (5:14; Haggai 1:1; 2:2), and both are said to have laid the foundation of the temple (5:16; 1:3; 3:2-8; Haggai 1:1, 14-15; 2:2-4,18). The only problem with this view is that in this chapter apparently the Jews, who included Zerubbabel, speak of Sheshbazzar as someone in the past (5:14). It would have actually strengthened their case if the Jews had simply identified this Sheshbazzar as still being their leader and none other than Zerubbabel. Another view is that Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel were respectively the official and unofficial leaders of the first wave of settlers.

In the eyes of the government, and in any report submitted to it, Sheshbazzar would be responsible for everything that was one; yet for the positive lead the people would have looked to Zerubbabel and Jeshua.

Evidently, this Sheshbazzar had either died or been replaced and by 520 B.C., Zerubbabel had been appointed governor (Haggai 1:1).

5:17 “That such records were carefully kept is attested by archeology” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 663). Apparently the Jews did not possess a copy of Cyrus’ decree or they would have shown it to Tattenai. It is clear that the Jews understood their rights under Persian law.

Chapter 6 6:1 The first search for such a record was done in the city of Babylon.

“No doubt the rebellions, especially in the west, during his first years made Darius sensitive to these details. Also, like Cyrus, Darius was concerned that his subject peoples be content” (Breneman p. 112).

6:2 Nothing was found in Babylon, yet the search was extended to other royal cities and finally the actual decree was recovered in Ecbatana (ECK bat uh nuh), which was also called “Achmetha”. Its ancient name is still preserved in the name of the modern Hamadan. The Persian emperors used Ecbatana as their summer palace because of its comfortable climate due to its high elevation. Cyrus lived in Babylon during the winter, in Susa in the spring, and in Ecbatana in the summer. He resided in Ecbatana the first summer as king of Babylon. Once again we see what would appear to be God’s providential care of His people. Note, this was found on a “scroll”, not on a tablet.

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“A Hebrew summary of Cyrus’ decree appeared in Ezra 1. An excerpt from the more detailed official Aramaic version is recorded here. Because of the Jewish phraseology contained here, an older generation of scholars questioned the authenticity of one or the other or both of these proclamations. Documents from the Persian period, however, have provided convincing evidence of the authenticity of both versions” (Smith pp. 681-682).

6:3 60 cubits would be about 90 feet. Solomon’s temple had been 60x20x30 cubits (1 Kings 6:2). Apparently Cyrus was giving the maximum possible dimensions of the temple to ensure the building costs stayed within limits.

6:4-5 The huge stones which had aroused the suspicion of Tattenai were specifically authorized in the original building permit. In addition, the costs for this project were to be paid out of the royal treasury from taxes collected in the Trans-Euphrates province. Finally, the gold and silver vessels confiscated by Nebuchadnezzar should have been returned to their place in the temple.

The Edict of Darius 6:6-8 What irony! The enemies of the Jews had succeeded in stopping the work for about 16 years. But such opposition had eventually only made the people more determined in the end to finish this work. In the long run, the enemies of the Jews only succeeded in bringing all the truth to light. Now the Jews found themselves officially protected by the Persian king himself and in addition, all the expenses for this project the Persian empire would pay. The Jews however, would have missed all these blessings—if they had been afraid to trust God and follow His word.

Is fear keeping us from gaining God’s blessings? (Revelation 21:8).

6:9-10 Furthermore, whatever the Jewish priests might need to carry on the worship was to be supplied to them. Darius desired that acceptable sacrifices be offered in that temple on behalf of the royal family. Smith notes, “The accurate list of materials for worship suggests that Darius received advice from Jewish scholars before drafting his decree” (p. 682).

Compare verse 10 with 1 Timothy 2:1-2.

6:11 Anyone who tried to oppose this decree would be impaled on a timber from his own house. “There was poetic justice intended in making a man’s own house his instrument of execution for tampering with the

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house of God” (Kidner p. 57). Impalement was a well-known kind of punishment in the ancient Near East for grave offenses. One side of a beam was sharpened and the other side planted in the ground. The sharp point was inserted under the chest of a person and pushed through his esophagus and lungs. He was then left to hang until he died.

According to the Greek historian Herodotus (3.159), Darius I impaled three thousand Babylonians when he took Babylon, an act that Darius himself recorded in the Behistun Inscription.

“It is a relief to know that Israelite law put two crucial restraints on such a practice: the victim was executed before this, not by means of it (Deut.

21:22; note the sequence), and the display of his corpse was not to be prolonged (21:23)” (Kidner p. 58).

6:12 Again we see that Darius had done his homework in the Jewish religion. God had chosen Jerusalem and the temple as the place where He would establish His name (Deut. 12:11; 1 Kings 9:1-2). Darius also prayed that the God of the Jews would destroy any king or nation which attempted to hinder this project. From this last verse you get the impression that Darius might have felt that God’s wrath was against the Persian empire for delaying this project so long, and that he earnestly wants to be back in favor with the God of the Jews. The tone of the decree is clearly one of urgency.

6:13-14 With all hindrances removed, and plenty of financial help and materials, the project quickly took off once more. It is clear that Tattenai wasn’t an enemy of the Jews, rather simply a governor who was wanting to serve his king faithfully. Once again, we are told that the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah was very important during this period of time.

Such men rebuked the selfishness and fear in the nation, and without their preaching the recovery of Cyrus’ decree and Darius’ generosity would have never happened.

Notice how God acted or used people in this section. Good things happened, but preachers had to preach the world (2 Timothy 4:2-4), and the people had to be willingly to listen to rebuke and admonition. In spite of opposition, the people decided to rebuild and placed greater trust in God than in their fear of men. It just so happened that the decree was found and it just so happened that the man on the throne at this time was one who had a great respect for law and order.

6:15 The temple was finally completed. The month of Adar, was our February-March. And the sixth year of Darius’ reign would have been 515

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B.C. As the renewed work on the temple had begun in 520 B.C. (Haggai 1:4-15), the sustained effort had continued for over four years.

6:16-17 The number of sacrifices was small compared to the thousands in similar services under Solomon (1 Kings 8:5,63). Nonetheless they represented a real sacrifice under the prevailing conditions, that is, the people were doing their best with what they had. Most significant was the sin offerings for the entire nation. First, the sins of Israel had accumulated during the absence of the temple (586-515 B.C.) when no sin offering for the nation could be made. Secondly, this action indicates that the people in Jerusalem saw themselves as the surviving remnant of the entire nation. Thus the twelve sin offerings were a confession of both failure and faith.

6:18 In strict accordance with the Law, priests and Levites were organized for continuing service in the new temple.

6:19-22 As was written in Exodus 12:6, the 14th day of the first month was the celebration of the Passover. In 515 B.C., it would have been April 21 st (according to our calendar). The priests and the Levites had purified themselves (Exodus 29:4; Numbers 8:7). Verse 21 shows that there were Jews living in Judah other than the ones who returned from the exile. The religious zeal of the Jews in Jerusalem motivated many of these individuals to come back to God and separate themselves from the ungodly beliefs and customs of the people around them. It is clear that all converts were welcome, and the only people excluded would be those who determined not to give up their pagan ways. The same is true today.

6:22 The title, “king of Assyria” is a surprising title for Darius, a Persian king.

Yet even after the fall of the Assyrian capital of Nineveh in 612, the term Assyrian was used for formerly all occupied territories. For example, the Greek historian Herodotus refers to Babylon as the capital of Assyria.

Persian kings adopted a variety of titles, including the “king of Babylon” (5:13; Nehemiah 13:6).

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