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SECTION V.

The Building of the Temple again interrupted, and again

resumed.

EZRA V. VER. 3, TO THE END.

3¶ At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on A.C. 519. this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

4 Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?

*Chald. that

building.

5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the build this Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.

6¶The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:

midst whereof.

7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written +Chald. in the thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.

stones of roll

8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, Chald. and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands. 9 Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.

11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded "and set up.

ing.

u 1 Kings vi.

xxiv. 2. &

12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Ne- x 2 Kings buchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who de- xxv. 8, 9, 11. stroyed this house, and carried the people away into Baby

lon.

13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon, y ch. i. 1. the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

vi. 5.

14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house ch. i. 7,8. & of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of

A.C. 519. Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made * governor ;

* Or,

deputy.

15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.

16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem : and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.

17 Now, therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

EZRA VI. VER. 1-14.

1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was +Chald. books. made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were ✰ Chald. made +laid in Babylon.

to descend.

Or, Ecbatana, or, in a suffer.

up

2 And there was found at § Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

4 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expences be given out of the king's

house:

5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be reIl Chald. go. stored, and || brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, SheChald. their thar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

societies.

+ Chald. by me a decree is

made.

7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.

8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the

river, forthwith expences be given unto these men, that they A. C. 519. be not hindered.

*Chald. made

9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, to cease. and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:

rest.

10 That they may offer sacrifices † of sweet savours unto +Chald. of the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house Chald. let be made a dunghill for this.

12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

13Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar-boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.

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1 David praiseth God for the truth of his word. 4 He prophesieth that the kings

of the earth shall praise God. 7 He professeth his confidence in God.

A Psalm of David.

a

him be destroyed.

1 I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the a Ps. cxix. 46. gods will I sing praise unto thee.

2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

3 In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.

4 All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.

5 Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.

6 Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly but the proud he knoweth afar off.

7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.

18 Psalm cxxxviii. This Psalm is said in the Greek version to have been composed by Haggai or Zechariah at the re-building of the temple.

A.C. 519.

*Heb. to intreat the face of the LORD: 1 Sam. xiii.

12. ch. viii. 21.

8 The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

ZECHARIAH VII 19.

1 The captives enquire of fasting. 4 Zechariah reproveth their fasting, 8 Sim the cause of their captivity.

1 And it came to pass in the fourth year of king Darius, that the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah in the fourth day of the ninth month, even in Chisleu;

2 When they had sent unto the house of God Sherezer and Regem-melech, and their men, to pray before the LORD,

3 And to speak unto the priests which were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years?

4¶Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying,

Б

5 Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the bla. lviii. 5. priests, saying, When ye 5 fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me?

+ Or, be not

ye they that, &c.

+ Or, Are not these the words.

6 And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, + did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves?

7 Should ye not hear the words which the LORD hath cried § by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabitHeb by the ed and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when men inhabited the south and the plain?

hand of, &c.

|| Heb. Judge judgment of truth.

8 And the word of the LORD came unto Zechariah, saying,

9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:

19 The seventh and eighth chapters of the Prophecy of Zechariah were delivered to some Jews who had been sent to Jerusalem from their brethren at Babylon, to enquire of the priests and prophets whether it was still necessary to observe the fasts that had been instituted on account of the destruction of Jerusalem, and which had been observed during the captivity (vii. 1—4.)—the prophet is commanded to take this occasion of enforcing upon them the weightier matters of the law, viz. judgment and mercy, lest the same calamities should befal them which had been inflicted upon their fathers for their neglect of those duties (4-14.) In the event of their obedience, God promises the continuance of his favour (viii. 1—8); they are encouraged to go or with the building, (9—17.) and are permitted to discontinue the observance of the fasts which they had kept during the captivity (18-23.)—Horne's Crit. Introduc.

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10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the A.C. 519. stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

11 But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and + stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

c Ex. xxii. 21, 22. Is. i. 17. Jer. v. 28.

Heb. they sliding shoul

gave a back. der.

+ Heb. made

12 Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest heavy. they should hear the law, and the words which the LORD of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: Heb. by the therefore came a great wrath from the LORD of hosts.

d

hand of.

13 Therefore it is come to pass, that as he cried, and they would not hear; so they cried, and I would not hear, d Prov. i. 28. saith the LORD of hosts:

14 But I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations whom they knew not. Thus the land was desolate after them, that no man passed through nor returned: for they laid the pleasant land desolate.

ZECHARIAH VIII.

1 The restoration of Jerusalem. 9 They are encouraged to the building by God's favour to them. 16 Good works are required of them. 18 Joy and enlargement are promised.

1 Again the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,

Is. i 15. Jer xi. 11. & xiv.

12.

Heb. land of desire.

2 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I was jealous forech. i. 14. Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury.

3 Thus saith the LORD; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the LORD of hosts the holy mountain.

4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his hand || for very age.

5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof.

11 Heb. for a multitude of days.

or, difficult.

6 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous Or, hard, in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? saith the LORD of hosts.

7 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will save my people from the east country, and from the west country; 8 And I will bring them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and they shall be my people, and 1 will be their God, in truth and in righteousness.

9

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Let your hands be

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Heb. the going down of the su: See

country of the

Ps. 1. 1. & cxiii. 3. Mal.

i. 11.

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