The History of the Bible, Ezra
EZRA.
Q. Why is this booke called Ezra?
A. It is ſo called of the name of him that writ it, by that trope of Rhetoricke called Metonymia, as when the author and writer is put for the writing.
Q. What is the ſubſtance of this booke?
A. The eſtate of the children of Iſrael from the firſt yeare of Cyrus to the nineteenth yeare of Darius Longimanus.
Q. How is this booke deuided?
A. Into two parts: the firſt containeth the returne of the children of Iſrael from the captiuitie of Babylon, in the firſt and ſecond chap.
The ſecond, the eſtabliſhing of them in their owne land, in the reſt of the booke.
Q. At what time did they returne?
chapter 1 A. The firſt yeare of Cyrus, which met with the 70. yeare of their captiuitie, as Ieremie had propheſied.
Q. Who were the cauſes of their returne?
A. The firſt and principal cauſe was the Holy Ghoſt, moouing the heart of Cyrus togiue them libertie to returne.
The ſecond and inſtrumentall cauſe was Cyrus the King of Perſia.
Q. What did Cyrus for them?
A. Of captiues he made them free, and beeing poore he furniſhed them for their voyage.
Q. How was this deelared?
A. Firſt, by proclamation, then by writing.
Q. Iſrael was carried into captiuitie by Salmanaſar King of Aſſyria. 1. king. 17.6. and Iuda was carried into captiuitie by Nebuchadnezzer King of Babel. 2. kin. 25.21. how then could Cyrus King of Perſia ſend them home?
A. Berodach Baladan King of Babel ouerthrew Eſſaraddan King of Aſſur the grandchilde of Salmanaſar, and ioyned to the Aſſyrians to the Monarchieof the Chaldeans, and ſo had vnderunder him the captiued Iſraelites ſeauentie yeares after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babel had carried Iuda into captiuitie. Cyrus king of Perſia with his vncle Darius King of the Medes, ſuddenly ſlue Balthaſar king of Babel, Dan. 5. and ſo had authoritie to ſet them free, and to ſend them home to Ieruſalem.
Q. To what end did he ſend them home?
A. To build the houſe of God, who had giuen him ſo large an Empire.
Q. How were thoſe poore men furniſhed for ſo great a worke?
A. The king gaue them veſſels and plate of gold and ſiluer which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from thence.
Q. How many were they whichthen returned?
chapter 2 A. Two and fortie thouſand three hundred threeſcore, and of ſeruants, 7337.
Q. VnderUnder whoſe gouernment did they returne?
A. VnderUnder Zorabbabel the captaine, and Ieſhua the prieſt.
Q. They beeing thus returned, which is the firſt part of this booke: how were they establiſhed?
Q. Ezra in ſetting downe the ſecond part of this booke ſheweth, firſt how they were eſtabliſhed for religion in the 3, 4, 5, and 6. chapters.
Secondly their commonwealth, in the 7, 8, 9, and 10. chapters.
Q. In the eſtabliſhing of religion, how many things are to bee conſidered?
A. Foure: the beginning of the work: 2. the hinderances of the worke: 3. the remoouing of thoſe hinderances: 4. the performance and finiſhing of the worke.
Q. For the beginning of the worke, what doth Ezra ſet downe!
chapter 3 A. Two things: the preparation, and the laying of the foundation.
Q. Who prepared it?
A. All the people came to Ieruſalem as one man.
Q. What did they?
A. Firſt they began with the exerciſes of religion, namely offering of ſacrifice, and obſeruing the feaſt of Tabernacles,
Secondly, they gathered money, workemen, and matter for the worke.
Q. Who ſet forward the worke for laying the foundation?
A. Prince, Prieſts, and people.
Q. When the builders laid the foundation, what did the people?
chapter 4 A. They ſang a pſalme of praiſe to God, yet many mourned doubting the glorie of this houſe would not be like the firſt
Q. VVas this ſo excellent a worke hindred?
A. Yea, the better worke the more hindrances,
Q. By whom?
A. By the enemies of Iuda and Beniamin.
Q. VVhat did they?
A. Firſt, craftily they pretend to worke with them. Secondly, not beeing admitted, they terrifie and trouble the builders. chapter 5 Thirdly, they accuſing thē by letters to the king, they procure a prohibition & cauſe them to ceaſe from building.
Q. How were theſe lets and hinderances remooued, and they ſet to the worke againe?
A. Firſt, the Lord ſtirred them vp by his prophets, Haggia and Zechariah. Secondly, by humble letters to the King▪ and finding the order of Cyrus they obtaine a decree for the furtherance of their worke.
chapter 6 Q. Ʋpon how many points doth this decree conſiſt?
A. VponUpon three.
1. A reſtraint that none ſhould hinder the worke.
2. A commaundement to furniſh them with all things neceſſarie for the building and ſacrifices.
3 An order that whoſoeuer ſhould hinder it, his houſe ſhould be pulled downe and made a dunghill: of the wood of it a gallowes ſhould be ſet vp and he hanged thereon.
Q. Beeing thus ſtirred vp bythe Prophets, allowed and furniſhed by the King, did they returne to the worke?
A. Yes: they builded it, finiſhed, and kept the feaſt of dedication with great ioy.
chapter 7 Q. Thus much for the eſtabliſhing of the eſtate of religion, now wee are come to the eſtabliſhing of the common-wealth: how many things are we therein to conſider?
A. Three: firſt who did it, chap. 7.
Secondly, his iourney to doe it, chap. 8.
Thirdly, his acts how he did it, chap. 9. & 10.
Q. Who had moſt to doe in this worke?
A. The man is deſcribed by his name, his anceſtors, his learning, his fauour, authoritie, and religion.
Q. What was his name?
A. Ezra.
Q. Of what kindred came he?
A. From Aaron the high prieſt.
Q. What was his learning?
A. He was a Scribe prompt in the law of God.
Q. What fauour had he?
A. He was in fauour with the king of Perſia. cha. 7.6. with the people of the Iewes. verſ. 6. and with God, verſ. 9.
Q. What authoritie had he?
A. By patent from Artaſhaſhe the king of Perſia he had libertie with all the Iewes that would returne to Hieruſalem, to carrie with him ſiluer, gold, & veſſels: to place Iudges that know the lawe of God: and to puniſh offendours by death, baniſhment, confiſcation of goods, or impriſonement.
Q. What was his religion?
A. According to the lawe of God: and he gaue himſelfe to the exerciſe of the ſame.
chapter 8 Q. Now to come to the iourney in the 8. chapter what is to be obſerued?
A. Firſt, his company: ſecondly, the aide and ſtrength hee craued for conducting of them in the iourney.
Q. What were obſerued of the companie?
A. The people were forward and readie, but the prieſts were careleſſe and negligent, vntill by commandement they were brought forward.
Q. What power had they to conduct them?
A. Ezra was aſhamed to aske ayd of the king, and therefore he proclaimed a faſt, and did aske aid of God by prayer.
Q. Now he beeing come to his iourneies end to Ieruſalem, what were his acts?
A. Firſt, he deliuered the treaſure.
Secondly, they offered a facrifice.
Thirdly, he deliuered his cōmiſſion to the Kings officers to be executed for the good of the people and the houſe of God.
chapter 9 Fourthly, in an aſſemblie of the rulers, complaints of diſorders are deliuered.
Q How are the ſame redreſſed?
A. Firſt, they prayed to God.
Secondly, they made a couenant to doe according to the word of the Lord.
chapter 10 Thirdly, they put away their ſtrange wiues, and offered ſacrifies for their finnes.
Finis.