A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Volume 3 · Appendix · Chapter 8
Ezra CHAP. VIII.
THIS Chapter relateth in particular, Ezra's Journey to Jeruſalem, whereof we had only ſome hints in the General in the ſeventh Chapter, where was his appointment for it by a Royal Commiſſion, but here is its Accompliſhment.
Remark the Firſt, No ſooner had thankful Ezra praiſed his God for this Letter of Licenſe from the King, but he immediately Muſters up all his Forces for a March away, and his Muſter is made from ver. 1, to ver. 15. the whole Company conſiſting of one thouſand four hundred ninety and ſix Males: This was a good Addition to thoſe that went up before with Zerubbabel (with whom many more then returned, Ezra 2.64, 65.) yet nothing ſo many as might have returned now with Ezra, but that they wanted Hearts; for the Hiſtory of Nehemiah doth farther declare, that there were many left in ſundry Places among the Pagan Provinces, even after Ezra's return.
Remark the Second, Ezra, having his Rendezvouz at Ahava (a River that runs into Euphrates) and taking a view of his Muſter-Rolls, findeth none of the Sons of Levi there, ver. 15. Wolphius wonders that Ezra ſhould have ſome Prieſts with him, ver. 2. yet have no Levites that were only ſo and not Prieſts: 'Twas lamentable, that the Levites (whoſe Lips ſhould have preſerved Knowledge above, and for the People, as well as the Prieſts, Deut. 33.8, 9. Mal. 2.7.) ſhould not be the Ring-leaders of the Voluntiers, but now become ſo backward to ſo ſacred a buſineſs; here was nomen inane & crimen immane, the empty Title of Levites ſtands ſtigmatized with a moſt heinous Lazineſs and Neglect: Therefore thoſe Levites mentioned by Anticipation, Chap. 7.7. were not come to him here, until he ſent for them afterwards, ver. 15, 16, &c.
Remark the Third. At this Rendezvouz at Ahava, Ezra ſends his Meſſengers, Men of Ʋnderſtanding, named ver. 16. who went at his Command to the College, where he knew a conſiderable Company of Levites were together, over whom Iddo ſate Preſident (ſaith Maſius) and who was to command the Levites under him, to diſpatch away to Ezra, ver. 17. which was accordingly done, ver. 18. and they brought him the Nethinims alſo, who were now become Men of Mark in God's Service, ver. 19, 20. Ezra again praiſeth the Lord for this good Succeſs. N.B. 'Tis much, that this Man of Ʋnderſtanding (whom Ezra's Meſſengers brought to him, and in whom Ezra bleſſed God for bringing him to his Company, ver. 18.) had no more Ʋnderſtanding in the Times with the Men of Iſſachar, 1 Chron. 12.32. as not to know his own Duty, but muſt be haled out to it by Ezra's Meſſengers: Though he had heard the Prophet Zechary proclaim from the Lord [Ho, ho, come forth and flee from the Land of the North] Zech. 2.6, 7. yet he lay lurking ſtill in the Land of his Captivity, chuſing to continue there, notwithſtanding both God's and the two Kings (Cyrus's before and now Darius's) Proclamations: This ſeems to ſay to us, that what ever Meaſure of Knowledge he had we know not, ſave by this High Character given him equal with thoſe in ver. 16. but ſurely he had more Knowledge than Zeal for God and his Houſe of ſolemn worſhip, which at that Time God had confined to Jeruſalem, &c.
Remark the Fourth, Ezra's Prayer for a proſperous Paſſage for himſelf, and his People to Jeruſalem, ver. 21, 22, 23.
Mark 1. Ezra as he now was become a Colonel, and Captain General (as Grotius calls him) of this new Colony by the King's Commiſſion, proclaims a Faſt, &c.
Mark 2. The Place where this Day of Prayer or more Days (as Menochius ſaith, it laſted for eight Days) was kept, was by a River's ſide, a place not unuſual for ſuch Work, both in Old and New Teſtament, Pſalm 137. 1, 2. Acts 16.13. here as Travellers, they had abode in Tents three Days, ver. 15.
Mark 3. Ezra to Edge their Prayers the better, and to give wings to them, enjoins a reſtraint from Food, from fine Cloaths, and from other Delights of Life, for afflicting themſelves; and though this weaken'd their Bodies, yet it ſtrengthen'd their Souls, and made them more Vigorous and Victoriou….
Mark 4. They therein ſought a right way for their little ones (as well as for themſelves) becauſe they could not ſeek God themſelves while little. N.B. And to ſhew it ought to be a great Part of good Parents Care to lay up Prayers with God for their little ones, that when they themſelves are gone off the Stage of the World, their Children may ſtand up in their ſtead, and continue to do ſo in their Generation (even for their Children alſo, Pſalm 102.18. and thereby perpetual Worſhip muſt be performed by as Mortal Men to the Immortal God, from one Generation to another. Beſides little ones are liable to a thouſand Deaths and Dangers, and therefore they have the more need of their Parents Prayers.
Mark 5. 'Tis lawful to ſeek by Prayer God's Bleſſing upon our Temporal Eſtate, and to commend all our Stock, and our Store of Creature-Comforts (committed to our keeping) unto the Providence and Protection of God, for ſo Ezra doth here [For all their Subſtance] ver. 21. which comprehended all their Goods, both Animate and Inanimate, all their Gold, Garments and Food, as well as all their Cattel, &c.
Mark 6. When we undertake any Voyage by Sea, or any Journey by Land, 'tis not only lawful, but alſo neceſſary to ſeek Divine Direction for a right way, wherein we may find both Safety and Succeſs both for us and for all ours: If this be but ſolemnly done by Faſting and Prayer (which two Duties for the moſt part go coupled together, Luke 2.37. Matth. 17.21. 1 Cor. 7.5, &c.) we ſhall ſurely ſpeed of God's Direction, and of his Protection too to make us proſper, as here.
Mark 7. Choice and excellent Spirits are aſhamed, that God ſhould be by any means diſhonoured, and his Divine Attributes of Wiſdom, Power, Truth and Goodneſs ſhould be call'd into Queſtion; as excellent Ezra here, ver. 22. He bluſh'd to crave a Convoy of the King (though it might have been of great uſe to them, becauſe their Enemies did way-lay them, ver. 31.) leſt the King, being but little acquainted with God (ſaid Grotius) might miſinterpret it, as Ezra's diſtruſt in God's Providence (ſaith Menochius) which he had (with ſo much Freedom) Preached to him, and therefore zealous Ezra will rather periſh himſelf (ſaith Wolphius) than damnifie God in his Glory. N.B. Ezra is here all for God whatever becomes of Himſelf, &c.
Remark the Fifth, God's Anſwer to Ezra's Prayer, ver. 23, 31. not unlike to that of Jabez, 1 Chron. 4.10. God granted both their Requeſts; the Seed of Jacob ſeeks not the Lord in vain, but concerning the Work of God's Hand, they do command him, Iſa. 45.11, 19. here 'tis ſaid [God was entreated of them] ver. 23. God gave them ſome Aſſurance, that their Requeſts ſhould be graciouſly granted by him, and they found their Prayers effectual by ſweet Experience, ver. 31. for ſo ſoon as Ezra had commended his hazardous Caſe to God by Faſting and Prayer, and had alſo committed all the ſacred Veſſels to the ſafe Cuſtody of ſacred Perſons the Prieſts and Levites, ver. 24. to ver. 30. then he marcheth away from Ahavah to bring them all to Jeruſalem, and though their Adverſaries lay in Ambuſh in the way (if not to deſtroy their Perſons, they deſign'd to deſpoil them of their Treaſure) yet God diſappointed them, by directing Ezra to fetch a compaſs out of the direct Road, and to March in an unexpected and unſuſpected way, ver. 31. as they had begg'd of God, ver. 21.
Remark the Sixth, Ezra through the good hand of God upon him (which he oft acknowledgeth) eſcapes the High-way Men (who would at leaſt have robb'd him) and comes ſafe to Jeruſalem, He and all his Company with all their Treaſure, ver. 32. and reſted there three Days for neceſſary Refreſhment after ſo long a Journey; but on the fourth Day of the fifth Month (after his ſhort repoſe) he ſets cloſe to his Work, ver. 33. handing forth the ſix hundred and fifty Talents of Silver, and the hundred Talents of Gold wherewith the King and his Counſellours, &c. had furniſh'd him as their Offering to the Lord, ver. 25, 26. and all the ſacred Veſſels (he brought along with him his long four Mouths Journey) theſe he delivered out by number and weight in the Temple, ver. 34. with a ſtrict Inventory of all: Becauſe 1. Theſe were all moveable Goods, ſaith Grotius. 2. To demonſtrate the Fidelity of thoſe Prieſts, &c. who had been betruſted with them all the way. They faithfully refund all to the Houſe of God, and embezel nothing for themſelves, &c. ſaith Junius: The Tally of their taking in and delivering out did agree. N.B. Whenever there happeneth an happy Concurrence of the Saints Prayers both in City and Countrey at one Time: Oh how ſucceſsfully do the concerns of God's Cauſe go end-ways as here, Ezra and his Company kept a ſolemn Faſt upon the eleventh Day of the firſt Month in the Countrey, and marcheth then away upon the twelfth Day, ver. 15, 23, 31. and the good Souls in the City did ſolemnly celebrate the Paſſover upon the fourteenth Day of the ſame Month, when Ezra had juſt begun his long four Months March, no doubt but he proſpered by their Prayers alſo, which they had prayed both for themſelves and for him, &c.
Remark the Seventh, Thoſe new and now Comers to the Houſe of God, though they had not many of them been born in the Land of Iſrael, but in the Place of their Captivity, yet do offer Burnt-offerings to the Lord God of Iſrael, ver. 35. not only to teſtifie their thankfulneſs to him, for his ſafely conducting them hither, notwithſtanding their long Captivity, and the many Adverſaries in their way, &c. but alſo do Promiſe, that the God of their Fathers ſhould be their God.
Remark the Laſt, Ezra delivered Darius's Decree to his Lieutenants on that ſide Euphrates, ver. 36. the ſight whereof did ſo over awe thoſe Deputies of the King, that they durſt not hinder them (ſaith Vatablus) but did actually further them in furniſhing and beautifying the Houſe of God, by affording all ſuch things as were requiſite thereunto. N.B. Thus God made Dogs to lick Lazarus's ſores, Luke 16.21. Theſe Deputy-Lieutenants lent God's People a lift, and an helping Hand in the Houſe of God, not out of any Love to the Work, but for fear of the King's Caſhiering them: Thus the Devil and his Imps are made to do God's Will, though with an ill Will, for all are God's Servants, Pſalm 119.91.