Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Verſe 1. Then Darius the King.
DArius Hyſtaſpes, who ſucceeded Cambyſes; being choſen by the Princes of the Perſians, as ſaith Herodotus. Plato commendeth him for a reſtorer of the Perſian Monarchy, much defaced under Cambyſes. Howbeit he diſcommendeth him for this,In Thalia lib 3. de Legib. that he bred not his ſonne Xerxes ſo well as he might have done, and further teſtifieth, that to him it might be ſaid; O Darius, how little care haſt thou taken to ſhun Cyrus his ſlackneſſe? for thou haſt bred Xerxes every whit as ill, as he did Cambyſes.foreign.
In the houſe of the Rolles] So called, becauſe rolled up together; volumes rolled up, like the web upon the pinne.
Verſe 2. And there was found at Achmetha] Or Ecbatana. This was occaſioned by the malice of the Jewes adverſaries; and proved a great furtherance to the finiſhing of the Temple. Sic canes lingunt ulcera Lazari. All things work together for good to them that love God, Venenum aliquandò pro remedio fuit, ſaith Seneca.Rom, 8.28.
Verſe 3. The height thereof threeſcore cubits] Yet was it leſſe then Solomons Temple, Hag. 2.3. Ezra 3.12. Solomons cubits therefore were longer (likely) then theſe here mentioned.
Verſe 4. Out of the Kings houſe] i. e. Out of the royal revenue in thoſe parts, chap. 7.20. Herodotus teſtifieth, that Cyrus and Darius (who married his daughter Atoſſa, and made him his patterne for imitation) were highly honoured among the Perſians for their Kingly munificence: God hath threatened that the Nation and Kingdome, that will not ſerve the Church, ſhall periſh: yea, thoſe Nations ſhall be utterly waſted, Eſay 60.12. See verſe 12. of this chapter.
Verſe 5. And alſo let the golden and ſilver veſſels] This was decreed, and this was done accordingly, chap. 1.7, 8. Let good reſolutions be put in execution: purpoſe without performance, is like a cloud without raine; and not unlike Hercules his club in the Tragedy; of a great bulk, but ſtuft with moſſe and rubbiſh.
Verſe 6. Be ye far from thence] i. e. Come not at them, to hinder them at all. Thus, though the Churches enemies bandy together and bend all their forces againſt her; yet are they bounded by Almighty God (who ſaith unto them, Be ye farre from thence) as is the raging ſea, Jer. 5.22. Surely (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) the wrath of man ſhall praiſe thee: the remainder of wrath ſhalt thou reſtraine, Heb. gird, that is, keep it within compaſſe, as with a girdle. The Septuagint render it thus, The remnant of wrath ſhall keep holy-day to thee, that is, it ſhall reſt from working, or acting, how reſtleſſe ſoever it be within.
Verſe 7. Let the work of this houſe of God alone] Meddle not, make no diſturbance: this was doubtleſſe an hard task to them; for their ſpirits were irked, as Moab, Num. 22. 3. and their fingers even itched at theſe builders. They ſleep not, except they may do miſchief, Prov. 4.16.
Ver. 8. Moreover I make a Decree] So did ſome of the Heathen Emperours for the perſecuted Chriſtians, Charles the fifth for the Lutherans (at the motion of Albertus Archbiſhop of Ments, and Ludovicus Palatine of Rhine) and Henry the third of France for the Proteſtants: which yet was but ſorrily obſerved though ſworne to. It is written by an Italian (no ſtranger to the Court of Rome) that their Proverb is, Mercatorum eſt, non regum ſtare juramentis, that it is for Merchants, and not for Kings to keep to their oaths.
Verſe 9. Of the God of heaven] Heathens have this notion by nature, that God is the God of heaven, and that there He is, as in his place: howbeit we muſt not conceive that God is commenſurable by any place, ſith he filleth all places, and is every where all-preſent, totally preſent whereſoever preſent: but in heaven is his glory moſt manifeſted, and on earth is he alone to be worſhipped.
Verſe 10. That they may pray for the life of the King] For God, at his pleaſure, cutteth off the ſpirits of Princes, Pſal. 76.12. he crops them off with eaſe, as one would do a flower; ſlips them off, as one would do a bunch of grapes; as he dealt by Alexander the Great, Attilas that Terrour of the world, and King Henry the ſecond of France, who upon the marriage of his ſiſter to the King of Spaine, was ſo puffed up, that he called himſelf by a new title, Tres-heureuſe Roy, the thrice-happy King. But (to confute him) in ſolemnizing that marriage, he was ſlaine at Tilt, by the Captaine of his guard (though againſt his will, but not without Gods determinate counſel) in the very beginning of his ſuppoſed happineſſe.Prov. 3…. Death is the onelyonly King, againſt whom there is no riſing up. The mortall ſythe is maſter of the royal Scepter (ſaith one) and it moweth downe the Lilies of the Crowne, as well as the graſſe of the field: pray therefore for the life of the King, ſaith this King here; let the Prieſts ſhout and ſay, Let the King live for ever, Nehem. 2.3.….
And of his ſonnes] Some of whom had ſoone died, ſay ſome: He therefore calleth for prayers for the preſervation of the reſt.
Verſe 11. Let timber be pulled downe from his houſe] 1. Let his houſe be pulled down for a penalty. The Popiſh Councel of Tholouſe called together againſt the Albigenſes (thoſe ancient Proteſtants) made this cruel conſtitution; We decree that that houſe, wherein is found an Heretick, be pulled down to the ground. 2. Let that timber be ſet up for a gibbet, and let him be hanged thereon] Chald. deſtroyed. Compare that of the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 3.17, If any man deſtroy the Temple of God (which Temple ye are) him ſhall God deſtroy: and let thoſe look to it who turne it into a den of theeves, into a brothel-houſe, ſlaughter-houſe, peſt-houſe of noyſome luſts, qui podicem ex ore faciunt, by their unſavory ſpeeches, and moile themſelves worſe then by tumbling in a jakes.
Verſe 12. And the God that hath cauſed his name] i. e. his Word and true worſhip, Acts 9.15. Pſal. 138.2. Mic. 4.5. 1 Kings 5.3, 5.
Deſtroy all Kings and people] A dreadful curſe, and ſuch as God ſaith Amen to. Let all perſecutors, and Church-robbers look to themſelves. Gods hand hath ever beene very heavie upon ſuch and their poſterity. See Prov. 20.25. with the Note.
Let it be done with ſpeed] It hath beene too much retarded and delayed already: Let it now be expedited. David made haſte and delayed not to keep Gods Commandments, Pſal. 119.60. And Auſtin crieth out, Nimis ſerò te amavi Domine. It was a great burden to his good ſoul, that he began no ſooner to love God. He reſolveth therefore to redeeme time, and to redouble his diligence; not leaving till his ſoul was turned into a lump of love. Morus noviſſimè omnium germinat; & tamen parit inter primas. The Mulberry-tree buds laſt, but fruits with the firſt.
Verſe 13. So they did ſpeedily] This they did, becauſe they durſt do no otherwiſe: their obedience was wrung out of them, as verjuice is out of a crab, or as diſtilled water is forced out by the heat of the fire. Thus ſome performe duties, and yet hate them; part with ſins, and yet love them. Shew the malefactour the rack, and he will ſay or do any thing. This is, to feare God for his Lions, as thoſe Mongrels did, 2 Kings 17.33, 34. t…re-ſ…rvili, non …micali, Beda.which yet may addere alas, left they fall under the laſh, the correction of the Law, for refuſing the direction thereof.
Verſe 14. And Artaxerxes] This is Xerxes (called alſo Ahaſhueroſh, husband of Eſther) or, as ſome think, Artaxerxes Longimanus, the ſonne of Xerxes by Eſther; by whom the Temple finiſhed before, might be much beautified, and, haply, enlarged alſo.
Verſe 15. And this houſe was finiſhed] About fifteene years after that the foundation had beene laid, or twenty at moſt. The Jewes therefore either were out in their account, John 2.20. Fourty and ſix years was this Temple in building; or elſe they meant it of Herods Temple, which was long in building and beautifying, whereby he ſought to ingratiate with the Jewes, which yet he could never do.
Verſe 16. Kept the dedication — with joy] So they did at the dedication of the firſt Temple, 2 Chron. 7.10. God had required all his worſhips to be celebrated with joy, Deut. 12.7. and made it a condition of an acceptable ſervice, Deut. 26.14. Sacrifices offered with mourning were abomination, Hoſ. 9.4. yea, accurſed by God, Deut. 28.47. What a general joy was there at Samaria, when Chriſt was firſt preached and beleeved on amongſt them, Acts 8.8. when they firſt became Gods building, 1 Cor. 3.9. a Temple for God to dwell in and walk in, 2 Cor. 6.16? The like was at Bern, at Geneva, at Zurick, when the reformed Religion was firſt received amongſt them. They cauſed (for joy thereof) the day and yeare to be engraven in a pillar in letters of gold, for a perpetual memory to all poſterity. Like as at Heidelberg, Anno, 1617. in the Calends of November, Acts & Mon. Vita Parci operib. praefix.they kept, for three dayes ſpace, an Evangelical Jubile, for joy of the Reformation begun by Luther, an hundred years before.
Verſe 17. An hundred bullocks, &c.] This little, (in compariſon of what was done at Solomons dedication, 1 Kings 8.63.) was highly accepted in heaven: as was likewiſe Noahs ſacrifice, which yet could not be great: becauſe that after a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality (2 Cor. 8.2.) which, ſaith Ariſtotle, is not to be meaſured by the worth of the gift,foreign. Ar. ſt. Ethic. lib. 4. but by the will of the Giver, See the Note on chap. 2.6.
Twelve he-goates] A fit creature for a ſin-offering, becauſe naſty, unruly, &c.
According to the number of the tribes of Iſrael] All whom (whereſoever diſperſed) they remember in their prayers; as we ſhould likewiſe do all the Iſrael of God, in all places.
Verſe 18. For the ſervice of God] According to that, Exod. 12.25. Ye ſhall keep this ſervice, where the ſame word is uſed, that elſewhere ſerveth to ſet forth their ſervile ſervice,Gnabhodah. their bondage in Egypt. God lets them know that they muſt ſerve ſtill, though another Maſter, and after another manner. So Chriſt calleth upon his, to take his yoke upon them: Free though they be, yet they muſt not look to be yokeleſſe, lawleſſe, awleſſe; but to ſerve God with reverence and godly fear, Heb. 12.28.
As it is written in the book of Moſes] Moſes then was the Pen-man of the Pentateuch, and not Ezra, as ſome have ſaid; grounding upon that Apocryphal Eſdras.
Verſe 19. And the children of the captivity] So the returned captives are called, Firſt, to keep ſtill afoot the remembrance of their late miſery, leſt they ſhould deſpiſe the chaſtening of the Lord, Heb. 12.5. Secondly, to inmind them of that ſignal mercy of their returne to their owne Countrey. Hence doth the Evangeliſt Matthew ſo oft mention their tranſportation to Babylon, and rings it in the eares of his ungrateful Countrey-men, Mat. 1.11, 12, 17.
Kept the Paſſeover] In remembrance, that the puniſhing Angel paſſed over their Anceſtours in Egypt, Exod. 12. and for confirmation of their faith in Chriſt the true Paſchal Lamb. Haſt thou eſcaped a danger? offer a Paſſeover. Hath Chriſt delivered thee from the wrath to come? keep the Feaſt with the unleavened bread of ſincerity and truth, 1 Cor. 5.8.
Ʋpon the fourteenth day of the firſt monethmonth] See Exod. 12.2. with the Note.
Verſe 20. Were purified together] Miſery had framed them to unanimity. See 2 Chron. 29.34.
All of them were pure] Ritually at leaſt, if not really.
And killed the Paſſeover] i. e. The Paſchal Lamb, whereof ſee Exod. 12. with the Notes.
For all the children] See the Note one verſe 19.
And for themſelves] For they alſo were ſinners, and needed a Saviour, Heb. 7.27. That Popiſh Poſtiller was utterly out, when from Exod. 30.31, 32. he will needs inferre that Prieſts, when once anointed with the holy oile, were thenceforth Angels, Spirits, not having humane fleſh, or infirmities.
Verſe 21. And the children of Iſrael] The whole community, of what Tribe ſoever.
And all ſuch as had ſeparated themſelves] Who were the better to like, becauſe not Proſperity-proſelytes, (ſuch as came in (not a few) in Solomons time; but the Jewes were very careful how they received them, as Joſephus relateth.
From the filthineſſe of the heathen] Who had filled the Land from one end to the other with their uncleanneſſes, Ezra 9.11. Great ſins do greatly pollute.
To ſeek the Lord God of Iſrael] To ſeek not his omnipreſence (for that none need to do, ſith he is not farre from any one of us, Acts 17.) but his gracious preſence. And ſuch a ſeeker is every good ſoul, Pſal. 24.6. This is the generation of them that ſeek him, that ſeek thy face, that is Jacob.
Did eate] Edebant, id eſt, credebant, for even Chriſt their Paſſeover was ſacrificed for them, 1 Cor. 5.7.
Verſe 22. And kept the feaſt of unleavened bread] See 1 Cor. 7.8. and Exod. 12.35. with the Notes.
Seven dayes] This began on the fifteenth day, and laſted till the one and twentieth day, Num. 28.16, 17. Exod. 34.25.
With joy] See the Note on verſe 16.
For the Lord had made them joyful] Given them cauſe of joy, and an heart enlarged accordingly, a mind right ſet for the purpoſe. Saint James his word foreign, chap. 5.13. ſhewes, that all true mirth is from the rectitude of a mans minde, which God onelyonly giveth.
And turned the heart of the King, &c.] It is He alone that gives favour, that frameth mens opinions and affections, that maketh a good mans enemies to be at peace with him.
To ſtrengthen their hands] As verſe 8. And this did more ennoble him, then all his warlike atchievements.