Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · Ezra · Chapter 2 – Chapter 3
CHAP. II.
ANd these are the men of that Province, who ascended, &c. That is, saith Vers. 1.Lyra, of the Province of Iudea, Iunius of the Province of Babylon: but because in Hebrew it is, The children of the promise, I rather assent to Lyra, as also Lyra. Iunius.Hugo doth: for they are said to be the children of a promise, who are the natives thereof, and not who have dwelt in such a Province, and been kept there, although along time, unlesse it shall be thought that they of ver. 59. were of some other Province of the Caldees, for then more probably these were of the Province of Babylon, of Iudea, called a Province, see Nehemiah 1. 2. And their names and number are set down, sayth Pellican, for the credit of them and their posterity Pellican.in future times, for that they were the first, that shewed their love to the holy City and Temple in returning from a Countrey where they had been so long setled, and now were well, having a King that was so well affected towards them, to a place void and desolate, ver. 2. which came with Zorobabel, Jeshuah, Nehemiah, &c. Zorobabel is here first named, as being the Prince of the Jews, Vers. 2.as hath been already shewed in speaking of Sheshbazzar, which was but another name of the same man. But when the setting up of the Altar commeth to be spoken of, Chap. 3. ver. 2. Ieshuash the Priest is first named, and then Zorobabel, but ver. 8. the order is again altered, Zorobabel and Ieshuah. Lyra in his Prologue upon Ezra saith that howsoever their names are placed, the High Priest was now Lyra.and from henceforward the chiefe Governour of Iudea, for which he alleageth Zacharia 6. 11, 13. where crowns of gold are appointed to be made, and to be set upon the head of Ieshuah the High Priest, and he is set upon a Throne, and therein to rule, so that now he saith, there was a third forme of Government, the first having been by Judges, the second by Kings, the third was by Priests, and under this the people were better restrained from idolatry, then under either of those two, seeing idolatry was no more after this by the Jews set up in that land. But Hag. 1. 1. Zorobabel is called Duke or Prince of Iudah, and likewise, Cap. 2. v. 3. and by the course of the sacred History, it seems that the Scepter once set up in Iudah, must not depart from it, till the comming of Shiloh, that is Christ Jesus, as Iaacob prophesied, Gen. 49. 10. and Davids house was not to be without a light for ever, of which Zorobabel came. It is therefore more consonant to the Scriptures 2 Sam. 7. 15.to hold, that the people were now under a Prince of the Royall Line of David, as the chiefe and the high Priest, as a second unto him, they joyntly governing as one supreme Magistrate, yet Iosephus saith, that the chiefe authority was in the High Priest. Touching Nehemiah he is here spoken of by anticipation, for he went not till Anno 20 of Artaxerxes, who according to the computation of Iunius, began not to reigne till after 125 years from this time, unlesse some other Nehemiah be meant. The company that went up with these leaders, are first summed particularly by their families, ver. 3, 4, 5, &c. to ver. 61. and then generally Vers. 3, 4, 5. Vers. 64.altogether, ver. 64. 42360, but if we compare the particulars with the generall, we shall finde that this exceedeth them above 10000. R. Solomon resolveth this by saying, that in the particulars are put onelyonly the men of three Tribes that Lyra.returned, Iudah, Beniamin, and Levi, but into the generall came also those of other Tribes, who returned with them, as hath been before noted. Iunius, that Iunius.they who could not finde their Genealogies, who were not summed up before, make up this number. But seeing there be so few families of them spoke of, it is improbable that they should amount to so great a summe, rather both they, and so many of other Tribes as were mixed amongst them together make up this summe. The Hebrew Chronicle also saith, that the men of other Tribes come under the generall number. These also were amongst those that went up from Vers. 59.Thelmelach, Telcharseha, Cherub, Adan, and Immer, &c. These are the names of places about Babylon, from whence also they ascended, as well as from Babylon it selfe, but because they could not shew their Genealogies, it was uncertain whether they were Israelites or not, for which cause certain possessions could not be assigned unto them in that Land, but being of the same faith, they were not rejected, whether they were Israelites or strangers, but received into their society. OnelyOnly such as said that they were of the Priests, but could not shew their Vers. 6.Genealogies were kept from the Priests office, whereupon Lyra groundeth, that it is necessary for a stranger now adayes, comming into any place to shew his Ordination, before that he be suffered to celebrate.
For Athersata said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy thing, untill Vers. 63. Iunius.there arose a Priest with the Urim and Thummim. Junius readeth it, The Kings Commissary said, expounding it of the aforesaid Sheshbazzar. But Lyra saith, that he is commonly held to have been Nehemiah, seeing he is expresly set forth Lyra.by this name, Nehem. 8. 10. he was Hatharshatha. But because Nehemiah came not to Ierusalem till many years after, he could not be meant here, but he who in the Caldee tongue, was for his authority called so, that now was appointed, as Prince, and that was Zorobabel, or Sheshbazzar. For although the Iews had now liberty given them to return, yet they were never more after this captivity a free, but a tributary people, either to the Persians, Greeks, or Romans, so that the onelyonly difference was, in the time of their captivity they served a forreign Nation in another Land, but after their return in their own Land. For Cyrus made Sheshbazzar Prince first, and Artaxerxes Nehemiah, and then Ezra afterwards, Chap. 5. 14. Chap. 7. 25. Iosephus.giving him power to make other Magistrates. But whether the Prince or the High Priest was the chiefe Governour it is uncertain, although Iosephus saith, that the High Priest was, untill the time of the Assamonei who wrested the government from him, and Lyra following Iosephus, as hath been already shewed, but certain it is that somtimes the chiefe authority was in the High Priest also.
Untill a Priest should arise with the Urim and Thummim, that is, saith Iosephus, Vers. 63.to declare the will of God hereby: For the precious stones in the High Priests Breastplate, called, the Urim and Thummim, light and perfection shining bright, when God was consulted withall, as some hold, was taken for an answer, in way of granting the thing desired. But thus say the Hebrews, they never did more after the Babylonish captivity, and therefore this touching those that could not shew their Genealogie, was never resolved.
Besides their servants and maids 7337, amongst whom were 200 singing men and Vers. 65.women. These and their cattell, of which, ver. 66. that is, horses 736, mules 245, camels 435, asses 6720, are reckoned apart as their substance, which they had gotten in Babylon, where they had been permitted to live under a Governour of their own Nation, and these beasts served to carry such as were weake, and their A. B. Patriarchs Travels. Iunius.wives, and little ones, and stuffe. For the journey was long, viz. 680 miles. Those of their servants which were singers, are thought by Iunius to have been bought by the Levites, as having skill in song and musick, because through dis-use neer the space of 70 years, they had lost it, Pellican, that they used them to sing by the Pellican. Vers. 69, 70.way, to expresse their joy for their return. Ver. 69. When they were come to the house of the Lord, the chiefe offered towards the charges of building it 61000 dramms of gold, and 5000 pounds of silver, that is, 21525 pound of gold, and reckoning Patriarchs Travels.the silver at 37 shillings six pence the pound, 9375 pound. But seeing King Cyrus took order for all this building, commanding that it should be done at his cost and charges, as appeareth, Chap. 6. 4. whereupon occasion, his Ordinance is recited, it may be demanded, why the chiefe of the Iews contributed towards it? Ans. Some thinke to make the building larger then was propounded by that King, but it is more probable because he took order onelyonly for the timber and stone work, that this contribution or offering was made for the adorning and beautifying of it, and to supply it with many utensils about it, that were necessary.
CHAP. III.
ANd when the seventh monethmonth was come, &c. In the end of the former Chapter Vers. 1.having shewed that after their offering made, the Priests and Levites went and dwelt in their Cities, and the rest of the people in theirs: Now the time of keeping the Feast of Tabernacles being come, in the seventh monethmonth they came with one accord again to Jerusalem: Then Ieshuah with his kinred, the Vers. 2.Priests and Zorobabel with his kinsmen, rose up and built the Altar, &c. And having set this upon the old foundation in the Priests Court, where Solomon had set the Altar for Sacrifice up of old, they offered sacrifices pertaining to that solemnity from day to day, as was appointed, Numb. 29. 13. And this they did although the heathen dwelling round about them made them afraid, as envying at these their proceedings, for the enmity which they bare through the instigation of Satan, against the true God and his worship. And▪ as they did at the feast of Tabernacles, so they did daily, as was appointed by the Law morning and evening, beginning the first day of the monethmonth, and so going on from day to day, and on the new Moons, when yet there was no foundation of the Temple laid; for order was not Vers. 6.taken for this till five moneths after, but onelyonly moneys were given to workmen Vers. 7.for the providing of materials, and then in the second monethmonth of the second year after their comming, they set to the work, and laid the foundation, certain Levites Vers. 8. 9. Vers. 10. 11. Vers. 12.being set to play upon instruments, and to sing at the doing hereof to the praise of God. But even when some were singing and making musick, others that were ancient wept to see how much this Temple was like to come short of that which Solomon had built before, but was by Nebuchadnezar destroyed for their sins. For so indeed it must needs doe, seeing Solomon who built the former abounded both with riches and people, and they that sate now to the work, were a company of poor exiles, who wanted the means which he enjoyed: yet Hag. 2. 8. they are comforted with this, that the glory of the Temple by them now built, should be greater then the glory of that, which Lyra expoundeth as sayd, because the state that they were in being considered, it was more admirable, that such an Lyra.house be built by them now, then one more magnificent by Solomon then. But for so much, as it is spoken not of the present but of the future times, The glory of this house shall be greater, he yeeldeth this other reason, viz. because the Law was taught in the Temple of Solomon, whereby none shall live, but in this the Gospel of life and peace by Christ and his Apostles. And this indeed is the truest, and most evidently proving, that Christ is not yet to come, but already come, seeing otherwise this can never be verified, for so much as the Temple built by Zorobabel and Jeshuah, was long agoe destroyed by the Romans.