Bible Commentaries

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Ezra 3

Introduction

1  The altar is set up.
4  Offerings renewed.
7  Workmen employed in preparing materials.
8  The foundations of the temple are laid in great joy and mourning.
Verse 1

And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.
the seventh
Exodus 23:14-17, Leviticus 16:29, 23:24,27-44, Numbers 29:1-40, Nehemiah 8:2,14
as one
Judges 20:1, Nehemiah 8:1, Zephaniah 3:9, Acts 2:46, 4:32, 1 Corinthians 1:10
Verse 2

Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.
Jeshua
Haggai 1:1,12,14, 2:2-4, Zechariah 3:1,8, 6:11
Joshua the son of Josedech
Zerubbabel.
2:2, 1 Chronicles 3:17,19, Haggai 2:21,23, Zechariah 4:6-10, Matthew 1:12,13, Luke 3:27
Zorobabel, Salathiel
as it is written.
Exodus 20:24,25, Numbers 28:3-31, Deuteronomy 12:5-7, 2 Chronicles 6:6, Psalms 78:68; Bp. Patrick observes, that before the temple was built, there seems to have been a tabernacle pitched for Divine service, as was in David's time, not on mount Moriah, but mount Sion, to be used while the temple was building. Let us learn hence to begin with God, and to do what we can in the worship of God, when we cannot do what we would. They could not immediately have a temple, but they would not be without an altar. Wherever a Christian goes, if he carry not with him the sacrifices of prayer and praise, he is wanting in his duty; for he has an altar ever ready that sanctifies both the gift and the giver.
Verse 3

And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.
the altar
2 Chronicles 4:1
for fear
4:11-16, 8:21,22, Psalms 27:1,2, 56:2-4
even burnt
Exodus 29:38-42, Numbers 28:2-8
Verse 4

They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;
the feast
Exodus 23:16, Leviticus 23:34-36, Nehemiah 8:14-17, Zechariah 14:16-19, John 7:2,37
the daily
Numbers 29:12-38
as the duty of every day required
Heb. the matter of the day in his day.
Exodus 5:13, 29:38, Jeremiah 52:34; *marg:
Verse 5

And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD.
the continual
Exodus 29:38-42, Numbers 28:3-10,11,19,27, 29:2,8,13
willingly
Leviticus 1:3, Deuteronomy 12:6,17, 2 Chronicles 29:31,32
Verse 6

From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.
the foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid
Heb. the temple of the Lord was not yet founded.
Verse 7

They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.
gave money
2 Kings 12:11,12, 22:5,6, 2 Chronicles 24:12,13
carpenters
or, workmen. meat.
1 Kings 5:6,9-11, 2 Chronicles 2:10-15, Ezekiel 27:17, Acts 12:20
Joppa Joppa, now Jaffa or Yaffa, one of the most ancient sea-ports in the world, is situated in a fine plain on the shore of the Mediterranean, between Jamnia south and Caesarea of Palestine north, 150 stadia from Antipatris, according to Josephus, 30 miles south of Caesarea, 12 miles north of Ashdod, 9 miles west of Ramla, and 40 miles west of Jerusalem, according to modern authorities; and in lat
32 degrees 50' long. 65 degrees 40' according to Ptolemy. It is still a considerable town, containing about 4,000 or 5,000 souls, and occupying a circular eminence close to the seaside, with a citadel on the summit; the bottom of the hill being surrounded by a wall 12 or 14 feet high, and two or three feet thick. The environs are occupied by extensive gardens.
2 Chronicles 2:16, Jonah 1:3, Acts 9:36, 10:5,6
according
6:3-5
Verse 8

Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD.
Zerubbabel
twenty years old
Numbers 4:3, 1 Chronicles 23:24-32
Verse 9

Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.
Jeshua
Not Jeshua the high-priest, before mentioned, but another Jeshua, a Levite, mentioned in the parallel passage.
2:40, 2:40
Hodaviah
Nehemiah 7:43
Hodevah
together
Heb. as one.
Verse 10

And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.
when the builders
Zechariah 4:10
they set
Exodus 28:40-42, 1 Samuel 22:18, 1 Chronicles 15:27, Nehemiah 12:24-26
trumpets
Numbers 10:1-10, 1 Chronicles 15:24, 16:5,6,42
the sons of Asaph
1 Chronicles 6:39, 16:37, 25:1-7, 2 Chronicles 35:15
after the ordinance
1 Chronicles 6:31-48, 16:4-7, 23:5, 2 Chronicles 29:25,26
Verse 11

And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
they sang
Exodus 15:21, Nehemiah 12:24,40, Psalms 24:7-10, Isaiah 6:3
because
1 Chronicles 16:34,41, 2 Chronicles 7:3, Psalms 103:17, 106:1, 107:1, 135:3, 136:1-26, Psalms 145:1-11, Jeremiah 33:11, Luke 1:50
shouted
Joshua 6:5,10,16, Psalms 47:1,5, Isaiah 12:6, 44:23, Zechariah 9:9
because
Psalms 102:13,14, Revelation 21:10-14
Verse 12

But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:
many
Haggai 2:3
when the foundation
Job 8:7, Isaiah 41:14, 60:22, Daniel 2:34,35, Zechariah 4:10, Matthew 13:31,32
wept
Psalms 126:6, Jeremiah 31:8,9
Verse 13

So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.
So that
This sight must have been very affecting; a whole people, one part weeping aloud with sorrow, the other shouting aloud for joy; and on the same occasion too, in which both sides felt an equal interest. The prophet Haggai (ch 2:1-9) comforted them on this occasion, by assuring them that the glory of this latter house should exceed that of the former, because the Lord would come to this temple, and fill it with His glory.
the noise
Judges 2:5
shouted
Nehemiah 12:43, Psalms 5:11, Jeremiah 33:11, Zechariah 4:7, Luke 19:37-40
and the noise
Exodus 32:17,18, 1 Samuel 4:5, 1 Kings 1:40,45, Psalms 100:1,2

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