1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and they sought in the house of the books of the treasuries placed there in Babylon,
`And now, if to the king it be good, let search be made in the treasure-house of the king, that `is' there in Babylon, whether it be that of Cyrus the king there was made a decree to build this house of God in Jerusalem, and the will of the king concerning this thing he doth send unto us.'
so that he doth seek in the book of the records of thy fathers, and thou dost find in the book of the records, and dost know, that this city `is' a rebellious city, and causing loss `to' kings and provinces, and makers of sedition `are' in its midst from the days of old, therefore hath this city been wasted.
A father I `am' to the needy, And the cause I have not known I search out.
Then said I, `Lo, I have come,' In the roll of the book it is written of me,
`Take to thee a roll of a book, and thou hast written on it all the words that I have spoken unto thee concerning Israel, and concerning Judah, and concerning all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day; if so be the house of Israel do hear all the evil that I am thinking of doing to them, so that they turn back each from is evil way, and I have been propitious to their iniquity, and to their sin.' And Jeremiah calleth Baruch son of Neriah, and Baruch writeth from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of Jehovah, that He hath spoken unto him, on a roll of a book.
And they go in unto the king, to the court, and the roll they have laid up in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and they declare in the ears of the king all the words. And the king sendeth Jehudi to take the roll, and he taketh it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and Jehudi readeth it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the heads who are standing by the king; and the king is sitting in the winter-house, in the ninth month, and the stove before him is burning, and it cometh to pass, when Jehudi readeth three or four leaves, he cutteth it out with the scribe's knife, and hath cast unto the fire, that `is' on the stove, till the consumption of all the roll by the fire that `is' on the stove.
and unto Jehoiakim king of Judah thou dost say: Thus said Jehovah, Thou hast burnt this roll, saying, Wherefore hast thou written on it, saying, The king of Babylon surely cometh in, and hath destroyed this land, and caused to cease from it man and beast?
And Jeremiah hath taken another roll, and giveth it unto Baruch son of Neriah the scribe, and he writeth on it from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book that Jehoiakim king of Judah hath burnt in the fire; and again there were added unto them many words like these.
And I look, and lo, a hand `is' sent forth unto me, and lo, in it a roll of a book,
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Ezra 6
Commentary on Ezra 6 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 6
How solemnly the foundation of the temple was laid we read in ch. 3. How slowly the building went on, and with how much difficulty, we found in ch. 4 and 5. But how gloriously the topstone was at length brought forth with shoutings we find in this chapter; and even we, at this distance of time, when we read of it, may cry, "Grace, grace to it.' As for God, his work is perfect; it may be slow work, but it will be sure work. We have here,
Ezr 6:1-12
We have here,
Ezr 6:13-22
Here we have,