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Selected Verse: Ezra 4:2 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ezr 4:2	Strong Concordance	Then they came [05066] to Zerubbabel [02216], and to the chief [07218] of the fathers [01], and said [0559] unto them, Let us build [01129] with you: for we seek [01875] your God [0430], as ye do; and we do sacrifice [02076] unto him since the days [03117] of Esarhaddon [0634] king [04428] of Assur [0804], which brought us up hither [05927].
	King James	Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon . . . which brought us up hither--A very interesting explanation of this passage has been recently obtained from the Assyrian sculptures. On a large cylinder, deposited in the British Museum, there is inscribed a long and perfect copy of the annals of Esar-haddon, in which the details are given of a large deportation of Israelites from Palestine, and a consequent settlement of Babylonian colonists in their place. It is a striking confirmation of the statement made in this passage. Those Assyrian settlers intermarried with the remnant of Israelite women, and their descendants, a mongrel race, went under the name of Samaritans. Though originally idolaters, they were instructed in the knowledge of God, so that they could say, "We seek your God"; but they served Him in a superstitious way of their own (see on Kg2 17:26-34, Kg2 17:41).

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esar-haddon . . . which brought us up hither--A very interesting explanation of this passage has been recently obtained from the Assyrian sculptures. On a large cylinder, deposited in the British Museum, there is inscribed a long and perfect copy of the annals of Esar-haddon, in which the details are given of a large deportation of Israelites from Palestine, and a consequent settlement of Babylonian colonists in their place. It is a striking confirmation of the statement made in this passage. Those Assyrian settlers intermarried with the remnant of Israelite women, and their descendants, a mongrel race, went under the name of Samaritans. Though originally idolaters, they were instructed in the knowledge of God, so that they could say, "We seek your God"; but they served Him in a superstitious way of their own (see on Kg2 17:26-34, Kg2 17:41).

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Compare Kg2 17:24-28 notes. Since the days - Esar-haddon reigned from 681-668 B.C. Thus, the Samaritans speak of what had taken place at least 130 years previously. There appear to have been at least three colonizations of Samaria by the Assyrian kings. The first is mentioned in Kg2 17:24. Later in his reign Sargon added to these first settlers an Arabian element. Some 30 or 40 years afterward, Esarhaddon, his grandson, largely augmented the population by colonists drawn especially from the southeast parts of the Empire Ezr 4:10. Thus, the later Samaritans were an exceedingly mixed race.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
for we seek The people of the land sought to hinder the work in three ways: (1) by seeking to draw the Jews into an unreal union, (Ezr 4:3). (cf) (Kg2 17:32). (2) by "weakening the hands of the people of Judah," (Ezr 4:4) i.e, by withholding supplies, etc.; and (3) by accusations lodged with Ahasuerus and Darius. The first was by far the most subtle and dangerous. The lives of Ezra and Nehemiah afford many illustrations of true separation. (Co2 6:14-18); (Ti2 2:19-21).

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
With you - This they spake not sincerely, but that by this conjunction with them, they might pry into their counsels, and thereby find some matter of accusation against them. We seek - For so they did, though in a mongrel way, Kg2 17:26, &c. Esarhaddon - Son of Sennacherib, and after him king of Assyria, who brought or sent these persons hither, either, in the day's of Salmanasar, who reigned in Assyria but eight years before Esarhaddon; and so Esarhaddon might be one of his commanders, and the man by whom that colony was sent. Or, in the reign of Esarhaddon, who sent this second colony to strengthen the first.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Let us build with you - We acknowledge the same God, are solicitous for his glory, and will gladly assist you in this work. But that they came with no friendly intention, the context proves.

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⁴¹ So these nations [01471] feared [03373] the LORD [03068], and served [05647] their graven images [06456], both their children [01121], and their children's [01121] children [01121]: as did [06213] their fathers [01], so do [06213] they unto this day [03117].

²⁶ Wherefore they spake [0559] to the king [04428] of Assyria [0804], saying [0559], The nations [01471] which thou hast removed [01540], and placed [03427] in the cities [05892] of Samaria [08111], know [03045] not the manner [04941] of the God [0430] of the land [0776]: therefore he hath sent [07971] lions [0738] among them, and, behold, they slay [04191] them, because they know [03045] not the manner [04941] of the God [0430] of the land [0776].
²⁷ Then the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] commanded [06680], saying [0559], Carry [03212] thither one [0259] of the priests [03548] whom ye brought [01540] from thence; and let them go [03212] and dwell [03427] there, and let him teach [03384] them the manner [04941] of the God [0430] of the land [0776].
²⁸ Then one [0259] of the priests [03548] whom they had carried away [01540] from Samaria [08111] came [0935] and dwelt [03427] in Bethel [01008], and taught [03384] them how they should fear [03372] the LORD [03068].
²⁹ Howbeit every nation [01471] made [06213] gods [0430] of their own, and put [03240] them in the houses [01004] of the high places [01116] which the Samaritans [08118] had made [06213], every nation [01471] in their cities [05892] wherein they dwelt [03427].
³⁰ And the men [0582] of Babylon [0894] made [06213] Succothbenoth [05524], and the men [0582] of Cuth [03575] made [06213] Nergal [05370], and the men [0582] of Hamath [02574] made [06213] Ashima [0807],
³¹ And the Avites [05757] made [06213] Nibhaz [05026] and Tartak [08662], and the Sepharvites [05616] burnt [08313] their children [01121] in fire [0784] to Adrammelech [0152] and Anammelech [06048], the gods [0430] of Sepharvaim [05617].
³² So they feared [03373] the LORD [03068], and made [06213] unto themselves of the lowest [07098] of them priests [03548] of the high places [01116], which sacrificed [06213] for them in the houses [01004] of the high places [01116].
³³ They feared [03373] the LORD [03068], and served [05647] their own gods [0430], after the manner [04941] of the nations [01471] whom they carried away [01540] from thence.
³⁴ Unto this day [03117] they do [06213] after the former [07223] manners [04941]: they fear [03373] not the LORD [03068], neither do [06213] they after their statutes [02708], or after their ordinances [04941], or after the law [08451] and commandment [04687] which the LORD [03068] commanded [06680] the children [01121] of Jacob [03290], whom he named [07760] [08034] Israel [03478];

¹⁰ And the rest [07606] of the nations [0524] whom [01768] the great [07229] and noble [03358] Asnappar [0620] brought over [01541], and set [03488] [01994] in the cities [07149] of Samaria [08115], and the rest [07606] that are on this side [05675] the river [05103], and at such a time [03706].

²⁴ And the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] brought [0935] men from Babylon [0894], and from Cuthah [03575], and from Ava [05755], and from Hamath [02574], and from Sepharvaim [05617], and placed [03427] them in the cities [05892] of Samaria [08111] instead of the children [01121] of Israel [03478]: and they possessed [03423] Samaria [08111], and dwelt [03427] in the cities [05892] thereof.
²⁵ And so it was at the beginning [08462] of their dwelling [03427] there, that they feared [03372] not the LORD [03068]: therefore the LORD [03068] sent [07971] lions [0738] among them, which slew [02026] some of them.
²⁶ Wherefore they spake [0559] to the king [04428] of Assyria [0804], saying [0559], The nations [01471] which thou hast removed [01540], and placed [03427] in the cities [05892] of Samaria [08111], know [03045] not the manner [04941] of the God [0430] of the land [0776]: therefore he hath sent [07971] lions [0738] among them, and, behold, they slay [04191] them, because they know [03045] not the manner [04941] of the God [0430] of the land [0776].
²⁷ Then the king [04428] of Assyria [0804] commanded [06680], saying [0559], Carry [03212] thither one [0259] of the priests [03548] whom ye brought [01540] from thence; and let them go [03212] and dwell [03427] there, and let him teach [03384] them the manner [04941] of the God [0430] of the land [0776].
²⁸ Then one [0259] of the priests [03548] whom they had carried away [01540] from Samaria [08111] came [0935] and dwelt [03427] in Bethel [01008], and taught [03384] them how they should fear [03372] the LORD [03068].

¹⁹ Nevertheless [3305] the foundation [2310] of God [2316] standeth [2476] sure [4731], having [2192] this [5026] seal [4973], The Lord [2962] knoweth [1097] them that are [5607] his [846]. And [2532], Let [868] every one [3956] that nameth [3687] the name [3686] of Christ [5547] depart [868] from [575] iniquity [93].
²⁰ But [1161] in [1722] a great [3173] house [3614] there are [2076] not [3756] only [3440] vessels [4632] of gold [5552] and [2532] of silver [693], but [235] also [2532] of wood [3585] and [2532] of earth [3749]; and [2532] some [3739] [3303] to [1519] honour [5092], and [1161] some [3739] to [1519] dishonour [819].
²¹ If [1437] a man [5100] therefore [3767] purge [1571] himself [1438] from [575] these [5130], he shall be [2071] a vessel [4632] unto [1519] honour [5092], sanctified [37], and [2532] meet [2173] for the master's use [1203], and prepared [2090] unto [1519] every [3956] good [18] work [2041].

¹⁴ Be ye [1096] not [3361] unequally yoked together [2086] with unbelievers [571]: for [1063] what [5101] fellowship [3352] hath righteousness [1343] with [2532] unrighteousness [458]? and [1161] what [5101] communion [2842] hath light [5457] with [4314] darkness [4655]?
¹⁵ And [1161] what [5101] concord [4857] hath Christ [5547] with [4314] Belial [955]? or [2228] what [5101] part [3310] hath he that believeth [4103] with [3326] an infidel [571]?
¹⁶ And [1161] what [5101] agreement [4783] hath the temple [3485] of God [2316] with [3326] idols [1497]? for [1063] ye [5210] are [2075] the temple [3485] of the living [2198] God [2316]; as [2531] God [2316] hath said [2036], [3754] I will dwell [1774] in [1722] them [846], and [2532] walk in [1704] them; and [2532] I will be [2071] their [846] God [2316], and [2532] they [846] shall be [2071] my [3427] people [2992].
¹⁷ Wherefore [1352] come out [1831] from [1537] among [3319] them [846], and [2532] be ye separate [873], saith [3004] the Lord [2962], and [2532] touch [680] not [3361] the unclean [169] thing; and [2504] I will receive [1523] you [5209],
¹⁸ And [2532] will be [2071] [1519] a Father [3962] unto you [5213], and [2532] ye [5210] shall be [2071] my [3427] sons [5207] [1519] and [2532] daughters [2364], saith [3004] the Lord [2962] Almighty [3841].

⁴ Then the people [05971] of the land [0776] weakened [07503] the hands [03027] of the people [05971] of Judah [03063], and troubled [0926] [01089] them in building [01129],

³² So they feared [03373] the LORD [03068], and made [06213] unto themselves of the lowest [07098] of them priests [03548] of the high places [01116], which sacrificed [06213] for them in the houses [01004] of the high places [01116].

³ But Zerubbabel [02216], and Jeshua [03442], and the rest [07605] of the chief [07218] of the fathers [01] of Israel [03478], said [0559] unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build [01129] an house [01004] unto our God [0430]; but we ourselves together [03162] will build [01129] unto the LORD [03068] God [0430] of Israel [03478], as king [04428] Cyrus [03566] the king [04428] of Persia [06539] hath commanded [06680] us.