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Selected Verse: Ezra 5:3 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Ezr 5:3 |
Strong Concordance |
At the same time [02166] came [0858] to them Tatnai, governor [06347] on this side [05675] the river [05103], and Shetharboznai [08370], and their companions [03675], and said [0560] thus [03652] unto them [05922], Who [04479] hath commanded [07761] [02942] you to build [01124] this [01836] house [01005], and to make up [03635] this [01836] wall [0846]? |
| |
King James |
At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall? |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river--The Persian empire west of the Euphrates included at this time Syria, Arabia, Egypt, Phœnicia, and other provinces subject to Darius. The empire was divided into twenty provinces, called satrapies. Syria formed one satrapy, inclusive of Palestine, Phœnicia, and Cyprus, and furnished an annual revenue of three hundred fifty talents. It was presided over by a satrap or viceroy, who at this time resided at Damascus. Though superior to the native governors of the Jews appointed by the Persian king, he never interfered with their internal government except when there was a threatened disturbance of order and tranquillity. Tatnai, the governor (whether this was a personal name or an official title is unknown), had probably been incited by the complaints and turbulent outrages of the Samaritans against the Jews; but he suspended his judgment, and he prudently resolved to repair to Jerusalem, that he might ascertain the real state of matters by personal inspection and enquiry, in company with another dignified officer and his provincial council. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
Governor on this side the river - Compare Ezr 4:10 note. Tatnai was apparently satrap of Syria, which included the whole tract west of the Euphrates from Cilicia to the borders of Egypt. Zerubbabel must have been, to some extent, under his authority.
Who hath commanded you to build? - There was no doubt a formal illegality in the conduct of Zerubbabel and Jeshua: since all edicts of Persian kings continued in force unless revoked by their successors. But they felt justified in disobeying the decree of the Pseudo-Smerdis (see the Ezr 4:7 note), because the opposition between his religious views and those of his successor was matter of notoriety. |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
When the building was recommenced, the governor on this side Euphrates, and other royal officials, evidently informed of the undertaking by the adversaries of the Jews, made their appearance for the purpose of investigating matters on the spot. עליהון אתּה, came to them, to the two above-named rulers of the community at Jerusalem. Tatnai (lxx Θανθαναΐ́) was פּחה, viceroy, in the provinces west of Euphrates, i.e., as correctly expanded in 1 Esdras, of Syria and Phoenicia, to which Judaea with its Pecha Zerubbabel was subordinate. With him came Shethar-Boznai, perhaps his secretary, and their companions, their subordinates. The royal officials inquired: "Who has commanded you to build this house, and to finish this wall?" The form לבנא here and Ezr 5:13 is remarkable, the infinitive in Chaldee being not בנא, butמבנא; compare Ezr 5:2, Ezr 5:17, and Ezr 6:8. Norzi has both times לבּנא, as through the Dagesh forte were compensating for an omitted .מ אשּׁרנא which occurs only here and Ezr 5:9, is variously explained. The Vulgate, the Syriac, and also the Rabbins, translate: these walls. This meaning best answers to the context, and is also linguistically the most correct. It can hardly, however, be derived (Gesenius) from אשׁר, but rather from אשׁן, in Chaldee אשׁוּן, firm, strong-walls as the strength or firmness of the building. The form אשּׁרנא has arisen from אשׁנּא, and is analogous to the form בּשׁנה.
(Note: The interpretations of the lxx, τὴν χορηγίαν ταύτην, meaning these building materials, and of 1 Esdr. 6:4, τὴν στέγην ταύτην καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα, this roof and all besides, for which Bertheau decides, without considering that שׁכלל may mean to complete, and not to prepare for anything, are but conjectures.)
Ezr 5:4
Then told we them after this manner (כּנמא, Ezr 4:8), what were the names of the men who were building this building. From אמרנא, we said, it is obvious that the author of this account was an eye-witness of, and sharer in, the work of building. These is not a shadow of reason for altering אמרנא into אמרוּ, or into the participle אמרין (Ew., Berth., and others); the εἴποσαν of the lxx being no critical authority for so doing. The answer in Ezr 5:4 seems not to correspond with the question in Ezr 5:3. The royal officials asked, Who had commanded them to build? The Jews told them the names of those who had undertaken and were conducting the building. But this incongruity between the question and answer is merely caused by the fact that the discussion is reported only by a short extract restricted to the principal subjects. We learn that this is the case from the contents of the letter sent by the officials to the king. According to these, the royal functionary inquired not merely concerning the author of the command to build, but asked also the names of those who were undertaking the work (comp. Ezr 5:9 and Ezr 5:10); while the rulers of the Jews gave a circumstantial answer to both questions (Ezr 5:11-15).
Ezr 5:5
Tatnai and Shethar-Boznai had power to prohibit them from proceeding; they allowed them, however, to go on with their work till the arrival of an answer from the king, to whom they had furnished a written report of the matter. In these dealings, the historian sees a proof of the divine protection which was watching over the building. "The eye of their God was over the elders of the Jews, that they should not restrain them (from building) till the matter came to Darius; and they should then receive a letter concerning this matter." Bertheau incorrectly translates יהך לד עד־טעמא: until the command of King Darius should arrive. ל is only used as a paraphrase of the genitive in statements of time; otherwise the genitive, if not expressed by the status construc., is designated by דּ or דּי. יהך, fut. Peal of הלך, formed by the rejection of ל, construed with ל, signifies to go to a place (comp. Ezr 7:13), or to come to a person. טעמא (טעם) does not here mean commandment, but the matter, causa, which the king is to decide; just as פּתגּן, Ezr 6:11, means thing, res. The clause יתיבוּן ואדין still depends upon עד: and till they (the royal officials) then receive a letter, i.e., obtain a decision. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Shethar - boznai - Not Rehum and Shimshai, &c. who were either dead, or removed from their office by Darius. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Tatnai, governor - He was governor of the provinces which belonged to the Persian empire on their side of the Euphrates, comprehending Syria, Arabia Deserta, Phoenicia, and Samaria. He seems to have been a mild and judicious man; and to have acted with great prudence and caution, and without any kind of prejudice. The manner in which he represented this to the king is a full proof of this disposition. |
7 And in the days [03117] of Artaxerxes [0783] wrote [03789] Bishlam [01312], Mithredath [04990], Tabeel [02870], and the rest [07605] of their companions [03674], unto Artaxerxes [0783] king [04428] of Persia [06539]; and the writing [03791] of the letter [05406] was written [03789] in the Syrian tongue [0762], and interpreted [08638] in the Syrian tongue [0762].
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].
11 Also [04481] I have made [07761] a decree [02942], that whosoever [03606] [0606] shall alter [08133] this [01836] word [06600], let timber [0636] be pulled down [05256] from [04481] his house [01005], and being set up [02211], let him be hanged [04223] thereon [05922]; and let his house [01005] be made [05648] a dunghill [05122] for [05922] this [01836].
13 I [04481] make [07761] a decree [02942], that all [03606] they of [04481] the people [05972] of Israel [03479], and of his priests [03549] and Levites [03879], in my realm [04437], which are minded of their own freewill [05069] to go up [01946] to Jerusalem [03390], go [01946] with thee [05974].
5 But the eye [05870] of their God [0426] was [01934] upon [05922] the elders [07868] of the Jews [03062], that they could not [03809] cause [0989] them [01994] to cease [0989], till [05705] the matter [02941] came [01946] to Darius [01868]: and then [0116] they returned answer [08421] by letter [05407] concerning [05922] this [01836] matter.
11 And thus [03660] they returned [08421] us answer [06600], saying [0560], We [0586] are [01994] the servants [05649] of the God [0426] of heaven [08065] and earth [0772], and build [01124] the house [01005] that was [01934] builded [01124] these [01836] many [07690] years [08140] ago [06928], which a great [07229] king [04430] of Israel [03479] builded [01124] and set up [03635].
12 But [03861] after [04481] that our fathers [02] had provoked [07265] the God [0426] of heaven [08065] unto wrath [07265], he gave [03052] them [01994] into the hand [03028] of Nebuchadnezzar [05020] the king [04430] of Babylon [0895], the Chaldean [03679], who destroyed [05642] this [01836] house [01005], and carried [01541] the people [05972] away [01541] into Babylon [0895].
13 But [01297] in the first [02298] year [08140] of Cyrus [03567] the king [04430] of Babylon [0895] the same king [04430] Cyrus [03567] made [07761] a decree [02942] to build [01124] this [01836] house [01005] of God [0426].
14 And the vessels [03984] also [0638] of [01768] gold [01722] and silver [03702] of the house [01005] of God [0426], which Nebuchadnezzar [05020] took [05312] out of [04481] the temple [01965] that was in Jerusalem [03390], and brought [02987] them into the temple [01965] of Babylon [0895], those [01994] did Cyrus [03567] the king [04430] take [05312] out of [04481] the temple [01965] of Babylon [0895], and they were delivered [03052] unto one, whose name [08036] was Sheshbazzar [08340], whom he had made [07761] governor [06347];
15 And said [0560] unto him, Take [05376] these [0412] vessels [03984], go [0236], carry [05182] them [01994] into the temple [01965] that is in Jerusalem [03390], and let the house [01005] of God [0426] be builded [01124] in [05922] his place [0870].
10 We asked [07593] their names [08036] also [0638], to certify [03046] thee, that we might write [03790] the names [08036] of the men [01400] that were the chief [07217] of them.
9 Then [0116] asked [07593] we those [0479] elders [07868], and said [0560] unto them thus [03660], Who [04479] commanded [07761] [02942] you to build [01124] this [01836] house [01005], and to make up [03635] these [01836] walls [0846]?
3 At the same time [02166] came [0858] to them Tatnai, governor [06347] on this side [05675] the river [05103], and Shetharboznai [08370], and their companions [03675], and said [0560] thus [03652] unto them [05922], Who [04479] hath commanded [07761] [02942] you to build [01124] this [01836] house [01005], and to make up [03635] this [01836] wall [0846]?
4 Then [0116] said [0560] we unto them after this manner [03660], What [04479] are [0581] the names [08036] of the men [01400] that make [01124] this [01836] building [01147]?
8 Rehum [07348] the chancellor [01169] [02942] and Shimshai [08124] the scribe [05613] wrote [03790] a [02298] letter [0104] against [05922] Jerusalem [03390] to Artaxerxes [0783] the king [04430] in this sort [03660]:
4 Then [0116] said [0560] we unto them after this manner [03660], What [04479] are [0581] the names [08036] of the men [01400] that make [01124] this [01836] building [01147]?
9 Then [0116] asked [07593] we those [0479] elders [07868], and said [0560] unto them thus [03660], Who [04479] commanded [07761] [02942] you to build [01124] this [01836] house [01005], and to make up [03635] these [01836] walls [0846]?
8 Moreover I [04481] make [07761] a decree [02942] what [03964] ye shall do [05648] to [05974] the elders [07868] of these [0479] Jews [03062] for the building [01124] of this [01791] house [01005] of God [0426]: that of the king's [04430] goods [05232], even of [01768] the tribute [04061] beyond [05675] the river [05103], forthwith [0629] expenses [05313] be [01934] given [03052] unto these [0479] men [01400], that they be not [03809] hindered [0989].
17 Now [03705] therefore, if [02006] it seem good [02869] to [05922] the king [04430], let there be search [01240] made in the king's [04430] treasure [01596] house [01005], which is there [08536] at Babylon [0895], whether [02006] it be [0383] so, that a decree [02942] was made [07761] of [04481] Cyrus [03567] the king [04430] to build [01124] this [01791] house [01005] of God [0426] at Jerusalem [03390], and let the king [04430] send [07972] his pleasure [07470] to us concerning [05922] this matter [01836].
2 Then [0116] rose up [06966] Zerubbabel [02217] the son [01247] of Shealtiel [07598], and Jeshua [03443] the son [01247] of Jozadak [03136], and began [08271] to build [01124] the house [01005] of God [0426] which is at Jerusalem [03390]: and with them [05974] were the prophets [05029] of God [0426] helping [05583] them.
13 But [01297] in the first [02298] year [08140] of Cyrus [03567] the king [04430] of Babylon [0895] the same king [04430] Cyrus [03567] made [07761] a decree [02942] to build [01124] this [01836] house [01005] of God [0426].