About Ezra

Ezra records the return from exile and the rebuilding of the temple, followed by Ezra's ministry of spiritual restoration.

Author: EzraWritten: c. 450-400 BCReading time: ~1 minVerses: 11
RestorationTemple RebuildingLawPurityPrayerConfession

King James Version

Ezra 1

11 verses with commentary

Cyrus Helps the Exiles Return

Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, made: Heb. caused a voice to pass

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia.</strong> This opening verse establishes the divine orchestration of redemptive history. The 'first year' refers to Cyrus's first year as ruler over Babylon (539 BC), following his conquest of the Babylonian Empire. The...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

I. THE FIRST RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL. (1-4) The decree of Cyrus: marking an epoch of very great importance, and therefore repeated almost word for word from the end of Chronicles. (1) **The first year.**—Cyrus became king of Persia in B.C. 559. Twenty years afterwards he took Babylon from Belshazzar; and this first year of his rule in Babylon was his beginning as an agent in Jewish affairs and for...
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Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.</strong> This remarkable proclamation shows a pagan king acknowledging Yahweh as 'the LORD God of heaven,' using the covenant name. The phrase 'God of heaven' (<em>Elohe hashamayim</em>) was common in Persian cont...
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Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.</strong> Cyrus's decree transitions from proclamation to invitation. The interrogative 'Who is there among you' functions as both invitation and challenge, requiring voluntary response. The b...
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And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. help: Heb. lift him up

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.</strong> This verse establishes material support for returnees, creating partnership between those going and remaining. The verb 'help' (<em>nasa</em>) carries sense o...
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Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.</strong> This verse identifies the respondents. The phrase 'rose up' (<em>qum</em>) indicates decisive action. Leadership came from Judah and Benjamin—tribes comprising the southern kingdom.<...
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Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(5-11) Immediate result of the decree. (5) **With all them whose spirit God had raised.**—*Namely, all* is the more exact rendering. The same influence that prompted the decree of Cyrus was necessary to overcome the inertness of the captives: many preferred to remain in Babylon.—The people were enumerated as tribes, families, and fathers’ houses; the second and third orders of classification are n...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**31. Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah--**(See 2Ch 24:1).

And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered. strengthened: that is, helped them

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.</strong> This verse describes implementation of Cyrus's provision. The phrase 'strengthened their hands' (<em>chizqu bideihem</em>) is an idiom meaning to provide support and encouragement, both material ...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**32. walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it--**He was more steadfast and consistently religious (compare 2Ch 15:18).

Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods.</strong> This verse marks the restoration of sacred vessels taken when Nebuchadnezzar conquered Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:13, 25:13-17). These vessels represented not merely valuable artifacts but sacred implements dedicated...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**33. the high places were not taken away--**Those on which idolatry was practised were entirely destroyed (2Ch 17:6); but those where the people, notwithstanding the erection of the temple, continued to worship the true God, prudence required to be slowly and gradually abolished, in deference to popular prejudice.

Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.</strong> This verse provides administrative details showing the official, orderly nature of the restoration. Mithredath, whose name means 'gift of Mithra' (Persian deity), served as royal treasurer, indicating high governmental involvement. His p...
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And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives.</strong> This verse begins the detailed inventory of returned temple vessels, emphasizing precision and accountability. The Hebrew word for 'chargers' (<em>agartal</em>) likely refers to large basins or platters used in temple service. The dramatic difference between gold charger...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**35-37. after this did Jehoshaphat ... join himself with Ahaziah ... to make ships--**A combined fleet was built at Ezion-geber, the destination of which was to voyage to Tartessus, but it was wrecked. Jehoshaphat's motive for entering into this partnership was to secure a free passage through Israel, for the vessels were to be conveyed across the Isthmus of Suez, and to sail to the west of Europ...
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Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.</strong> This verse continues the inventory with additional categories of temple implements. The 'basons' (<em>kefor</em>) were bowls used for various ritual purposes including sprinkling blood and receiving offerings. The distinction between gold basons (30) and 'silver basons of a se...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**35-37. after this did Jehoshaphat ... join himself with Ahaziah ... to make ships--**A combined fleet was built at Ezion-geber, the destination of which was to voyage to Tartessus, but it was wrecked. Jehoshaphat's motive for entering into this partnership was to secure a free passage through Israel, for the vessels were to be conveyed across the Isthmus of Suez, and to sail to the west of Europ...
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All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem. the captivity: Heb. the transportation

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KJV Study Commentary

<strong>All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.</strong> This verse provides the total count and summarizes the return journey. The number 5,400 doesn't precisely match the sum of previously enumerated items, suggesting either textual transmission issue...
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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

**35-37. after this did Jehoshaphat ... join himself with Ahaziah ... to make ships--**A combined fleet was built at Ezion-geber, the destination of which was to voyage to Tartessus, but it was wrecked. Jehoshaphat's motive for entering into this partnership was to secure a free passage through Israel, for the vessels were to be conveyed across the Isthmus of Suez, and to sail to the west of Europ...
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