The theory that he was the offspring of Ahasuerus and Esther, and was trained by Mordecai and Nehemiah, lacks all historical foundation. Issues related to governance, land ownership, religious observance, and resource sharing no doubt contributed to the tensions felt in this text. Nehemiah gives us even more details on Ezra’s role within the people of Israel. Words in boxes are from the Bible. (For anyone starting any sort of significant transition in your congregation, this is one text you’re going to want to milk for all it’s worth.). The preceding verses in Chronicles provide some additional information. The book sees this event as a moment of restoration, when Israel’s cult would be set in place “as prescribed in the law of Moses the man of God” (Ezra 3:2). But other concerns were also present. Bible commentary on the Book of Ezra, chapter 5, by Dr. Bob Utley, retired professor of hermeneutics. II. Strengthening this connection is the fact that the words of praise voiced in Ezra 3:11 (“For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel”) are the same words voiced at the dedication of Solomon’s temple in 2 Chronicles 5:13. He may have known this because of the arrival of King Cyrus in Babylon, a person we meet right off the bat in Ezra 1:1. Teks -- Ezra 4:1 (TB) Tampilkan Strong. In Ezra (8:15, 20, 24) “I” is referring to Ezra. In fact, the sounds of praise and shouting mingled with weeping from those who had seen the temple in its former glory. The opposition against this work was so intense that the Jews “ceased” construction for a … Commentary on Ezra 1:1-4; 3:1-4, 10-13 View Bible Text . An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on the Book of Ezra. In fact, according to the Jewish canon, the decree of Cyrus is the very last verse in the Bible. Cyrus made a decree giving the Jewish exiles in his empire the right to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple in 538 B.C. THE BOOK OF EZRA Commentary by Robert Jamieson . Commentary on Ezra 1:1-4; 3:1-4, 10-13 View Bible Text . God governs the world by his influence on the spirits of men; whatever good they do, God stirs up … As builders laid the foundation, the people raised a great and joyful shout. In fact, according to the Jewish canon, the decree of Cyrus is the very last verse in the Bible. Deliver us from our personal and communal exiles, and help us to build up your church. Ezra 1:1-4 King James Version (KJV) 1 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, A. Derek Kidner, in his commentary, sets the historical stage well for us, identifying what is happening in the book of Ezra: It was a death to make way for a rebirth. Divine demands and promises were attached to this institution, and its loss was nothing short of devastating. The story casts no judgment on those who mourn. Bible Maps. Amen. Ezra 1:1-4; 3:1-4, 10-13 Commentary by Michael J. Chan. In fact, according to the Jewish canon, the decree of Cyrus is the very last verse in the Bible. Pembangunan Yerusalem terhambat oleh perlawanan. a. HYMNS From heaven above   ELW 268, H82 80, NCH 130 Awake, O sleeper, rise from death   ELW 452, H82 547, UMH 551, CHORAL Lift up your heads, O ye gates, William Mathias. The new temple, moreover, was to be under the patronage of a foreign ruler (Cyrus), not an autochthonous ruler like Solomon or David. Yet there is a distinct shift in the role of the people that starts to happen in books like Ezra and Nehemiah. Most likely, the point of Ezra 1:1 wasn’t to link Cyrus to a specific text, but to the Jeremiah tradition in general, especially its promises of hope, return, and rebuilding. And this is in contrast to the Christian canon, which ends in Malachi 4, a text that expresses hope for Elijah’s return (Malachi 4:5-6). The hopeful tone of Isaiah’s words have led some scholars to believe that Isaiah knew or could sense in the political climate an end to the exile and a return home. John Trapp Complete Commentary. It is a story of ambiguous joy—and are not our lives? (Read Ezra 1:1-4) The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus. 36:18). Go home, loaded with blessings. 1:1–3 pp— 2Ch 36:22–23. we begin a new series on the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Second Chronicles 36:17-23 parallels Ezra 1:1-4, with verses 22-23 being an almost verbatim quotation of Ezra 1:1-4. Again, this was the same song sung at the dedication of Solomon’s temple (2 Chronicles 5:13). It was for the purpose of intimidation and fear directed towards the Jewish leadership (i.e., "head," BDB 1112). Jeremiah 25:8-12 is a similar prophecy that also mentions a seventy-year time frame. God is superintending or managing events on this earth. According to the text, the returnees set up the altar “because they were in dread of the neighboring peoples” (Ezra 3:3). It’s the kind that refugees don’t even dare dream about: go home. 1. in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia—The Persian empire, including Persia, Media, Babylonia, and Chaldea, with many smaller dependencies, was founded by Cyrus, 536 B.C. The proclamation which Cyrus, king of Persia, issued out for the release of all the Jews that he found captives in Babylon, and the building of their temple in Jerusalem . Ezra 1:1-4. Ezra 1, Coffman Commentaries on the Bible, One of over 110 Bible commentaries freely available, this commentary, by the leading authority in the Church of Christ, presents a verse level look at the Bible. The First in a Series of Sermons on Ezra-Nehemiah. www.easyenglish.bible. Setting the Stage for the Story of Ezra. But along with this rejoicing sounded another cry: a mournful cry from those who had seen the First Temple on its foundations. Judah was sent into exile because of sin, and Judah would return to its land because of Yhwh’s gracious work through the agency of Cyrus the Persian. In fact, according to the Jewish canon, the decree of Cyrus is the very last verse in the Bible. Far from being a merely religious act, the restoration of the altar was a complicated event with intertwining legal, political, and historical interests. On Advent 2, Jerusalem has fallen, and God spoke through Isaiah to the grieving people who fled or were exiled to Babylon (roughly modern-day Baghdad, Iraq). And when they do, Ezra 3:1 tells us that “the entire people assembled as one in Jerusalem.” In the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, the priestly office begins to bleed out towards the people, such that the congregation takes on a greater and more significant role in the worship of YHWH. CalvaryTruths.com ccTheHarvest.com Jesus loves you! Ezra 1:1–4 End of the Babylonian Captivity 1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord a by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, b so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying, ... (Ezra 1:1-4) and once in Aramaic (Ezra 6:1-5). Ezra mentions a decree of King Artaxerxes given to Ezra. While the Babylonians dominated other nation-states through violence and exile, Cyrus and the Persians conquered, but then gave great freedom to their vassals. Cyrus is the one that makes the proclamation, but only after his spirit is stirred up by God, the ultimate Actor and Agent in this process. Those that are mentioned make no more than 2499, which Aben Ezra thinks were the larger vessels. Ezra 1:1-4 New International Version << 2 Chronicles 36 | Ezra 1 | Ezra 2 >> The Proclamation of Cyrus. First, they describe a glittering festival, held in the ruins of the First Temple: priests arrayed in vestments, trumpets proudly proclaiming, Levites with clanging cymbals, and scores of people lifting up songs of praise. In Nehemiah (1:1, 4, 2:9, 15) “I” is referring to Nehemiah. What does Ezra 1:4 mean? Why would Cyrus even know about YHWH, much credit his kingdom to YHWH? In the seventh month, the returnees set out to build “the altar of the God of Israel”, and thereby restart the cult’s proper function as a place of ritual and sacrifice (Ezra 3:1-3). Ezra picks up the narrative about the rebuilding of the temple from 4:5. Exegetically, the story of Ezra begins with a powerful punch in Ezra 1:1, but it raises an immediate question: which word of Jeremiah was fulfilled? Ezra 1:4. Ezra 1:1-4 The Proclamation of Cyrus. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth] Heb. Though Jeremiah 29 is likely the passage that Ezra is alluding to most directly, there are several more passages that are relevant. In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, … Ezr 1:1-6. The First Return and Rebuilding under Zerubbabel (chaps. Read commentary on this popular Bible verse and understand the real meaning behind God's Word using John Gill's Exposition of the Bible. This may be especially enticing if you are undergoing a building project. The decree of Cyrus is a deeply significant event in Persian period literature, because it signaled the restoration of God’s “house” (temple), which was the primary ritual means by which God was available to Israel. (Kidner) Understandably, tensions arose between returnees and inhabitants. What can we learn about … Second Chronicles 36:17-23 parallels Ezra 1:1-4, with verses 22-23 being an almost verbatim quotation of Ezra 1:1-4. The narrative lectionary is a four-year cycle of readings Read more. For that matter, is that not the core of Advent itself? For Ezra, it is the fulfillment of prophecy, and in particular, the prophecy of Jeremiah: “In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the Lord stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia … ” (Ezra 1:1). Perhaps without the person even being aware of it, God can insert thoughts into the person's mind to do what He wants him to do. For most of us, in this life, we exist never fully in one state or the other, the sounds of our joyful shouts can never be easily distinguished from the sounds of our weeping. 64 Yahweh stirs Cyrus, and he decrees God’s will (1:1-4 ). Ezra 1:1-4. God of restoration, you brought your people home from exile and in their joy they rebuilt your temple. When He wants something done through a man, He interfaces with him. What do we learn about Cyrus and his character from these verses? Levites are appointed to supervise the founding of the temple, and the work progresses (3:8-10 ). We will hear echoes of this shift in next week’s text from Luke: As the priest Zechariah goes inside the holy sanctuary to offer the incense offering to God, it says that “the whole assembly of the people was praying outside” (Luke 1:10). ... Ezra 1:1-4. On this third Sunday in Advent, we jump from Isaiah 40 to Ezra 1-3. Be careful not to over-simplify: democratization is too strong of a word, and we’re nowhere close to Martin Luther’s concept of the Priesthood of All Believers. It was a weeping for the lostness of what once was, a grief for the pain of what had been. When He wants something done through a man, He interfaces with him. Read Ezra 1 online. We shall not meet Ezra till chapter 7.” (Kidner) Ezra 3:10-13 are some of the most poignant in all of Scripture. His policies were welcomed by the exiled Judeans, who, according to the first part of Ezra, were eager to return home, to restore their community, and to rebuild. In fact, according to the Jewish canon, the decree of Cyrus is the very last verse in the Bible. 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