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Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
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Matthew Henry |
E Z R A
CHAP. VIII.
This chapter gives us a more particular narrative of Ezra’s journey to
Jerusalem, of which we had a general account in the foregoing chapter
I. The company that went up with him,
II. The solemn fast which he kept with his company, to implore God’s
presence with them in this journey,
III. The care he took of the treasure he had with him, and the charge
he gave concerning it to the priests, to whose custody he committed it,
IV. The care God took of him and his company in the way,
V. Their safe arrival at Jerusalem, where they delivered their treasure
to the priests
(ver. 32-34),
their commissions to the kings lieutenants
(ver. 36),
offered sacrifices to God
(ver. 35),
and then applied to their business.
| The Journey of Ezra and Others. | B. C. 457. |
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1 These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the
genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign
of Artaxerxes the king.
2 Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar;
Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.
3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah:
and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males a hundred
and fifty.
4 Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and
with him two hundred males.
5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him
three hundred males.
6 Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with
him fifty males.
7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and
with him seventy males.
8 And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael,
and with him fourscore males.
9 Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him
two hundred and eighteen males.
10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with
him a hundred and threescore males.
11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and
with him twenty and eight males.
12 And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and
with him a hundred and ten males.
13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these,
Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.
14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them
seventy males.
15 And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to
Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the
people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of
Levi.
16 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for
Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and
for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib,
and for Elnathan, men of understanding.
17 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the
place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo,
and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that
they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.
18 And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a
man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the
son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren,
eighteen;
19 And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari,
his brethren and their sons, twenty;
20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had
appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty
Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.
Ezra, having received his commission from the king, beats up for
volunteers, as it were, sets up an ensign to assemble the outcasts of
Israel and the dispersed of Judah,
“Whoever of the sons of Sion, that swell with the daughters of
Babylon, is disposed to go to Jerusalem, now that the temple there
is finished and the temple-service set a-going, now is their time.” Now
one would think that under such a leader, with such encouragements, all
the Jews should at length have shaken themselves from their
dust, and loosed the bands of their neck, according to that
call,
&c.
I wonder how any of them could read that chapter and yet stay behind.
But multitudes did. They loved their ease better than their religion,
thought themselves well off where they were, and either believed not
that Jerusalem would better their condition or durst not go thither
through any difficulties. But here we are told,
I. That some offered themselves willingly to go with Ezra. The heads of
the several families are here named, for their honour, and the numbers
of the males that each brought in, amounting in all to 1496. Two
priests are named
(v. 2)
and one of the sons of David; but, it should seem, they came without
their families, probably intending to see how they liked Jerusalem and
then either to send for their families or return to them as they saw
cause. Several of their families, or clans, here named, we had before,
Some went up from them at that time, more went up now, as God inclined
their hearts; some were called into the vineyard at the third hour,
others not till the eleventh, yet even those were not rejected. But
here we read of the last sons of Adonikam
(v. 13),
which some understand to their dispraise, that they were the last that
enlisted themselves under Ezra; I rather understand it to their honour,
that now all the sons of that family returned and none staid
behind.
II. That the Levites who went in this company were in a manner pressed
into the service. Ezra appointed a general rendezvous of all his
company at a certain place upon new-year’s day, the first day of the
first month.
Then and there he took a view of them, and mustered them, and (which
was strange) found there none of the sons of Levi,
v. 15.
Some priests there were, but no others that were Levites. Where was the
spirit of that sacred tribe? Ezra, a priest, like Moses proclaims,
Who is on the Lord’s side? They, unlike to Levi, shrink, and
desire to abide among the sheep-folds to hear the bleatings of the
flock. Synagogues we suppose they had in Babylon, in which they
prayed, and preached, and kept sabbaths (and, when they could not have
better, they had reason to be thankful for them); but now that the
temple at Jerusalem was opened, to the service of which they were
ordained, they ought to have preferred the gates of Zion before all
those synagogues. It is upon record here, to their reproach; but
tell it not in Gath. Ezra, when he observed that he had no
Levites in his retinue, was much at a loss. He had money enough for the
service of the temple, but wanted men. The king and princes had more
than done their part, but the sons of Levi had not half done theirs.
Eleven men, chief men, and men of understanding, he chooses out of his
company, to be employed for the filling up of this lamentable vacancy;
and here we are informed,
1. Of their being sent. Ezra sent them to a proper place, where there
as a college of Levites, the place Casiphia, probably a street
or square in Babylon allowed for that purpose–Silver Street one
may call it, for ceseph signifies silver. He sent them to
a proper person, to Iddo, the chief president of the college, not to
urge him to come himself (we will suppose him to be old and unfit for
such a remove), but to send some of the juniors, ministers for the
house of our God,
v. 17.
The furnishing of God’s house with good ministers is a good work, which
will redound to the comfort and credit of all that have a hand in it.
2. Of their success. They did not return without their errand, but,
though the warning was short, they brought about forty Levites to
attend Ezra, Sherebiah, noted as a very intelligent man, and eighteen
with him
(v. 18).
Hashabiah, and Jeshaiah, and twenty with them,
By this it appears that they were not averse to go, but were slothful
and inattentive, and only wanted to be called upon and excited to go.
What a pity it is that good men should omit a good work, merely for
want of being spoken to! What a pity that they should need it, but, if
they do, what a pity that they should be left without it! Of the
Nethinim, the servitors of the sacred college, the species
infima–the lowest order of the temple ministers, more appeared
forward to go than of the Levites themselves. Of them 220, upon this
hasty summons, enlisted themselves, and had the honour to be expressed
by name in Ezra’s muster-roll,
“Thus,” says Ezra, “were we furnished with Levites, by the good hand
of our God upon us.” If, where ministers have been wanting, the
vacancies are well supplied, let God have the glory, and his good hand
be acknowledged as qualifying them for the service, inclining them to
it, and then opening a door of opportunity for them.
| Ezra’s Fast. | B. C. 457. |
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21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that
we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right
way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers
and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we
had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon
all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is
against all them that forsake him.
23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was
intreated of us.
Ezra has procured Levites to go along with him; but what will that
avail, unless he have God with him? That is therefore his chief care.
In all our ways we must acknowledge God, and in those particularly
wherein we are endeavouring to serve the interest of his kingdom among
men. Ezra does so here. Observe,
I. The stedfast confidence he had in God and in his gracious
protection. He told the king
(v. 22)
what principles he went upon, that those who seek God are safe under
the shadow of his wings, even in their greatest dangers, but that those
who forsake him are continually exposed, even when they are most
secure. God’s servants have his power engaged for them; his enemies
have it engaged against them. This Ezra believed with his heart, and
with his mouth made confession of it before the king; and therefore he
was ashamed to ask of the king a convoy, lest thereby he should give
occasion to the king, and those about him, to suspect either God’s
power to help his people or Ezra’s confidence in that power. Those that
trust in God, and triumph in him, will be ashamed of seeking to the
creature for protection, especially of using any sorry shifts for their
own safety, because thereby they contradict themselves and their own
confidence. Not but that those who depend upon God must use proper
means for their preservation, and they need not be ashamed to do so;
but, when the honour of God is concerned, one would rather expose
one’s-self than do any thing to the prejudice of that, which ought to
be dearer to us than our lives.
II. The solemn application he made to God in that confidence: He
proclaimed a fast,
v. 21.
No doubt he had himself begged of God direction in this affair from the
first time he had it in his thoughts; but for public mercies public
prayers must be made, that all who are to share in the comfort of them
may join in the request for them. Their fasting was,
1. To express their humiliation. This he declares to be the intent and
meaning of it. “that we might afflict ourselves before our God
for our sins, and so be qualified for the pardon of them.” When we are
entering upon any new condition of life our care should be to bring
none of the guilt of the sins of our former condition into it. When we
are in any imminent peril let us be sure to make our peace with God,
and then we are safe: nothing can do us any real hurt.
2. To excite their supplications. Prayer was always joined with
religious fasting. Their errand to the throne of grace was to seek
of God the right way, that is, to commit themselves to the guidance
of the divine Providence, to put themselves under the divine
protection, and to beg of God to guide and keep them in their journey
and bring them safely to their journey’s end. They were strangers in
the road, were to march through their enemies’ countries, and had not a
pillar of cloud and fire to lead them, as their fathers had; but they
believed that the power and favour of God, and the ministration of his
angels, would be to them instead of that, and hoped by prayer to obtain
divine assistance. Note, All our concerns about ourselves, our
families, and our estates, it is our wisdom and duty by prayer to
commit to God, and leave the care of with him,
III. The good success of their doing so
(v. 23):
We besought our God by joint-prayer, and he was entreated of
us. They had some comfortable assurance in their own minds that
their prayers were answered, and the event declared it; for never any
that sought God in earnest sought him in vain.
| Ezra’s Care of the Temple Treasure. | B. C. 457. |
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24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests,
Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,
25 And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the
vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the
king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there
present, had offered:
26 I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty talents
of silver, and silver vessels a hundred talents, and of gold
a hundred talents;
27 Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two
vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.
28 And I said unto them, Ye are holy unto the LORD; the
vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a
freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers.
29 Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them before the
chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of
Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.
30 So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the
silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to
Jerusalem unto the house of our God.
We have here an account of the particular care which Ezra took of the
treasure he had with him, that belonged to God’s sanctuary, Observe,
1. Having committed the keeping of it to God, he committed the keeping
of it to proper men, whose business it was to watch it, though without
God they would have waked in vain. Note, Our prayers must always be
seconded with our endeavours; the care of Christ’s gospel, his church,
and ordinances, must not be so left with him but that it must also be
committed to faithful men,
2 Tim. ii. 2.
2. Having prayed to God to preserve all the substance they had with
them, he shows himself especially solicitous for that part of it which
belonged to the house of God and was an offering to him. Do we expect
that God should, by his providence, keep that which belongs to us? Let
us, by his grace, keep that which belongs to him. Let God’s honour and
interest be our care; and then we may expect that our lives and
comforts will be his. Observe,
(1.) The persons to whom he delivered the offerings of the house of
God. Twelve chief priests, and as many Levites, he appointed to this
trust
(v. 24, 30),
who were bound by their office to take care of the things of God, and
were in a particular manner to have the benefit of these sacred
treasures. Ezra tells them why he put those things into their hands
(v. 28):
You are holy unto the Lord, the vessels are holy also; and who
so fit to take care of holy things as holy persons? Those that have the
dignity and honour of the priesthood must take along with them the
trust and duty of it. The prophet is foretelling the return of God’s
people and ministers out of Babylon, when he gives the solemn charge
(Isa. lii. 11),
Be you clean that bear the vessels of the Lord.
(2.) The great exactness with which he lodged this trust in their
hands: He weighed to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels
(v. 25),
because he expected to have it from them again by weight. In all trust,
but especially sacred ones, we ought to be punctual, and preserve a
right understanding on both sides. In Zerubbabel’s time the vessels
were delivered by number, here by weight, that all might be
forth-coming and it might easily appear if any were missing, to
intimate that such as are entrusted with holy things (as all the
stewards of the mysteries of God are) are concerned to remember, both
in receiving their trust and in discharging it, that they must shortly
give a very particular account of it, that they may be faithful to it
and so give up their account with joy.
(3.) The charge he have them with these treasures
(v. 29):
“Watch you, and keep them, that they be not lost, nor embezzled,
nor mingled with the other articles. Keep them together; keep them by
themselves; keep them safely, till you weigh them in the temple, before
the great men there,” hereby intimating how much it was their concern
to be careful and faithful and how much it would be their honour to be
found so. Thus when Paul charges Timothy with the gospel treasure he
bids him keep it until the appearing of Jesus Christ, and his
appearing before him to give account of his trust, when his fidelity
would be his crown.
| Ezra’s Arrival at Jerusalem. | B. C. 457. |
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31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth
day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand of
our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the
enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.
32 And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.
33 Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the
vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth
the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son
of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and
Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;
34 By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight
was written at that time.
35 Also the children of those that had been carried away,
which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings
unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety
and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a
sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD.
36 And they delivered the king’s commissions unto the king’s
lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and
they furthered the people, and the house of God.
We are now to attend Ezra to Jerusalem, a journey of about four months
in all; but his multitude made his marches slow and his stages short.
Now here we are told,
I. That his God was good, and he acknowledged his goodness: The hand
of our God was upon us, to animate us for our undertaking. To him
they owed it,
1. That they were preserved in their journey, and not all cut off; for
there were enemies that laid wait for them by the way to do them
a mischief, or at least, like Amalek, to smite the hindmost of
them, but God protected them,
Even the common perils of journeys are such as oblige us to sanctify
our going out with prayer and our returns in peace with praise and
thanksgiving; much more ought God to be thus eyed in such a dangerous
expedition as this was.
2. That they were brought in safety to their journey’s end,
Let those that have stedfastly set their faces towards the new
Jerusalem proceed and persevere to the end till they appear before
God in Zion, and they shall find that he who has begun the good
work will perform it.
II. That his treasurers were faithful. When they had come to Jerusalem
they were impatient to be discharged of their trust, and therefore
applied to the great men of the temple, who received it from them and
gave them an acquittance in full,
It is a great ease to one’s mind to be discharged from a trust, and a
great honour to one’s name to be able to make it appear that it has
been faithfully discharged.
III. That his companions were devout. As soon as they came to be near
the altar they thought themselves obliged to offer sacrifice, whatever
they had done in Babylon,
That will be dispensed with when we want opportunity which when the
door is opened again will be expected from us. It is observable,
1. That among their sacrifices they had a sin-offering; for it is the
atonement that sweetens and secures every mercy to us, which will not
be truly comfortable unless iniquity be taken away and our peace
made with God.
2. That the number of their offerings related to the number of the
tribes, twelve bullocks, twelve he-goats, and ninety-six rams (that is,
eight times twelve), intimating the union of the two kingdoms,
according to what was foretold,
They did not any longer go two tribes one way and ten another, but all
the twelve met by their representatives at the same altar.
IV. That even the enemies of the Jews became their friends, bowed to
Ezra’s commission, and, instead of hindering the people of God,
furthered them
(v. 36),
purely in complaisance to the king: when he appeared moderate they all
coveted to appear so too. Then had the churches rest.
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