Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Ezra 3:7

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Ezra 3:7. They gave money also — They copied the conduct of Solomon while he was building his temple; see 1 Kings 5:11. He employed the Tyrians, gave them meat and drink, c. and this permission they now had from Cyrus.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

3:1-6:22 THE TEMPLE REBUILT

Work begins (3:1-13)

Non-Jewish people living in and around Jerusalem were not pleased at the return of the Jews to the area. The Jews were understandably afraid, and wanted to ensure God’s protection by carrying out their religious duties faithfully. The mid-year festival season was approaching (see Leviticus 23:23-43), so the Jews quickly built an altar on which to offer their sacrifices. This marked the recommencement of regular sacrifices and festivals according to the ancient Levitical law (3:1-6).

The Jews then turned their attention to the task of rebuilding the temple. They ordered timber from Lebanon, and took stones from the ruins of the old temple and recut them for the new building (7). By the beginning of the next year they were ready to start work. Under the supervision of the Levites the work went well, and the foundation was laid amid much rejoicing. Some older people, however, had a feeling of sadness when they recalled how the splendour of the former temple had been destroyed (8-13).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

THE TRUE WORSHIP RESTORED, THEY PLANNED TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE

“From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt-offerings unto Jehovah: but the foundation of the temple of Jehovah was not yet laid. They gave money also unto the masons and to the carpenters; and food, and drink, and oil unto them of Sidon, and unto them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, unto Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.”

There was never any doubt that the returnees would rebuild the temple, which they would do as soon as possible. They wasted no time in raising money for that purpose.

“The grant they had of Cyrus” “The full terms of this grant are found in Ezra 6:3-5.”Wycliffe Old Testament Commentary, p. 426. “The Lebanon range of mountains where those wonderful cedar trees grew belonged, at this point in history, to the kings of Persia.”Arthur S. Peake’s Commentary, p. 327.

A number of dependable scholars have mentioned “corruptions” in the text of this chapter. Keil stated that, “This text cannot be regarded as authoritative”;C. F. Keil, Keil and Delitzsch’s Old Testament Commentaries, Vol. 3c, p. 54. and Oesterley stated, with regard to both Ezra 3:8 and Ezra 3:9 that, “The text here is corrupt.”Arthur S. Peake’s Commentary, p. 327. In spite of this, the basic truth of what is here proclaimed is unimpeachable; and the alleged “corruptions” do not change that. Furthermore, we believe that the allegations regarding a corrupt text are related to the false assumption of scholars that “laying the foundation” occurred only one time. We reject that as unreasonable. How do men know that it was not done twice, once at the very beginning, during the reign of Cyrus, and many years later under Darius I?

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

According to the grant - i. e., in accordance with the permission granted them by Cyrus to rebuild their temple Ezra 1:1-4.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 3

And when the seventh month was come, the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and they built the altar of God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. And they set the altar upon its bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening ( Ezra 3:1-3 ).

Now Zerubbabel was more or less the political leader of the people who returned. Zerubbabel was a grandson to the one king of Israel, Jehoiachin. And so, had they followed the monarchy, he would have been the king, but he didn't assume the position of a monarch. But he was the leader of the people in a political sense; whereas Jeshua the priest was the leader of the people in a spiritual sense. Jeshua was the priest leading them in spiritual things; Zerubbabel became more or less a governor over this remnant of people that returned. However, he was of the royal line of David and could have assumed the position of the king. However, the monarchy had ended and is not to be picked up again until Jesus Christ comes. And He will sit upon the throne of David and God's promise to David that there shall not cease one from his family sitting upon the throne forever will be fulfilled when Jesus comes again and establishes God's eternal kingdom upon the earth.

And so, if you will at this point next week read the book of Zechariah, you will find where Zerubbabel and Jeshua fit into the picture. They were the instruments that God used in bringing the people back and in encouraging the people. These two men were vital instruments of God. And you'll find more record concerning them there in the prophecies of Zechariah. And also at this particular period of the building of the temple, you'll find Haggai has a lot to say about this. So this week as extra-curricular reading, you might want to go to Haggai and Zechariah, because it fits right into this general period.

So they gather together and they started offering sacrifices to the Lord, even before the temple was rebuilt. They cleared off the area of the altar. They began to offer the morning and evening sacrifices, because actually there was a lot of hostility from the people around about them. And they were living in real fear. So they were really seeking God's protection and started offering sacrifices both morning and evening.

Now they kept the feast of the tabernacles ( Ezra 3:4 ),

Which, of course, is in October. They were there, it said, in the ninth month they came back, so they started keeping again the feast of the tabernacles the tenth month.

They offered the daily burnt offerings, according to the number that was required ( Ezra 3:4 );

And so forth. And the special offerings of the feasts and all.

and every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the Lord ( Ezra 3:5 ).

It is interesting how that all the time the mention of giving to God is always mentioned in a free will, willingly. Pressure is never right when it comes to giving to God. You should never give out of constraint. Paul said, "but as every man hath purposed in his own heart, so let him give" ( 2 Corinthians 9:7 ). And so it is a shame that the church has adopted pressure tactics in trying to get pledges out of people or get offerings out of people or get support for God's work. And there are various types of pressure tactics that are used. There's a lot of weeping and wailing, which is a pressure tactic to get your sympathy so that you'll send your money in. And there's a lot of exuberance and hilarity and all and push, push, push.

But it should never be, because so often if I give, actually if I give in order that I might be seen of men to give, if I'm giving in a public service because everyone who is going to give so much is going to stand up, you know, and then you get your public recognition, then after I give it, I feel bad. "Oh my, really didn't want to give that much and I can't afford that and all." And you begin to feel bad, and then you begin to resent what you gave to God. That's terrible. God doesn't want anybody griping over what they've given to Him. And thus, your giving should always be willingly, a freewill offering unto the Lord. And that should, that's really the whole rule of giving to God. Freely, of your own heart. Not by pressure, not by constraint, not by someone begging or pushing. But you are just determining in your heart, "I want to give this to God," and then doing it without any fanfare or anything else. Just, "Hey, Lord, I love You and I want to just give this to You, Lord. I just thank You for the opportunity of giving." And give freely unto God. And always through the Old Testament this is emphasized. And of course, the New Testament has declared not by constraint, not by force, but willingly, let everybody lay aside that which he has purposed in his own heart.

So the people gave in order that they might start building the temple.

And they gave money to the masons, the carpenters ( Ezra 3:7 );

And they hired actually men to go up to Tyre and Zidon and to bring down some of the cedar timbers in order that they might start rebuilding, even as Solomon had brought the timbers from Tyre and Zidon for the building of the first temple, down to Joppa. So now they are bringing more of those timbers out of the area of Lebanon to build, to rebuild the temple.

In the second year of their coming to the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the remnant of their brethren the priests, and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem; and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the LORD. Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brothers, and they set forward the workmen in the house of God. And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, they set priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites and the sons of Asaph with their cymbals, to praise the LORD, after the ordinance of David the king of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and in giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid ( Ezra 3:8-11 ).

And so you can get a mental picture of this scene. They came back to Jerusalem which had been lying there desolate for seventy years. So the, just have become overgrown. Some of the men that came back actually had seen Jerusalem before its destruction. They had seen the original temple. Some of the very old men. But most of them had never seen Jerusalem before. Only they came back to a city of rubble. The older men no doubt directed them to the place where Solomon's temple have been built. They cleared away the rubble and they laid the foundation stones once more. And they were so thrilled that the foundation stones were laid that they had a big ceremony offering offerings unto God, the priest blowing on their trumpets, others sounding with their cymbals. And there were two hundred singers. And so they had, no doubt, several choirs. And one was singing and then another praises unto the Lord as they were praising God and as the choirs were singing, the people were there worshipping God and just so thankful that a center of worship was being created once again where they could gather before God and offer their offering unto Him.

But as they were singing and praising the Lord, some of these old men who remembered the glory of Solomon's temple, the beauty and the glory of that temple, when they saw the foundations and they realized, "Hey, you know, we're putting this thing together nickel and dime, and that one of Solomon's was so glorious," these old men began to weep. The younger fellows were all excited. We're going to have a temple again. But the older fellows, remembering the glory that was past, the glory that was lost, they wept. And so you have half of them, or not half, you have a bunch of them weeping, some of them yelling, and you couldn't tell the difference in the noise whether or not they were weeping or praising, and all as the noise mingled together. But they made such a racket that it was heard afar off. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The reconstruction of the temple foundation 3:7-9

As Solomon had done, these Jews contracted with the Phoenicians to the north to supply wood for the temple (cf. 2 Chronicles 2:16). The people needed several months of preparations before actual construction began on the site in 536 B.C. It commenced about 70 years after the first group of exiles had departed for Babylon in 605 B.C. Extensive foundation repair work was necessary because the temple stood on a hilltop and because Babylonian destruction had been extensive.

Under the Mosaic Law, Levites began their service at age 25 (Numbers 8:24). The Mosaic Law did not allow them to carry the tabernacle until they were 30 (Numbers 4:3). David had allowed Levites to begin some service at age 20 (1 Chronicles 23:24; 1 Chronicles 23:27). Zerubbabel and Jeshua also allowed them to begin working on the reconstruction project at age 20 (Ezra 3:8).

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

They gave money also to the masons, and to the carpenters,.... To buy stone and timber with for the building of the temple:

and meat and drink and oil unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre; which were more agreeable to them than money, because there was not plenty of such things in their country, as in the land of Israel:

to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa; as they did at the first building of the temple by Solomon; they cut down cedars at Lebanon, which belonged to them, and sent them by sea to Joppa, the nearest seaport to Jerusalem, about forty miles from it: see 2 Chronicles 2:16,

according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia; for Tyre and Zidon being under his dominion as well as Judea, he not only gave leave to the Jews to get cedar wood from Lebanon, but gave orders to the Zidonians and Tyrians to furnish them with it, paying a valuable consideration for it; and so some a render the word, "according to the commandment of Cyrus".

a כרשיון "juxta praeceptum", Vatablus; "juxta quod praeceperat", V. L. So Ben Melech.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.   2 Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.   3 And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.   4 They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;   5 And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD.   6 From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.   7 They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

      Here is, I. A general assembly of the returned Israelites at Jerusalem, in the seventh month,Ezra 3:1; Ezra 3:1. We may suppose that they came from Babylon in the spring, and must allow at least four months for the journey, for so long Ezra and his company were in coming, Ezra 7:9; Ezra 7:9. The seventh month therefore soon came, in which many of the feasts of the Lord were to be solemnized; and then they gathered themselves together by agreement among themselves, rather than by the command of authority, to Jerusalem. Though they had newly come to their cities, and had their hands full of business there, to provide necessaries for themselves and their families, which might have excused them from attending on God's altar till the hurry was a little over, as many foolishly put off their coming to the communion till they are settled in the world, yet such was their zeal for religion, now that they had newly come from under correction for their irreligion, that they left all their business in the country, to attend God's altar; and (which is strange) in this pious zeal they were all of a mind, they came as one man. Let worldly business be postponed to the business of religion and it will prosper the better.

      II. The care which their leading men took to have an altar ready for them to attend upon.

      1. Joshua and his brethren the priests, Zerubbabel and his brethren the princes, built the altar of the God of Israel (Ezra 3:2; Ezra 3:2), in the same place (it is likely) where it had stood, upon the same bases, Ezra 3:3; Ezra 3:3. Bishop Patrick, observing that before the temple was built there seems to have been a tabernacle pitched for the divine service, as was in David's time, not on Mount Moriah, but Mount Sion (1 Chronicles 9:23), supposes that this altar was erected there, to be sued while the temple was in building. Let us learn hence, (1.) To begin with God. The more difficult and necessitous our case is the more concerned we are to take him along with us in all our ways. If we expect to be directed by his oracles, let him be honoured by our offerings. (2.) To do what we can in the worship of God when we cannot do what we would. They could not immediately have a temple, but they would not be without an altar. Abraham, wherever he came, built an altar; and wherever we come, though we may perhaps want the benefit of the candlestick of preaching, and the showbread of the eucharist, yet, if we bring not the sacrifices of prayer and praise, we are wanting in our duty, for we have an altar that sanctifies the gift ever ready.

      2. Observe the reason here given why they hastened to set up the altar: Fear was upon them, because of the people of the land. They were in the midst of enemies that bore ill will to them and their religion, for whom they were an unequal match. And, (1.) Though they were so, yet they built the altar (so some read it); they would not be frightened from their religion by the opposition they were likely to meet with in it. Never let the fear of man bring us into this snare. (2.) Because they were so, therefore they set up the altar. Apprehension of danger should stir us up to our duty. Have we many enemies? Then it is good to have God our friend and to keep up our correspondence with him. This good use we should make of our fears, we should be driven by them to our knees. Even Saul would think himself undone if the enemy should come upon him before he had made his supplication to God, 1 Samuel 13:12.

      III. The sacrifices they offered upon the altar. The altar was reared to be used, and they used it accordingly. Let not those that have an altar starve it.

      1. They began on the first day of the seventh month,Ezra 3:6; Ezra 3:6. It does not appear that they had any fire from heaven to begin with, as Moses and Solomon had, but common fire served them, as it did the patriarchs.

      2. Having begun, they kept up the continual burnt-offering (Ezra 3:5; Ezra 3:5), morning and evening,Ezra 3:3; Ezra 3:3. They had known by sad experience what it was to want the comfort of the daily sacrifice to plead in their daily prayers, and now that it was revived they resolved not to let it fall again. The daily lamb typified the Lamb of God, whose righteousness must be our confidence in all our prayers.

      3. They observed all the set feasts of the Lord, and offered the sacrifices appointed for each, and particularly the feast of tabernacles,Ezra 3:4; Ezra 3:5. Now that they had received such great mercy from God that joyful feast was in a special manner seasonable. And now that they were beginning to settle in their cities it might serve well to remind them of their fathers dwelling in tents in the wilderness. That feast also which had a peculiar reference to gospel times (as appears, Zechariah 14:18) was brought, in a special manner, into reputation, now that those times drew on. Of the services of this feast, which continued seven days and had peculiar sacrifices appointed, it is said that they did as the duty of every day required (see Numbers 29:13-38, c.), Verbum die in die suo--the word, or matter, of the day in its day (so it is in the original)--a phrase that has become proverbial with those that have used themselves to scripture-language. If the feast of tabernacles was a figure of a gospel conversation, in respect of continual weanedness from the world and joy in God, we may infer that it concerns us all to do the work of the day in its day, according as the duty of the day requires, that is, (1.) We must improve time, by finding some business to do every day that will turn to a good account. (2.) We must improve opportunity, by accommodating ourselves to that which is the proper business of the present day. Every thing is beautiful in its season. The tenth day of this month was the day of atonement, a solemn day, and very seasonable now: it is very probable that they observed it, yet it is not mentioned, nor indeed in all the Old Testament do I remember the least mention of the observance of that day as if it were enough that we have the law of it in Leviticus 16:1-34, and the gospel of it, which was the chief intention of it, in the New Testament.

      4. They offered every man's free-will offering,Ezra 3:5; Ezra 3:5. The law required much, but they brought more; for, though they had little wealth to support the expense of their sacrifices, they had much zeal, and, we may suppose, spared at their own tables that they might plentifully supply God's altar. Happy are those that bring with them out of the furnace of affliction such a holy heat as this.

      IV. The preparation they made for the building of the temple, Ezra 3:7; Ezra 3:7. This they applied themselves immediately to; for, while we do what we can, we must still be aiming to do more and better. Tyre and Sidon must now, as of old, furnish them with workmen, and Lebanon with timber, orders for both which they had from Cyrus. What God calls us to we may depend upon his providence to furnish us for.