Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

This house was finished - The sixth year of Darius mentioned here was about A.M. 3489, twenty years after the foundation had been laid by Zerubbabel, under the reign of Cyrus.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

“Adar” was the twelfth or last month of the Jewish year, corresponding nearly with our March. The sixth year of Darius was 516-515 B.C.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar,.... The twelfth month of the year with the Jews, and answers to part of our February and part of March:

which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king; four years after the decree came forth.

Geneva Study Bible

And this house was finished on the third day of the month ^g Adar, which was in ^h the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

(g) This is the twelfth month and contains part of February and part of March.

(h) The 42nd year after their first return.

Scofield's Reference Notes

Adar

twelfth month i.e. March.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Ezra 6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

Ver. 15. And this house was finished] About fifteen years after that the foundation had been laid, or twenty at most. The Jews therefore either were out in their account, John 2:20, Forty and six years was this temple in building; or else they meant it of Herod’s temple, which was long in building and beautifying, whereby he sought to ingratiate with the Jews, which yet he could never do.

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

I think there must have been a space of nearly 20 years from the foundation of the temple to the finishing of it. And in the building up of every individual of Christ's mystical temple, how long sometimes, how frequently interrupted, and in some instances, how apparently given over, as it was here, doth the work seem to many precious souls, in their own ease and in that of others! Oh! precious, precious Jesus! well is it for thy people that both the work and the glory is thine. The spark of grace thou preservest from being extinguished. The incorruptible seed thou keepest from rotting.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

15.Month Adar — The twelfth, or last month of the Jewish year.

Sixth year of’ Darius — Having been resumed in the second year of his reign, (Ezra 4:24,) the rebuilding, after that time, took four years.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

Ezra 6:15. This house was finished in the third day of the month Adar — The tenth of March, in the year of the world 3489, in little more than four years after the Jews had returned to the work, and engaged heartily in it, in consequence of the reproofs and exhortations of Haggai and Zechariah; in something more than two years after the forementioned decree of Darius had been given forth; in about twenty years after the return from captivity; and five hundred and fifteen before the coming of the Messiah.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Adar, corresponding with our February and March. (Menochius) --- In the latter month they celebrated the Passover, ver. 19. --- Darius. Hence twenty years had elapsed from the first foundation. They might continue to embellish the temple other twenty-seven years, as the Jews assert; (John ii. 20,) unless they speak of the repairs made by Herod, (Baronius; Tirinus) or exaggerate, (Grotius) being under a mistake. (Salien, the year of the world 3537.)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Adar = the twelfth month. See App-51.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(15) The third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year.—The event around which this part of the history revolves is dated with due care; it was on the third day of the last month of the ecclesiastical year, B.C. 516-515. Haggai (Haggai 1:15) gives the exact date of the re-commencement: the time therefore was four years five months and ten days. But, dating from the first foundation (Ezra 3:10), no less than twenty-one years had elapsed.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

A. M. 3489. B.C. 515. Adar

Esther 3:7,13; 8:12; 9:1,15,17,19,21

Reciprocal: 1 Kings 6:38 - finished;  1 Kings 7:51 - was ended;  Ezra 5:16 - it is not finished;  Ezra 9:9 - to set up;  Nehemiah 6:15 - wall;  Ecclesiastes 9:10 - thy hand;  Zechariah 1:1 - the eighth;  Zechariah 1:16 - my house;  Zechariah 4:7 - shoutings;  Zechariah 4:9 - his hands;  Zechariah 7:1 - the fourth