Ezra 1 - Commentary
The book of Ezra is a book about the times immediately after the Babylonian captivity of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Ezra was, probably, the compiler of this book, as he was of the Chronicles. He, also, penned Psalm 119. I personally believe that he was the penman of most of the book of Ezra, if not all. He was a Hebrew in captivity in Babylon. Ezra was a priest, and a scribe, a descendent of Eleazar. Nehemiah 12:26
Nehemiah, at one time, was thought of as one book with Ezra. It appears, that Ezra had a great deal to do with it, as well.
In this book, we see the release and return of the Hebrews to their homeland from Babylon. Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, lived and preached during this time. We will find that the captives came back at three different times. The first groups return was led by Zerubbabel. The next group was led by Ezra. The third group was led by Nehemiah who became governor.
Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther cover about 100 years time from about 536 B.C. to about 432 B.C. This will be a time of re-building the temple, as well as re-establishing their homeland.
One of the clear spiritual messages we must receive in this, is that God can use whomever He wants to, to bring His purpose about. As I have said so many times, the two real powers in the world are the spoken and the written Word of God. We will find that Ezra, along with Nehemiah cause the people to return to the study of God's Word. Many believe that Ezra assembled the writing of the Old Testament for that study.
This is a historical book of the events occurring after the return from captivity in Babylon. The name "Ezra" means help.
We will now begin the study in Ezra 1:1 "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,"
Jeremiah had prophesied the very things that we will read of happening, here. This is absolute evidence that the prophecies of Jeremiah were true. Cyrus was a heathen king, but God created him, the same as He created everyone else. God will move upon the mind of Cyrus, and Cyrus will do the will of God. Cyrus took Babylon on the night of Belshazzar's feast after he saw the handwriting on the wall. It appears, that God immediately moved upon Cyrus, king of Persia. What the LORD told Cyrus was so serious, that Cyrus wrote it down.
Ezra 1:2 "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."
Cyrus was aware that the great power he had received by conquering the lands around him, was supernatural. He seems to be giving the praise to Jehovah for putting the kingdoms of the earth in his hands. The house that was to be built in Jerusalem would certainly be for the One True God. The Persians were practicing worship of false gods at this time, but Cyrus seems to have broken from that.
Ezra 1:3 "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."
This leaves absolutely no doubt at all who Cyrus was speaking of. He calls Him the LORD God of Israel. We see, also, that Cyrus is offering freedom to all who would return to Judah and build the temple. The temple is to be built in Jerusalem, but any of the captives of any of the twelve tribes, could return and work on the temple.
Ezra 1:4 "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."
We see that Cyrus was insisting on the heathen, as well as the Hebrews, giving silver, gold, and goods to rebuild the temple. Cyrus was going to send from his own freewill offering, many of the temple treasures that had been taken and brought to Babylon. He asked the people of the land to do the same.
Ezra 1:5 "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."
Primarily, those who rose up to go back to Jerusalem, were those of the tribes of Benjamin and of Judah. The Levites were those who had been chosen of God for His service. The priests were, also, Levites who served in the temple worship. The leaders of the various families went, also. Notice, the Spirit of God had entered them, and filled them with the desire to go and build the temple. The house of the LORD is the temple.
Ezra 1:6 "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."
Those that were about them were their neighbors, whether Babylonian or Hebrew. It appears, they did exactly as Cyrus had asked them to do. Cyrus gave willingly, here, and the others added to it as they were able.
Ezra 1:7 "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;"
Cyrus did not recognize the false gods of the Babylonians. He took the items from the temple in Jerusalem that had been placed in these temples of false gods, and sent them back to Judah. There were many golden cups and dishes even being used in the palace of the king. Cyrus seemed to gather up all he could find, and sent it back for the temple in Jerusalem.
Ezra 1:8 "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."
Mithredath was a name which meant given by Mithre. The name was Persian. These were things in the treasury, then. There was a close accounting kept of what had been removed and sent to Jerusalem.
Ezra 1:9 "And this [is] the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,"
The chargers were called wine-coolers, but had, probably, been used in the drink offerings in the temple services. It could have even been speaking of basins, or bowls. They were very expensive, since they had been made of gold and silver. The knives, mentioned here, are thought by some to be the censers. It is not clear exactly what they were.
Ezra 1:10 "Thirty basins of gold, silver basins of a second [sort] four hundred and ten, [and] other vessels a thousand." Ezra 1:11 "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."
From the number of vessels sent to Jerusalem by Cyrus, we can see that he sincerely wanted to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and he wanted everything that belonged in it returned. Sheshbazzar was apparently the name Zerubbabel was called by in Babylon. This would be the first group of people leaving captivity to return to Jerusalem to build the temple. It is interesting that all through history, the Jews have come back from time to time into the their land. They never were out from under Gentile rule for very long at a time, until in 1948 when they received their independence. This, I believe, to be the end of the Gentile rule.
Additional Resources for Chapter 1
Commentarieshttps://www.insight.org/resources/bible/the-historical-books/ezra
https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-1-god-s-way-renewal-ezra-11-11
https://simplelessonsfromthebible.blogspot.com/2018/07/5-life-lessons-from-book-of-ezra-bible-study-and-Commentary.html
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Ezr/Ezr-1.cfm
https://www.agapebiblestudy.com/Ezra/Ezra_Menu.php
https://www.versebyverseministry.org/bible-studies/ezra
http://inductive.indubiblia.org/ezra-1
https://www.wednesdayintheword.com/ezra-resources/