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Ezra 4 - Commentary
Ezra 4:1
The enemy of God's people would try to stop the building of the temple. Noah had the same problem from the world around him, when he was building the ark. Any person, or group of people, who decide to do something for God will face opposition from the devil. In this particular instance, the devil was using the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin.
Ezra 4:2
This has been another weapon the enemy used from the beginning. The serpent was in the garden with Adam and Eve. The enemy will infiltrate the church any chance he can get. This was no different. He tried to join in the building to sabatoge the work.
Ezra 4:3
The Bible is very plain in warning believers not to be un-equally yoked with unbelievers. It was good that Zerubbabel and Jeshua saw through their offer to help, and refused to let them help. Cyrus had not insisted on them helping, and they knew better than to include those of the world in building the temple to the LORD.
Ezra 4:4
The people of the land, here, are speaking of Samaritans. They were a constant hindrance to the building of the temple by Judah and Benjamin.
Ezra 4:5
These counsellors were bought to side in against Judah and Benjamin. In our day, this hindrance would be things like not being able to get building permits, or something of that order. They were trying to make it as difficult as possible to keep the temple from being built. The temple would bring a unity of the people. This is one of the things their adversaries did not want to happen.
Ezra 4:6
Many believe this Ahasuerus to be the same as Xerxes mentioned in the book of Esther. They were trying to turn him against the people that had been allowed to return to Judah.
Ezra 4:7
This is speaking of them having an interpreter write this letter in the Syrian language to prove to the Syrians they were part of them. Part of the reason the building had slowed down, was because of the change of kings. The people of Judah would not know whether the new king still would help with the building of the temple, or not. He would not remain king very long.
Ezra 4:8
Rehum and Shimshai were not Hebrews. They were not for the building of the temple. This Artaxerxes was easily swayed against Jerusalem.
Ezra 4:9
There is not much known about Asnapper. These are speaking of people, who were not of Judah and Benjamin. They would like very much to run them off, if they could and take this area for themselves. They were afraid of the temple being built, because it would give a permanence to the re-taking of the land by Judah.
Ezra 4:11
These letters were for no other purpose but to stir up trouble between Artaxerxes and Judah.
Ezra 4:12
It was not actually this king who had sent them. Cyrus was the king of Persia at the time they were sent to Jerusalem. The Jews had rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar, and that is what they were reminding this evil king of here. They were not rebelling now, but doing what Cyrus sent them to Jerusalem to do.
Ezra 4:13
They were trying to get this new king to stop Jerusalem from building a wall of protection around it. The easiest way to get the attention of this new king was to appeal to the loss of money from taxation of this province. Of course, there had been no rebellion, but they were not bothered with facts. They were trying to help themselves and not the king of Persia.
Ezra 4:14
They are pretending to look after the interest of the king of Persia. They eat salt that he had provided, is perhaps what is meant by maintenance. They are pretending to be protecting the king's interest.
Ezra 4:15
Nebuchadnezzar had come against Jerusalem, because the LORD had turned him against His people. Their being unfaithful to God was what caused their destruction. The records would, possibly, show a rebellion against Nebuchadnezzar, however.
Ezra 4:16
These evil men were trying to convince the king that he would lose all control over Judah, if he allowed them to continue this building program. These evil men were not really trying to help anyone, but themselves. They believed, if the king destroyed Judah, they would be able to receive this land.
Ezra 4:17
This evil king had received their letters, and believed what they had said. He looked in the records, and saw where Jerusalem had rebelled against them. He had believed a lie.
Ezra 4:20
The mighty kings, spoken of here, could be David, Solomon, or Josiah. This was a true statement, that they did collect tribute. The remnant of the people in Jerusalem now, was not large enough to be a threat to anyone, however.
Ezra 4:21
He, now, gave orders that the building was to cease.
Ezra 4:22
They were to act immediately upon this, so the king would suffer no loss.
Ezra 4:23
It appears, that these two men were the representatives of the king in this land. Even though the Jews had been freed and returned home, they were still under the rule of Persia. These men were speaking for the king of Persia, and forced the building to stop.
Ezra 4:24
Artaxarxes reigned for less than a year. He was replaced by king Darius. Darius would allow the work to continue on as originally planned. This speaks of a period of less than 2 years interval, before the work on the temple would be legal to start again.
Additional Resources for Chapter 4
Commentarieshttps://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-4-spiritual-setbacks-ezra-41-24
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/StudyGuide2017-Ezr/Ezr-4.cfm
https://www.versebyverseministry.org/bible-studies/ezra
https://www.wednesdayintheword.com/ezra-resources/