Cyrus king of Persia

2 Chronicles 36:22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD spoken by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, 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,

• This verse and the next have a double aspect. They look back to the prophecy of Jeremiah, and show how that was accomplished; and they look forward to the history of Ezra, which begins with a repetition of these two last verses.

23 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, All the kingdoms of the earth hath the LORD God of heaven given me; and he hath charged me to build him an house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? The LORD his God be with him, and let him go up.

• God of heaven = First occurrence of this expression.
• Now used because His People was Lo Ammi "not My People", and He (God) had withdrawn from their midst.
• It is the title peculiar to the times of the Gentiles, while God acts from heaven, and not from between the cherubim as God the God of Israel, or as "the Lord of all the earth" (His millennial title).

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,

• The proclamation of Cyrus for the building of the temple.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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;

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.

9 And this is the number of them: thirty chargers of gold, a thousand chargers of silver, nine and twenty knives,

10 Thirty basons of gold, silver basons of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels a thousand.

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.

 

Ezra 3:1 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.

8 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites, 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.

9 Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites.

10 And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel.

11 And they sang together by course in praising and 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.

12 But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice; and many shouted aloud for joy:

13 So that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people: for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard afar off.

 

Ezra 4:3 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.

• Ezra 3:2 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.
• 1 Kings 12:17 But as for the children of Israel which dwelt in the cities of Judah, Rehoboam reigned over them.

4 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,

• Troubled them in = terrified them from

5 And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

• Cyrus =The son of Astyages and Esther.
• Darius = Darius Hystaspis
• Darius being only an appellative = the maintainer, needs "Hystaspis" to be added, to identify him; as Astyages, when called Darius, needs the addition of "the Mede".
• I am Darius, the great king, the king of kings, the king of Persia, the king of the provinces, the son of Hystaspes, the grandson of Arsames the Achaemenian.

Ezra 5:1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.

2 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.

3 At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?

4 Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?

5 But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.

6 The copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar–boznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king:

7 They sent a letter unto him, wherein was written thus; Unto Darius the king, all peace.

8 Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls, and this work goeth fast on, and prospereth in their hands.

9 Then asked we those elders, and said unto them thus, Who commanded you to build this house, and to make up these walls?

10 We asked their names also, to certify thee, that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them.

11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

12 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.

13 But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.

14 And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;

15 And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be builded in his place.

16 Then came the same Sheshbazzar, and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished.

17 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.

 

Ezra 6:1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

2 And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll, and therein was a record thus written:

3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

4 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:

5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

7 Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.

8 Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.

9 And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail:

10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

13 Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shethar–boznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.

14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

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.

16 And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,

17 And offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

19 And the children of the captivity kept the Passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the Lord God of Israel, did eat,

22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the Lord had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

 

Isaiah 44:28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.

 

Isaiah 45:1 Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut;

• Loose the loins = Idiom for weakening
• Compare = Job 12:21 He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
• The opposite of "girding" (verse 5)
• Open before him the two leaved gates: of Babylon, as described by Herodotus.
• Not be shut = They were found open, and Gobryas and the soldiers of Cyrus entered Babylon without fighting.

2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

• Straight = level
• Break in pieces = shiver
• Gates of brass = tells us that the gates leading to the river were of brass.
• Cut in sunder =. smash

3 And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

4 For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

• Israel mine elect (Ezekiel 44)

5 I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me:

6 That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else.

7 I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things.

• God created all things

8 Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the Lord have created it.

9 Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashioneth it, What makest thou? or thy work, He hath no hands?

10 Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?

11 Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.

12 I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

• He the Father of all people, He created all things

13 I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.

• Raised him up = raised Cyrus up
• He shall build My city = Nehemiah rebuilt only the walls
• The city was not rebuilt until after the return under Zerubbabel, and the emancipation by Cyrus.
• Captives = Captivity = for the captives in it.
• The LORD of hosts = Denotes the God of Israel as the Lord of all the hosts of heaven and earth.
• 1 Samuel 1:3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there.

14 Thus saith the Lord, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shall come after thee; in chains they shall come over, and they shall fall down unto thee, they shall make supplication unto thee, saying, Surely God is in thee; and there is none else, there is no God.

15 Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour.

16 They shall be ashamed, and also confounded, all of them: they shall go to confusion together that are makers of idols.

17 But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

• Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation

18 For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I am the Lord; and there is none else.

• The Lord created earth to be inhabited, He created it not in vain

19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.

•  I have not spoken in secret

20 Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save.

21 Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the Lord? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me.

22 Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

23 I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

24 Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength: even to him shall men come; and all that are incensed against him shall be ashamed.

25 In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

 

Daniel 1:21 And Daniel continued even unto the first year of king Cyrus.

 

Daniel 6:28 So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

 

Daniel 10:1 In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a thing was revealed unto Daniel, whose name was called Belteshazzar; and the thing was true, but the time appointed was long: and he understood the thing, and had understanding of the vision.

 

Notes from Companion Bible E W Bullinger

 

EZRA-NEHEMIAH.

THE STRUCTURE OF THE TWO BOOKS AS A WHOLE, ACCORDING TO THEIR CANONICAL ORDER.

EZRA. THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE.
1:1-4. THE PEOPLE. EMANCIPATION.
1:52, 70. THE RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL.
3:1-6. THE ALTAR. BUILDING AND FEAST.
3:76, 22. THE TEMPLE. BUILDING AND FEAST.
7:18:36. THE RETURN UNDER EZRA.
9:110:44. THE PEOPLE. DEDICATION. REFORMATION.

NEHEMIAH. THE REBUILDING OF THE WALLS.
1:16:19. THE WALL. REBUILDING. DISORDERS OVERCOME.
7:1-4. JERUSALEM. CHANGE OVER.
7:5-73-. THE RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL.
7:-738:18. FEAST OF THE SEVENTH MONTH (426 B.C.).
9:110:39. FEAST OF THE SEVENTH MONTH (404 B.C.).
11:1-36. JERUSALEM. RESIDENTS IN.
12:1-26. THE RETURN UNDER EZRA.
12:2713:31. THE WALL. DEDICATION. DISORDERS OVERCOME.

In Hebrew manuscripts of the Bible, and the early printed editions of the Hebrew text, these two books are always treated and reckoned as one book: the 685 verses being numbered from the first verse of Ezra to the last verse of Nehemiah; the middle verse of the one book being given by the Massorites as Ne 3:32; while of the ten Sedarim (or Cycles for public reading), the fourth begins at Ezr 8.

35 and ends with Ne 2:10. Moreover, the notes which the Masaorites place at the end of each book are placed at the end of Nehemiah, and not at the end of Ezra. Compare note on the books of SAMUEL, KINGS, and CHRONICLES. The Structure of the one book is set forth as above, the two Divisions being given in their CANONICAL ORDER.

EZRA confines himself mainly to the events connected with the TEMPLE.

NEHEMIAH confines himself mainly to the events connected with the WALL and the CITY.

Ezra comes first in the Canonical Order, because the TEMPLE is more important than the WALL, morally and spiritually. Nehemiah follows, because the WALL is of secondary importance.

When the whole of the events are looked at in their CHRONOLOGICAL and HISTORICAL order, a different Structure is necessarily observed: this Structure is determined by certain fixed points, common to both Orders. These fixed points determine the place of the remaining events recorded in the two parts respectively. See Table of Events and CHRONOLOGICAL Structure on p. 618, and the Harmony of Events in Appendix 58.

CERTAIN FIXED POINTS IN THE TWO DIVISIONS OF THE JOINT BOOKS
May be exhibited as follows, in brief: a complete list of all the events will be found in Appendix 58.

EZRA (E). NEHEMIAH (N).
N-1:1 6:19. The WALL. Rebuilding. External disorders overcome.
E-1:1-4. The People. Emancipation.
N-7:1-4. The condition of the city. (People few. Houses not built.)
E- 1:5- The Return under Zerubbabel
E-2:70 (The Temple still desolate: and for sixteen years later. Hag 1:1-4.)
N-7.5-73-. The Return under Zerubbabel.
E-Feast of the Seventh Month (426 B.C.).
N-7. -73- Feast of the Seventh Month (426 B. a).
E-3:1-13. Temple. Foundation laid.
N-8:18.
E-4:1 6:15. The Temple: building.
E-6:16-22. Dedication of the Temple.
E-7:1 8:36. The Return under Ezra.
E-9:1-4. Feast, etc., of the Seventh Month
N-9:1-37. Feast, etc., of the Seventh Month (404 B.C.). (404 B.C.).
E-9:5. Separation of the People,
N-9:38. Separation of the People. Ezra's Prayer. Levites' Prayer.
E-10:1-44. Strange wives put away, and the
N-10:1-39. Strange wives put away, and the Covenant made. Covenant made.
N-11:1 12-26. Residents in Jerusalem.
N-12:27-47. Dedication of the wall.
N-13:1-31. Reformation of the People. We are now in a position to complete the Chronological Structure of the joint books.


THE STRUCTURE OF EZRA-NEHEMIAH AS A WHOLE,
ACCORDING TO THE HISTORICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF EVENTS.

(Introversions and Alternation.)
Neh 1:16:19. THE WALL. REBUILDING. EXTERNAL DISORDERS OVERCOME.
Ne 7:1-4. JERUSALEM. CHARGE OVER IT.
Ezr 1:1-4. THE PEOPLE. EMANCIPATION.
Ne 7:5-73-Ezr 1:5; 2:70. THE RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL.
Ne 7:-738:18. Ezr 3:1-7. FEAST OF THE SEVENTH MONTH (426 B.C.).
Ezr 3:8-13. THE TEMPLE. FOUNDATION.
Ezr 4:16:22. THE TEMPLE BUILDING AND DEDICATION.
Ezr 7:1; 8:36. THE RETURN UNDER EZRA.
Ne 9:1-3; Ezr 9:1-4. FEAST OF THE SEVENTH MONTH (404 B.C.).
Neh 9:410:39. Ezr 9:510:44. THE PEOPLE. SEPARATION.
Neh 11:112:26. JERUSALEM. RESIDENTS IN IT.
Ne 12:473:31. THE WALL. DEDICATION. INTERNAL DISORDERS OVERCOME.

NOTES TO THE CHRONOLOGICAL STRUCTURE (p. 617).

The CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER of EVENTS, and the STRUCTURE based thereon, revolutionizes the traditional view, which treats this one book as two books; places Ezra historically as preceding Kehemiah; and inserts the book of ESTHER between Ezra, chapters 6 and 7, instead of before Ezra-Nehemiah. (See date, Es 1:3.)

Those who thus dislocate the two divisions of this book proceed to speak of certain portions as being "misplaced", and "not original", and as having "false connections". These so-called "discrepancies", after having thus been first made by the commentators, are charged home on the inspired writers themselves.

That the "difficulties" exist only in the minds of the critics will be seen if we note the following facts:

1. The fixed points, common to the two parts of the book, determine for US the true position of all the other parts, and result in giving us the Chronological Structure of the whole on page 617.

2. The traditional view places the building of the temple by Ezra as corning many years before Ne 1. But this is inconceivable in view of the report brought by Hanani to Nehemiah concerning the desolations (Ne 1:3) and repeated to the king (Ne 2:3).

3. Nehemiah would surely have inquired about the welfare of the 42,360 exiles who are supposed to have returned to Jerusalem, and not about "the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity" (Ne 1:2).

4. When the wall was finished, "the houses were not yet builded" (Ne 7:1-4).

5. When the Feast of the seventh month was kept (Ne 8), "the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid" (Ezr 3:1-6),

6. When the people dwelt in their "cieled houses", the house of the LORD still lay waste (Hag 1:1-4). These facts are more certain than all chronology, and are more important and conclusive than all reasoning.

7. The names of some of the kings mentioned have been hitherto regarded as proper names; whereas, according to Sir Henry Rawlinson, Professor Sayce, The Encyclopedia Britannica, and The Century Encyclopaedia of Names, three at least are appellatives (like Pharaoh, Abimelech, Czar, Shah, Sultan); viz. AHASUERUS, which means "The venerable king", ARTAXERXES, which means "The great king", and DARIUS, which means "The maintainer". See the Genealogy of the Persian kings (Appendix 57). If these appellatives denote separate and different individual kings, no place can be found for them all on the page of history.

8. See the longer notes on special passages at the end of Nehemiah, page 653.

1:5-2:70. THE RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABEL.
1:5-. The chief of the fathers.
1:-5. Return to Jerusalem.
1:6-11. Assistance (v. 6 by Persians, vv. 7-
11 by the king).
2:1-67. The sons of the Province.
2:68, 69. Assistance (by Israelites).
2:70. Residents in the cities.

2:1-67. THE SONS OF THE PROVINCE.
1, 2. In sum. The number.
3-58. Names found.
59-63. Names not found.
64-67. In sum.

3:1-13. THE TEMPLE. FOUNDATION AND FEAST.
1-6. The setting up of the altar.
7-13. The foundation of the house.

3:1-7. SETTING UP THE ALTAR.
1. Time. Seventh month.
2, 3. Altar and offerings.
4. Feast of Tabernacles.
5-. Other Feasts.
-5. Altar and offerings.
6-. Time. Seventh month.

3:7-13. THE FOUNDATION OF THE HOUSE.
7, 8. The work set forward.
9. The priests. Stationed.
10-. The work. Foundation laid.
-10, 11. The priests. Praise.
12-. The work. Contrasted.
-12, 13. The priests. Emotion.

4:1-6:22. THE TEMPLE BUILDING AND DEDICATION.
4:1-6:15. The building.
6:16-22. The dedication.

4:1-6:15. THE BUILDING.
4:1, 2. Adversaries. Temptation.
4:3. Obedience to God's word.
4:4-16. Opposition. Letter to Cyrus.
4:17-22. King's answer. Success of plot.
4:23, 24-. Work. Cassation.
-24. Duration of cessation.
5:1. Helpers. (Prophets.) Exhortation.
5:2. Obedience to God's word.
5:3-17. Opposition. Letter to Darius.
6:1-12. King's answer. Defeat of plot.
6:13, 14. Work. Recommencement.
6:15. Date of completion.

4:4-16. OPPOSITION. LETTER TO CYRUS.
4, 5-. Opponents. Counsellors.
-5. Action. To frustrate.
6-11. Opponents. Writers.
12-16. Action. Writing.

4:12-16. ACTION. WRITING.
4:17-22. KING'S ANSWER. SUCCESS OF PLOT.
17. Mission.
18. Reception.
19, 20. Verification.
21, 22. Prohibition.

5:3-17. OPPOSITION LETTER TO DARIUS.
3, 4. Governor. "Who commanded?"
5-. Non-cessation. Fact. Verbal.
-5. Appeal to Darius.
6-10. Governor. "Who commanded?"
11-16. Non-cessation. Reason. Letter.
17. Appeal to Darius.

5:11-16. CESSATION. REASON.
11-. Answer of builders.
-11. The building.
12-. People. Provocation.
-12. People. Captivity.
13-15. Answer of Cyrus.
16. The building.

6:1-12. KING'S ANSWER. DEFEAT OF PLOT.
1. Darius. Search made.
2-5. Decree found (Cyrus).
6, 7. Darius. Forbearance ordered.
8-12. Decree made (Darius).

6:16-22. THE DEDICATION.
16. Feast of Dedication. "Kept with joy."
17. The People. Their offerings.
18. The priests. Set.
19. The Passover kept.
20. The priests. Purified.
21. The People. Their purification.
22. Feast of Passover. "Kept with joy."

7:1-8:36. THE RETURN UNDER EZRA.
7:1-. Artaxerxes. Time.
7:=1-6. Ezra. Journey. Hand of God.
7:7-. His companions.
7:=7. Artaxerxes. Date.
7:8, 9. Ezra. Journey. Hand of God.
7:10. His purpose.
7:11-26. Artaxerxes. Decree.
7:27, 28. His companions. "Chief men."
8:1. Artaxerxes. Time.
8:2-14. Companions of Ezra.
8:15-36. Ezra. Journey. Hand of God.

7:11-26. ARTAXERXES. DECREE.
11, 12. Introduction.
13-25. The decree for Ezra.
26. Conclusion.

13-25. THE DECREE FOR EZRA.
13. To companions.
14-20. To Ezra. Supplies.
21-24. To treasurers.
25. To Ezra. Magistracy.

14-20. TO EZRA. SUPPLIES.
14-16. The king's money.
17, 18. For service. Offerings.
19. For service. Vessels.
20. The king's treasury.

8:15-36. EZRA. JOURNEY.
15-20. Mission. Commenced.
21-23. Difficulty. Encountered.
24-30. Charge.
31, 32. Difficulty. Overcome.
33-35. Charge.
36. Mission. Completed.

9:1-10:44. THE PEOPLE. DEDICATION. REFORMATION.
9:1-10:17. The evil-doing. Confessed.
10:18-44. The evil-doers. Reformed.

9:1-10:17. THE EVIL-DOING.
9:1, 2. The evil reported to Ezra.
9:3. Ezra. Grief.
9:4-. Assembly. Trembling.
9:-4-10:1-. Ezra. Prayer.
10:-1-4. Assembly. Weeping.
10:5-8. Ezra. Grief.
10:9. Assembly. Trembling.
10:10, 11. Ezra. Charge.
10:12-14. Assembly. Obedience.
10:15-17. The evil removed by Ezra.

This division of the book Ezra-Nehemiah, in the later printed Hebrew Bibles, is quite modern. It breaks up the fourth of the ten Sedarim (or cycles for public reading) which begins at Ezr 8:35 and ends with Ne 2:10.

THE TEN SEDARIM are as follows:
(1) Ezr 1:1; 3:12. (6) Ne 3:32; 6:14.
(2) 3:13-6:17. (7) 6:15 8:9.
(3) 6:18 - 8:34. (8) 8:10-10:1 (Heb 9:28).
(4) 8:35 - Ne 2:10. (9) 10:1 (Heb 2) 12:25.
(5) Ne 2:11-3:32. (10) 12:26 - 13:31.

Cyrus. The son of Astyages and Esther. See Appendix 57, 58, on the genealogy of the Persian kings. So named nearly 200 years before he was born (Isa 44:28). The book of Esther precedes the book of Ezra-Nehemiah, and Ne 1:1; 7:4 precedes Ezr 1. See note on Ne 1:2; Es 3:8; 10:3, and Appendix 57, 58.

 

• Exactly 2520 years from the exile of Benjamin, Iceland became an independent nation.

 

•  The first tribe to be conquered by the Assyrians was Manasseh, in 745 B.C. Exactly 2520 years later America became a nation on July 4, 1776.

(Leviticus. 26: 28-46) God warned Israel that if they persisted in continually breaking His Laws, not only would curses come upon them.

He would punish them for seven times, (a time being 360 years, seven times would be 2520 years) and would banish them from the land of Palestine and scatter them among the heathens (like lost sheep)

• Study the book: Abrahamic Covenant, (A study outline of the identity of God's people) By E. Raymond Capt - page 25