Ezra 4 The adversaries, being not accepted in the building of the temple with the Jews, endeavour to hinder it, Ezra 4:1–6. Their false and malicious letter to Artaxerxes, Ezra 4:7–16. Artexerxes’s decree: the building is hindered, Ezra 4:17–24.

The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin; the Samaritans, as appears from Ezra 4:2, Ezra 4:10.

Let us build with you: this they spake not sincerely, as appears from their disposition and designs discovered in the following history; but that by this conjunction with them they might pry into their counsels, and thereby get an opportunity to find some matter or pretences of accusation against…

Ye have nothing to do with us; as being of another nation and religion, and therefore not concerned in Cyrus’s grant, which was confined to the Israelites and to the worshippers of the true God. We ourselves together, i.e.

The people of the land, Heb. of that land; the present inhabitants of that province, to wit, the Samaritans. Troubled them in building; by false reports and threats, and other means, described afterwards.

Hired counsellors against them; who by their artifices and interests in the Persian court should give some stop to their work. All the days of Cyrus king of Persia; for though Cyrus still favoured the Jews, yet he was then diverted by his wars, and his son Cambyses was left his viceroy, who was a…

In the reign of Ahasuerus; which is supposed by divers learned men to be from this time a common name to divers succeeding kings of Persia. And this makes it seem doubtful who this was. This was either, 1. Xerxes the fourth and rich king of Persia, as he is called, Dan. 11:2. Or rather, 2.

In the days of Artaxerxes; either, 1. Artaxerxes the son of Xerxes. Or, 2. Smerdis the magician. Or rather, 3. The same Cambyses, called by his Chaldee name Ahasuems, Ezra 4:6, and here by his Persian name Artaxerxes; by which name he is here called in the inscription of this letter, because so he…

Several people thus called from the several places of that vast Assyrian empire, from whence they were fetched, and who were united together into one body, and sent as one colony by the Assyrian monarchs into these parts.

Asnappar; either Esar-haddon, or some other person then of great eminency, especially with his subjects and followers, who was captain of this colony, and conducted them hither. On this side the river, to wit, Euphrates.

Have set up the walls thereof: either, 1. The Jews had begun to build or repair some part of the walls which Nebuchadnezzar had left, which they aggravate in this manner. Or, 2.

Thus they pretend the king’s service to their own malicious designs and private interests.

The records of thy fathers; political fathers, i.e. thy predecessors, the former emperors of this empire, namely, in the Assyrian and Babylonish records, which together with the empire were now in the hands of the Persian kings, to be searched or read as the king’s pleasure was, or as the affairs…

Then ceased the work of the house of God; for they neither could nor might proceed in that work against their king’s prohibition, without a special command from the King of heaven, which they had, Ezra 5:1–2.