Ezra 6 Darius answereth the former letter, Ezra 6:1–7; and maketh a new decree, Ezra 6:8–12. By the help of the adversaries, and the directions of the prophets, the temple is finished, Ezra 6:13–15. The feasts of the dedication, Ezra 6:16–18, and of the passover, are kept, Ezra 6:19–22.

Darius made a decree; either, 1. To search the rolls. Or rather, 2. To permit and promote the building of the temple. And so the following words may be rendered, after search was made, &c., the Hebrew particle vau being oft so used, as hath been noted before. In Babylon; either, 1.

Here the king’s answer may seem to begin, and this following account he sends to them, and after that lays down his commands. Achmetha; the royal city of the Medes and Persians.

He did not command them to make it so large, for he left the ordering of the proportions of the building to their skill and choice; but he restrained them that they should make it no larger, lest they should hereafter make use of it to other purposes against himself: but those proportions differ…

With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber; as Solomon’s temple was built, 1 Kings 6:36; whereof Darius was informed by some of the Jews, who also desired that it might be done in this manner.

Be restored to Sheshbazzar; for this is part of Cyrus’s decree, (which is here recited,) and not Darius’s, which does not begin till the next verse.

i.e. From hindering or discouraging the work.

From proceeding in their work for want of money.

They prospered through the prophesying of Haggai: this is a seasonable intimation that this great and unexpected success was not to be ascribed to chance, nor to the kindness or good humour of Darius; but unto God only, who by his prophets had required and encouraged them to proceed in the work,…

From the filthiness of the heathen, i.e. such as had forsaken that filthy and idolatrous religion of the heathens, and were proselyted to the Jewish religion; for such were allowed to eat the passover, Ex. 12:48, Num. 9:14.

The heart of the king of Assyria, i.e. of the king of Persia, which was now king of Assyria also, or emperor of that vast and famous Assyrian empire; which was first subdued by the king of Babylon, who therefore is somewhere called the Assyrian; and for the same reason the Persian monarch is here…