Chapter commentary
Ezra Chapter 5
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简体中文
English original
We left the temple-work at a full stop; but, being God's work, it shall be revived, and here we have an account of the reviving of it. It was hindered by might and power, but it was set a-going again "by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts." Now here we are told how that blessed Spirit, I. Warmed its cool-hearted friends and excited them to build, Ezr 5:1,2. II. Cooled its hot-headed enemies, and brought them to better tempers; for, though they secretly disliked the work as much as those in the foregoing chapter, yet, 1. They were more mild towards the builders, Ezr 5:3-5. 2. They were more fair in their representation of the matter to the king, of which we have here an account, Ezr 5:6-17.
1-2
The Jews Encouraged by Their Prophets (520 BC)
简体中文
犹太人因先知而得勉励（公元前520年）
¹ 那时，先知哈该和易多的孙子撒迦利亚奉以色列神的名，向犹大和耶路撒冷的犹太人说预言，向他们说。 ² 于是撒拉铁的儿子所罗巴伯和约萨达的儿子耶书亚都起来，动手建造在耶路撒冷神的殿；有神的先知与他们同在，帮助他们。
有人算计建殿工程只中断了九年；我宁可相信至多不过十五年。在此期间，他们有坛和帐幕，无疑也使用了它们。当我们不能行所愿行的，就当事奉神、行所能行的，并为不能行得更好而忧痛。然而被雇来阻挠工程的那些谋士（拉四5）告诉他们——也许假冒默示之名——说建殿的时候尚未来到（该一2），并举所罗门建殿之时等候多时为例；这样，百姓就在自己的天花板的房屋里安然度日，而神的殿仍荒凉。如今我们在此被告知，那似乎已经死透的善事如何又得着了生命。
I. 他们有两位好仆人，奉神的名恳切劝勉他们重新推动工程的轮子。请留意：
1. 这些仆人是谁——就是先知哈该和撒迦利亚，两人都在大流士第二年起来说预言，如该一1、亚一1所示。请注意：（1）神在人间建造的殿，是借预言建造的——不是借世俗的武力（武力往往阻碍它，少有助益），而是借神的话语。正如我们争战的兵器，我们建造的工具也不是属血气的，而是属灵的；福音的使者才是那总工匠。（2）神的先知之责，就是激发神的百姓去行善，并在其中帮助他们，坚固他们的手，借从神话语中所引出的适当考量，激发他们尽自己的本分，并鼓励他们。（3）当神在百姓中兴起先知作他们在神道路和工作上的帮助者、引导者、监督者和治理者时，便是神要向他们施怜悯的记号。
2. 他们被差遣到谁那里。他们向犹太人说预言（因为赐律法的事既托付了他们，赐预言的恩赐也照样属于他们，所以他们被称为先知的子孙——徒三25，因他们在先知的教导和训诲之下受教），就是向他们，在他们身上——原文如此——正如以西结向枯骨说预言使他们存活一样（结三十七4）。他们是对着他们说预言的（帕特里克主教如此解），因他们责备百姓不建造圣殿。神的话若今日不作为见证被我们领受，他日必作为反对我们的见证被领受，并要审判我们。
3. 谁差遣他们。他们是奉以色列神的名——或（如有人所读）为以色列神的缘故——说预言；他们是受他所托而发言，并依据他对他们的主权、他在他们身上的权益、以及他的荣耀在他们中间的关切而与他们理论。
II. 他们有两位好长官，在这事上踊跃尽力——他们的首领所罗巴伯和他们的祭司长耶书亚（拉五2）。居于尊位与权柄之人，当以其尊荣使一切善工得着体面，以其权柄使一切善工得着生命：在前的、在上的，都当以模范的关怀与热心去尽诸般的义，在善工上作先行。这两位大人物并不认为受主的先知教导和指示是耻辱，反以为福，并乐于在复兴这善工上得他们的帮助。请读拉五1、2和该一1-15（因那是这两节最好的注释），看神借他的话语——他使之比他的名更大——并借与之同工的圣灵，成就了何等大的事。
English original
The Jews Encouraged by Their Prophets (520 BC)
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.
Some reckon that the building of the temple was suspended for only nine years; I am willing to believe that fifteen years were the utmost. During this time they had an altar and a tabernacle, which no doubt they made use of. When we cannot do what we would we must do what we can in the service of God, and be sorry we can do no better. But the counsellors that were hired to hinder the work (Ezr 4:5) told them, and perhaps with a pretence to inspiration, that the time had not come for the building of the temple (Hag 1:2), urging that it was long ere the time came for the building of Solomon's temple; and thus the people were made easy in their own ceiled houses, while God's house lay waste. Now here we are told how life was put into that good cause which seemed to lie dead.
I. They had two good ministers, who, in God's name, earnestly persuaded them to put the wheel of business in motion again. Observe,
1. Who these ministers were, namely, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, who both began to prophesy in the second year of Darius, as appears, Hag 1:1, Zec 1:1. Note, (1.) The temple of God among men is to be built by prophecy, not by secular force (that often hinders it, but seldom furthers it), but by the word of God. As the weapons of our warfare, so the instruments of our building, are not carnal, but spiritual, and they are the ministers of the gospel that are the master-builders. (2.) It is the business of God's prophets to stir up God's people to that which is good, and to help them in it, to strengthen their hands, and, by suitable considerations fetched from the word of God, to quicken them to their duty and encourage them in it. (3.) It is a sign that God has mercy in store for a people when he raises up prophets among them to be their helpers in the way and work of God, their guides, overseers, and rulers.
2. To whom they were sent. They prophesied unto the Jews (for, as to them pertained the giving of the law, so also the gift of prophecy, and therefore they are called the children of the prophets, Ac 3:25, because they were educated under their tuition and instruction), even unto them, upon them, even upon them (so it is in the original), as Ezekiel prophesied upon the dry bones, that they might live, Eze 37:4. They prophesied against them (so bishop Patrick), for they reproved them because they did not build the temple. The word of God, if it be not received now as a testimony to us, will be received another day as a testimony against us, and will judge us.
3. Who sent them. They prophesied in the name, or (as some read it) in the cause, or for the sake, of the God of Israel; they spoke by commission from him, and argued from his authority over them, his interest in them, and the concern of his glory among them.
II. They had two good magistrates, who were forward and active in this work. Zerubbabel their chief prince, and Jeshua their chief priest, Ezr 5:2. Those that are in places of dignity and power ought with their dignity to put honour upon and with their power to put life into every good work: thus it becomes those that preceded, and those that preside, with an exemplary care and zeal to fulfil all righteousness and to go before in a good work. These great men thought it no disparagement to them, but a happiness, to be taught and prescribed to by the prophets of the Lord, and were glad of their help in reviving this good work. Read the Ezr 5:1,2, Hag 1:1-15 here (for that is the best comment on these two verses) and see what great things God does by his word, which he magnifies above all his name, and by his Spirit working with it.
3-17
The Case Represented to Darius (519 BC)
简体中文
案情呈于大流士（公元前519年）
³ 当时河西的省长达乃和示他波斯乃，并他们的同党，对他们这样说：谁降旨让你们建造这殿、修成这墙呢？ ⁴ 我们便这样回答他们说：建造这建筑的人叫甚么名字？ ⁵ 神的眼目看顾犹大的长老，以致敌人不能使他们停工，直到奏明大流士；于是他们就为此事上书复命。 ⁶ 河西的省长达乃、示他波斯乃和他们在河西的同党亚法萨迦人，上达流士王的信的副本如下： ⁷ 他们向他上了书信，其上写着：愿大流士王万事平安。 ⁸ 王该知道：我们到了犹大省，到了大神的殿，这殿是用大石头建造的，梁木也插入墙中；这工程进行甚速，在他们手中亨通。 ⁹ 我们就问那些长老，对他们这样说：谁降旨让你们建造这殿、修成这些墙呢？ ¹⁰ 我们也问他们的名字，为要奏告王，使我们可以记录作首领之人的名字。 ¹¹ 他们就这样回答我们说：我们是天地之神的仆人，要重建前多年所建的殿，乃以色列的一位大君王所建造并立定的。 ¹² 只因我们列祖惹动天上之神的怒气，他将他们交在迦勒底人巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒的手中，他就毁坏这殿，将百姓掳到巴比伦。 ¹³ 然而巴比伦王居鲁士元年，居鲁士王降旨建造这神的殿。 ¹⁴ 神殿中金银的器皿，就是尼布甲尼撒从耶路撒冷的殿中所掠、带到巴比伦庙里的，居鲁士王从巴比伦庙里拿出来，交给一名叫设巴萨的，立他为省长， ¹⁵ 对他说：你拿这些器皿去，带到在耶路撒冷的殿里；神的殿要在原处建造。 ¹⁶ 于是这设巴萨来，在耶路撒冷立了神殿的根基；从那时直到如今，这殿一直在建造，却尚未完工。 ¹⁷ 如今王若以为好，请王考查王的宝库，就是在巴比伦那里，是否果真有居鲁士王降旨建造耶路撒冷这神殿的命令；王对此事的心意如何，请传谕我们。
我们在此有：I. 邻舍不久便注意到这善工的复兴。他们对犹太人显然抱着戒备之心；神的灵一激动圣殿之友出来为它效力，邪灵便立即激动其仇敌出来反对。当百姓建造、装修自己的房屋时，仇敌并不搅扰他们（该一4），虽然王的命令原是禁止建造那城（拉四21）；但他们一回到圣殿工程上，警报就响起来，人人都动脑筋加以阻挠（拉五3、4）。仇敌在此被列名：达乃和示他波斯乃。我们在拉四1-24所读到的省长，很可能在本朝之初就被撤换——这是常有之事。君王常常更换其副手、方伯和省长，乃是政治之常。这些人虽是建殿的真正仇敌，性情却比前人好些，对说实话还有几分良心。若不是所有的人都有信心（帖后三2），幸而有些人有，还有荣辱之感。教会的仇敌并非都同样邪恶、同样蛮不讲理。史家开始叙述建造者和这些查问者之间所发生的事（拉五3、4），却中断其叙述，转引他们致王信件的副本——在那里同一内容被更详尽完整地呈现；他本想摘要（拉五4）或从中摘录，但转念之间将全文插入。
II. 神的护理对此善工的看顾（拉五5）：他们神的眼目看顾犹大的长老——就是那些在工程上踊跃尽力的人——使仇敌不能如其所愿地叫他们停工，直到这事奏明大流士。仇敌原本只求他们停工，等到得了王的指示再开工。但他们连这也不肯让步，因他们神的眼目看顾他们。并且：1. 这挫败了仇敌，使他们昏乱无力，并保护建造者免遭其恶计。当我们从事神的工作时，便被置于他特殊的保护之下；他的眼目看顾我们，为我们的益处——圣殿一块石头上有七眼（亚三9，四10）。2. 这激动他们。犹大的长老看见神的眼目在他们身上——观看他们所作的，并在他们行得正时与他们认同——他们便有足够的勇气面对仇敌，并顶着一切拦阻勇猛前进。我们的眼目仰望于神，留意他眼目看顾我们，必保守我们尽其本分，并在难处无论何等令人灰心之时鼓励我们。
III. 他们为此事致王之报告，在其中我们可以观察：
1. 犹大的长老如何向撒玛利亚人充分说明了他们的行为。撒玛利亚人见他们既殷勤又亨通——众手齐动兴建此工，工程进展迅速——便向他们提出这些问题："你们凭甚么权柄作这些事？谁给你们这权柄？谁叫你们开工？你们有没有能给你们撑腰的凭证？"对此他们回答：他们作所作的，有充分凭据；（1）我们是天地之神的仆人。 我们所敬拜的神并非地方性的神祇，所以我们不能被指控为在建殿敬拜他时立党结派、另立一派；我们乃是向那位全受造之物所依赖的神献上敬拜，所以理当受众人保护、得众人襄助，而不被任何人阻挠。"君王扶持天上之神的仆人，既是责任，也是智慧。"（2）我们对此殿有古来使用权；它是许多世代之前为荣耀我们的神而由所罗门建造的。这不是我们自己新发明的东西；我们不过是重立多代的根基（赛五十八12）。（3）我们之所以一时被逐出此殿，是为惩罚我们的罪；并非因列国的神胜过了我们的神，乃因我们惹动了他（拉五12）——为此他将我们和我们的殿交在巴比伦王手中，但从未打算借此永远废止我们的信仰。我们不过暂时被搁置，并非永远被剥夺。（4）我们有居鲁士的王谕作我们的依据和支持。他不仅许可我们，更命令我们建造此殿（拉五13），并在原处（拉五15）——即原本所在之处——建造。他下令如此，既出于对犹太人的怜悯，也出于对他们神的尊敬，说他是神。他也把圣殿的器皿交给一位他所托付的人，命其使之归还原处、恢复原用（拉五14）。他们有这些可作凭证。（5）"我们一回来，就照此命开工，所以并未因未及时进行而失去此命之效力；这殿一直在建造之中，但因我们遇见反对，至今尚未完工。" 但请注意：他们并不提及前省长们的虚伪和恶意，也不控告他们——虽然有的是理由——为要教导我们不可报恨以恨，不可因最不公义的毁谤就还以最公义的指责；我们若能为未来得到公道对待，便已足够，不必酸楚地引用从前所受的伤害（拉五16）。这是他们对自己行为的陈述，并不反问仇敌有何权柄查问他们，也不以其偶像崇拜、迷信和杂糅宗教相讥。让我们从此学习：当以温柔敬畏的心回答我们心中盼望的缘由（彼前三15），正确地明白，然后坦然地宣告，我们在神的事奉中作甚么，并为何如此作。
2. 撒玛利亚人如何公正地将此事呈报于王。（1）他们称耶路撒冷的殿为大神之殿（拉五8）；因为撒玛利亚人看来虽仍有众多的神、众多的主，却也承认以色列的神是大神，超乎众神之上。"这是大神之殿，所以若无王的命令，我们不敢阻挠其建造。"（2）他们如实告诉王所发生的事，并不像其前辈那样诬称他们在修筑城墙、图谋战争，只说他们在建殿、意在敬拜（拉五8）。（3）他们完整地陈述了犹太人的辩词，告诉王他们为自己所说的话，并愿意此案得以在真光照下审理。（4）他们让王自行查阅档案，看居鲁士是否果曾下过此谕，然后按他所看为妥的来下达指示（拉五17）。我们有理由相信，前章亚达薛西若得着犹太人之案如此公正的呈报，如在此呈给大流士的一样，他就不会下令阻挠其工程。神的子民若不被诬陷，便不能受逼迫；若不被套上熊皮，便不能被咬噬。神和真理之案若得公正陈述、公正聆听，必能站立得住。
English original
The Case Represented to Darius (519 BC)
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.
We have here, I. The cognizance which their neighbours soon took of the reviving of this good work. A jealous eye, it seems, they had upon them, and no sooner did the Spirit of God stir up the friends of the temple to appear for it than the evil spirit stirred up its enemies to appear against it. While the people built and ceiled their own houses their enemies gave them no molestation (Hag 1:4), though the king's order was to put a stop to the building of the city (Ezr 4:21); but when they fell to work again at the temple then the alarm was taken, and all heads were at work to hinder them, Ezr 5:3,4. The adversaries are here named: Tatnai and Shethar-boznai. The governors we read of (Ezr 4:1-24) were, it is probable, displaced at the beginning of this reign, as is usual. It is the policy of princes often to change their deputies, proconsuls, and rulers of provinces. These, though real enemies to the building of the temple, were men of better temper than the other, and made some conscience of telling truth. If all men have not faith (2Th 3:2), it is well some have, and a sense of honour. The church's enemies are not all equally wicked and unreasonable. The historian begins to relate what passed between the builders and those inquisitors (Ezr 5:3,4), but breaks off his account, and refers to the ensuing copy of the letter they sent to the king, where the same appears more fully and at large, which he began to abridge (Ezr 5:4), or make an extract out of, though, upon second thoughts, he inserted the whole.
II. The care which the divine Providence took of this good work (Ezr 5:5): The eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, who were active in the work, so that their enemies could not cause them to cease, as they would have done, till the matter came to Darius. They desired they would only cease till they had instructions from the king about it. But they would not so much as yield them that, for the eye of God was upon them, even their God. And, 1. That baffled their enemies, infatuated and enfeebled them, and protected the builders from their malicious designs. While we are employed in God's work we are taken under his special protection; his eye is upon us for good, seven eyes upon one stone in his temple; see Zec 3:9,4:10. 2. That quickened them. The elders of the Jews saw the eye of God upon them, to observe what they did and own them in what they did well, and then they had courage enough to face their enemies and to go on vigorously with their work, notwithstanding all the opposition they met with. Our eye upon God, observing his eye upon us, will keep us to our duty and encourage us in it when the difficulties are ever so discouraging.
III. The account they sent to the king of this matter, in which we may observe,
1. How fully the elders of the Jews gave the Samaritans an account of their proceedings. They, finding them both busy and prosperous, that all hands were at work to run up this building and that it went on rapidly, put these questions to them:—"By what authority do you do these things, and who gave you that authority? Who set you to work? Have you that which will bear you out?" To this they answered that they had sufficient warrant to do what they did; for, (1.) "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. The God we worship is not a local deity, and therefore we cannot be charged with making a faction, or setting up a sect, in building this temple to his honour: but we pay our homage to a God on whom the whole creation depends, and therefore ought to be protected and assisted by all and hindered by none." It is the wisdom as well as duty of kings to countenance the servants of the God of heaven. (2.) "We have a prescription to this house; it was built for the honour of our God by Solomon many ages ago. It is no novel invention of our own; we are but raising the foundations of many generations," Isa 58:12. (3.) "It was to punish us for our sins that we were, for a time, put out of the possession of this house; not because the gods of the nations had prevailed against our God, but because we had provoked him (Ezr 5:12), for which he delivered us and our temple into the hands of the king of Babylon, but never intended thereby to put a final period to our religion. We were only suspended for a time, not deprived for ever." (4.) "We have the royal decree of Cyrus to justify us and bear us out in what we do. He not only permitted and allowed us, but charged and commanded us to build this house (Ezr 5:13), and to build it in its place (Ezr 5:15), the same place where it had stood before." He ordered this, not only in compassion to the Jews, but in veneration of their God, saying, He is the God. He also delivered the vessels of the temple to one whom he entrusted to see them restored to their ancient place and use, Ezr 5:14. And they had these to show in confirmation of what they alleged. (5.) "The building was begun according to this order as soon as ever we had returned, so that we have not forfeited the benefit of the order for want of pursuing it in time; still it has been in building, but, because we have met with opposition, it is not finished." But, observe, they mention not the falsehood and malice of the former governors, nor make any complaint of them, though they had cause enough, to teach us not to render bitterness for bitterness, nor the most just reproach for that which is most unjust, but to think it enough if we can obtain fair treatment for the future, without an invidious reference to former injuries, Ezr 5:16. This is the account they give of their proceedings, not asking what authority they had to examine them, nor upbraiding them with their idolatry, and superstitions, and medley religion. Let us learn hence with meekness and fear to give a reason of the hope that is in us (1Pe 3:15), rightly to understand, and then readily to declare, what we do in God's service and why we do it.
2. How fairly the Samaritans represented this to the king. (1.) They called the temple at Jerusalem the house of the great God (Ezr 5:8); for though the Samaritans, as it should seem, had yet gods many and lords many, they owned the God of Israel to be the great God, who is above all gods. "It is the house of the great God, and therefore we dare not oppose the building of it without orders from thee." (2.) They told him truly what was done, not stating, as their predecessors did, that they were fortifying the city as if they intended war, but only that they were rearing the temple as those that intended worship, Ezr 5:8. (3.) They fully represented their plea, told him what they had to say for themselves, and were willing that the cause should be set in a true light. (4.) They left it to the king to consult the records whether Cyrus had indeed made such a decree, and then to give directions as he should think fit, Ezr 5:17. We have reason to think that if Artaxerxes, in the foregoing chapter, had had the Jews' cause as fairly represented to him as it was here to Darius, he would not have ordered the work to be hindered. God's people could not be persecuted if they were not belied, could not be baited if they were not dressed up in bears' skins. Let but the cause of God and truth be fairly stated, and fairly heard, and it will keep its ground.
前章我们见圣殿之工全然停顿；然而这既是神的工，终必复兴，本章即记述其复兴之始。此工虽被势力与权能所阻，却得以"藉万军之耶和华的灵"重新发动。此处我们得见那蒙福之灵如何：I. 温暖了冷淡退后之友人的心，激发他们建造，拉5:1,2。II. 平息了躁烈仇敌的怒气，使他们转为较温和的态度；因为他们虽如前章之人那样暗中厌恶此工，然而：1. 他们对建造者较为温和，拉5:3-5。2. 他们在向王的奏报中较为公正，其内容记录于下，拉5:6-17。