서론
Ezra 1 Introduction
英語原文
Introduction to Ezra
Though the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah were undoubtedly regarded as one book in two parts, both by the Jewish Church and by the early Christian Fathers, yet the judgment of modern criticism that Ezra and Nehemiah were originally two distinct works, seems to be, on the whole, deserving of acceptance.
The object of the writer of Ezra is to give an account of the return from the captivity, and of the subsequent fortunes of the Palestinian Jews until the eighth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, 457 B.C. - The matters to which he directs attention are only three:
(1) The number, family, and (to some extent) the names of those who returned from Babylonia with Ezra and with Zerubbabel Ezra 2; Ezra 8:1-20;
(2) The rebuilding of the temple and the circumstances connected with it Ezra 1:1-11; Ezra 3-7; and
(3) The misconduct of the returned Jews with respect to mixed marriages, and the steps taken by Ezra in consequence Ezra 9-10.
The Book of Ezra is made up of two completely distinct sections:
(a) In Ezra 1-6, the writer treats of the return from the captivity and of the events following (538-516 B.C.), or a period of 23 years. It belongs to the time when Zerubbabel was governor of Judaea, Jeshua was high priest, and Zechariah and Haggai were prophets.
(b) Ezra 7-10. This relates the commission given to Ezra by Artaxerxes in the seventh year of his reign (458 B.C.), the journey of Ezra to Jerusalem, and his proceedings there (April 458 B.C. - April 457 B.C.). There is thus a gap of 57 years between the first section of the book and the second; from which it appears that the writer of the second portion cannot well have been a witness of the events recorded in the first.
Jewish tradition ascribes the authorship of the whole book to Ezra. Modern critics generally admit that Ezra was the original and sole author of the entire second section Ezra 7-10, but consider him the compiler of the first Ezra 1-6 from state documents, national records, and lists. It is probable that the Book of Ezra was composed soon after the arrangements with respect to the mixed marriages had been completed; i. e. in 457 or 456 B.C..
In character the Book of Ezra is historical, and like Chronicles, it lays great stress on the externals of religion; it gives special prominence to the Levites, and exhibits a genealogical bias; it lays down very distinctly the general principle of a special Providence Ezra 8:22; and it applies this principle to particular points of the history not unfrequently.
In style, Ezra more resembles Daniel than any other book of Scripture, always excepting Chronicles. This may be accounted for by these two writers being both Babylonian Jews. The work contains also a considerable number of proper names and words which are either known or suspected to be Persian, and altogether, the language is such as might have been looked for under the circumstances of the time, when the contact into which the Jews had been brought with the Babylonians and the Persians had naturally introduced among them a good many foreign words and modes of speech.
The text of Ezra is not in a good condition. The general bearing of the narrative is, however, untouched by slight blemishes which affect chiefly such minute points as the names and numbers of those who returned from the captivity, the weight and number of the sacrificial vessels, and the like.
1
Ezra 1:1
「クロスの第一年」は、彼がユダヤ人に対して主権を行使し始めた最初の年、すなわち紀元前538年と理解すべきである。
英語原文
By the first year of Cyrus is to be understood the first year of his sovereignty over the Jews, or 538 B.C.
2
翻訳準備中 · 英語原文Ezra 1:2
The Lord God of heaven - Or, "Yahweh, the God of heaven." In the original Persian, the document probably ran - " Ormazd, the God of heaven." The Hebrew transcript took "Yahweh" as the equivalent of "Ormazd." The Persian notion of a single Supreme Being - Ahura-Mazda, "the much-knowing, or much-bestowing Spirit" - did, in fact, approach nearly to the Jewish conception of Yahweh.
Hath given me all the kingdoms ... - There is a similar formula at the commencement of the great majority of Persian inscriptions.
He hath charged me to build him an house - It is a reasonable conjecture that, on the capture of Babylon, Cyrus was brought into contact with Daniel, who drew his attention to the prophecy of Isaiah Isa 44:28; and that Cyrus accepted this prophecy as a "charge" to rebuild the temple.
4
翻訳準備中 · 英語原文Ezra 1:4
Let the men of his place help him - i. e., "Let the pagan population help him" (see Ezra 1:6).
The freewill offering - Probably that made by Cyrus himself Ezra 1:7-11.
5
翻訳準備中 · 英語原文Ezra 1:5
Only a portion of the Israelites took advantage of the permission of Cyrus. Many remained in Babylon, since they were disinclined to relinquish their property. They who returned were persons whom God had especially stirred up to make sacrifices for His glory.
7
翻訳準備中 · 英語原文Ezra 1:7
The house of his gods - Rather, "of his god" Daniel 1:2, i. e., Merodach, "his lord" (see 2 Chronicles 36:7 note).
8
翻訳準備中 · 英語原文Ezra 1:8
Mithredath - Or, "Mithridates." The occurrence of this name, which means "given by Mithra" or "dedicated to Mithra," is an indication that the sun-worship of the Persians was at least as old as the time of Cyrus.
Sheshbazzar - i. e., Zerubbabel. On his royal descent, see 1 Chronicles 3:19 note.
9
翻訳準備中 · 英語原文Ezra 1:9
Chargers - The word in the original thus translated occurs only in this passage. Its meaning is doubtful. Some derive it from a Hebrew root, "to hollow out," and translate "cup" or "vessel."
Knives - This is another doubtful word, only used here. The etymology points to some employment of basket-work.
11
翻訳準備中 · 英語原文Ezra 1:11
The sum of the numbers as they stand in the present Hebrew text is 2,499, instead of 5,400. In the Apocryphal Book of Esdras the sum given is 5,469, and with this sum the items in that place exactly agree (1 Esdras 2:13, 14). Most commentators propose to correct Ezra by the passage of Esdras; but the items of Esdras are improbable. Probably the sum total in the present passage has suffered corruption.
エズラ記序論
エズラ記とネヘミヤ記とが、ユダヤ教会においても初期キリスト教の教父たちにおいても、疑いなく二部分からなる一つの書としてみなされていたけれども、エズラ記とネヘミヤ記とが本来、互いに区別された二つの著作であったという近代批評の判断は、全体として受け入れに値するように思われる。
エズラ記の著者の目的は、捕囚からの帰還と、それに続くパレスチナのユダヤ人の運命を、アルタクセルクセス・ロンギマヌスの治世第八年、すなわち紀元前457年まで記すことにある。彼が注意を向ける事柄はただ三つである。
(1) エズラおよびゼルバベルとともにバビロンから帰還した人々の数、家族、そして（ある程度まで）その名前(Ezra 2; Ezra 8:1-20)。
(2) 神殿の再建とそれに関連する事情(Ezra 1:1-11; Ezra 3-7)。
(3) 帰還したユダヤ人たちの異邦人との結婚に関する不正な行いと、その結果エズラが取った処置(Ezra 9-10)。
エズラ記は、完全に区別された二つの部分から成っている。
(a) エズラ記1-6章において、著者は捕囚からの帰還とそれに続く出来事（紀元前538-516年）、すなわち二十三年間を扱う。この時期は、ゼルバベルがユダの総督、ヨシュアが大祭司、ゼカリヤとハガイが預言者であった時代に属する。
(b) エズラ記7-10章。これは、アルタクセルクセスがその治世第七年（紀元前458年）にエズラに与えた委任、エズラのエルサレムへの旅、およびそこでの彼の活動（紀元前458年4月～紀元前457年4月）を述べる。それゆえ、本書の第一部分と第二部分とのあいだには五十七年の隔たりがあり、ここから、第二部分の著者が第一部分に記録された出来事の目撃者であったとは考えにくいことが分かる。
ユダヤの伝承は本書全体の著作権をエズラに帰する。近代の批評家たちは一般的に、エズラが第二部分全体(Ezra 7-10)の原本の、かつ唯一の著者であったことは認めるが、第一部分(Ezra 1-6)については、国家文書、国民の記録、名簿から編集したものであるとみなす。エズラ記は、異邦人との結婚に関する処置が完了した直後、すなわち紀元前457年あるいは456年に成立した可能性が高い。
性格の上で、エズラ記は歴史書であり、歴代誌と同様、宗教の外面的な事柄を大いに強調する。レビ人たちに特別な重要性を与え、系図的な傾向を示し、特別な摂理という一般原則をきわめて明確に打ち立て(Ezra 8:22)、この原則を歴史の特定の点に少なからず適用する。
文体の上で、エズラ記は、歴代誌を常に除外すれば、聖書中の他のどの書よりもダニエル書に似ている。これは、この二人の著者がともにバビロンのユダヤ人であったという事実によって説明されうる。本書にはまた、ペルシャ語であることが知られている、あるいは疑われる相当数の固有名詞や語が含まれている。全体として、その言語は当時の状況下で予期されえたものである。ユダヤ人がバビロニア人やペルシャ人と接触するようになったことで、多くの外来語や言い回しが彼らの間に自然に入り込んだからである。
エズラ記の本文の状態は良くない。しかし、叙述の全体的な趣旨は、もっぱら捕囚から帰還した人々の名前や数、祭具の重さや数といった細かい点に影響する軽微な傷によっては損なわれていない。