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Ezra Capítulo 1
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Original em inglês
In this chapter we have, I. The proclamation which Cyrus, king of Persia, issued out for the release of all the Jews that he found captives in Babylon, and the building of their temple in Jerusalem, Ezr 1:1-4. II. The return of many thereupon, Ezr 1:5,6. III. Orders given for the restoring of the vessels of the temple, Ezr 1:7-11. And this is the dawning of the day of their deliverance.
1-11
The Proclamation of Cyrus (536 BC)
居鲁士的诏书（公元前536年）
¹ 波斯王居鲁士元年，耶和华为要应验藉耶利米口中所说的话，就激动波斯王居鲁士的心，使他下诏通告全国，并传在文字上，说： ² 波斯王居鲁士如此说：耶和华天上的神已将天下万国赐给我，又嘱咐我在犹大的耶路撒冷为他建造殿宇。 ³ 你们中间凡作他子民的，可以上犹大的耶路撒冷，在耶路撒冷重建耶和华以色列神的殿（只有他是神），愿神与这人同在。 ⁴ 凡剩下的人，无论寄居何处，那地的人要用金银、财物、牲畜帮助他，另外还要为耶路撒冷神的殿甘心献上礼物。
我们在此应当思想：1. 被掳的犹太人在巴比伦的处境如何。从多方面看，他们的处境极为凄惨；他们受制于仇视他们的人，毫无产业可称为己有；他们没有圣殿，没有祭坛；他们若唱诗篇，仇敌就讥诮他们；然而他们中间仍有先知。以西结与但以理仍与外邦人分别出来。他们有的在朝中得宠，有的在乡间安居，并且都怀着盼望，到了时候必归回故土；为着这盼望，他们保存了宗族的谱系，持守了对自身信仰的认识，并对偶像崇拜心存厌恶。2. 他们所处政权的情况又如何。尼布甲尼撒在位第一年——即约雅敬第四年——将他们中许多人掳去；他在位四十五年，其子以未米罗达二十三年，其孙伯沙撒三年，合计七十年。莱特福特博士如此说。尼布甲尼撒被指控为不释放自己家中的囚犯（赛十四17）。倘若他向可怜的犹太人施怜悯，但以理曾告诉他，那必是他太平的延长（但四27）。但巴比伦罪恶之杯终于盈满，于是玛代人大利乌与波斯人居鲁士将毁灭加于其上，正如我们在但五31所读到的。大利乌年迈，将国政交予居鲁士；他遂被使用为犹太人得救的工具——他一得着巴比伦国的统治权，便立即下令释放他们，这或许是出于与尼布甲尼撒相悖的心意（居鲁士已将其家族剪除，并乐于推翻其所作所为），或是出于策略，想以仁慈宽厚来树立新得之邦的声望，又或是（如某些人所推测）出于对以赛亚预言的敬虔之心——该预言在150多年前便已发布、广为人知，其中明确指出他的名字，称他就是那要为神行此事、神也要为他行大事的人（赛四十四28，四十五1等），这预言也许是由他周围的人呈给他看的。他的名字（有人说）在波斯语中意为太阳，因他给神的教会带来光明与医治，是"公义的日头"基督的一个显赫预表。也有人说他的名字意为父，而基督正是永在的父。如今我们在此被告知：
I. 这诏书的源头何在。耶和华激动居鲁士的心。 请注意：君王的心都在耶和华手中，如同水流，随他意旨而流转。论到居鲁士，经上说他不认识神，也不知如何事奉神；但神却认识他，并知道如何借着他服事自己（赛四十五4）。神借着他影响世人灵的方式治理世界，凡在何时行善，都是神激动其灵去行的——将意念置于人心，赐悟性以形成正确判断，并按己意引导人的意志。因此，凡在何时为神的教会所行的善事，荣耀都当归于神。
II. 这诏书与耶利米预言的关系——神不仅借耶利米应许他们必归回，更定准了时候，而那恩待锡安的定期如今已经来到。经上定了七十年（耶二十五12，二十九10）；那位曾在出埃及一事上按所定的日子应验了对以色列拯救之应许的（出十二41），在此事上必然同样准时。居鲁士现今所行，正是以赛亚早已预言的——印证他仆人的话语（赛四十四26）。耶利米生前被人憎恶、藐视；然而神的护理在他身后许久如此尊荣他，使一位强大的君王受感行事，以遵行耶和华借他口所说的话。
III. 这诏书的日期。是在居鲁士元年——并非他治理波斯（其本生之国）的元年，而是他治理巴比伦（其征服之国）的元年。那些心灵被激动、在头一年便起来归向神、事奉神的人，是备受尊荣的。
IV. 这诏书的发布——既以口传（他使声音传遍全国，如同禧年的号角，是在许多忧愁岁月之后的喜乐安息年，向被掳的人宣告自由），也以书面（他将之付诸文字，使它更令人信服，并可送达遥远的省份——十支派正是被分散在亚述和玛代之地的，王下十七6）。
V. 这自由之诏的要旨。
1. 序言表明了他所受的影响与考量（拉一2）。看来他的心智已被光照，得以认识耶和华（他如此称呼他）——以色列的神，为又真又活的神、天上的神，是掌管天下万国的主宰与分配者；论到他（拉一3），他说：他是神——独一的神，超乎万神之上的神。他虽未曾因教养而认识神，神如今却使他认识他到一个地步，使他在行这事时眼目仰望于神。他承认他行此事，（1）是出于向神感恩，因神所赐的恩惠：天上的神已将天下万国赐给我。 这话略带几分夸耀之嫌，因天下万国中有许多与他毫无干系；但他的意思是：神将赐给尼布甲尼撒的一切都赐给了他——但以理说，尼布甲尼撒的权柄直到地极（但四22，五19）。请注意：神是权柄之源；地上的列国都由他分配；无论何人得着其中几分，都是从他而得；凡神所托以大权、赐以厚业者，应当视自己因此更有义务为他多行善事。（2）是出于对神的顺服：他嘱咐我在耶路撒冷为他建造殿宇； 这或许是通过夜间的异梦或异象，并借对照以赛亚的预言而得印证——那预言早已预告他必行此事。以色列人屡屡违背神的命令，而这外邦君王的顺服便更显出他们的悖逆之重。
2. 他向其辖下所有的犹太人发出许可，准他们上耶路撒冷去，在那里建造耶和华的殿（拉一3）。他因敬畏神而忽视了：（1）自己政权的世俗利益。按政治智慧而言，将如此众多、有用之民留在辖境之内方为上策，放他们归回故土重新扎根，似乎是失策之举；但敬虔才是最好的策略。（2）本国宗教的体面。他为何不命令他们为巴比伦或波斯的神建造殿宇？因他信服以色列的神是天上的神，所以也命以色列民单单敬拜他。让他们奉耶和华他们神的名而行。
3. 他附加上一份募捐令，以资助那些贫寒、无力自备路费的人（拉一4）。"凡剩下的人——因他没有财力应付前往耶路撒冷的花费——让那地的人帮助他。" 有人将此解为王命，命王的官员从王税中供应他们，如拉六8所言。但这也可理解为给被掳之民的一种凭照，使他们可以向王一切臣民求取并领受施舍与捐输。我们可以设想，犹太人在邻舍中为人之善，使邻舍因爱他们而乐意资助，正如埃及人因厌烦他们而乐意资助他们一样（出十二36）。至少有许多人会善待他们，因见朝廷乐见此举。居鲁士不仅以善愿随同上路的人（愿他们的神与他们同在，拉一3），更亲自料理他们的所需。他理所当然地认为，他们当中有能力的人会为神的殿献上甘心祭，以助重建。但除此之外，他还要他们从他的国中得供应。凡向圣殿心怀善意者，也当为圣殿行善事。
⁵ 于是犹大和便雅悯的族长，祭司、利未人，并一切神激动他心的人，都起来要上耶路撒冷去建造耶和华的殿。 ⁶ 他们四围的人都拿银器、金子、财物、牲畜、珍宝帮助他们，另外还有一切甘心献上的。 ⁷ 居鲁士王也将耶和华殿的器皿拿出来，这器皿是尼布甲尼撒从耶路撒冷拿出来，放在自己神之庙中的。 ⁸ 波斯王居鲁士派库官米提利达，将这器皿拿出来，按数交给犹大的首领设巴萨。 ⁹ 器皿的数目记在下面：金盘三十个，银盘一千个，刀二十九把， ¹⁰ 金碗三十个，次等的银碗四百一十个，并其他器皿一千件。 ¹¹ 金银器皿共有五千四百件。被掳的人从巴比伦上耶路撒冷的时候，设巴萨将这一切器皿都带上去。
我们在此被告知：
I. 居鲁士的诏书在他人身上收效如何。1. 他既准许犹太人上耶路撒冷，他们当中便有许多人果然上去（拉一5）。其中的领袖是犹大和便雅悯的族长——德高望重、经验丰富之人；正当地期望他们既在尊荣上超过弟兄，就当在尽责上率先而行。祭司和利未人（如其本分所当）也在那首先转脸向锡安的人之中。凡有善工要行，就让牧者带头。与他们同行的人，是神所感其心的人。同一神既激动居鲁士的心下诏宣告这自由，也激动他们的心去领受这自由；因这事不是倚靠势力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠万军之耶和华的灵（亚四6）。对其中有些人而言，留在巴比伦的试探或许甚大。他们在那里安居乐业，已与邻舍结成相投的交情，易于说：我们在这里真好。 他们归回的难处既多且大——路途遥远，妻儿不堪跋涉；故土于他们已如异乡，前往之路乃是未知之路。上耶路撒冷去！他们在那里要做什么呢？那里尽都荒废，四围又是仇敌，他们必轻易成为掠物。许多人因这些考量而留在巴比伦，至少不愿与首批同行。然而却有一些人胜过这些艰难，敢于破冰，不怕路中的狮子、街上的猛狮；这些人正是神所感其心的人。神以他的灵和恩典，使他们心怀慷慨的自由之志、对故土的敬虔之爱，以及对信仰自由公开操练的渴慕。倘若神任凭他们随己意、随血气之谋而行，他们必留在巴比伦；但神将归向锡安的心志放在他们里面，使他们如客旅般求问那往锡安之路（耶五十5）；因他们既为新的一代，便如他们的先祖亚伯拉罕从这迦勒底之地出去一样——"出去的时候，还不知往哪里去"（来十一8）。请注意：凡我们所行的善，都完全是出于神的恩典；他激动我们的心去行，在我们心里运行，使我们立志行事。我们的心本性倾向于这地和属地之事。我们的心若向上移动，无论是出于任何良善的情怀或良善的行为，都是神所激动的。福音的呼召与邀请如同居鲁士的诏书。被掳的得释放（路四18）。凡受罪不义之辖制、被拘束在神公义审判之下的人，都可因耶稣基督得自由。凡愿意借悔改与信心归向神、归向他对神当尽的本分、归向他在神里面的福祉的，耶稣基督已为他开了路，使他从罪的奴役中出来，进入神儿女荣耀的自由。这邀请是向一切人发出的。基督发出这邀请，乃是根据父所赐他的天上地下所有的权柄——比赐给居鲁士的（拉一2）大得多的权柄——以及父所赐他为神建造殿宇的命令，即要在世上为他设立教会、在人中立一国。听见这喜信的人中，有许多选择坐在巴比伦不动——他们贪恋自己的罪，不愿冒圣洁生活的艰难；却有些人胜过种种拦阻，决意建造神的殿，不计代价地要使自己的信仰成为天国——这些人正是神所感其心、使之胜过世界与肉体的人，也是他在他掌权的日子使他们甘心的（诗一百一十3）。天上的迦南必如此得着充满，尽管许多人灭亡在巴比伦；福音的呼召也必不徒然。2. 居鲁士既吩咐邻舍帮助他们，邻舍便照着行了（拉一6）。他们四围的人用金银器皿和财物供给他们，帮助他们支付旅费，并资助他们建造和布置自己的家和神的殿。会幕是由埃及的财物造的，第一圣殿是借外邦人的劳役建造的，第二圣殿则是由迦勒底人的捐输建造的——这一切都预示外邦人终将在所定的时候被纳入教会。神能在自己所喜悦之处，感动外邦人的心善待他的子民，并使那些曾削弱他们的人来坚固他们的手。地却帮助妇人。 此外，还有那些留在巴比伦的犹太人本乎爱神与神殿的心甘心献上的；还有许多（可说）是巴比伦人并非本意所献的——他们乃是被神加在他们心上的能力所感而行，自己却无法解释其故。
这诏书如何得居鲁士亲自印证。为证明他对神殿的诚意，他不仅释放了神的子民，更归还了圣殿的器皿（拉一7、8）。请在此留意：1. 神的护理对圣殿器皿的看顾何等周到——它们既未遗失、未被熔化，也未与其他器皿相混以致无法辨识，如今尽都齐备。神对他活着的怜悯的器皿、贵重的器皿也有同样的看顾——经上说（提后二19、20）：主认识谁是他的人，他们没有一个灭亡。2. 这些器皿虽曾放入偶像的庙中，可能还被用于事奉偶像，如今却被归还，用以事奉神。神必收回他自己的；那壮士所掳掠的，必被得胜者夺回使用。3. 犹大在被掳之中仍有一位首领。设巴萨——据信就是所罗巴伯——在此被称为犹大的首领；迦勒底人称他为设巴萨，意为患难中的喜乐；但在他本民之中，他以所罗巴伯为名——意为巴比伦中的客旅；他如此看待自己，并视耶路撒冷为家，虽然据约瑟夫所言，他是巴比伦王的侍卫长。他照管犹太人的事务，对他们也有几分权柄——这大概自约雅斤（即耶哥尼雅）死后始，因约雅斤立他为嗣，他乃大卫家的人。4. 圣器便交在他手中数点（拉一8），他负责将之安全护送至耶路撒冷（拉一11）。他们既有如此丰厚的器具，待圣殿建成即可陈设其中，必大得鼓励去建造圣殿。神的圣礼虽如圣所的器皿一般，可能被新约的巴比伦所败坏、所亵渎，但到了时候，它们必恢复其原本的用途与意义；因为神所设立的一点一画也不落空。
Original em inglês
The Proclamation of Cyrus (536 BC)
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,
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 a 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.
It will be proper for us here to consider, 1. What was the state of the captive Jews in Babylon. It was upon many accounts very deplorable; they were under the power of those that hated them, had nothing they could call their own; they had no temple, no altar; if they sang psalms, their enemies ridiculed them; and yet they had prophets among them. Ezekiel and Daniel were kept distinct from the heathen. Some of them were preferred at court, others had comfortable settlements in the country, and they were all borne up with hope that, in due time, they should return to their own land again, in expectation of which they preserved among them the distinction of their families, the knowledge of their religion, and an aversion to idolatry. 2. What was the state of the government under which they were. Nebuchadnezzar carried many of them into captivity in the first year of his reign, which was the fourth of Jehoiakim; he reigned forty-five years, his son Evil-merodach twenty-three, and his grandson Belshazzar three years, which make up the seventy years. So Dr. Lightfoot, It is charged upon Nebuchadnezzar that he opened not the house of his prisoners, Isa 14:17. And, if he had shown mercy to the poor Jews, Daniel told him it would have been the lengthening of his tranquillity, Da 4:27. But the measure of the sins of Babylon was at length full, and then destruction was brought upon them by Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian, which we read of, Da 5:31 Darius, being old, left the government to Cyrus, and he was employed as the instrument of the Jews' deliverance, which he gave orders for as soon as ever he was master of the kingdom of Babylon, perhaps in contradiction to Nebuchadnezzar, whose family he had cut off, and because he took a pleasure in undoing what he had done, or in policy, to recommend his newly-acquired dominion as merciful and gentle, or (as some think) in a pious regard to the prophecy of Isaiah, which had been published, and well known, above 150 years before, where he was expressly named as the man that should do this for God, and for whom God would do great things (Isa 44:28,45:1, etc.), and which perhaps was shown to him by those about him. His name (some say) in the Persian language signifies the sun, for he brought light and healing to the church of God, and was an eminent type of Christ the Sun of righteousness. Some was that his name signifies a father, and Christ is the everlasting Father. Now here we are told,
I. Whence this proclamation took its rise. The Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus. Note, The hearts of kings are in the hand of the Lord, and, like the rivulets of water, he turneth them which way soever he will. It is said of Cyrus that he knew not God, nor how to serve him; but God knew him, and how to serve himself by him, Isa 45:4. God governs the world by his influence on the spirits of men, and, whatever good is done at any time, it is God that stirs up the spirit to do it, puts thoughts into the mind, gives to the understanding to form a right judgment, and directs the will which way he pleases. Whatever good offices therefore are, at any time, done for the church of God, he must have the glory of them.
II. The reference it had to the prophecy of Jeremiah, by whom God had not only promised that they should return, but had fixed the time, which set time to favour Sion had now come. Seventy years were determined (Jer 25:12,29:10); and he that kept the promise made concerning Israel's deliverance out of Egypt to a day (Ex 12:41) was doubtless as punctual to this. What Cyrus now did was long since said to be the confirming of the word of God's servants, Isa 44:26. Jeremiah, while he lived, was hated and despised; yet thus did Providence honour him long after, that a mighty monarch was influenced to act in pursuance of the word of the Lord by his mouth.
III. The date of this proclamation. It was in his first year, not the first of his reign over Persia, the kingdom he was born to, but the first of his reign over Babylon, the kingdom he had conquered. Those are much honoured whose spirits are stirred up to begin with God and to serve him in their first years.
IV. The publication of it, both by word of mouth (he caused a voice to pass throughout all his kingdom, like a jubilee-trumpet, a joyful sabbatical year after many melancholy ones, proclaiming liberty to the captives), and also in black and white: he put it in writing, that it might be the more satisfactory, and might be sent to those distant provinces where the ten tribes were scattered in Assyria and Media, 2Ki 17:6.
V. The purport of this proclamation of liberty.
1. The preamble shows the causes and considerations by which he was influenced, Ezr 1:2. It should seem, his mind was enlightened with the knowledge of Jehovah (for so he calls him), the God of Israel, as the only living and true God, the God of heaven, who is the sovereign Lord and disposer of all the kingdoms of the earth; of him he says Ezr 1:3), He is the God, God alone, God above all. Though he had not known God by education, God made him so far to know him now as that he did this service with an eye to him. He professes that he does it, (1.) In gratitude to God for the favours he had bestowed upon him: The God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. This sounds a little vain-glorious, for there were many kingdoms of the earth which he had nothing to do with; but he means that God had given him all that was given to Nebuchadnezzar, whose dominion, Daniel says, was to the end of the earth, Da 4:22,5:19. Note, God is the fountain of power; the kingdoms of the earth are at his disposal; whatever share any have of them they have from him: and those whom God has entrusted with great power and large possessions should look upon themselves as obliged thereby to do much for him. (2.) In obedience to God. He hat charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem; probably by a dream or vision of the night, confirmed by comparing it with the prophecy of Isaiah, where his doing it was foretold. Israel's disobedience to God's charge, which they were often told of, is aggravated by the obedience of this heathen king.
2. He gives free leave to all the Jews that were in his dominions to go up to Jerusalem, and to build the temple of the Lord there, Ezr 1:3. His regard to God made him overlook, (1.) The secular interest of his government. It would have been his policy to keep so great a number of serviceable men in his dominions, and seemed impolitic to let them go and take root again in their own land; but piety is the best policy. (2.) The honour of the religion of his country. Why did he not order them to build a temple to the gods of Babylon or Persia? He believed the God of Israel to be the God of heaven, and therefore obliged his Israel to worship him only. Let them walk in the name of the Lord their God.
3. He subjoins a brief for a collection to bear the charges of such as were poor and not able to bear their own, Ezr 1:4. "Whosoever remaineth, because he has not the means to bear his charges to Jerusalem, let the men of his place help him." Some take it as an order to the king's officers to supply them out of his revenue, as Ezr 6:8. But it may mean a warrant to the captives to ask and receive the alms and charitable contributions of all the king's loving subjects. And we may suppose the Jews had conducted themselves so well among their neighbours that they would be as forward to accommodate them because they loved them as the Egyptians were because they were weary of them. At least many would be kind to them because they saw the government would take it well. Cyrus not only gave his good wishes with those that went (Their God be with them, Ezr 1:3), but took care also to furnish them with such things as they needed. He took it for granted that those among them who were of ability would offer their free-will offerings for the house of God, to promote the rebuilding of it. But, besides that, he would have them supplied out of his kingdom. Well-wishers to the temple should be well-doers for it.
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.
We are here told,
I. How Cyrus's proclamation succeeded with others. 1. He having given leave to the Jews to go up to Jerusalem, many of them went up accordingly, Ezr 1:5. The leaders herein were the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, eminent and experienced men, from whom it might justly be expected that, as they were above their brethren in dignity, so they should go before them in duty. The priests and Levites were (as became them) with the first that set their faces again towards Zion. If any good work is to be done, let ministers lead in it. Those that accompanied them were such as God had inclined to go up. The same God that had raised up the spirit of Cyrus to proclaim this liberty raised up their spirits to take the benefit of it; for it was done, not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, Zec 4:6. The temptation perhaps was strong to some of them to stay in Babylon. They had convenient settlements there, had contracted an agreeable acquaintance with the neighbours, and were ready to say, It is good to be here. The discouragements of their return were many and great, the journey long, their wives and children unfit for travelling, their own land was to them a strange land, the road to it an unknown road. Go up to Jerusalem! And what should they do there? It was all in ruins, and in the midst of enemies to whom they would be an easy prey. Many were wrought upon by these considerations to stay in Babylon, at least not to go with the first. But there were some that got over these difficulties, that ventured to break the ice, and feared not the lion in the way, the lion in the streets; and they were those whose spirits God raised. He, by his Spirit and grace, filled them with a generous ambition of liberty, a gracious affection to their own land, and a desire of the free and public exercise of their religion. Had God left them to themselves, and to the counsels of flesh and blood, they would have staid in Babylon; but he put it into their hearts to set their faces Zionward, and, as strangers, to ask the way thither (Jer 50:5); for they, being a new generation, went out like their father Abraham from this land of the Chaldees, not knowing whither they went, Heb 11:8. Note, Whatever good we do, it is owing purely to the grace of God, and he raises up our spirits to the doing of it, works in us both to will and to do. Our spirits naturally incline to this earth and to the things of it. If they move upwards, in any good affections or good actions, it is God that raises them. The call and offer of the gospel are like Cyrus's proclamation. Deliverance is preached to the captives, Lu 4:18. Those that are bound under the unrighteous dominion of sin, and bound over to the righteous judgment of God, may be made free by Jesus Christ. Whoever will, by repentance and faith, return to God, his duty to God, his happiness in God, Jesus Christ has opened the way for him, and let him go up out of the slavery of sin into the glorious liberty of the children of God. The offer is general to all. Christ makes it, in pursuance of the grant which the Father has made him of all power both in heaven and in earth (a much greater dominion than that given to Cyrus, Ezr 1:2) and of the charge given him to build God a house, to set him up a church in the world, a kingdom among men. Many that hear this joyful sound choose to sit still in Babylon, are in love with their sins and will not venture upon the difficulties of a holy life; but some there are that break through the discouragements, and resolve to build the house of God, to make heaven of their religion, whatever it cost them, and they are those whose spirit God has raised above the world and the flesh and whom he has made willing in the day of his power, Ps 110:3. Thus will the heavenly Canaan be replenished, though many perish in Babylon; and the gospel-offer will not be made in vain. 2. Cyrus having given order that their neighbours should help them, they did so, Ezr 1:6. All those that were about them furnished them with plate and goods to bear the charges of their journey, and to help them in building and furnishing both their own houses and God's temple. As the tabernacle was made of the spoils of Egypt, and the first temple built by the labours of the strangers, so the second by the contributions of the Chaldeans, all intimating the admission of the Gentiles into the church in due time. God can, where he pleases, incline the hearts of strangers to be kind to his people, and make those to strengthen their hands that have weakened them. The earth helped the woman. Besides what was willingly offered by the Jews themselves who staid behind, from a principle of love to God and his house, much was offered, as one may say, unwillingly by the Babylonians, who were influenced to do it by a divine power on their minds of which they themselves could give no account.
How this proclamation was seconded by Cyrus himself. To give proof of the sincerity of his affection to the house of God, he not only released the people of God, but restored the vessels of the temple, Ezr 1:7,8. Observe here, 1. How careful Providence was of the vessels of the temple, that they were not lost, melted down, or so mixed with other vessels that they could not be known, but that they were all now forthcoming. Such care God has of the living vessels of mercy, vessels of honour, of whom it is said (2Ti 2:19,20), The Lord knows those that are his, and they shall none of them perish. 2. Though they had been put into an idol's temple, and probably used in the service of idols, yet they were given back, to be used for God. God will recover his own; and the spoil of the strong man armed shall be converted to the use of the conqueror. 3. Judah had a prince, even in captivity. Sheshbazzar, supposed to be the same with Zerubbabel, is here called prince of Judah; the Chaldeans called him Sheshbazzar, which signifies joy in tribulation; but among his own people he went by the name of Zerubbabel—a stranger in Babylon; so he looked upon himself, and considered Jerusalem his home, though, as Josephus says, he was captain of the life-guard to the king of Babylon. He took care of the affairs of the Jews, and had some authority over them, probably from the death of Jehoiachin, or Jeconiah, who made him his heir, he being of the house of David. 4. To him the sacred vessels were numbered out (Ezr 1:8), and he took care for their safe conveyance to Jerusalem, Ezr 1:11. It would encourage them to build the temple that they had so much rich furniture ready to put into it when it was built. Though God's ordinances, like the vessels of the sanctuary, may be corrupted and profaned by the New-Testament Babylon, they shall, in due time, be restored to their primitive use and intention; for not one jot or tittle of divine institution shall fall to the ground.
本章记载如下：I. 波斯王居鲁士颁布诏令，释放他在巴比伦所发现的一切被掳的犹太人，并在耶路撒冷建造他们的圣殿，拉1:1-4。II. 许多人因此归回，拉1:5,6。III. 下令归还圣殿的器皿，拉1:7-11。这正是他们蒙拯救之日的黎明。