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The good work of rebuilding the temple was no sooner begun than it met with opposition from those that bore ill will to it; the Samaritans were enemies to the Jews and their religion, and they set themselves to obstruct it. I. They offered to be partners in the building of it, that they might have it in their power to retard it; but they were refused, Ezr 4:1-3. II. They discouraged them in it, and dissuaded them from it, Ezr 4:4,5. III. They basely misrepresented the undertaking, and the undertakers, to the king of Persia, by a memorial they sent him, Ezr 4:6-16. IV. They obtained from him an order to stop the building (Ezr 4:17-22), which they immediately put in execution, Ezr 4:23,24.
1-5
Opposition Made to the Jews (535 BC)
简体中文
犹太人所受的反对（公元前535年）
¹ 犹大和便雅悯的敌人听见被掳归回的人为耶和华以色列的神建造殿宇， ² 就来见所罗巴伯和族长，对他们说：我们要与你们一同建造；因为我们寻求你们的神，与你们一样；自从亚述王以撒哈顿带我们上这地以来，我们常献祭与他。 ³ 但所罗巴伯、耶书亚和其余以色列的族长对他们说：我们建造神的殿与你们无干；我们自己要一同为耶和华以色列的神建造，正如波斯王居鲁士所吩咐我们的。 ⁴ 那地的民就在犹大人手下败坏他们，使他们建造的手发软。 ⁵ 又贿买谋士攻击他们，要败坏他们的计谋，在波斯王居鲁士年间，直到波斯王大流士登基的时候。
我们在此看见那自古置于女人后裔与蛇后裔之间的仇恨的一例。神的殿不能建造，撒但必大发烈怒，阴间的权柄也必攻击它。福音国度同样要在许多争战和纷扰中被建立。就这一点而言，后殿的荣耀大于前殿的荣耀，也更是基督教会之殿的预表——所罗门建造圣殿时没有仇敌，也没有不幸的遭遇（王上五4）；而这第二圣殿却是在巨大反对之中建成的；在克服反对、不顾一切使工作终告完成的过程中，神的智慧、能力、良善大得荣耀，教会也受鼓励去信靠他。
I. 承担此事的人在此被称为被掳的人（拉四1），这使他们显得十分卑微。他们刚出被掳之地，生在被掳之中，身上仍带着被掳的痕迹；他们如今虽非俘虏，却受着那曾俘掳他们之人的辖制。以色列本为神的儿子、他的长子；但因着他们的罪孽，百姓自卖自卖为奴，就成了"被掳的人"。然而，看来正是想到自己原是"被掳的人"才激发他们起来作这工，因他们正是因疏忽圣殿而失了自由。
II. 此事工的反对者被称为犹大和便雅悯的敌人——不是迦勒底人或波斯人（他们毫不搅扰他们——"让他们建造罢，欢迎之至"），而是十支派的余民和归附于他们的外邦人，他们凑合出我们在王下十七33所见的那杂糅宗教：他们又敬畏耶和华，又事奉自己的神。他们被称为那地的民（拉四4）。犹大和便雅悯最坏的仇敌，是那些自称是犹太人，其实不是的（启三9）。
III. 他们所行的反对，多有古蛇的诡诈。他们一听见圣殿在建，立即警觉这必给他们的迷信致命一击，便起来反对。他们无权以暴力行之，便尽力用一切办法有效地阻挠。
1. 他们主动提出要与以色列人同建，只为借此在表面推进时暗中拖延工程。如今，（1）他们的提议甚为合理，看似友善：我们要与你们同建， 要帮你们筹划，并要分担费用；因为我们寻求你们的神，与你们一样（拉四2）。这是假的，因为他们虽寻求同一位神，却并不单单寻求他，也不按他所指定的方式寻求他，所以并不像以色列人那样寻求他。他们在此设计：若可能，就阻碍圣殿的建造，至少阻碍以色列人对其的舒适享受；因为对于真神——唯独他——的纯洁敬拜而言，不能独享就几乎等于没有。仇敌的嘴亲嘴，是诡诈的；他口中的言语比奶油更滑，心中却怀着争战。（2）然而他们所献之工的拒绝却是十分公道的（拉四3）。以色列的族长们很快察觉，无论他们装得如何，并不怀好意，实在是图谋加害；所以他们（虽然若所助之人可靠，他们实在极需帮助）坦白对他们说：你们与我们要建造的事无干， 在这事上无分无业，不是生来的以色列人，也不是忠信敬拜神的人；你们所拜的，你们并不知道（约四22）。你们不是我们敢与之相交的人，所以我们要自己建造。他们不是向他们提出自己神的律法——那律法禁止他们与外人混杂（他们特别看重的正是这点），而是提出他们更会留意的王命——那命是单给他们定的："波斯王命我们建造这殿，我们若求助于外人，便是不信任他、冒犯他。" 请注意：行善之时，需要蛇的智慧，如同鸽子的驯良；正如那里接着所说，我们要防备人（太十16、17）。我们应当慎重考量自己所交游之人和所倚靠之人。当我们以敬虔的信心信靠神时，必须以谨慎的戒备和防备去信靠人。
2. 这计谋失败之后，他们便尽力使犹太人从工程上分心，使其中的工作受挫。他们借告诉犹太人妄图此举徒劳无益来使他们的手发软，称他们为无知的建造者——着手作那无力完成之事；又用他们的话中之意来扰乱他们，使他们工程进展迟缓。众人并非同样热心。那些冷淡漠然之人便被这些诡计从工程上拉走——而这工程正需要他们的帮助（拉四4）。又因为犹太人怀疑他们自己所说是心怀恶意，也不会受其左右，他们便暗中贿买谋士攻击他们——那些人假装为他们献上最好的劝告，却要劝他们不要继续，借此败坏他们的计谋（拉四5）；或劝推罗和西顿人不要按约（拉三7）供给木料；或者无论他们在波斯朝廷有何公事要为自由之谕的特别恩准或恩惠而恳求，总有被买通之人随时准备出面反对他们。教会仇敌在攻击神殿建造之事上如此不懈，并不足怪。他们所事奉的、所为之效力的那位，在地上走来走去作恶，并不疲倦。那些阻挡善工、使受雇之人的手发软的人，当看自己是在效法谁。
英文原文
Opposition Made to the Jews (535 BC)
¹ Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the LORD God of Israel;
² Then they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you: for we seek your God, as ye do; and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.
³ But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
⁴ Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,
⁵ And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
We have here an instance of the old enmity that was put between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. God's temple cannot be built, but Satan will rage, and the gates of hell will fight against it. The gospel kingdom was, in like manner, to be set up with much struggling and contention. In this respect the glory of the latter house was greater than the glory of the former, and it was more a figure of the temple of Christ's church, in that Solomon built his temple when there was no adversary nor evil occurrent, (1Ki 5:4); but this second temple was built notwithstanding great opposition, in the removing and conquering of which, and the bringing of the work to perfection at last in spite of it, the wisdom, power, and goodness of God were much glorified, and the church was encouraged to trust in him.
I. The undertakers are here called the children of the captivity (Ezr 4:1), which makes them look very little. They had newly come out of captivity, were born in captivity, had still the marks of their captivity upon them; though they were not now captives, they were under the control of those whose captives they had lately been. Israel was God's son, his first-born; but by their iniquity the people sold and enslaved themselves, and so became children of the captivity. But, it should seem, the thought of their being so quickened them to this work, for it was by their neglect of the temple that they lost their freedom.
II. The opposers of the undertaking are here said to be the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin, not the Chaldeans or Persians (they gave them no disturbance—"let them build and welcome"), but the relics of the ten tribes, and the foreigners that had joined themselves to them, and patched up that mongrel religion we had an account of, 2Ki 17:33. They feared the Lord, and served their own gods too. They are called the people of the land, Ezr 4:4. The worst enemies Judah and Benjamin had were those that said they were Jews and were not, Re 3:9.
III. The opposition they gave had in it much of the subtlety of the old serpent. When they heard that the temple was in building they were immediately aware that it would be a fatal blow to their superstition, and set themselves to oppose it. They had not power to do it forcibly, but they tried all the ways they could to do it effectually.
1. They offered their service to build with the Israelites only that thereby they might get an opportunity to retard the work, while they pretended to further it. Now, (1.) Their offer was plausible enough, and looked kind: "We will build with you, will help you to contrive, and will contribute towards the expense; for we seek your God as you do," Ezr 4:2. This was false, for, though they sought the same God, they did not seek him only, nor seek him in the way he appointed, and therefore did not seek him as they did. Herein they designed, if it were possible, to hinder the building of it, at least to hinder their comfortable enjoyment of it; as good almost not have it as not have it to themselves, for the pure worship of the true God and him only. Thus are the kisses of an enemy deceitful; his words are smoother than butter when war is in his heart. But, (2.) The refusal of their proffered service was very just, Ezr 4:3. The chief of the fathers of Israel were soon aware that they meant them no kindness, whatever they pretended, but really designed to do them a mischief, and therefore (though they had need enough of help if it had been such as they could confide in) told them plainly, "You have nothing to do with us, have no part nor lot in this matter, are not true-born Israelites nor faithful worshippers of God; you worship you know not what, Joh 4:22. You are none of those with whom we dare hold communion, and therefore we ourselves will build it." They plead not to them the law of their God, which forbade them to mingle with strangers (though that especially they had an eye to), but that which they would take more notice of, the king's commission, which was directed to them only: "The king of Persia has commanded us to build this house, and we shall distrust and affront him if we call in foreign aid." Note, In doing good there is need of the wisdom of the serpent, as well as the innocency of the dove, and we have need, as it follows there, to beware of men, Mt 10:16,17. We should carefully consider with whom we are associated and on whose hand we lean. While we trust God with a pious confidence we must trust men with a prudent jealousy and caution.
2. When this plot failed they did what they could to divert them from the work and discourage them in it. They weakened their hands by telling them it was in vain to attempt it, calling them foolish builders, who began what they were not able to finish, and by their insinuations troubled them, and made them drive heavily in the work. All were not alike zealous in it. Those that were cool and indifferent were by these artifices drawn off from the work, which wanted their help, Ezr 4:4. And because what they themselves said the Jews would suspect to be ill meant, and not be influenced by, they, underhand, hired counsellors against them, who, pretending to advise them for the best, should dissuade them from proceeding, and so frustrate their purpose (Ezr 4:5), or dissuade the men of Tyre and Sidon from furnishing them with the timber they had bargained for (Ezr 3:7); or whatever business they had at the Persian court, to solicit for any particular grants or favours, pursuant to the general edict for their liberty, there were those that were hired and lay ready to appear of counsel against them. Wonder not at the restlessness of the church's enemies in their attempts against the building of God's temple. He whom they serve, and whose work they are doing, is unwearied in walking to and fro through the earth to do mischief. And let those who discourage a good work, and weaken the hands of those that are employed in it, see whose pattern they follow.
6-24
The Jews Misrepresented (521 BC)
简体中文
犹太人被诬告（公元前521年）
⁶ 在亚哈随鲁 reign 开始的时候，他们就上书控告犹大和耶路撒冷的居民。 ⁷ 亚达薛西年间，比施兰、米特利达、他别和他们的同党，上书于波斯王亚达薛西；信是用叙利亚文字写成的，并用叙利亚方言译出。 ⁸ 省长利宏、书记伸帅，为耶路撒冷之事，写信奏告亚达薛西王如下： ⁹ 省长利宏、书记伸帅，和他们的同党——底拿人、亚法萨提人、他毗拉人、亚法撒人、亚基卫人、巴比伦人、书珊人、底亥人、和以拦人， ¹⁰ 以及尊大显赫的亚斯那巴所迁移、安置在撒玛利亚城和其余在河西一带的诸国人民，如今上书。 ¹¹ 这就是他们送上亚达薛西王的信的副本：王的仆人河西之人，奏告云云。 ¹² 王该知道：从王那里上到我们这里的犹太人，已经到了耶路撒冷，重建那反叛恶劣的城，已经筑起城墙，立妥根基。 ¹³ 如今王该知道：这城若再被建造，城墙若再立起，他们就不纳贡、交课、纳税，王就必受亏损。 ¹⁴ 我们既吃御盐，见王的亏损便不能不奏明，因此我们上书奏告于王， ¹⁵ 请王考查列祖的史记，必在史记书上查知，知道这城是反叛的城，与列王和各省有害，自古以来其中常有反叛之事，所以这城被毁。 ¹⁶ 我们奏明王：这城若再被建造，城墙若再立起，河西之地王就不再有分。
居鲁士始终坚定地维护犹太人的利益，支持自己所赐的谕旨。向他提出任何有损于此的呈请，都是徒然。他所行的，都是出于善因、在敬畏神中而行，所以他坚守其事。但他的全部在位时间虽是三十年，攻下巴比伦、下谕释放犹太人之后，有人以为他只作了三年王，有人以为七年，便或去世，或将那部分政权交出——其继位者名亚哈随鲁（拉四6），又名亚达薛西（拉四7），据推测就是外邦作家所称的甘比西斯；他从未像前任那样留意那被藐视的犹太人，为他们费心，也没有他前任对以色列神的认识。撒玛利亚人便向他致书，求下令停建圣殿；他们就在他即位之初行事，因见有机可乘的君王，便决心不失时机。请看教会仇敌何等警觉，把握头一个机会加害于她；愿她的朋友也不减少对她的善念。此处有：
I. 他们致书国王报告此事之大意。这信被称为（拉四6）控告犹大和耶路撒冷居民之词。魔鬼是控告弟兄的（启十二10），他推进他对他们的恶谋，不仅自己在神前控告他们，如对约伯所作；更在所用之人的口中作说谎的灵，借他们向官长和君王控告，使他们在众人和权贵眼中成为可憎可恶。若同样的伎俩今日仍被用来贬低严肃的敬虔，不要以为奇。
II. 写这封信的有关之人。策划者被列名（拉四7），他们是图谋此事的人；执笔者（拉四8）是定稿的人；连署者（拉四9）是赞同并与他们一同如此呈报——我倒要称之为如此歪曲——的人。如今请看：1. 世上的君王如何一同商议，攻击耶和华和他的圣殿，连同他们的同党。圣殿的建造对他们并无损害，他们却以最大的关切和狠毒出来反对，也许是因为以色列神的先知曾预言一切外邦的神必饥荒衰残（番二11；耶十11）。2. 百姓如何与他们同谋，一同想象虚妄之事。他们随众呼喊，对案情一无所知。那批移民中各殖民地（此处提及九处），分别以他们所来自的亚述、迦勒底、波斯等城邑或国家得名，都借其代表在这信上署名。他们也许因这些归回的犹太人而怒火中烧，因为其中有十支派的许多人——他们的产业已被其据为己有，他们因此心怀戒备，惟恐日后这些人图谋收回。
III. 信件本身的副本，以斯拉在此从波斯国的档案中录出，因它已被存于其内；我们有此副本，实为幸事——由此可知，那些至今仍用来陷害善人、败坏善谋的同类手段，是从何处抄袭来的。
1. 他们把自己表现为对政权极为忠贞、对其尊荣和利益极为关切之人，并要使人相信：王在全境之内再无如他们这般忠诚爱主的子民，再无如他们这般深感对王之责任的人（拉四14）。因为我们吃御盐（旁注如此）——"我们从朝廷领受俸禄，离了它便不能活命，正如肉离了盐便不能保存"；或如有人所想，他们的饷或退休金就是以盐支付的；或"因为我们曾在宫中受教育，是在王的席上长大的"——如但一5所记。这些人就是王有意要抬举的；他们吃王所派的一份肉。"如今念及于此，我们见王的亏损便不能不奏明"；所以他们催促王停建圣殿——其实真正损害王尊荣的，反倒是停建圣殿本身。请注意：对基督和他福音的暗中敌意，常常以对凯撒及其权柄的假装忠诚来粉饰。犹太人恨恶罗马政权，但为了一时的用处，他们也能喊：除了凯撒，我们没有王。但（借此喻之）：凡靠王而活的人既以责任之心维护王的利益，我们更有何等充分的理由，借此推论自己当以敬虔之心关切神的尊荣；我们靠天上的神而得供养，是用他的盐腌的，靠他的厚赐而活，并为他所护理；所以我们见他的尊荣受辱不能不心怀愤慨，并尽力阻止。
2. 他们将犹太人表现为不忠、危险之人——耶路撒冷是反叛恶劣的城（拉四12），与列王和各省有害（拉四15）。请看耶路撒冷——全地的喜乐（诗四十八2）——竟在此被诬为全地的耻辱。教会仇敌若不先给教会加上恶名，就不能对之行其所图的恶事。耶路撒冷对正统之君向来忠诚，其现今居民对王及其政权，与王任何一省的子民一样忠诚爱戴。犹太人但以理近来向其君主所显的忠信，连他最坏的仇敌也无法在其治理上找到瑕疵（但六4）。然而以利亚竟被极不公正地控为扰乱以色列之人，使徒被控搅乱天下，基督自己被控迷惑百姓、禁止纳税给凯撒；我们若见同样的把戏仍在重演，不可视为奇怪。如今此处：
（1）他们对其过去的叙述是带偏见的——这城自古以来常有反叛之事，并因此之故被毁（拉四15）。不能否认，约雅敬和西底家试图摆脱巴比伦王之轭的举动，给这暗示提供了一些表面根据；然而他们若对所重建的圣殿和自己的信仰忠心，本不会陷于那种轭下。但必须考虑：[1] 他们本身及其祖先本是主权君王；他们为恢复权利所作的努力，若非其中有违背誓言之处，据我所知本是可证明为正当的，且若采取正确方法、先与神和好，本可成功。[2] 这些犹太人及其君王虽有过反叛之罪，但据此便把这罪愆作为不可磨灭的烙印钉在这城身上，仿佛此后必须永远背负反叛恶劣的城之名，便是不公。犹太人在被掳中已表现出良好行为的样本，足以使任何通情达理之人不再为此一耻辱所累；因他们曾受教（我们也有理由希望他们遵从其教）为所被掳之城的平安祈求，向耶和华为它祷告（耶二十九7）。所以将列祖的罪孽归到儿女身上，虽非罕见，却极不公正。
（2）他们关于当前所作所为的情报，在事实上是公然虚假的。他们极小心地告诉王，犹太人已经立起了这城的城墙，甚至（旁注如此）已经完工，并立妥根基（拉四12）——而事实远非如此。他们只是按居鲁士的命令开始建殿；至于城墙，丝毫未作修补，也未有任何设计——这从多年之后城墙仍处残破状态（尼一3）可见一斑。当怎样报应这些说谎之舌，更糟的是，这些说谎之笔？无疑是勇士的快箭，和罗腾木的炭火（诗一百二十3、4）。他们若非完全丧尽德行与廉耻，便不会这样写；若非十拿九稳地倚仗王的庇护，也不敢这样写。请看箴二十九12。
（3）他们对后果的预言，完全是毫无根据、荒谬不经的。他们极其自信，要王凭他们的话相信：这城若被建造，不仅犹太人不纳贡、交课、纳税（拉四13），而且（既然大谎和小谎一样易说）王在河西之地就毫无所有（拉四16）——河西一切属地必立时叛变，受其榜样牵引而起；在位的君主若纵容此事，不仅亏了自己，也亏了后嗣：王就必受亏损。请看这信每行字里都吐露着古蛇的狡猾和恶意。
¹⁷ 那时王覆省长利宏、并书记伸帅、并他们的同党，以及住在撒玛利亚的人，并河西其余的人，说：愿你们平安云云。 ¹⁸ 你们所上的信，已经在我面前明读。 ¹⁹ 我已下令考查，得知这城自古以来果然常有反叛之事，其中确有反叛作乱之事。 ²⁰ 从前耶路撒冷也有大君王治理全地和河西，向他们纳贡、交课、纳税。 ²¹ 现在你们当下令使这些人停工，这城不可再建造，等另有我的命令。 ²² 你们当谨慎，不可怠慢这事，何必使王的亏损加增呢？ ²³ 亚达薛西王的信读在省长利宏、书记伸帅和他们的同党面前，他们就急忙上耶路撒冷到犹太人那里，用势力强迫他们停工。 ²⁴ 于是在耶路撒冷神的殿的工程就停止了。这样停工，直到波斯王大流士第二年。
此处有：
I. 波斯王对撒玛利亚人控告犹太人之信所作的覆命。他被他们的诡诈和谎言所欺，并未细察他们呈文中关于犹太人现今所为之事的内容，便假定控告属实，并很愿意用一道枢密院的命令满足他们，叫工程停顿。1. 他查阅了关于耶路撒冷的史记，发现它果然曾反叛巴比伦王，所以正如他们所称，它是恶劣的城（拉四19）；同时也发现从前曾有君王在那里作王，河西诸国都曾向其纳贡（拉四20），所以一旦他们（虽永远无此可能）有了力量，便有声称对其有主权之虞。如此他便照他们所说而行，并假装给出理由。请看君王的难处——他们必须借别人的眼目来看，借别人的耳来听，并按所呈报的来下判决，而所呈的往往是假的。神的判断总是公义的，因他看事物如其所是，并按真理而行。2. 他命这些撒玛利亚人立即停建此城，直到另有命令发出（拉四21、22）。他们在信中、他在命令中，都不提圣殿及其建造，因为他们双方都明知：居鲁士不仅有许可他们重建，更有明令命他们重建——连这些撒玛利亚人也不敢公然请求撤销。他们只论及那城：不可再建造它——即作为有墙有门之城而建；"无论你们作甚么，必须防止此事，免得王的亏损加增"——他不愿因戴这冠冕而有所失。
II. 犹太人的仇敌如何使用这道以欺诈得来的命令；他们一接到，便急忙上耶路撒冷（拉四23）。他们的脚奔走邪恶（箴一16）。他们迫不及待，要赶在建造者之前将这禁令送达——他们拿出这禁令作为权状，用势力强迫他们停工。他们 obtaining 此命令时既欺诈了王，执行时也同样欺诈了王；因命令本只是禁止城墙的建造，但他们既有势力在手，便将之应用到圣殿上——因为他们本对圣殿心怀敌意，所求的不过是找借口阻止其建造。命令中确有"使这些人停工"这样一句总括之语，原指他们关于建城墙的控告，但他们却将之应用于建殿。可见我们何等需要祷告——不仅为君王，也为他们手下一有权柄的，并他们所差遣的官长——因为我们一生的安静与平静，在一切敬虔和端正中，极为倚靠下级官吏的正直和智慧，正如倚靠至高的。结果就是：神殿的工作因仇敌的权势和蛮横暂时停止了；又因朋友的冷淡和漠然，它停滞到大流士·希斯塔斯普第二年——据我看，这卷圣史脉络的清晰显示，所指正是那一位大流士（拉四24）。虽然此时撒玛利亚人的暴力使工程停顿，但若非他们对此工无应有的爱慕，他们其实不久之后便可在纵容之下继续——这一点可由此看出：他们在尚未得到王明确谕旨（拉六1-12）之前，就被先知责备不建造（拉五1；该一1，与拉五1对照）。他们若曾用心将真相告知甘比西斯，他也许会收回成命；但据我所知，某些建造者几乎和仇敌一样乐意它停顿。在某些时期，教会因朋友的冷淡所受的苦，比因仇敌的热中所受的更甚；而两者合力，便常使教会的工作进展迟缓。
英文原文
The Jews Misrepresented (521 BC)
⁶ And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
⁷ And in the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and interpreted in the Syrian tongue.
⁸ Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort:
⁹ Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites,
¹⁰ And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, and set in the cities of Samaria, and the rest that are on this side the river, and at such a time.
¹¹ This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time.
¹² Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.
¹³ Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings.
¹⁴ Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace, and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king;
¹⁵ That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers: so shalt thou find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful unto kings and provinces, and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time: for which cause was this city destroyed.
¹⁶ We certify the king that, if this city be builded again, and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river.
Cyrus stedfastly adhered to the Jews' interest, and supported his own grant. It was to no purpose to offer any thing to him in prejudice of it. What he did was from a good principle, and in the fear of God, and therefore he adhered to it. But, though his reign in all was thirty years, yet after the conquest of Babylon, and his decree for the release of the Jews, some think that he reigned but three years, others seven, and then either died or gave up that part of his government, in which his successor was Ahasuerus (Ezr 4:6), called also Artaxerxes (Ezr 4:7), supposed to be the same that in heathen authors is called Cambyses, who had never taken such cognizance of the despised Jews as to concern himself for them, nor had he that knowledge of the God of Israel which his predecessor had. To him these Samaritans applied by letter for an order to stop the building of the temple; and they did it in the beginning of his reign, being resolved to lose no time when they thought they had a king for their purpose. See how watchful the church's enemies are to take the first opportunity of doing it a mischief; let not its friends be less careful to do it a kindness. Here is,
I. The general purport of the letter which they sent to the king, to inform him of this matter. It is called (Ezr 4:6) an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. The devil is the accuser of the brethren (Re 12:10), and he carries on his malicious designs against them, not only by accusing them himself before God, as he did Job, but by acting as a lying spirit in the mouths of his instruments, whom he employs to accuse them before magistrates and kings and to make them odious to the many and obnoxious to the mighty. Marvel not if the same arts be still used to depreciate serious godliness.
II. The persons concerned in writing this letter. The contrivers are named (Ezr 4:7) that plotted the thing, the writers (Ezr 4:8) that put it into form, and the subscribers (Ezr 4:9) that concurred in it and joined with them in this representation, this misrepresentation I should call it. Now see here, 1. How the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and his temple, with their companions. The building of the temple would do them no harm, yet they appear against it with the utmost concern and virulence, perhaps because the prophets of the God of Israel had foretold the famishing and perishing of all the gods of the heathen, Zep 2:11, Jer 10:11. 2. How the people concurred with them in imagining this vain thing. They followed the cry, though ignorant of the merits of the cause. All the several colonies of that plantation (nine are here mentioned), who had their denomination from the cities or countries of Assyria, Chaldea, Persia, etc., whence they came, set their hands, by their representatives, to this letter. Perhaps they were incensed against these returned Jews because many of the ten tribes were among them, whose estates they had got into their possession, and of whom they were therefore jealous, lest they should attempt the recovery of them hereafter.
III. A copy of the letter itself, which Ezra inserts here out of the records of the kingdom of Persia, into which it had been entered; and it is well we have it, that we may see whence the like methods, still taken to expose good people and baffle good designs, are copied.
1. They represent themselves as very loyal to the government, and greatly concerned for the honour and interest of it, and would have it thought that the king had no such loving faithful subjects in all his dominions as they were, none so sensible of their obligations to him, Ezr 4:14. Because we are salted with the salt of the palace (so it is in the margin), "we have our salary from the court, and could no more live without it than flesh could be preserved without salt;" or, as some think, their pay or pension was sent them in salt; or "Because we had our education in the palace, and were brought up at the king's table," as we find, Da 1:5. These were those whom he intended to prefer; they did eat their portion of the king's meat. "Now, in consideration of this, it is not meet for us to see the king's dishonour;" and therefore they urge him to stop the building of the temple, which would certainly be the king's dishonour more than any thing else. Note, A secret enmity to Christ and his gospel is often gilded over with a pretended affection to Caesar and his power. The Jews hated the Roman government, and yet, to serve a turn, could cry, We have no king but Caesar. But (to allude to this), if those that lived upon the crown thought themselves bound in gratitude thus to support the interest of it, much more reason have we thus to argue ourselves into a pious concern for God's honour; we have our maintenance from the God of heaven and are salted with his salt, live upon his bounty and are the care of his providence; and therefore it is not meet for us to see his dishonour without resenting it and doing what we can to prevent it.
2. They represent the Jews as disloyal, and dangerous to the government, that Jerusalem was the rebellious and bad city (Ezr 4:12), hurtful to kings and provinces, Ezr 4:15. See how Jerusalem, the joy of the whole earth (Ps 48:2), is here reproached as the scandal of the whole earth. The enemies of the church could not do the bad things they design against it if they did not first give it a bad name. Jerusalem had been a loyal city to its rightful princes, and its present inhabitants were as well affected to the king and his government as any of his provinces whatsoever. Daniel, who was a Jew, had lately approved himself so faithful to his prince that his worst enemies could find no fault in his management, Da 6:4. But thus was Elijah most unjustly charged with troubling Israel, the apostles with turning the world upside down, and Christ himself with perverting the nation and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar; and we must not think it strange if the same game be still played. Now here,
(1.) Their history of what was past was invidious, that within this city sedition had been moved of old time, and, for that cause, it was destroyed, Ezr 4:15. It cannot be denied but that there was some colour given for this suggestion by the attempts of Jehoiakim and Zedekiah to shake off the yoke of the king of Babylon, which, if they had kept close to their religion and the temple they were now rebuilding, they would never have come under. But it must be considered, [1.] That they were themselves, and their ancestors, sovereign princes, and their efforts to recover their rights, if there had not been in them the violation of an oath, for aught I know, would have been justifiable, and successful too, had they taken the right method and made their peace with God first. [2.] Though these Jews, and their princes, had been guilty of rebellion, yet it was unjust therefore to fasten this as an indelible brand upon this city, as if that must for ever after go under the name of the rebellious and bad city. The Jews, in their captivity, had given such specimens of good behaviour as were sufficient, with any reasonable men, to roll away that one reproach; for they were instructed (and we have reason to hope that they observed their instructions) to seek the peace of the city where they were captives and pray to the Lord for it, Jer 29:7. It was therefore very unfair, though not uncommon, thus to impute the iniquity of the fathers to the children.
(2.) Their information concerning what was now doing was grossly false in matter of fact. Very careful they were to inform the king that the Jews had set up the walls of this city, nay, had finished them (so it is in the margin) and joined the foundations (Ezr 4:12), when this was far from being the case. They had only begun to build the temple, which Cyrus commanded them to do, but, as for the walls, there was nothing done nor designed towards the repair of them, as appears by the condition they were in many years after (Ne 1:3), all in ruins. What shall be given, and what done, to these false tongues, nay, which is worse, these false pens? sharp arrows, doubtless, of the mighty, and coals of juniper, Ps 120:3,4. If they had not been perfectly lost to all virtue and honour they would not, and if they had not been very secure of the king's countenance they durst not, have written that to the king which all their neighbours knew to be a notorious lie. See Pr 29:12.
(3.) Their prognostics of the consequences were altogether groundless and absurd. They were very confident, and would have the king believe it upon their word, that if this city should be built, not only the Jews would pay no toll, tribute, or custom (Ezr 4:13), but (since a great lie is as soon spoken as a little one) that the king would have no portion at all on this side the river (Ezr 4:16), that all the countries on this side Euphrates would instantly revolt, drawn in to do so by their example; and, if the prince in possession should connive at this, he would wrong, not only himself, but his successors: Thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings. See how every line in this letter breathes both the subtlety and malice of the old serpent.
¹⁷ Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria, and unto the rest beyond the river, Peace, and at such a time.
¹⁸ The letter which ye sent unto us hath been plainly read before me.
¹⁹ And I commanded, and search hath been made, and it is found that this city of old time hath made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein.
²⁰ There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river; and toll, tribute, and custom, was paid unto them.
²¹ Give ye now commandment to cause these men to cease, and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me.
²² Take heed now that ye fail not to do this: why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
²³ Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.
²⁴ Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Here we have,
I. The orders which the king of Persia gave, in answer to the information sent him by the Samaritans against the Jews. He suffered himself to be imposed upon by their fraud and falsehood, took no care to examine the allegations of their petition concerning that which the Jews were now doing, but took it for granted that the charge was true, and was very willing to gratify them with an order of council to stay proceedings. 1. He consulted the records concerning Jerusalem, and found that it had indeed rebelled against the king of Babylon, and therefore that it was, as they called it, a bad city (Ezr 4:19), and withal that in times past kings had reigned there, to whom all the countries on that side the river had been tributaries (Ezr 4:20), and that therefore there was danger that if ever they were able (which they were never likely to be) they would claim them again. Thus he says as they said, and pretends to give a reason for so doing. See the hard fate of princes, who must see and hear with other men's eyes and ears, and give judgment upon things as they are represented to them, though often represented falsely. God's judgment is always just because he sees things as they are, and it is according to truth. 2. He appointed these Samaritans to stop the building of the city immediately, till further orders should be given about it, Ezr 4:21,22. Neither they, in their letter, nor he, in his order, make any mention of the temple, and the building of that, because both they and he knew that they had not only a permission, but a command, from Cyrus to rebuild that, which even these Samaritans had not the confidence to move for the repeal of. They spoke only of the city: "Let not that be built," that is, as a city with walls and gates; "whatever you do, prevent that, lest damage grow to the hurt of the kings:" he would not that the crown should lose by his wearing it.
II. The use which the enemies of the Jews made of these orders, so fraudulently obtained; upon the receipt of them they went up in haste to Jerusalem, Ezr 4:23. Their feet ran to evil, Pr 1:16. They were impatient till the builders were served with this prohibition, which they produced as their warrant to make them cease by force and power. As they abused the king in obtaining this order by their mis-informations, so they abused him in the execution of it; for the order was only to prevent the walling of the city, but, having force and power on their side, they construed it as relating to the temple, for it was that to which they had an ill will, and which they only wanted some colour to hinder the building of. There was indeed a general clause in the order, to cause these men to cease, which had reference to their complaint about building the walls; but they applied it to the building of the temple. See what need we have to pray, not only for kings, but for all in authority under them, and the governors sent by them, because the quietness and peaceableness of our lives, in all godliness and honesty, depend very much upon the integrity and wisdom of inferior magistrates, as well as the supreme. The consequence was that the work of the house of God ceased for a time, through the power and insolence of its enemies; and so, through the coldness and indifference of its friends, it stood still till the second year of Darius Hystaspes, for to me it seems clear by the thread of this sacred history that it was that Darius, Ezr 4:24. Though now a stop was put to it by the violence of the Samaritans, yet that they might soon after have gone on by connivance, if they had had a due affection to the work, appears by this, that before they had that express warrant from the king for doing it (Ezr 6:1-12) they were reproved by the prophets for not doing it, Ezr 5:1, Hag 1:1, compared with Ezr 5:1, Hag 1:1, etc. If they had taken due care to inform Cambyses of the truth of this case, perhaps he would have recalled his order; but, for aught I know, some of the builders were almost as willing it should cease as the adversaries themselves were. At some periods the church has suffered more by the coldness of its friends than by the heat of its enemies; but both together commonly make church-work slow work.
重建圣殿之善工甫一开始，便遭遇心怀恶意之人的敌挡；撒玛利亚人素来仇视犹太人及其信仰，遂起而阻挠。I. 他们提出要参与建殿之工，企图借机加以拖延，却被拒绝，拉4:1-3。II. 他们扰乱百姓的心志，竭力劝阻其工，拉4:4,5。III. 他们卑劣地向波斯王呈递奏本，曲解此项工程与工程之主事者，拉4:6-16。IV. 他们从王那里取得停工的谕旨（拉4:17-22），随即付诸执行，拉4:23,24。