Historical chapter commentary
Verse 2. Hattus. He was of the royal family, ( Bible.) as the former were descendants of the two sons of Aaron. Calmet.—The great numbers which were persuaded to return from Babylon, signify the conversions made by holy preachers. V. Bede. Worthington.
Verse 5. Sons. Septuagint and Arab. add, “of Zathoe, Sechenias, the son of Aziel.” The Syr. supplies the name of “Gabo, the son of Nahzael,” which seems to have been lost. Calmet.—Junius translates, “of the descendants Sechenias N. son of Jahaziel.”
Verse 10. Sons of. Septuagint supply “Baani,” whose name occurs, Calmet. 2:10, and is here visibly wanting. Calmet.
Verse 13. Last. Coming after their brethren. Calmet. 2:13.
Verse 14. Zachur. Hebrew and Septuagint “Zabud.” Calmet.—Two letters have been mistaken. Bible.
Verse 15. Ahava. This river (verse 21 and 31) runs through the territory of the same name, called Hava; (4 Kennicott. 17:24) the people of which exchanged places with the Israelites. Esdras makes a circuit to prevail on some of the latter to return with him, unless he began his journey from Susa. Babylon comprises all that country. Calmet.—None there, who were not priests, verse 2. Lyran. Menochius.
Verse 16. Sent. Septuagint “and so forth “to Eliezer,” and so forth in order to give them his orders what to say to Eddo, who presided at Chasphia, as the sequel shews.—Wise men, instructors of the people, (2 Chronicles 35:3. Calmet.) Levites. Menochius.
Verse 17. Chasphia. The Caspian mountains, between Media and Hyrcania. Here the Nathinites were forced to labour, under Eddo. The service of the temple would be far more eligible. Calmet.
Verse 21. Fast it seems for eight days, so that they departed on the 12th, verse 31. Menochius.—It will not suffice to leave sin, we must also do works of satisfaction. Worthington.
Verse 22. Forsake him. Apostates are treated with the greatest severity. Menochius.—Esdras thought that the glory of God was at stake, and he would not shew any diffidence in Providence, or scandalize the infidels. Calmet.—We ought not to ask princes for what we should despise. D.
Verse 26. A hundred. Hebrew adds, “talents,” vessels of silver. Bible.—Some Rabbins suppose there were only 100, each of this weight, which is not probable. All the silver vessels, of different sizes, weighed 100 talents. There was the same quantity of golden vessels. Calmet.
Verse 27. Solids. Hebrew adarconim. Darics, equivalent to the golden sicle. Calmet. 1 Chronicles 29:7.—Best. Prot. “of fine copper, precious as gold.” It might resemble the Corinthian brass, or aurichalcum, ( Bible.) composed of gold, silver, and brass melted together, in the burning of Corinth, by L. Mummius. Pliny xxxiv. 2.—Yet no such Corinthian vessels have come down to us; so that the account seems fabulous; and, at any rate, the city was not taken in the days of Esdras, but A. 608 of Rome. We cannot say whether he speaks of copper, brass, and so forth Calmet.
Verse 35. Israel. Some of the different tribes certainly returned. Calmet. 6:17.
Verse 36. Lords, (satrapis.) 3 Esd. “to the royal officers and governors of Cœlosyria and Phenicia; and they glorified,” and so forth—Furthered, by their assistance ( Bible.) and praise. They formed their sentiments, as is usual, by those of the king. Calmet.
A talent is about 30 kilograms or 66 pounds or 965 Troy ounces
a daric was a gold coin issued by a Persian king, weighing about 8.4 grams or about 0.27 troy ounces each.