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Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel,
Verse 1. Enemies; Samaritans, and others, verse 9.
they came near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers’ households, and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God as you do; and we have been sacrificing to him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”
Verse 2. Asor Haddan sent a priest to instruct these people, but Salmanasar had transported them into the country. Calmet.—They continued for some time worshipping idols alone, and afterwards they consented to pay the like adoration to the Lord. 4 Kennicott. 17:24, and so forth Bible.—It is clear, from their petition, that they had as yet no temple. The first was erected by them on Garizim, by leave of Alexander the Great, as a retreat for Manasses, brother of the Jewish high priest, and other who would not be separated from their strange wives. Joseph. xi.—Yet the Sam. Chronicle, lately published, seems to give a higher antiquity to that temple, and pretends that a miracle declared in favour of the place. Calmet.—The fathers indeed adored there, (John 4:20. Genesis 12:6,) and Josue erected an altar on Hebal, but the Samaritan copy says it was to be on Garizim. Deuteronomy 27:4. Joshua 8:30. Bible.
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.”
Verse 3. You, and so forth Lit. “It is not for you and us to build.” But why might not these people assist in the work, as well as king Hiram or Darius? Bible.—Schismatics and heretics must not communicate in sacrifices with Catholics, ( Worthington.) nor must the latter have society with them, in matters of religion. The Jews feared lest the Samaritans might introduce the worship of idols, or claim a part of the temple, or at least boast of what they had done. Tirinus.—They were aware of the insincerity of these people. Menochius.—The permission was moreover only granted to the Jews: ( Calmet.) but Cyrus had exhorted all to contribute; (Calmet. 1:4,) and Darius, as well as his pagan governors, were not repelled with disdain. Calmet. 6:13. This treatment caused the Samaritans to be more inveterate, though the Jews were always more unwilling to come to a reconciliation. Bible.—“For the Scripture did not say, the Samaritans have no commerce with the Jews,” says Saint John Chrysostom in Jo. iv. The Jewish authors inform us, that “Ezra, and so forth gathered all the congregation into the temple, and the Levites sung and cursed the Samaritans, … that no Israelite eat of any thing that is a Samaritan’s, not that any Samaritan be proselyted to Israel, nor have any part in the resurrection,” and so forth R. Tanchum. Lightfoot i. p. 598. Kennicott.—If this were true, it would be carrying their resentment too far; as we ought to promote the conversion of the greatest reprobates. But we have no reason to condemn such great men. They knew the character of the Samaritans, and wished to bring them to a sense of their duty, by this rebuke. Bible.
Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building.
They hired counselors against them to frustrate their purpose all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Verse 5. Counsellors; ministers of the king, ( Calmet.) or governors of the provinces. Tirinus.—Cyrus, who was ignorant of their machination, (Josephus) being engaged in war with the Scythians. We may easily conceive what ill-disposed ministers may do, against the inclinations of their prince. Calmet.—Darius, son of Hystaspes, who succeeded the false Smerdis, after five months’ usurpation. Calmet.
In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.
Verse 6. Assuerus; otherwise called Cambyses, the son and successor of Cyrus. He is also, in the following verse, named Artaxerxes, by a name common to almost all the kings of Persia, ( Calmet.) after Memnon. Diod. xv. Septuagint “Arthasastha.” Arta signifies “great,” and xerxes, “warriour.” Herod. vi. 98.—After Assuerus, some copies add, “he is Artaxerxes;” and Assuerus is so called in the Septuagint of Sixtus. 3 Ezra 2:16. Menochius.
In the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian and delivered in the Syrian language.
Verse 7. Artaxerxes may be the Oropastes of Trogus, ( Calmet.) or the false ( Bible.) Smerdis. Herodot.—Beselam, and so forth These governed the provinces on the west side of the Euphrates.—Syriac comprises the Chaldee, with which it as a great resemblance. It was spoken at the court of Babylon. Xenoph. vii. See 4 Kennicott. 18:26 and 2 Maccabees 15:37 and Daniel 2:4.
Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows.
Verse 8. Beelteem. Syr. “the son of Baltam.” The term designates the office of Reum, “the master of reason,” president of the council, treasurer, and so forth Calmet.—Prot. “chancellor.”—From. Prot. “against.” Bible.—Hebrew “concerning.”
Then Rehum the chancellor, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,
Verse 9. Counsellors. Septuagint and Syr. “of our fellow-servants.” Chal. “colleagues.” This letter, and as far as Calmet. 6:19, is in the Chaldee language.—Dinites, perhaps the Denarenians. Junius. 4 Kennicott. 17:24. Calmet.
and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over and settled in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote.
Verse 10. Asenaphar, commonly supposed to be the Asarhaddon, though we know not that he caused any of these nations to remove thither, as Salmanasar certainly did. Calmet.—The name of the latter occurs in some copies. Lyran.—River, Euphrates.—In peace. Bible.—The original, cehenth, is neglected by the Septuagint and Arab. The Syr. reads, “Acheeneth.” Others translate, “at that time,” as if the date had been lost. Jun. and so forth—Prot. “and at such a time.” Bible.—Others suppose the writers lived “at Kineeth.” Pagnin.—But who ever heard of such a place? Le Clerc takes it to mean “and the rest,” as if the title were curtailed. But it is more probable that the text ought to be Ceheth, as verse 17, and that we should translate, “beyond the river, ( Calmet.) as now, (11) unless this word ought to be here omitted, ( Bible.) to Artaxerxes, the king, peace (and prosperity) as at present.” Calmet.—Chal. sslum ucáth, “peace even now.” Bible.—So Horace says, suaviter ut unc est, wishing a continuation of happiness. 3 Esd. (2:17) joins the last word with verse 12, “And now be it,” and so forth Cánoth may have this sense, ( Calmet.) and consequently no change is necessary. Bible.
This is the copy of the letter that they sent: To King Artaxerxes, from your servants, the people beyond the River.
Verse 11. Him. This is a gloss. Calmet.—Greeting. Prot. “and at such a time.”
Be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem. They are building the rebellious and bad city, and have finished the walls and repaired the foundations.
Verse 12. Rebellious. The Jews had shewn themselves impatient of subjection, contending with the kings of Assyria and Babylon, whose territories were now possessed by the successors of Cyrus, verse 15. Bible.
Be it known now to the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.
Verse 13. Revenues. Septuagint and so forth include all under the term of “tribute.”
Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not appropriate for us to see the king’s dishonor, therefore we have sent and informed the king,
Verse 14. Eaten. Chal. “on account of the salt, with which we have been salted, from the palace.” The king’s officers were fed from his table. Salt is put for all their emoluments; ( Calmet.) and hence the word salary is derived. Pliny xxxi. 7. We may also translate, “because we have demolished the temple, and because,” and so forth Kimchi. Grot. and so forth But this seems to refined. Calmet.—Prot. “Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace, and it is not meet,” and so forth To have neglected their master’s interests, would have betrayed great ingratitude and perfidy; particularly if they had entered into a covenant of salt, or solemnly engaged to be ever faithful servants, as the nature of their office implied. Numbers 18:19. 2 Chronicles 13:5. Bible.—Palace, being honoured with much distinction. Delrio, adag. 215.
that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will see in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have started rebellions within it in the past. That is why this city was destroyed.
Verse 15. Fathers, the preceding emperors, Nabuchodonosor, Salmanasar, and so forth Bible.
We inform the king that if this city is built and the walls finished, then you will have no possession beyond the River.
Verse 16. Possession. Septuagint have simply, “peace.”
Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who live in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace.
Verse 17. Greeting. Prot. “peace, and at such a time,” which has no great meaning. Bible. See verse 10.
The letter which you sent to us has been plainly read before me.
I decreed, and search has been made, and it was found that this city has made insurrection against kings in the past, and that rebellion and revolts have been made in it.
Verse 19. Seditions: so are styled the just efforts of the Jews, to keep or to regain their liberty. Calmet.
There have also been mighty kings over Jerusalem who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll was paid to them.
Verse 20. Kings; only David and Solomon. Menochius.—They had made some on the east side of the river pay tribute, though the king may speak of the countries on the west.
Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built until a decree is made by me.
Verse 21. Hear. Chal. “give command,” and so forth—Further: lit. “perhaps.” Bible.—This was a private edict, which might be rescinded. Daniel 6:7.
Be careful that you not be slack doing so. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?
Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force of arms.
Verse 23. Beelteem, is not in Chal.—Arm, or “force.” Prot. Bible.
Then work stopped on God’s house which is at Jerusalem. It stopped until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.
Verse 24. House. They went beyond the order, which only forbade the building of the city, verse 21.—Darius, A. 3485. Calmet.—He was the son of Hystaspes, (Saint Jerome) and not Nothus, the sixth from Cyrus, as Sulpitius and Scalinger believe. Tirinus.