The Expositor's Bible: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther

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Adeney Walter Frederic. The Expositor's Bible: Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther

CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY: EZRA AND NEHEMIAH

CHAPTER II. CYRUS

CHAPTER III. THE ROYAL EDICT

CHAPTER IV. THE SECOND EXODUS

CHAPTER V. THE NEW TEMPLE

CHAPTER VI. THE LIMITS OF COMPREHENSION

CHAPTER VII. THE MISSION OF PROPHECY

CHAPTER VIII. NEW DIFFICULTIES MET IN A NEW SPIRIT

CHAPTER IX. THE DEDICATION OF THE TEMPLE

CHAPTER X. EZRA THE SCRIBE

CHAPTER XI. EZRA'S EXPEDITION

CHAPTER XII. FOREIGN MARRIAGES

CHAPTER XIII. THE HOME SACRIFICED TO THE CHURCH

CHAPTER XIV. THE COST OF AN IDEALIST'S SUCCESS

CHAPTER XV. NEHEMIAH THE PATRIOT

CHAPTER XVI. NEHEMIAH'S PRAYER

CHAPTER XVII. THE PRAYER ANSWERED

CHAPTER XVIII. THE MIDNIGHT RIDE

CHAPTER XIX. BUILDING THE WALLS

CHAPTER XX "MARK YE WELL HER BULWARKS."

CHAPTER XXI. ON GUARD

CHAPTER XXII. USURY

CHAPTER XXIII. WISE AS SERPENTS

CHAPTER XXIV. THE LAW

CHAPTER XXV. THE JOY OF THE LORD

CHAPTER XXVI. THE RELIGION OF HISTORY

CHAPTER XXVII. THE COVENANT

CHAPTER XXVIII. THE HOLY CITY

CHAPTER XXIX. BEGINNINGS

CHAPTER XXX. THE RIGOUR OF THE REFORMER

CHAPTER XXXI. THE BOOK OF ESTHER: INTRODUCTORY

CHAPTER XXXII. AHASUERUS AND VASHTI

CHAPTER XXXIII. HAMAN

CHAPTER XXXIV. QUEEN ESTHER

CHAPTER XXXV. MORDECAI

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The remarkable words with which the Second Book of Chronicles closes, and which are repeated in the opening verses of the Book of Ezra, afford the most striking instance on record of that peculiar connection between the destinies of the little Hebrew nation and the movements of great World Empires which frequently emerges in history. We cannot altogether set it down to the vanity of their writers, or to the lack of perspective accompanying a contracted, provincial education, that the Jews are represented in the Old Testament as playing a more prominent part on the world's stage than one to which the size of their territory – little bigger than Wales – or their military prowess would entitle them. The fact is indisputable. No doubt it is to be attributed in part to the geographical position of Palestine on the highway of the march of armies to and fro between Asia and Africa; but it must spring also in some measure from the unique qualities of the strange people who have given their religion to the most civilised societies of mankind.

In the case before us the greatest man of his age, one of the half-dozen Founders of Empires, who constitute a lofty aristocracy even among sovereigns, is manifestly concerning himself very specially with the restoration of one of the smallest of the many subject races that fell into his hands when he seized the garnered spoils of previous conquerors. Whatever we may think of the precise words of his decree as this is now reported to us by a Hebrew scribe, it is unquestionable that he issued some such orders as are contained in it. Cyrus, as it now appears, was originally king of Elam, the modern Khuzistan, not of Persia, although the royal family from which he sprang was of Persian extraction. After making himself master of Persia and building up an empire in Asia Minor and the north, he swept down on to the plains of Chaldæa and captured Babylon in the year B.C. 538. To the Jews this would be the first year of his reign, because it was the first year of his rule over them, just as the year A.D. 1603 is reckoned by Englishmen as the first year of James I., because the king of Scotland then inherited the English throne. In this year the new sovereign, of his own initiative, released the Hebrew exiles, and even assisted them to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their ruined temple. Such an astounding act of generosity was contrary to the precedent of other conquerors, who accepted as a matter of course the arrangement of subject races left by their predecessors; and we are naturally curious to discover the motives that prompted it.

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Secondly, the resident neighbours fell in with the recommendation of the king ungrudgingly, and gave rich contributions for the expedition. They could not go themselves, but they could have a share in the work by means of their gifts – as the home Church can share in the foreign mission she supports. The acceptance of these bounties by the Jews does not well accord with their subsequent conduct when they refused the aid of their Samaritan neighbours in the actual work of building the temple. It has an ugly look, as though they were willing to take help from all sources excepting where any concessions in return would be expected on the part of those who were befriending them. However, it is just to remember that the aid was invited and offered by Cyrus, not solicited by the Jews.

Thirdly, the execution of the decree appears to have been honestly and effectively promoted by its author. In accordance with his generous encouragement of the Jews to rebuild their temple, Cyrus restored the sacred vessels that had been carried off by Nebuchadnezzar on the occasion of the first Chaldæan raid on Jerusalem, and deposited in a temple at Babylon nearly seventy years before the time of the return. No doubt these things were regarded as of more importance than other spoils of war. It would be supposed that the patron god of the conquered people was humiliated when the instruments of his worship were offered to Bel or Nebo. Perhaps it was thought that some charm attaching to them would bring luck to the city in which they were guarded. When Nabonidas was seized with frantic terror at the approach of the Persian hosts, he brought the idols of the surrounding nations to Babylon for his protection. The reference to the temple vessels, and the careful and detailed enumeration of them, without the mention of any image, is a clear proof that, although before the captivity the majority of the Jews may have consisted of idolaters, there was no idol in the temple at Jerusalem. Had there been one there Nebuchadnezzar would most certainly have carried it off as the greatest trophy of victory. In default of images, he had to make the most of the gold and silver plate used in the sacrificial ceremonies.

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