Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Ezra 6

Ezr 6:1 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.

search was made in the house of the rolls

Ezr 5:17.

Ezr 6:3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices, and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid; the height thereof threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof threescore cubits;

cubit

One cubit = about 18 inches.

Ezr 6:4 With three rows of great stones, and a row of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house:

three rows of great stones

1Ki 6:36.

Ezr 6:5 And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem, and brought unto Babylon, be restored, and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place, and place them in the house of God.

the golden and silver vessels of the house of God

Ezr 1:7, 8; 5:14.

Ezr 6:6 Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:

Tatnai, governor beyond the river

Ezr 5:3.

your companions

Chald. their societies.

Ezr 6:10 That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king, and of his sons.

offer sacrifices of sweet savours

Ezr 7:23; Jer 29:7.

pray for the life of the king

1Ti 2:1, 2.

Ezr 6:11 Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this.

let his house be made a dunghill

Dan 2:5; 3:29.

Ezr 6:12 And the God that hath caused his name to dwell there destroy all kings and people, that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with speed.

the God that hath caused his name to dwell there

1Ki 9:3.

Ezr 6:14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

the elders of the Jews builded

Ezr 5:1, 2.

finished it

The worship of Jehovah was thus re-established in Jerusalem, but the theocracy was not restored. The remnant which returned from the Babylonian captivity lived in the land by Gentile sufferance, though doubtless by the providential care of Jehovah, till Messiah came, and was crucified by soldiers of the fourth Gentile world-empire (Rome, Dan 2:40; 7:7). Soon after (A.D. 70) Rome destroyed the city and temple. See "Times of the Gentiles" (Scofield Luk 21:24; Rev 16:19).

Cyrus

Ezr 6:3; Ezr 1:1; Ezr 5:13.

Darius

Ezr 4:24; 6:12.

Artaxerxes

Ezr 7:1.

Ezr 6:15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

Israel (history). Ezr 6:15-18; Neh 2:1-9. (Gen 12:2, 3; Rom 11:26.)

Adar

i.e. March.

Ezr 6:18 And they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

priests in their divisions

1Ch 24:1.

Levites in their courses

1Ch 23:6.

Ezr 6:19 And the children of the captivity kept the passover upon the fourteenth day of the first month.

upon the fourteenth day

Exo 12:6.

first month

i.e. April.

Ezr 6:20 For the priests and the Levites were purified together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

the priests and the Levites were purified together

2Ch 30:15.

Ezr 6:21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,

separated

Separation. Ezr 9:10-12. (Gen 12:1; 2 Cor 6:14-17.)

heathen

i.e. nations.

Ezr 6:22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

feast of unleavened bread

Exo 12:15; 13:6; 2Ch 30:21; 35:17.

king of Assyria

Ezr 6:6; Ezr 1:1; 2Ki 23:29; 2Ch 33:11.