Ezra 5:11

Ezr 5:11 And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

Ver. 11. We are the servants of the God of heaven] And in that respect, higher than all the kings on the earth, Psa 89:27 (for all his servants are sons, heirs of God, and co-heirs with Christ, Rom 8:17), who have held it no small honour to be called his vassals. See how bold these brave men bear themselves upon this relation to the God of heaven and earth, and how courageously they stand to their work, and stout it out with their adversaries. {See Trapp on "Pro 28:1"}

These many years ago] Five hundred at least.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ezr 5:11. We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth — The God we worship is not a local deity; and therefore we cannot be charged with making a faction, or forming a sect in building this temple to his honour. But we pay our homage to the God on whom the whole creation depends, and therefore ought to be protected and assisted by all, and hindered by none. It is the wisdom as well as duty of kings to countenance the servants of the God of heaven. And build the house that was builded — Or rather, rebuild the house that was first built many years ago.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5:11 the God of heaven: This title would be understood by the Persians: He was the universal high God, not an insignificant local deity. • a great king of Israel: Solomon (see 1 Kgs 5–8).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To wit, Solomon.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 11. We are the servants of the God of heaven] How simple, plain, and ingenuous is this confession! They were the servants of the God of heaven. How came they then into bondage! Why, they provoked the God of heaven - repeatedly sinned against him, and then he gave them into the hands of their enemies.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(11) And thus they returned us answer.—The elders of the Jews take the Syrian satrap into their confidence, and give, in a few most pathetic words the record of their national honour, their national infidelity, and their national humiliation. Every word is true to the history, while the whole exhibits their deep humility and holy resolution.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

11. We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth] The words of this profession are very emphatic in the original.

the God of heaven and earth] i.e. the God not of one kingdom only, but of the whole world, not of terrestrial supremacy alone, but of heavenly as well: see on chap. Ezr_1:2.

build the house that was builded &c.] i.e. we restore the house which having been built in remote times stood as the temple of our God for centuries.

a great king of Israel] i.e. Solomon. The expression here used shows that Tattenai like Artaxerxes (Ezr_4:20), had heard the rumour either from the Jews themselves or from those acquainted with them, that there had been ‘mighty kings over Jerusalem’. Solomon’s temple was built 1014–1007, nearly 500 years before the reign of Darius.

and set up] R.V. finished.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And thus they returned us answer,.... To the purpose and in the manner following:

saying, we are the servants of the God of heaven and earth; signifying that they were doing his work, in obedience to his will, and to whom they were accountable:

and build the house that was builded these many years ago; even five hundred years ago, or thereabout; so that they were not erecting a building where there was none before, but were rebuilding what was in ruins:

which a great king of Israel builded and set up; King Solomon, who was a great king for wisdom, honour, riches, peace, prosperity, and extent of his kingdom.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth. Instead of doing as they were requested, and giving in a long list of names and titles of office, the elders merge their individuality in this general phrase; as though they would say, "As individuals, we are nothing; as men of mark in our nation, we are nothing; what we do, we do simply as servants of God, directed by him, (Hag_1:8) bound to obey him, answerable only to him for our conduct." They speak of God as "the God of heaven and earth a very rare title partly in humble acknowledgment of his universal and absolute dominion, as Christians speak when they call God "the Maker of heaven and earth;" partly to impress favourably those to whom they speak, persons accustomed to regard God primarily as the Being who "gave mankind earth and heaven" (Rawlinson"s "Cuneiform Inscriptions of Persia," vol. 1. pp. 285, 291, 319, 324, etc.). And build. That is "rebuild." The house that was builded these many years ago. The old house, begun more than 400, finished nearly 400 years previously, and only just beginning to rise again from its ruins, after lying waste for nearly seventy years. Which a great king of Israel builded and set up. Solomon, the greatest of the Jewish monarchs, if we consider the extent and prosperity of his kingdom, and the position that it occupied among the other kingdoms of the earth a "great king" under whatever aspect we view him, though one who sowed the seeds of that corruption which ultimately sapped the national life, and provoked God to bring the monarchy to an end.

HOMILIES BY J.S. EXELL.

Vers. 11-17.

Things a Church should understand concerning itself.

I THAT IT IS ENGAGED IN THE SERVICE OF HEAVEN. "We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth" (ver. 11).

1. An exalted service. It is the service of God.

2. An extensive service. It reaches in its influence throughout heaven and earth.

3. An arduous service. It is to rebuild a ruined temple in the midst of enemies.

4. A humble service. At best the Church is but a servant.

II THAT IT HAS SUFFERED MUCH THROUGH THE COMMISSION OF SIN. "But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon" (ver. 12). This is the best confession a Church can have; the Church is alone responsible for its weakness.

1. Its degradation. Israel is subject to a heathen power.

2. Its suffering. Israel is in captivity.

1. Its destruction. "Who destroyed this house." All this was attributable

1. Not to the Divine inability to help.

2. Not to the Divine lack of interest.

3. But to the Divine displeasure on account of sin.

Let the Church understand and acknowledge that her sad condition before the world is due to her lack of fidelity; she must take the discredit of her broken temples.

III THAT IT IS CONNECTED WITH THE HISTORY OF A WONDROUS REDEMPTION. "But in the first year of Cyrus" (ver. 13).

1. The fact of redemption. The Israelites were delivered from Babylonian captivity. The Church has been set free by Christ.

2. The history of redemption. The history of Israel"s deliverance was written in the records of Babylon. The history of redemption by Christ is written in the Bible; it is an earthly record as well as a heavenly history. It is in the annals of Babylon as well as in the annals of God.

3. The research of redemption. "Let there be search made". (ver. 17; 1Pe_1:12)

4. The pleasure of redemption. "And let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter." God"s pleasure is man"s freedom.

IV THAT IT IS ENGAGED IN A YET UNFINISHED ENTERPRISE. "And since that time even until now hath it been in building, and yet it is not finished" (ver. 16). It is indeed true that the Church is as yet engaged in an unfinished enterprise; all its temples are not built; its walls are not erected; Jesus does not yet see all things put under him.

1. The reason. Why is the work of the Church unfinished is it from lack of energy or fidelity?

2. The duration. How long is it to remain unfinished? only God can tell. How long, O Lord?

3. The reproach. With so many workmen, and with the aid received, the work of the Church ought to be more advanced. The half finished walls are a rebuke to us.

4. The requirement. We must go with new determination and more fervent prayer to complete the work of the Church.

5. Caution. We cannot judge the temple till it is finished; the work of God will appear best at the end.

6. The anticipation. When the top stone of the great temple shall be brought on with joy. Let us build to completion. E.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The answer of the elders of the Jews. They returned us answer in the following manner (לממר = לאמר): "We are His, the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and build the house which was built many years ago; and a great king of Israel built and completed it." דּנה מקּדמת, of before this, i.e., before the present; to which is added the more precise definition: many years (accusative of time), i.e., many years before the present time.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

General Information:

The letter from Tattenai to the king that began in Esra 5:7 continues.

We are servants of the one

Possible meaning are 1) they were calling the Jewish people servants of God or 2) those who replied were from the tribe of Levi and Aaron, who were the ones actually responsible for the temple worship and sacrifices.

that had been built many years ago when the great king of Israel built it and completed it

This can be translated in active form. AT: "that the great king of Israel had built and supplied all the equipment for" (See: Active or Passive)

completed it

"supplied all the equipment for it"

translationWords

servant

heaven

earth

king

Israel

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And as follows Aram. וּכְנֵמָא, as we shall state the matter.

they gave us a reply They answered us a word.

We are We are the servants of the God of the heavens and the earth.

and we are building the House And we are building the House that was built many years ago.

and a great king of Israel And a great king that Israel had, viz. King Solomon, built it and founded it.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.