Ezra 6:15

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.

Ver. 15. And this house was finished] About fifteen years after that the foundation had been laid, or twenty at most. The Jews therefore either were out in their account, Joh 2:20, Forty and six years was this temple in building; or else they meant it of Herod’s temple, which was long in building and beautifying, whereby he sought to ingratiate with the Jews, which yet he could never do.

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 6:15. This house was finished in the third day of the month Adar — The tenth of March, in the year of the world 3489, in little more than four years after the Jews had returned to the work, and engaged heartily in it, in consequence of the reproofs and exhortations of Haggai and Zechariah; in something more than two years after the forementioned decree of Darius had been given forth; in about twenty years after the return from captivity; and five hundred and fifteen before the coming of the Messiah.

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

6:15 Israel’s second Temple was finished approximately seventy years after its destruction by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BC. Herod the Great remodeled and expanded this Temple at the time of Christ. The Temple stood for approximately 585 years until the Roman army of Titus destroyed it in AD 70.

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

And the two and fortieth year after their first return.

This is the twelfth month and containeth part of February and part of March.

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

Verse 15. This house was finished] The sixth year of Darius mentioned here was about A.M. 3489, twenty years after the foundation had been laid by Zerubbabel, under the reign of Cyrus.

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

(15) The third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year.—The event around which this part of the history revolves is dated with due care; it was on the third day of the last month of the ecclesiastical year, B.C. 516-515. Haggai (Hag_1:15) gives the exact date of the re-commencement: the time therefore was four years five months and ten days. But, dating from the first foundation (Ezr_3:10), no less than twenty-one years had elapsed.

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

15. The date here given is the 3rd of Adar (the 12th month) in the 6th year of Darius (516–515). The month Adar is about equivalent to our March. The name seems to be derived from an Assyrian god ‘Adar’, which appears in such names as Adrammelech. Haggai (Hag_1:15) mentions that the work had been recommenced on the 24th day of the 6th month (Elul = September) in the 2nd year of Darius. It had therefore been going on for nearly 4½ years. But the foundations had been laid twenty years previously, b.c. 536 (see Ezr_3:8).

Another date, the 23rd of Adar, is given in 1Es_7:5. To account for this variation, it has been suggested that the last 8 days of the year would to a scribe seem best suited for the celebration of such a festival as that of the dedication (compare the 8 days in 2Ch_29:17). In order that the regular services of the Temple might seem to have been resumed with the new year, he represented this festival as commencing on the 23rd of the 12th month. This is almost too ingenious. Either the figure ‘twenty’ has accidentally been omitted in the text of our verse, or, as seems equally probable (since the LXX. supports the Hebrew text here), the composer of 1 Esdras has mistaken some letter for the symbol or contraction which represented the number.

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 the children of Israel,.... Those of the ten tribes that remained after the body of the people were carried captive, or came with the Jews at their return:

the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity; those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin:

kept the dedication of this house of God with joy; they set it apart for sacred use and service, with feasting and other expressions of joy and gladness, as follows.

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

“Adar” was the twelfth or last month of the Jewish year, corresponding nearly with our March. The sixth year of Darius was 516-515 B.C.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Adar, corresponding with our February and March. (Menochius) --- In the latter month they celebrated the Passover, ver. 19. --- Darius. Hence twenty years had elapsed from the first foundation. They might continue to embellish the temple other twenty-seven years, as the Jews assert; (John ii. 20,) unless they speak of the repairs made by Herod, (Baronius; Tirinus) or exaggerate, (Grotius) being under a mistake. (Salien, the year of the world 3537.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

15. Month Adar — The twelfth, or last month of the Jewish year.

Sixth year of… Darius — Having been resumed in the second year of his reign, (Ezr_4:24,) the rebuilding, after that time, took four years.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The house was finished on the third day of the month Adar. Haggai (Hag_1:15) gives the exact day of the recommencement of the work as the twenty-fourth of Elul in Darius"s second year. Ezra here gives the exact day of the completion. From Zerubbabel"s laying of the foundation, (Ezr_3:10) the time that had elapsed was twenty-one years. From the recommencement under the inspiriting influence of the two prophets, the time was only four years, five months, and ten days.

HOMILIES BY J.S. EXELL Ver. 15.

Church prosperity.

I THERE WAS A CHANGE OF MOOD IN THOSE WHO HAD SOUGHT TO HINDER THE WORK. Tatnai, who had sought to hinder the building of the temple, now by the royal command does all he can to promote it. The world sometimes changes its mood toward the Church; often from motives of policy or fear; seldom from good will. Civil governors can greatly aid religious builders. When enemies help the Church prospers.

II THERE WAS A FAITHFUL MINISTRY EXERCISED IN THE MIDST OF THE PEOPLE. "They prospered through the prophesying of Haggai" (ver. 14). The ministry has much to do with the prosperity of a Church; men like Haggai and Zechariah cannot fail to inspire their comrades with their own earnest spirit. A faithful pastor will often make a Church prosperous.

III THERE WAS THE COMPLETION OF AN ARDUOUS UNDERTAKING. "And this house was finished" (ver. 15). A great enterprise, which had passed through so many vicissitudes, was now successfully ended. By the completion of its toils the Church indicates its energy, provides for its own welfare, and glorifies God. E.

Church building.

I THAT GOD REQUIRES a HOUSE ESPECIALLY ERECTED FOR HIS WORSHIP. "This house.

1. As a dwelling on the earth. God"s presence pervades the universe; there is no place where it is not. The heaven of heavens cannot contain him, much less the house which we have built; yet in great condescension he manifests a richer presence in his holy sanctuary than in all the world outside. The Shechinah dwells in the temple. God"s dwelling-place is in Zion. Christ is in the midst of his gathered people. (Mat_18:20)

2. As a testimony for the truth. The temple was a testimony to the heathen nations and to all people of the worship and sacrifice due from the Israelites to Jehovah. Our Christian churches testify to our belief in the great God, and to all those sacred truths which he has revealed in his book.

3. As the evidence of a religious feeling. While others are only building houses for themselves; we build also for God; we sacrifice the comfort of our ceiled houses and of our gains so to do. Our churches are evidence of the unselfish and devout sentiments of the human heart.

4. As the means of social philanthropy. We love the nation, and seek its moral welfare, hence we build it a sanctuary.

II THAT THERE ARE A GREAT MANY IMPEDIMENTS IN THE WAY OF BUILDING CHURCHES. The Israelites had many hindrances in their work.

1. The lack of a good heart for the work.

2. The lack of generous gifts for the work.

3. The lack of suitable men to lead the work.

4. The lack of sympathy in men for the moral welfare of God"s cause.

5. The lack of mutual concession to opposing ideas.

6. The lack of right help from the outside circles of society.

Christian enthusiasm, generosity, sympathy, good feeling, are the requisites of successful church building.

III THAT THE COMPLETION OF A NEW CHURCH IS WORTHY OF SPECIAL GRATITUDE. The Israelites would indeed be grateful to see their finished temple.

1. Grateful for the kind providence that had aided them.

2. Grateful for the valiant leaders that had inspired them.

3. Grateful for the persistent spirit of work which had been given them.

4. Grateful that their arduous toils were at an end.

5. Grateful that the glorious worship of God could now be fully celebrated.

6. Grateful that they had a new impulse given to their national life. E.

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

Adar

twelfth month i.e. March.

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the completion of this House And the end of the completion of this House was until the third day of the month of Adar, which is the sixth year of King Darius; hence the building of the House took four years.

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.