John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin , etc.] The Samaritans, as appears from ( Ezra 4:2,10), heard that the children of the captivity ; the Jews, who had been in captivity seventy years, and were just come out of it, and still were not quite free, but under the jurisdiction and control of the king of Persia: builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel ; that they were going about it, and had laid the foundation of it, which might soon come to their ears, the distance not being very great. Josephus says they heard the sound of the trumpets, and came to know the meaning of it.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-5 - Every attempt to revive true religion will stir up the opposition of Satan, and of those in whom he works. The adversaries were the Samaritans, who had been planted in the land of Israel, 2Ki 17. It wa plain that they did not mean to unite in the worship of the Lord according to his word. Let those who discourage a good work, and weake them that are employed in it, see whose pattern they follow. (Ez 4:6-24)
Original Hebrew וישׁמעו8085 צרי6862 יהודה3063 ובנימן1144 כי3588 בני1121 הגולה1473 בונים1129 היכל1964 ליהוה3068 אלהי430 ישׂראל׃3478
