John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. But Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers, said unto them , etc.] The prince and high priest, and chief of the people: you have nothing to do with us to build an house to our God ; being neither of the same nation, nor of the same religion: but we ourselves together will build to the Lord God of Israel ; we and we only, who are together as one man, united in one body of people, and in the same religious sentiments, being Israelites; we separately, without admitting strangers among us, will build a temple to the God of Israel: as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, hath commanded us ; thereby letting them know that they acted by his authority, and the commission they had from him only concerned themselves, and not others.
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 ויאמר559 להם זרבבל2216 וישׁוע3442 ושׁאר7605 ראשׁי7218 האבות1 לישׂראל3478 לא3808 לכם ולנו לבנות1129 בית1004 לאלהינו430 כי3588 אנחנו587 יחד3162 נבנה1129 ליהוה3068 אלהי430 ישׂראל3478 כאשׁר834 צונו6680 המלך4428 כורשׁ3566 מלך4428 פרס׃6539
