John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 5. And hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose , etc.] Either to advise and persuade the king of Persia’s officers in those parts not to supply them with money, or to influence the great men at his court to get the edict revoked: and this they did all the days of Cyrus king of Persia ; who, though the hearty friend and patron of the Jews, yet being engaged in wars abroad with the Lydians and Scythians, and leaving his son as viceroy in his absence, who was no friend unto them, the work went on but slowly, attended with interruptions and discouragements: even until the reign of Darius king of Persia ; who was Darius Hystaspis, between whom and Cyrus were Cambyses the son of Cyrus, and Smerdis the impostor, who pretended to be Smerdis, the brother of Cambyses; a space of about fifteen years.
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 וסכרים7936 עליהם5921 יועצים3289 להפר6565 עצתם6098 כל3605 ימי3117 כורשׁ3566 מלך4428 פרס6539 ועד5704 מלכות4438 דריושׁ1867 מלך4428 פרס׃6539
