John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 4. Then said we unto them after this manner , etc.] In answer to their questions; namely, Ezra and other Jews replied; for though Ezra is said after this to come from Babylon in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, he might go thither on some business, and then return again at that time; some indeed think these are the words of Tatnai and those with him; so Ben Melech, which seems to be favoured by ( Ezra 4:10), and by reading the words with an interrogation, as we do; Aben Ezra says they are either the words of the builders, or of the scribes, the secretaries that came to question them; but they are the words of the former, as order requires, or otherwise no answer would be returned, at least as expressed; and the next clause may be read without an interrogation, and the sense be, that they told them not only that they acted according to an edict of Cyrus king of Persia, for this was said, as appears from ( Ezra 5:13), but they declared what were the names of the men that did make this building ; or employed them in it, namely, Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the chief men of the Jews; they made no scruple of telling them who they were; neither ashamed of their masters nor of their work, nor afraid of any ill consequences following hereafter.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 3-17 - While employed in God's work, we are under his special protection; his eye is upon us for good. This should keep us to our duty, and encourag us therein, when difficulties are ever so discouraging. The elders of the Jews gave the Samaritans an account of their proceedings. Let u learn hence, with meekness and fear, to give a reason of the hope tha is in us; let us rightly understand, and then readily declare, what we do in God's service, and why we do it. And while in this world, we always shall have to confess, that our sins have provoked the wrath of God. All our sufferings spring from thence, and all our comforts from his unmerited mercy. However the work may seem to be hindered, yet the Lord Jesus Christ is carrying it on, his people are growing unto a holy temple in the Lord, for a habitation of God through the Spirit _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew אדין116 כנמא3660 אמרנא560 להם מן4479 אנון581 שׁמהת8036 גבריא1400 די1768 דנה1836 בנינא1147 בנין׃1124
