Chapter Two

1–7. The Edict of Cyrus for the Liberation of the Jews from Captivity. 8–9. The Departure of the Jews. 10–15. The Return of the Vessels. 16–24. Opposition to the Building of the Temple: Letter to Artaxerxes. 25–31. Reply of Artaxerxes and Cessation of the Building of the Temple.

1 Esdras 2:1. In the first year of the reign of Cyrus king of Persia, in fulfillment of the word of the Lord from the mouth of Jeremiah, 1. Verses 1–15 represent an exposition of Ezra 1, very similar down to literal correspondence. See note to Ezra 1.

1 Esdras 2:2. The Lord moved the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he made proclamation throughout all his kingdom, both orally and in writing: 1 Esdras 2:3. Thus says Cyrus king of Persia: The Lord of Israel, the Lord Most High, has appointed me king of the world, 1 Esdras 2:4. And has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judea. 1 Esdras 2:5. Whoever, therefore, of you is of his people, may the Lord his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judea, and build the house of the Lord of Israel: he is the Lord that dwells in Jerusalem. 1 Esdras 2:6. Wherever, therefore, any are dwelling in the land, let the men of that place aid them with gold and silver, 1 Esdras 2:7. With horses and cattle and with other gifts promised for the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. 1 Esdras 2:8. And the chiefs of the fathers’ houses of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites and all those whose spirit the Lord had stirred up rose to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem; 1 Esdras 2:9. And all their neighbors aided them with silver and gold and horses and cattle and very many gifts, very many of those whose spirit was moved to give. 1 Esdras 2:10. And King Cyrus brought forth the sacred vessels of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in his temple. 1 Esdras 2:11. And Cyrus king of Persia brought them out and gave them to Mithradata, his treasurer, 1 Esdras 2:12. And through him they were given to Sheshbazzar, the governor of Judea. 12. “And through him they (the vessels) were given to Sheshbazzar (Σαμανασσάρω).” In VI:17 the same person is called Sheshbazzar (Σαβανασς). In 1 Ezra I:8; V:14, 16 – in the LXX the same name appears in the forms Σασαρασάρ and Σαβανασάρ. From IV:13; V:6 it is evident that the writer of 2 Ezra understands by this name Zerubbabel.

1 Esdras 2:13. The number of them was: golden bowls a thousand, silver bowls a thousand, silver censers twenty-nine, golden cups thirty, silver cups two thousand four hundred ten, and other vessels a thousand. 1 Esdras 2:14. All the vessels of gold and silver that were brought amounted to five thousand four hundred sixty-nine. 13–14. The total number of all the vessels is given as 5,469. In 1 Ezra I:11 a different number is given. “Golden bowls” σπονδεία, in 1 Ezra “cups” ψυκτήρες, Russian “platters.” “Censers” (θυίσκαι) in 1 Ezra according to the Russian translation “knives.” The figures in 2 Ezra are by some authors considered more accurate than those in 1 Ezra. But the general character of the book under consideration hardly gives grounds for this.

1 Esdras 2:15. And they were brought by Sheshbazzar and those who returned with him from the Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem. 1 Esdras 2:16. Now in the time of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Bishlam and Mithradata and Tabeel and Rehum and Beeltethmus and Shimshai the scribe and the others who were with them, dwelling in Samaria and other places, wrote to him a letter as follows: 16–31. Verses 16–31 present a reproduction of Ezra 4:1-23. See notes to 1 Ezra. Different names of the people who opposed the Jews are given. Bishlam Belem. Tabeel Tabeel. Rehum Rehum. Beeltethmus: it is supposed that the author took for a proper name the title of Rehum beelteem, “counselor,” as also the LXX in Ezra 4:9, Ρεούμ Βαλτάμ. Shimshai Shimshai (Ezra 4:9). On the chronology of this section, see note to Ezra 4:7.

1 Esdras 2:17. To King Artaxerxes, our lord, your servants Rehum the recorder and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their council and the judges who are in Coele-Syria and Phoenicia. 17. “And the judges.” Probably an erroneous translation of the proper name Dinaeans (the name of a people), taken for a common noun.

1 Esdras 2:18. Be it now known to our lord the king that the Jews who have come up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem, to that rebellious and wicked city, and are rebuilding its squares and repairing the walls and laying the foundation of the temple. 18. “And laying the foundation of the temple.” In the version of the letter in Ezra 4 only the walls are mentioned; the temple is not mentioned. By the time of Artaxerxes the temple was already rebuilt. The author understood the document in his own way.

1 Esdras 2:19. Now if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, they will not only refuse to pay tribute but will also rebel against the kings. 1 Esdras 2:20. And since the building of the temple has begun, we think it right not to neglect this matter, 1 Esdras 2:21. But to notify you, our lord the king, whether it is pleasing to you to look into the books of your fathers. 1 Esdras 2:22. You will find in the records and will learn that this city was a rebel and troubled kings and cities, 1 Esdras 2:23. And the Jews were rebels and always caused dissensions in it, and for this reason that city was laid waste. 1 Esdras 2:24. Therefore we now inform you, our lord the king, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are restored, you will have no passage into Coele-Syria and Phoenicia. 1 Esdras 2:25. Then the king sent in reply to Rehum the recorder and Beeltethmus and Shimshai the scribe and the rest who were with them and dwelling in Samaria and Syria and Phoenicia, the following: 1 Esdras 2:26. I have read the letter you sent to me, and I have ordered examination, and it has been found that this city has a long history of rebellion against kings, 1 Esdras 2:27. And that the men in it are rebellious and start wars, and that there have been strong and mighty kings in Jerusalem who ruled over all Coele-Syria and Phoenicia and collected taxes from them. 1 Esdras 2:28. Now therefore I command these men to cease building this city and to see that nothing more is done, 1 Esdras 2:29. And that the wicked designs against the peace of the kings shall not go further. 1 Esdras 2:30. When the letter of King Artaxerxes was read, Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and those with them hurried to Jerusalem with cavalry and a large military force 1 Esdras 2:31. And they stopped those who were building. And the construction of the temple of Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. 31. Verse 31 shows that the author of the book saw in the letter a protest against the building of the temple.