mh_parser/vol_split/15 - Ezra/Chapter 8.xml

<div2 id="Ez.ix" n="ix" next="Ez.x" prev="Ez.viii" progress="91.44%" title="Chapter VIII">
<h2 id="Ez.ix-p0.1">E Z R A</h2>
<h3 id="Ez.ix-p0.2">CHAP. VIII.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ez.ix-p1">This chapter gives us a more particular narrative
of Ezra's journey to Jerusalem, of which we had a general account
in the foregoing chapter I. The company that went up with him,
<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.1-Ezra.8.20" parsed="|Ezra|8|1|8|20" passage="Ezr 8:1-20">ver. 1-20</scripRef>. II. The solemn
fast which he kept with his company, to implore God's presence with
them in this journey, <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.21-Ezra.8.23" parsed="|Ezra|8|21|8|23" passage="Ezr 8:21-23">ver.
21-23</scripRef>. III. The care he took of the treasure he had with
him, and the charge he gave concerning it to the priests, to whose
custody he committed it, <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.24-Ezra.8.30" parsed="|Ezra|8|24|8|30" passage="Ezr 8:24-30">ver.
24-30</scripRef>. IV. The care God took of him and his company in
the way, <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.31" parsed="|Ezra|8|31|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:31">ver. 31</scripRef>. V. Their
safe arrival at Jerusalem, where they delivered their treasure to
the priests (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.32-Ezra.8.34" parsed="|Ezra|8|32|8|34" passage="Ezr 8:32-34">ver.
32-34</scripRef>), their commissions to the kings lieutenants
(<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.36" parsed="|Ezra|8|36|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:36">ver. 36</scripRef>), offered
sacrifices to God (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.35" parsed="|Ezra|8|35|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:35">ver.
35</scripRef>), and then applied to their business.</p>
<scripCom id="Ez.ix-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8" parsed="|Ezra|8|0|0|0" passage="Ezr 8" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ez.ix-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.1-Ezra.8.20" parsed="|Ezra|8|1|8|20" passage="Ezr 8:1-20" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ezra.8.1-Ezra.8.20">
<h4 id="Ez.ix-p1.10">The Journey of Ezra and
Others. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.ix-p1.11">b. c.</span> 457.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.ix-p2">1 These <i>are</i> now the chief of their
fathers, and <i>this is</i> the genealogy of them that went up with
me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.   2 Of
the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of
the sons of David; Hattush.   3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of
the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by
genealogy of the males a hundred and fifty.   4 Of the sons of
Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two
hundred males.   5 Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of
Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.   6 Of the sons
also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.
  7 And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and
with him seventy males.   8 And of the sons of Shephatiah;
Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.   9
Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two
hundred and eighteen males.   10 And of the sons of Shelomith;
the son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and threescore males.
  11 And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and
with him twenty and eight males.   12 And of the sons of
Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten
males.   13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names
<i>are</i> these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them
threescore males.   14 Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and
Zabbud, and with them seventy males.   15 And I gathered them
together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in
tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and
found there none of the sons of Levi.   16 Then sent I for
Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib,
and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for
Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of
understanding.   17 And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo
the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should
say unto Iddo, <i>and</i> to his brethren the Nethinims, at the
place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the
house of our God.   18 And by the good hand of our God upon us
they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the
son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and
his brethren, eighteen;   19 And Hashabiah, and with him
Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons,
twenty;   20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes
had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and
twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p3">Ezra, having received his commission from
the king, beats up for volunteers, as it were, sets up an ensign to
assemble the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah,
<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Isa.11.12" parsed="|Isa|11|12|0|0" passage="Isa 11:12">Isa. xi. 12</scripRef>. "Whoever of
the sons of Sion, that <i>swell with the daughters of Babylon,</i>
is disposed to go to Jerusalem, now that the temple there is
finished and the temple-service set a-going, now is their time."
Now one would think that under such a leader, with such
encouragements, all the Jews should at length have <i>shaken
themselves from their dust,</i> and <i>loosed the bands of their
neck,</i> according to that call, <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.52.1-Isa.52.2" parsed="|Isa|52|1|52|2" passage="Isa 52:1,2">Isa. lii. 1, 2</scripRef>, &amp;c. I wonder how any of
them could read that chapter and yet stay behind. But multitudes
did. They loved their ease better than their religion, thought
themselves well off where they were, and either believed not that
Jerusalem would better their condition or durst not go thither
through any difficulties. But here we are told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p4">I. That some offered themselves willingly
to go with Ezra. The heads of the several families are here named,
for their honour, and the numbers of the males that each brought
in, amounting in all to 1496. Two priests are named (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.2" parsed="|Ezra|8|2|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:2"><i>v.</i> 2</scripRef>) and one of the sons of
David; but, it should seem, they came without their families,
probably intending to see how they liked Jerusalem and then either
to send for their families or return to them as they saw cause.
Several of their families, or clans, here named, we had before,
<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.2.3-Ezra.2.20" parsed="|Ezra|2|3|2|20" passage="Ezr 2:3-20"><i>ch.</i> ii.</scripRef> Some went
up from them at that time, more went up now, as God inclined their
hearts; some were called into the vineyard at the third hour,
others not till the eleventh, yet even those were not rejected. But
here we read of <i>the last sons of Adonikam</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.13" parsed="|Ezra|8|13|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:13"><i>v.</i> 13</scripRef>), which some understand
to their dispraise, that they were the last that enlisted
themselves under Ezra; I rather understand it to their honour, that
now all the sons of that family returned and none staid behind.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p5">II. That the Levites who went in this
company were in a manner pressed into the service. Ezra appointed a
general rendezvous of all his company at a certain place upon
new-year's day, the first day of the first month. <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.7.9" parsed="|Ezra|7|9|0|0" passage="Ezr 7:9"><i>ch.</i> vii. 9</scripRef>. Then and there he
took a view of them, and mustered them, and (which was strange)
<i>found there none of the sons of Levi,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.15" parsed="|Ezra|8|15|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>. Some priests there were, but no
others that were Levites. Where was the spirit of that sacred
tribe? Ezra, a priest, like Moses proclaims, <i>Who is on the
Lord's side?</i> They, unlike to Levi, shrink, and desire to
<i>abide among the sheep-folds to hear the bleatings of the
flock.</i> Synagogues we suppose they had in Babylon, in which they
prayed, and preached, and kept sabbaths (and, when they could not
have better, they had reason to be thankful for them); but now that
the temple at Jerusalem was opened, to the service of which they
were ordained, they ought to have preferred the gates of Zion
before all those synagogues. It is upon record here, to their
reproach; but <i>tell it not in Gath.</i> Ezra, when he observed
that he had no Levites in his retinue, was much at a loss. He had
money enough for the service of the temple, but wanted men. The
king and princes had more than done their part, but the sons of
Levi had not half done theirs. Eleven men, chief men, and men of
understanding, he chooses out of his company, to be employed for
the filling up of this lamentable vacancy; and here we are
informed, 1. Of their being sent. Ezra sent them to a proper place,
where there as a college of Levites, <i>the place Casiphia,</i>
probably a street or square in Babylon allowed for that
purpose—<i>Silver Street</i> one may call it, for <i>ceseph</i>
signifies <i>silver.</i> He sent them to a proper person, to Iddo,
the chief president of the college, not to urge him to come himself
(we will suppose him to be old and unfit for such a remove), but to
send some of the juniors, <i>ministers for the house of our
God,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.17" parsed="|Ezra|8|17|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. The
furnishing of God's house with good ministers is a good work, which
will redound to the comfort and credit of all that have a hand in
it. 2. Of their success. They did not return without their errand,
but, though the warning was short, they brought about forty Levites
to attend Ezra, Sherebiah, noted as a very intelligent man, and
eighteen with him (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p5.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.18" parsed="|Ezra|8|18|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:18"><i>v.</i>
18</scripRef>). Hashabiah, and Jeshaiah, and twenty with them,
<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p5.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.19" parsed="|Ezra|8|19|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>. By this it
appears that they were not averse to go, but were slothful and
inattentive, and only wanted to be called upon and excited to go.
What a pity it is that good men should omit a good work, merely for
want of being spoken to! What a pity that they should need it, but,
if they do, what a pity that they should be left without it! Of the
Nethinim, the servitors of the sacred college, the <i>species
infima—the lowest order</i> of the temple ministers, more appeared
forward to go than of the Levites themselves. Of them 220, upon
this hasty summons, enlisted themselves, and had the honour to be
expressed by name in Ezra's muster-roll, <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p5.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.20" parsed="|Ezra|8|20|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>. "Thus," says Ezra, "were we
furnished with Levites, <i>by the good hand of our God upon
us.</i>" If, where ministers have been wanting, the vacancies are
well supplied, let God have the glory, and his good hand be
acknowledged as qualifying them for the service, inclining them to
it, and then opening a door of opportunity for them.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ez.ix-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.21-Ezra.8.23" parsed="|Ezra|8|21|8|23" passage="Ezr 8:21-23" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ezra.8.21-Ezra.8.23">
<h4 id="Ez.ix-p5.8">Ezra's Fast. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.ix-p5.9">b. c.</span> 457.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.ix-p6">21 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river
of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek
of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our
substance.   22 For I was ashamed to require of the king a
band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the
way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our
God <i>is</i> upon all them for good that seek him; but his power
and his wrath <i>is</i> against all them that forsake him.  
23 So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated
of us.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p7">Ezra has procured Levites to go along with
him; but what will that avail, unless he have God with him? That is
therefore his chief care. In all our ways we must acknowledge God,
and in those particularly wherein we are endeavouring to serve the
interest of his kingdom among men. Ezra does so here. Observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p8">I. The stedfast confidence he had in God
and in his gracious protection. He told the king (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.22" parsed="|Ezra|8|22|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>) what principles he went
upon, that those who seek God are safe under the shadow of his
wings, even in their greatest dangers, but that those who forsake
him are continually exposed, even when they are most secure. God's
servants have his power engaged for them; his enemies have it
engaged against them. This Ezra believed with his heart, and with
his mouth made confession of it before the king; and therefore he
was ashamed to ask of the king a convoy, lest thereby he should
give occasion to the king, and those about him, to suspect either
God's power to help his people or Ezra's confidence in that power.
Those that trust in God, and triumph in him, will be ashamed of
seeking to the creature for protection, especially of using any
sorry shifts for their own safety, because thereby they contradict
themselves and their own confidence. Not but that those who depend
upon God must use proper means for their preservation, and they
need not be ashamed to do so; but, when the honour of God is
concerned, one would rather expose one's-self than do any thing to
the prejudice of that, which ought to be dearer to us than our
lives.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p9">II. The solemn application he made to God
in that confidence: He <i>proclaimed a fast,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.21" parsed="|Ezra|8|21|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. No doubt he had himself begged
of God direction in this affair from the first time he had it in
his thoughts; but for public mercies public prayers must be made,
that all who are to share in the comfort of them may join in the
request for them. Their fasting was, 1. To express their
humiliation. This he declares to be the intent and meaning of it.
"<i>that we might afflict ourselves before our God</i> for our
sins, and so be qualified for the pardon of them." When we are
entering upon any new condition of life our care should be to bring
none of the guilt of the sins of our former condition into it. When
we are in any imminent peril let us be sure to make our peace with
God, and then we are safe: nothing can do us any real hurt. 2. To
excite their supplications. Prayer was always joined with religious
fasting. Their errand to the throne of grace was <i>to seek of God
the right way,</i> that is, to commit themselves to the guidance of
the divine Providence, to put themselves under the divine
protection, and to beg of God to guide and keep them in their
journey and bring them safely to their journey's end. They were
strangers in the road, were to march through their enemies'
countries, and had not a pillar of cloud and fire to lead them, as
their fathers had; but they believed that the power and favour of
God, and the ministration of his angels, would be to them instead
of that, and hoped by prayer to obtain divine assistance. Note, All
our concerns about ourselves, our families, and our estates, it is
our wisdom and duty by prayer to commit to God, and leave the care
of with him, <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Phil.4.6" parsed="|Phil|4|6|0|0" passage="Php 4:6">Phil. iv.
6</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p10">III. The good success of their doing so
(<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.23" parsed="|Ezra|8|23|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>): <i>We
besought our God</i> by joint-prayer, <i>and he was entreated of
us.</i> They had some comfortable assurance in their own minds that
their prayers were answered, and the event declared it; for never
any that sought God in earnest sought him in vain.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ez.ix-p0.4" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.24-Ezra.8.30" parsed="|Ezra|8|24|8|30" passage="Ezr 8:24-30" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ezra.8.24-Ezra.8.30">
<h4 id="Ez.ix-p10.3">Ezra's Care of the Temple
Treasure. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.ix-p10.4">b. c.</span> 457.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.ix-p11">24 Then I separated twelve of the chief of the
priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,
  25 And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the
vessels, <i>even</i> the offering of the house of our God, which
the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel
<i>there</i> present, had offered:   26 I even weighed unto
their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver
vessels a hundred talents, <i>and</i> of gold a hundred talents;
  27 Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand drams; and two
vessels of fine copper, precious as gold.   28 And I said unto
them, Ye <i>are</i> holy unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.ix-p11.1">Lord</span>; the vessels <i>are</i> holy also; and the
silver and the gold <i>are</i> a freewill offering unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.ix-p11.2">Lord</span> God of your fathers.   29 Watch
ye, and keep <i>them,</i> until ye weigh <i>them</i> before the
chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of
Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.ix-p11.3">Lord</span>.   30 So took the priests and
the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the
vessels, to bring <i>them</i> to Jerusalem unto the house of our
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p12">We have here an account of the particular
care which Ezra took of the treasure he had with him, that belonged
to God's sanctuary, Observe, 1. Having committed the keeping of it
to God, he committed the keeping of it to proper men, whose
business it was to watch it, though without God they would have
waked in vain. Note, Our prayers must always be seconded with our
endeavours; the care of Christ's gospel, his church, and
ordinances, must not be so left with him but that it must also be
<i>committed to faithful men,</i> <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:2Tim.2.2" parsed="|2Tim|2|2|0|0" passage="2Ti 2:2">2
Tim. ii. 2</scripRef>. 2. Having prayed to God to preserve all the
substance they had with them, he shows himself especially
solicitous for that part of it which belonged to the house of God
and was an offering to him. Do we expect that God should, by his
providence, keep that which belongs to us? Let us, by his grace,
keep that which belongs to him. Let God's honour and interest be
our care; and then we may expect that our lives and comforts will
be his. Observe, (1.) The persons to whom he delivered the
offerings of the house of God. Twelve chief priests, and as many
Levites, he appointed to this trust (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.24 Bible:Ezra.8.30" parsed="|Ezra|8|24|0|0;|Ezra|8|30|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:24,30"><i>v.</i> 24, 30</scripRef>), who were bound by their
office to take care of the things of God, and were in a particular
manner to have the benefit of these sacred treasures. Ezra tells
them why he put those things into their hands (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p12.3" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.28" parsed="|Ezra|8|28|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>): <i>You are holy unto the Lord,
the vessels are holy also;</i> and who so fit to take care of holy
things as holy persons? Those that have the dignity and honour of
the priesthood must take along with them the trust and duty of it.
The prophet is foretelling the return of God's people and ministers
out of Babylon, when he gives the solemn charge (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p12.4" osisRef="Bible:Isa.52.11" parsed="|Isa|52|11|0|0" passage="Isa 52:11">Isa. lii. 11</scripRef>), <i>Be you clean that bear the
vessels of the Lord.</i> (2.) The great exactness with which he
lodged this trust in their hands: He <i>weighed to them the silver,
the gold, and the vessels</i> (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p12.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.25" parsed="|Ezra|8|25|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:25"><i>v.</i> 25</scripRef>), because he expected to have it
from them again by weight. In all trust, but especially sacred
ones, we ought to be punctual, and preserve a right understanding
on both sides. In Zerubbabel's time the vessels were delivered by
number, here by weight, that all might be forth-coming and it might
easily appear if any were missing, to intimate that such as are
entrusted with holy things (as all the stewards of the mysteries of
God are) are concerned to remember, both in receiving their trust
and in discharging it, that they must shortly give a very
particular account of it, that they may be faithful to it and so
give up their account with joy. (3.) The charge he gave them with
these treasures (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p12.6" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.29" parsed="|Ezra|8|29|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:29"><i>v.</i>
29</scripRef>): "<i>Watch you, and keep them,</i> that they be not
lost, nor embezzled, nor mingled with the other articles. Keep them
together; keep them by themselves; keep them safely, till you weigh
them in the temple, before the great men there," hereby intimating
how much it was their concern to be careful and faithful and how
much it would be their honour to be found so. Thus when Paul
charges Timothy with the gospel treasure he bids him keep it
<i>until the appearing of Jesus Christ,</i> and his appearing
before him to give account of his trust, when his fidelity would be
his crown.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ez.ix-p0.5" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.31-Ezra.8.36" parsed="|Ezra|8|31|8|36" passage="Ezr 8:31-36" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Ezra.8.31-Ezra.8.36">
<h4 id="Ez.ix-p12.8">Ezra's Arrival at Jerusalem. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.ix-p12.9">b. c.</span> 457.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ez.ix-p13">31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava on
the twelfth <i>day</i> of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem:
and the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the
hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.   32
And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days.   33 Now
on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels
weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of
Uriah the priest; and with him <i>was</i> Eleazar the son of
Phinehas; and with them <i>was</i> Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and
Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;   34 By number <i>and</i>
by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that
time.   35 <i>Also</i> the children of those that had been
carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt
offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel,
ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats
<i>for</i> a sin offering: all <i>this was</i> a burnt offering
unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ez.ix-p13.1">Lord</span>.   36 And they
delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants, and
to the governors on this side the river: and they furthered the
people, and the house of God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p14">We are now to attend Ezra to Jerusalem, a
journey of about four months in all; but his multitude made his
marches slow and his stages short. Now here we are told,</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p15">I. That his God was good, and he
acknowledged his goodness: <i>The hand of our God was upon us,</i>
to animate us for our undertaking. To him they owed it, 1. That
they were preserved in their journey, and not all cut off; for
there were enemies that <i>laid wait for them by the way</i> to do
them a mischief, or at least, like Amalek, to <i>smite the hindmost
of them,</i> but God protected them, <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.31" parsed="|Ezra|8|31|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:31"><i>v.</i> 31</scripRef>. Even the common perils of
journeys are such as oblige us to sanctify our going out with
prayer and our returns in peace with praise and thanksgiving; much
more ought God to be thus eyed in such a dangerous expedition as
this was. 2. That they were brought in safety to their journey's
end, <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.32" parsed="|Ezra|8|32|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:32"><i>v.</i> 32</scripRef>. Let
those that have stedfastly set their faces towards the new
Jerusalem proceed and persevere to the end <i>till they appear
before God in Zion,</i> and they shall find that he <i>who has
begun the good work will perform it.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p16">II. That his treasurers were faithful. When
they had come to Jerusalem they were impatient to be discharged of
their trust, and therefore applied to the great men of the temple,
who received it from them and gave them an acquittance in full,
<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.33-Ezra.8.34" parsed="|Ezra|8|33|8|34" passage="Ezr 8:33,34">v. 33, 34</scripRef>. It is a great
ease to one's mind to be discharged from a trust, and a great
honour to one's name to be able to make it appear that it has been
faithfully discharged.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p17">III. That his companions were devout. As
soon as they came to be near the altar they thought themselves
obliged to offer sacrifice, whatever they had done in Babylon,
<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p17.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.35" parsed="|Ezra|8|35|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:35"><i>v.</i> 35</scripRef>. That will be
dispensed with when we want opportunity which when the door is
opened again will be expected from us. It is observable, 1. That
among their sacrifices they had a sin-offering; for it is the
atonement that sweetens and secures every mercy to us, which will
not be truly comfortable unless <i>iniquity be taken away</i> and
our peace made with God. 2. That the number of their offerings
related to the number of the tribes, twelve bullocks, twelve
he-goats, and ninety-six rams (that is, eight times twelve),
intimating the union of the two kingdoms, according to what was
foretold, <scripRef id="Ez.ix-p17.2" osisRef="Bible:Ezek.37.22" parsed="|Ezek|37|22|0|0" passage="Eze 37:22">Ezek. xxxvii.
22</scripRef>. They did not any longer go two tribes one way and
ten another, but all the twelve met by their representatives at the
same altar.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ez.ix-p18">IV. That even the enemies of the Jews
became their friends, bowed to Ezra's commission, and, instead of
hindering the people of God, furthered them (<scripRef id="Ez.ix-p18.1" osisRef="Bible:Ezra.8.36" parsed="|Ezra|8|36|0|0" passage="Ezr 8:36"><i>v.</i> 36</scripRef>), purely in complaisance to the
king: when he appeared moderate they all coveted to appear so too.
<i>Then had the churches rest.</i></p>
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