14 And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo: and they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the *commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

15 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.

16 And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,'

17 And offered "at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and, for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

18 And they set the priests" in their divisions, and the Levites" in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.

19 And the children of the captivity kept the

together, all of them were pure, and killed the passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brethren the priests, and for themselves.

21 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat,

22 And kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.

CHAPTER VII.

Ezra's precious name saluted us, at first, in the title of the book, but in the history we have not met with it, till this chapter introduces him into public action in another reign, that of Artaxerxes. Zerubbabel and Jeshua we will supprise, by this time, to be grown old, if not gone off, nor do we hear any more of Hinggai and Zechariah; they have finished their testimony. What shall become of the cause of God and Israel, when these useful instruments are laid aside? Trust God, who has the residue of the Spirit, to raise up others in their room. Ezra here, and Nehemiah in the next book, are as serviceable in their days, as those were in theirs. Here is, I. An account, in general, of Ezra himself, and of his expedition to Jerusalem for the public good, v. 1-10. 11. A copy of the commission which Artaxerxes gave him, v. 11-26. 111. His thankfulness to God for it, v. 27, 28. The next chapter will give us a more particular narrative of bia associates, his journey, and his arrival at Jerusalem.

king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah,"

o c. 5. 1, 2. decree. p ver. 3. c. 4. 24. c. 7. 1. Tons of the transpor. tation, c. 4. 1. 1 Kings 8. 63. Chr. 7. 5. t ver. 22. Neh. 8. 10. 12. 43. Pe. 122. 1. c. 8. 35. 1 Chr. 24. 1. to 1 Chr. 23. 6. according to the writing. cheerfulness. For aught I know, the elders themselves laboured at it with their own hands; and, if they did, it was no disparagement to their eldership, but an encouragement to the other workmen. 1. They found themselves bound to it by the commandment of the God of Israel, who had given them power, that they might use it in his service. 2. They found themselves shamed into it by the commandment of the heathen kings, Cyrus formerly, Darius now, and Artaxerxes some time after. Can the elders of the Jews be remiss in this good work, when these foreign princes appear so warm in it? Shall native Israelites grudge their pains and care about this building, when strangers grudge not to be at the expense of it? 3. They found themselves encouraged in it by the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah, who, it is likely, represented to them (as Bishop Patrick suggests) the wonderful goodness of God in inclining the heart of the king of Persia to favour them thus. And now the work went on so prosperously, that, in four years' time, it was brought to perfection. As for God, his work is perfect. The Gospel church, that spiritual temple, is long in the building, but it will be finished at last, when the mystical body is completed. Every believer is a living temple, building up himself in his most holy faith; much opposition is given to this work by Satan and our own corruptions; we trifle, and proceed in it with many stops and pauses; but he that has begun the good work, will see it performed, and will bring forth judgment unto victory. Spirits of just men will be made perfect.

pose,

III. The dedication of the temple. When it was built, being designed only for sacred uses, now they showed by an example how it should be used, which (says Bishop Patrick) is the proper sense of the word dedicate. They entered upon it with solemnity, and, probably, with a public declaration of the separating of it from common uses, and the surrender of it to the honour of God, to be employed in his worship. 1. The persons employed in this service were not only the priests and Levites who officiated, but the children of Israel, some of each of the twelve tribes, though Judah and Benjamin were the chief, and the rest of the children of the captivity or transportation; which intimates that there were many beside the children of Israel, of other nations, who transported themselves with them, and became proselytes to their religion; unless we read it, even the remnant of the children of the captivity, and then, we may supnotice is hereby taken of their mean and afflicted condition, because the consideration of that helped to make them devout and serious in this and other religious exercises. A sad change! The children of Israel are become children of the captivity, and there appears but a remnant of them, according to that prediction, (Is. 7. 3,) Shear-jashub, The remnant shall return. 2. The sacrifices that were offered upon this occasion, were, bullocks, rams, and lambs, (v. 17,) for burnt-offerings and peaceofferings; not to be compared, in number, with what had been offered at the dedication of Solomon's temple, but being according to their present ability, it was accepted, for, after a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy, and their deep poverty, abounded to the riches of their liberality, 2 Cor. 8. 2. These hundreds were more to them than Solomon's thousands were to him. But, beside these, they offered twelve he-goats for sin-offerings, one for every tribe, to make atonement for their sins, which they looked upon as necessary, in order to the acceptance of their services. Thus, by getting iniquity taken away, they would free themselves from that which had been the sting of their late troubles, and which, if not removed, would be a worm at the root of their present comforts. 3. This

z Num. 3. 6. 8. 9. y Ex. 12.6. z 2 Chr. 30. 15. a 2 Chr. 35, 11. b c. 9. 11. e Ex. 12. 15. 13. 6. 2 Chr. 30. 21. 35. 17. 1 Cor. 5. 7, 8. d ver. 6. Prov. 21. 1. a Neh. 2. 1. 61 Chr. 6. 14.

service was performed with joy; they were all glad to see the temple built, and the concerns of it in so good a posture. Let us learn to welcome holy ordinances with joy, and attend on them with pleasure; let us serve the Lord with gladness. Whatever we dedicate to God, let it be done with joy, that he will please to accept of it. 4. When they dedicated the house, they settled the household; small comfort could they have in the temple, without the temple service, and therefore they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, v. 18. Having set up the worship of God in this dedication, they took care to keep it up, and made the book of Moses their rule, to which they had an eye in this establishment. Though the temple service could not now be performed with so much pomp and plenty as formerly, because of their poverty, yet, perhaps it was performed with as much purity, and close adherence to the divine institution as ever, which was the true glory of it. No beauty like the beauty of holiness.

IV. The celebration of the passover in the newly erected temple. Now that they were newly delivered out of their bondage in Babylon, it was seasonable to commemorate their deliverance out of their bondage in Egypt. Fresh mercies should put us in mind of former mercies. We may suppose that they had kept the passover, after a sort, every year since their return, for they had an altar and a tabernacle. But they were liable to frequent disturbances from their enemies, were straitened for room, and had not conveniences about them, so that they could not do it with due solemnity till the temple was built; and now they made a joyful festival of it, it falling out in the next month after the temple was finished and dedicated, v. 19.

The

Notice is here taken, 1. Of the purity of the priests and Levites that killed the passover, v. 20. In Hezekiah's time, they were many of them under blame for not purifying themselves. But now it is observed, to their praise, that they were purified together, as one man, so the word is; they were unanimous both in their resolutions and in their endeavours, to make and keep themselves ceremonially clean for this solemnity; they joined together in their preparations, that they might help one another, so that all of them were pure, to a man. purity of ministers adds much to the beauty of their ministration; so does their unity. 2. Of the proselytes that communicated with them in this ordinance. All such as had separated themselves unto them, had left their country and the superstitions of it, and cast in their lot with the Israel of God, and had turned from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, both their idolatries and their immoralities, to seek the Lord God of Israel as their God, did eat the passover. See how the proselytes, the converts, are described; they separate themselves from the filthiness of sin, and fellowship with sinners, join themselves to the Israel of God, in conformity and communion, and set themselves to seek the God of Israel; and those that do so in sincerity, though strangers and foreigners, are welcome to eat of the Gospel feast, as fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. 3. Of the great pleasure and satisfaction wherewith they kept the feast of unleavened bread, v. 22. The Lord had made them joyful, had given them both cause to rejoice, and hearts to rejoice. It was now about twenty years since the foundation of this temple was laid, and we may suppose the old men that then wept at the remembrance of the first temple, were most of them dead by this time, so that now there were no tears mingled with their joys. Those that are, upon good grounds, joyful, have therefore reason to be

3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth,

4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki,

5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest:

6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.

7 And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

8 And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king.

9 For upon the first day of the first month *began

h c. 2. 43.

f ver. 9. c. 8. 22. 31. Neh. was the foundation of the m Dan. 16. 12.

e Num. 25. 11-13. d Heb. 5. 4. e ver. 11, 12, 21. 2. 8, 18. Prov. 3. 6. g c. 8. 1, 15, c. going up. i ver. 6. 2 Chr. 19. 3. Ps. 119. 45. thankful, because it is God that makes them to rejoice. He is the Fountain whence all the streams of our joy flow. God has promised to all those who take hold of his covenant, that he will make them joyful in his house of prayer. The particular occasion they had for joy at this time, was that God had turned the heart of the emperor to them, to strengthen their hands. If those that have been, or, we feared, would have been, against us, prove to be for us, we may rejoice in it as a token for good, that our ways please the Lord, (Prov. 16. 7,) and he must have the glory of it.

NOTES TO CHAPTER VII.

V. 1-10. Here is,

I. Ezra's pedigree. He was one of the sons of Aaron, a priest; him God chose to be an instrument of good to Israel, that he might put honour upon the priesthood, the glory of which had been much eclipsed by the captivity. He is said to be the son of Seraiah, that Seraiah, as is supposed, whom the king of Babylon put to death, when he sacked Jerusalem, 2 Kings 25. 18, 21. If we take the shortest computation, it was seventyfive years since Seraiah died; many reckon it much longer, and because they suppose Ezra called out, in the prime of his time, to public service, do therefore think that Seraiah was not his immediate parent, but his grandfather, or great-grandfather; but that he was the first eminent person that occurred in his genealogy upward, which is carried up here as high as Aaron, yet leaving out many, for brevity's sake, which may be supplied from 1 Chr. 6. 4, &c. He was a younger brother, or his father was Jozadak, the father of Jeshua, so that he was not high priest, but nearly allied to the high priest.

II. His character; though of the younger house, his personal qualifications made him very eminent.

The

1. He was a man of great learning. A scribe, a ready scribe in the law of Moses, v. 6. He was very much conversant with the scriptures, especially the writings of Moses, had the words ready, and was well acquainted with the sense and meaning of them. It is to be feared that learning ran low among the Jews in Babylon; but Ezra was instrumental to revive it. Jews say that he collected and collated all the copies of the law he could find out, and published an accurate edition of it, with all the prophetical books, historical and poetical, that were given by divine inspiration, and so made up the canon of the Old Testament, with the addition of the prophecies and histories of his own time; if he was raised up of God, and qualified and inclined to do this, all generations have reason to call him blessed, and to bless God for him. God sent to the Jews prophets and scribes, Matt. 23: 34. Ezra went under the latter denomination; now that prophecy was about to cease, it was time to promote scripture knowledge, pursuant to the counsel of God by the last of the prophets, Mal. 4. 4, Remember the law of Moses. Gospel ministers are called scribes instructed to the kingdom of heaven, (Matt. 13. 52,) New-Testament scribes. It was pity that such a worthy name as this, should be worn as it was, in the degenerate ages of the Jewish church, by men who were professed enemies to Christ and his Gospel, (Wo unto you, Scribes and Pharisees,) who were learned in the letter of the law, but strangers to the spirit of it.

2. He was a man of great piety and holy zeal, v. 10, He had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, &c. (1.) That which he chose for his study, was the law of the Lord. The Chaldeans, among whom he was born and bred, were famed for literature, especially the study of the stars, to which, being a studious man, we may suppose that Ezra was tempted to apply himself; but he got over the temptation, the law of his God was more to him than all the writings of their magicians and astrologers, which he knew enough of with good reason to despise them. (2.) He sought the law of the Lord, that is, he made it his business to inquire into it; searched the scriptures, and sought the knowledge of God, and his mind and will, in the scrip

10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek' the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach" in Israel statutes and judgments.

11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD, and of his statutes to Israel.

12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, Unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time.

13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests, and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own free will to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee.

14 Forasmuch as thou art sent tof the king, and of his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand;

n Deut. 33. 10. Mal. 2 7. Tit. 2. 1, 15. o Ez. 26. 7. Dan. 2. 37. tor, to Ezra the priest, a perfect scribe of the law of the God of heaven, peace, &c. from before the king. p Esth. 1. 14.

tures, which is to be found there, but not without seeking. (3.) He made conscience of doing according to it; he set it before him as his rule, formed his sentiments and temper by it, and managed himself in his whole conversation according to it. This use we must make of our knowledge of the scriptures; for happy are we, if we do what we know of the will of God. (4.) He set himself to teach Israel the statutes and judgments of that law. What he knew, he was willing to communicate for the good of others; for the ministration of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. But observe the method; he first learned, and then taught; sought the law of the Lord, and so laid up a good treasure, and then instructed others, and laid out what he had laid up. He also first did, and then taught, practised the commandments himself, and then directed others in the practice of them; thus his example confirmed his doctrine. (5.) He prepared his heart to do all this; or, he fixed his heart. He took pains in his studies, and thoroughly furnished himself for what he designed, and then put on resolution to proceed and persevere in them, and thus he became a ready scribe. Moses in Egypt, Ezra in Babylon, and both in captivity, were wonderfully fitted for eminent services to the church.

III. His expedition to Jerusalem, for the good of his country. He went up from Babylon, (v. 6.) and, in four months' time, came to Jerusalem, v. 8. It was strange that such a man as he, stayed so long in Babylon after his brethren were gone up; but God sent him not thither, till he had work for him to do there; and none went, but those whose spirits God raised to go up. Some think that this Artaxerxes was the same with that Darius whose decree we had, (ch. 6.) and that Ezra came the very year after the temple was finished; that was the sixth year, this the seventh, v. 8. So Dr. Lightfoot. My worthy and learned friend, lately deceased, Mr. Tallents, in his chronological tables, places it about fifty-seven years after the finishing of the temple; others further on. I have only to observe, 1. How kind the king was to him; he granted him all his request, whatever he desired, to put him into a capacity to serve his country. 2. How kind his people were to him; when he went, many more went with him, because they desired not to stay in Babylon when he was gone thence, and because they would venture to dwell in Jerusalem when he was gone thither. 3. How kind his God was to him; he obtained this favour from his king and country, by the good hand of the Lord that was upon him, v. 6, 9. Note, Every creature is that to us, that God makes it to be, and from him our judgment proceeds. As we must see the events that shall occur, in the hand of God, so we must see the hand of God in the events that do occur, and acknowledge him with thankfulness, when we have reason to call it his good hand. V. 11-26. We have here the commission which the Persian emperor granted to Ezra, giving him authority to act for the good of the Jews; and it is very ample and full, and beyond what could have been expected. The commission runs, we suppose, in the usual form. Artaxerxes, king of kings; that is too high a title for any mortal man to assume; he was indeed king of some kings, but to speak as if he were king of all kings, is to usurp his prerogative, who hath all power both in heaven and in earth. He sends greeting to his trusty and well-beloved Ezra, whom he calls a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, (v. 12,) a title which, (it seems by this,) Ezra valued himself by, and desired no other, no not when he was advanced to the proconsular dignity. He reckoned it more his honour to be a scribe of God's law, than to be a peer or prince of the empire. Let us observe the articles of this commission;

I. He gives Ezra leave to go up to Jerusalem, and as many of his countrymen as pleased, to go up with him, v. 13. He and they were captives, and therefore they would not quit his dominions without his royal license.

II. He gives him authority to inquire into the affairs of Judah and Jerusalem, v. 14. The rule of his inquiry was to be the law of his God, which was in his hand; whether the Jews, in

CHAPTER VIII.

10 And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an 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 an hundred and ten males.

13 And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are 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 Shenathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding.

3 Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned, by genealogy, of the males an 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 Jehaziel, 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.

e ver. 6. c. 8. 18. a 1 Chr. 6. 4, &c. b 1 Chr. 3. 22. c c. 2. 3. †or, youngest tor, Zaccur, as some read. or, pitched. d c. 7. 7.

whatever occurrences please us, we must own God's hand in them, and praise his name. Two things Ezra blessed God for, 1. For his commission. We suppose he kissed the king's hand for it, but that was not all; Blessed be God (says he) that put such a thing as this into the king's heart. God can put things into men's hearts, which would not arise there of themselves, and into their heads too, both by his providence and by his grace, in things pertaining both to life and godliness. If any good appear to be in our own hearts, or in the hearts of others, we must own it was God that put it there, and bless him for it; for it is he that worketh in us both to will and to do that which is good. When princes and magistrates act for the suppression of vice, and the encouragement of religion, we must thank God that put it into their hearts to do so, as much as if they had granted us some particular favour. When God's house was built, Ezra rejoiced in what was done to beautify it. We read not of any orders given to paint or gild it, or garnish it with precious stones, but to be sure that the ordinances of God were administered there constantly, and carefully, and exactly according to the institution; and that was indeed the beautifying of the temple. 2. For the encouragement he had to act in pursuance of his commission, v. 28. He has extended mercy to me. The king, in the honour he did him, we may suppose, had an eye to his merits, and preferred him because he looked upon him to be a very sensible ingenious man; but he himself ascribes it purely to God's mercy, that was it, that recommended him to the favour of his prince. Ezra himself was a man of courage, yet he attributed his encouragement, not to his own heart, but to God's hand; "I was strengthened to undertake the services, as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, to direct and support me." If God gives us his hand, we are bold and cheerful; if he withdraw it, we are weak as water. Whatever service we are enabled to do for God and our generation, God must have all the glory of it. Strength for it is derived from him, and therefore the praise of it must be given to him.

NOTES TO CHAPTER VIII.

V. 1-20. 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, Is. 11. 12. "Whoever of the sons of Zion, that dwell with the daughters of Babylon, 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 shaken themselves from their dust, and loosed the bands of their neck, according to that call, Is. 52. 1, 2, &c. I wonder how any of them could read that chapter, and yet stay behind. But multitudes did, who 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,

I. That some offered themselves willingly to go with Ezra. VOL. I.-133

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, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring funto 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;

e 1 Chr. 12. 32. Prov. 20. 5. 28. 2. I

19.

f Tit. 1. 5. & Neh. 8. 79.4, put words in their mouth, 2 Sam. 14. 3, 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 here named, (v. 2,) 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, ch. 2. 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 the last sons of Adonikam, (v. 13,) 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 stayed behind.

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 newyear's day, the first day of the first month, (ch. 7. 9;) then and there he took a view of them, and mustered them, and (which was strange) found there none of the sons of Levi, v. 15. Some priests there were, but none other that were Levites; where was the spirit of that sacred tribe? Ezra a priest, like Moses, proclaims, Who is on the Lord's side? They, unlike to Levi, shrink, and desire to abide among the sheepfolds to hear the bleatings of the flock; 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 tell it not in Gath, 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 was a college of Levites, the place Casiphia, probably a street or square in Babylon allowed for that purpose; (Silver street, one may call it, for Ceseph signifies silver;) 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 to some of the juniors, ministers for the house of our God, v. 17. 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. We are informed of their success; they did not return without their errand, but, though their warning was short, they brought about forty Levites to attend Ezra; Sherebiah, noted as (1057 )

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 is upon all them for good that seek shim; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

23 So we fasted, and besought our God for this; and he was entreated of us.

25 And weighed unto them the 'silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house

h c. 2. 43. i Phil. 4. 3. k 2 Chr. 20. 3. Lev. 16. 29. 23. 29. 16. 58. 3, 5. Joel 2. 13. P. 5. 8. 143. 8, 10. Prov. 3. 6. Is. 30. 21. 42. 16. Jer. 10. 23. n Ps. 8. 2. Mark 10. 13, 16. 1 Cor. 9. 15. p c. 7. 6, 9, 28. g Ps. 33. 18, 19. 34. 15, 22. Lam. 3. 25. Rom. 8. 28.

go.

a very intelligent man, and eighteen with him, (v. 18;) Hashabiah, and Jeshaiah, and twenty with them, v. 19. 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 What a pity is it that good men should omit a good work, merely for want of being spoken to! What a pity that they should need it, and if they do, what a pity that they should want it! Of the Nethinims, the servitors of the sacred college, the species infima-the lowest order 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, v. 20. "Thus" (says Ezra) "were we furnished with Levites, by the good hand of our God upon us." 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.

V. 21-23. 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,

1. The steadfast confidence he had in God, and in his gracious protection; he told the king (v. 22) 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 then 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. They 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 it; 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.

2. The solemn application he made to God in that confidence; he proclaimed a fast, v. 21. 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 it, may join in the request for it. Their fasting was, (1.) To express their humiliation; this he declares to be the intent and meaning of it, that we might afflict ourselves before our God 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, to seek of God the right way, 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,

30 So took the priests and the Levites the weight them to Jerusalem," unto the house of our God. 31 Then we departed from the river of Ahava, on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto

2Chr. 15. 2. Zeph. 1.4, 6. Heb. 10. 38. 1 Chr. 5. 20. Ps. 65. 18-20. Is. 19. 22. Jer. 29. 12, 13. tc. 7. 15, 16. • yellow, or, shining brass. 1 desirable. u Lev. 21. 6-8. 22. 2, 3. Deut. 33. 8. Num. 4. 15. Rom. 9. 23. 20 ver. 32.

and hoped by prayer to engage this for them. 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, Phil. 4. 6.

3. The good success of their doing so, v. 23, we besought our God by joint prayer, and he was entreated of us; 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.

V. 24-30. 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 committed to faithful men, 2 Tim. 2. 2. 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, (v. 24, 30,) 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; (v. 28,) Ye are holy unto the Lord, the vessels are holy also; 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 it 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, (Is. 52. 11,) Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

(2.) The great exactness with which be lodged this trust in their hands; he weighed to them the silver, the gold, and the vessels, (v. 25,)-because he expected to have it from them again by weight. In all trusts, 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 forthcoming, and it might easily appear if any were missing; to intimate that such as are intrusted 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; (v. 29,) "Watch ye, and keep them, that they be not lost, or embezzled, or mingled with the other articles; keep them together, keep them by themselves, keep them safe, 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 St. Paul charges Timothy with the Gospel treasure, he bids him keep it until the appearing of Jesus Christ, and his appearing before him to give account of his trust, when his fidelity would be his crown.

V. 31-36. 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, 1. That his God was good, and he owns it; The hand of our God was upon us, to animate us for our undertaking: to him they owed it, (1.) That they were preserved in their journey,