A Comprehensive Commentary. The Book of Ezra

Transcription

1 A Comprehensive Commentary of The Book of Ezra together with references for further study from the General Conferences of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints the Encyclopedia of Mormonism and other doctrinal texts by General Authorities of the Church Written and compiled by Paul Nolan Hyde Parrish Press Orem, Utah

2 Copyright 2014; 2015 by Paul Nolan Hyde, Ph.D. All rights reserved. First Electronic Edition Copyright 2015 Parrish Press, Orem, Utah 1842 South 50 East Orem, Utah

3 Preface This project began as an attempt to provide my children and grandchildren something of their ancestor s love and understanding of the scriptures. I began producing volumes many years ago which I was pleased to call Paraphrastic studies. I wrote one of these studies for each of the four Gospels and the letters of Paul. Eventually, however, I began to sense that there was much that I knew about the New Testament that my translations could not communicate. I therefore thought to write a comprehensive commentary on the entire New Testament, beginning with Matthew and concluding with the book of Revelation. As I published each of the nine volumes, I included the paraphrastic studies, where I had them, in conjunction with the commentary for each book in the New Testament. I began this project in 2005 and completed the final volume in The whole effort was a delight to my soul. A year before I retired from the Church Educational System, in 2003, I thought to produce an 1830 formatting of the Book of Mormon using the present text of the 1981 edition. This was a relatively easy task, given the technology available to me. I distributed these to my colleagues at the Orem Institute of Religion, members of my family, and a few other interested parties for the cost of printing and binding them. Sometime in the early spring of 2007, I was impressed to begin a verse by verse commentary on the Book of Mormon, a task that I had not presumed to attempt, inasmuch as there are no translation difficulties that abound in the Old and New Testaments. Yet, there were instances of nineteenth-century word usage and syntactic issues that I thought a commentary might help to clarify. As I began, however, I discovered that there was much more that I could communicate to my children of my understanding of the ancient record of the Nephites, material that I had gleaned as I taught the scriptures during my thirty-five year career with CES. This labor eventually produced five volumes of moderate size. As I published each segment of the commentary, I enclosed the 1830 formatting of each book in the Book of Mormon that I had devise several years before. The last volume also appeared in late By the time that I was fully engaged with writing commentaries on both the New Testament and the Book of Mormon, I had become infatuated with the idea that I might be able to expand the commentaries to include the other volumes of scripture as well. Thus, in the winter of 2010 I began writing commentaries on the Pearl of Great Price, and the Doctrine and Covenants. Once I finished with the Pearl of Great Price, I began to move ahead with the book of Genesis and the rest of the Old Testament. In the late fall of 2014 I finished the last of the commentaries on the Old Testament, for a total of thirty-three printed and bound volumes. With these volumes and the others produced over the past ten years, I have completed commentary on every verse of the Standard Works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. My procedure for writing the Commentary was similar to that used in creating the original paraphrastic studies. The same reference texts were employed. For difficult words in Greek, Hebrew, 3

4 and English I resorted to the works of James Strong and other lexicographers for linguistic insight. I consider the contributions made by conservative Protestant scholarship (as recorded in the New International Version) and conservative Catholic scholarship (as related in the New Jerusalem Bible). I resorted to the considered thought of Adam Clarke, one of the most prominent and prolific commentators on the sacred manuscripts available at the beginning of the nineteenth century, and who, I believe, was a man of great faith. I consulted with the Joseph Smith Translation at appropriate times (including in another column an indication that a JST change had been made for any given verse), and frequently to the writings of the General Authorities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, as I contemplated the possible meanings of each word and phrase. From time to time I resorted to Smith s Bible Dictionary and Discovering the World of the Bible by LaMar Berrett for some of the more arcane information that I thought would illuminate the text. I have attempted to maintain a steady course throughout my commentaries, treating each verse as unique, and where appropriate, duplicate notes and the text rather than use cross-references within the volume. Some may find this a waste of paper and ink, but I frankly dislike having to rifle through pages or volumes trying to find the first instance of the note or commentary. The duplications are easily ignored; fumbling through pages cannot be. It is in the best interests of the reader, however, to contemplate the reasons why such duplications exist in the biblical text in the first place. They are purposeful and I have attempted to point out their purpose as I have progressed through each volume. My numbering system for the notes used in the body of the commentary was adapted from historical linguistic texts with which I am familiar and which I had found quite useful. The pattern used is chapter.verse.word; thus note would contain material referring to the fifth word in the book of Hosea 3:4, for example. I make no comprehensive promises regarding the preciseness of my word count in any particular verse, but it will be close enough to eliminate any distressing confusion. Inasmuch as I began this series with the Gospel of Matthew, there will be times when I will make reference to my own work in that first volume. Sometimes there will be no more than a reference, MT-C ; other times I may quote directly from the original text. In either case my sole motivation will be to facilitate the flow of ideas rather than to multiply words. There are enough words already. References to the Commentaries on other books of the New Testament are abbreviated as follows: Matthew MT-C Mark MK-C Luke LK-C John JN-C Acts AC-C Romans RM-C 1 Corinthians 1 CO-C 2 Corinthians 2 CO-C Galatians GA-C Ephesians EP-C Philippians PP-C Colossians CL-C 1 Thessalonians 1 TH-C 2 Thessalonians 2 TH-C 1 Timothy 1 TM-C 2 Timothy 2 TM-C Titus TT-C Philemon PL-C Hebrews HB-C 1 Peter 1 PE-C 2 Peter 2 PE-C 1 John 1 JN-C 2 John 2 JN-C 3 John 3 JN-C Revelation RV-C 4

5 References to the Commentaries in the books of the Old Testament are as follows: Genesis GE-C Exodus EX-C Leviticus LV-C Numbers NM-C Deuteronomy DT-C Joshua JO-C Judges JD-C Ruth RU-C 1 Samuel 1 SM-C 2 Samuel 2 SM-C 1 Kings 1 KG-C 2 Kings 2 KG-C 1 Chronicles 1 CR-C 2 Chronicles 2 CR-C Ezra ER-C Nehemiah NE-C Esther ES-C Job JB-C Psalms PS-C Proverbs PV-C Ecclesiastes ES-C Song of Solomon SS-C Isaiah IS-C Jeremiah JR-C Lamentations LM-C Ezekiel EZ-C Daniel DA-C Hosiah HS-C Joel JL-C Amos AM-C Obadiah OB-C Jonah JH-C Micah MH-C Nahum NA-C Habakkuk HB-C Zephaniah ZP-C Haggai HG-C Zechariah ZE-C Malachi ML-C I have also made reference to the other standard works of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. The references to the Book of Mormon are articulated in bold and italics lettering using the following abbreviations: 1 Nephi 1 NE-C 2 Nephi 2 NE-C Jacob JA-C Enos EN-C Jarom JM-C Omni OM-C Words of Mormon WM-C Mosiah MS-C Alma AL-C Helaman HE-C 3 Nephi 3 NE-C 4 Nephi 4 NE-C Mormon MM-C Ether ET-C Moroni MR-C The abbreviation TPW-C refers to the material found on the Title Page of the Book of Mormon and in the Testimonies of the Three and Eight Witnesses. The references to Sections that are in the Doctrine and Covenants are indicated as DC-C followed by the section number and verse (OD1-C and OD2-C are self-explanatory); The Pearl of Great Price references contained herein use the following abbreviations: MO-C, AB-C, SM-C, SH-C, and AF-C. In some cases I have taken on what some would consider controversial material. I make no apologies for so doing. I have found that my children are best served when an issue is approached head on, the differing points of view presented, and the rationale given as to why one school of thought ought to be preferred over another. Sometimes the decisions are logically founded; others the result of doctrinal points that are unique to theology of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In most cases I have not argued authorities, even though I could have inserted multiple references to the writings of scholars with whom I am familiar. I have chosen to have my sources on any particular issue to remain anonymous in the text of the commentary for several reasons. First and foremost, this work is my commentary, what I believe and hold to be true. In the end, that is what my children wish to know. Secondly, I did not wish to have my children accept or dismiss a particular view merely because of who had been the author of it. Many wonderful insights have been made by scholars both inside and outside of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wherein I have found one view to be preferable over another has not been a partisan matter, but rather a matter of the mind, heart, and spirit cooperating together in an attempt to understand what must be the truth. Thirdly, I have been quite clear who my authorities have been. It is my fondest 5

6 desire that my children would become as familiar with their writings as I have. Were I to cite all of my sources with extensive quotes from each, there would be no need for them to open any of the books that I have come to love. That, in part, is why I included the third column containing crossreferences to the various doctrinal works in the Commentaries. Exceptions to this practice should be noted as being of extreme importance. In addition to the text of the Standard Works, together with my own commentary, I inserted a column of references for further study. The citations are taken from three major sources: the Conference Reports of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints from April 1980 to November 2002 (abbreviated as CR followed by the year, month and page number); the Encyclopedia of Mormonism (four volumes, abbreviated EM followed by the volume and page number); and A Scripture Index (a compilation of scripture references cited in various texts published by General Authorities of the Church). For those not familiar with the abbreviations used in A Scripture Index. I include them below: TPJS Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith GD Gospel Doctrine MA Mediation and Atonement FWR Far West Record DHC History of the Church (7 vols.) TSWK Teaching of Spencer W. Kimball MF Miracle of Forgiveness FPM Faith Precedes the Miracle MD Mormon Doctrine PM Promised Messiah MM Mortal Messiah (4 vols.) MLM Millennial Messiah DNTC Doctrinal New Testament Commentary (3 vols.) JC Jesus the Christ AF Articles of Faith DS Doctrines of Salvation (3 vols.) AGQ Answers to Gospel Questions (5 vols.) As with each of the volumes previously published, I include two lists. The first, bound in front of the Commentary, is a listing of all of the words and phrases upon which I have made extensive remarks, a kind of sequential table of contents. I have also arranged this list alphabetically and have placed it at the end of the Commentary as a kind of index. A comprehensive alphabetical index for the entire volume appears as the last section of this book. Needless to say that all of the errors in the material submitted herein to the reader are the product of my own limitations as a scholar; all of the brilliance which may appear here is the product of minds and hearts filled with the fire of the Spirit of God, from whom all truth and beauty ultimately derive. A Note on the Electronic Edition Not only did my children and other family members receive bound copies of commentaries, but there were a number of friends and neighbors who had expressed an interest in them. There were requests from others who desired copies of what I had done, but I was not in a position to provide them with hard copies. Inasmuch as I had all of the volumes in computer files, I thought to compile each of the commentaries in some format that could be read on a smart device. I opted to use the Adobe Acrobat, turning all of the work into PDF files. I have used these on my tablet for many years and have found them useful and far easier to cart about with me. In the early spring of 2015, my neighbor David Dollahite arranged for a meeting with Jack Welch and Marny Parkin regarding the possibility of BYU providing a dedicated web site so that there would be greater public access to my 6

7 work. Thus began the present enterprise of editing and standardizing all that had done during the last ten years. My commentary on the Gospel of Mark is the second of these electronic volumes. Within a year or so I hope to have all of the books available in the same format. PNH Orem, Utah November

8 8 Sequence of Specifically Noted Words and Phrases in Ezra first year Cyrus Persia Jeremiah Cyrus Persia Jerusalem Judah Jerusalem Judah Israel Jerusalem Judah Benjamin priests Levites Jerusalem Cyrus Nebuchadnezzar Jerusalem Cyrus Persia Mithredath Sheshbazzar Judah chargers knives basons Sheshbazzar Babylon Jerusalem province Nebuchadnezzar Babylon Jerusalem Judah Zerubbabel Jeshua Nehemiah Seraiah Reelaiah Mordecai Bilshan Mispar Bigvai Rehum Baanah Israel Parosh Shephatiah Arah Pahathmoab Jeshua Joab Elam Zattu Zaccai Bani Bebai Azgad Adonikam Bigvai Adin Ater Hezekiah Bezai Jorah Hashum Gibbar Bethlehem Netophah Anathoth Azmaveth Kirjatharim Chephirah Beeroth Ramah Gaba Michmas Bethel Ai Nebo Magbish Elam Harim Lod Hadid Ono Jericho Senaah priests Jedaiah Jeshua Immer Pashur Harim Levites Jeshua Kadmiel Hodaviah Asaph porters Shallum Ater Talmon Akkub Hatita Shobai Nethinims Ziha Hasupha Tabbaoth Keros Siaha Padon Lebanah Hagabah Akkub Hagab Shalmai Hanan Giddel Gahar Reaiah Rezin Nekoda Gazzam Uzza Paseah Besai Asnah Mehunim Nephusim Bakbuk Hakupha Harhur Bazluth Mahida Harsha Barkos Sisera Thamah Neziah Hatipha

9 Solomon s Sotai Sophereth Peruda Jaalah Darkon Giddel Shephatiah Hattil Pochereth Zebaim Ami Nethinims Solomon s Telmelah Telharsa Cherub Addan Immer Israel seventh month Israel Jerusalem Jeshua Jozadak priests Zerubbabel Shealtiel altar Israel burnt offerings Moses altar bases burnt offerings burnt offerings burnt offerings seventh month burnt offerings Zidon Tyre Lebanon Joppa Cyrus Persia Jerusalem second month Zerubbabel Shealtiel Jeshua Jozadak priests Levites Jeshua Kadmiel Judah Henadad Levites priests Levites Asaph David Israel Israel priests Levites Judah Benjamin Israel Zerubbabel Esarhaddon Assur Zerubbabel Jeshua Israel Cyrus Persia Judah Cyrus Persia Darius Ahasuerus Judah Jerusalem Artaxerxes Bishlam Mithredath Tabeel Persia Syrian Rehum chancellor Shimshai scribe Jerusalem Artaxerxes Rehum chancellor Shimshai scribe Dinaites Apharsathchites Tarpelites Apharsites Archevites Babylonians Susanchites Dehavites Elamites Asnappar Samaria this side Artaxerxes this side Jews Jerusalem this side Rehum chancellor Shimshai scribe Samaria river Jerusalem Artaxerxes Rehum Shimshai scribe Jerusalem Jews Jerusalem Darius Persia prophets Haggai Zechariah Iddo Jews Judah Jerusalem Israel Zerubbabel Shealtiel Jeshua Jozadak Jerusalem prophets Tatnai this side Shetharboznai Jews Darius Tatnai this side Shetharboznai Apharsachites Darius Darius Judea Israel Nebuchadnezzar Babylon Chaldean first year Cyrus

10 Babylon Nebuchadnezzar Jerusalem Babylon Cyrus Sheshbazzar Jerusalem Sheshbazzar Jerusalem Babylon Cyrus Jerusalem Darius Babylon Achmetha Medes first year Cyrus Jerusalem cubits Nebuchadnezzar Jerusalem Babylon Tatnai Shetharboznai Apharsachites Jews Jews bullocks rams burnt offerings priests Jerusalem Jerusalem Darius Tatnai this side Shetharboznai Darius Jews Haggai prophet Zechariah Iddo Israel Cyrus Darius Artaxerxes Persia Adar Darius Israel priests Levites bullocks rams sin offerings Israel priests Levites Jerusalem Moses passover first month priests Levites passover Israel unleavened Assyria Israel Artaxerxes Persia Ezra Seraiah Azariah Hilkiah Shallum Zadok Ahitub Amariah Azariah Meraioth Zerahiah Uzzi Bukki Abishua Phinehas Eleazar Aaron priest Ezra Babylon scribe Moses Israel Israel priests Levites porters Nethinims Jerusalem Artaxerxes Jerusalem fifth month first month Babylon fifth month Jerusalem Ezra Israel Artaxerxes Ezra priest scribe statutes Israel Artaxerxes Ezra priest scribe Israel priests Levites Jerusalem Judah Jerusalem Israel Jerusalem Babylon priests Jerusalem bullocks rams meat offerings drink offerings altar Jerusalem Jerusalem Artaxerxes river Ezra priest scribe talents measures baths oil priests Levites porters Nethinims Ezra river Jerusalem Israel Babylon Artaxerxes Phinehas Gershom Ithamar Daniel David Hattush Shechaniah

11 Pharosh Zechariah Pahathmoab Elihoenai Zerahiah Shechaniah son Jahaziel Adin Ebed Jonathan Elam Jeshaiah Athaliah Shephatiah Zebadiah Michael Joab Obadiah Jehiel Shelomith son Josiphiah Bebai Zechariah Bebai Azgad Johanan Hakkatan Adonikam Eliphelet Jeiel Shemiah Bigvai Uthai Zabbud Ahava priests Levi Eliezer Ariel Shemaiah Elnathan Jarib Elnathan Nathan Zechariah Meshullam Joiarib Elnathan Iddo Casiphia Nethinims Mahli Levi Israel Sherebiah Hashabiah Jeshaiah Merari Nethinims David Levites Ahava priests Sherebiah Hashabiah Israel talents talents talents drams priests Levites Israel Jerusalem priests Levites Jerusalem Ahava first month Jerusalem Jerusalem Meremoth Uriah priest Eleazar Phinehas Jozabad Jeshua Noadiah Binnui Levites burnt offerings Israel bullocks rams sin offering this side Israel priests Levites Canaanites Hittites Perizzites Jebusites Ammonites Moabites Egyptians Amorites Israel priests Persia Judah Jerusalem prophets Israel Ezra Israel Shechaniah Jehiel Elam Ezra strange Israel Ezra priests Levites Israel Ezra Johanan Eliashib Judah Jerusalem Judah Benjamin Jerusalem ninth month Ezra priest strange Israel strange strange Jonathan Asahel Tikvah Meshullam Shabbethai Levite Ezra priest tenth month strange first month priests strange Jeshua Jozadak Maaseiah Eliezer Jarib Gedaliah rams Immer

12 Hanani Zebadiah Harim Maaseiah Elijah Shemaiah Jehiel Uzziah Pashur Elioenai Maaseiah Ishmael Nethaneel Jozabad Elasah Levites Jozabad Shimei Kelaiah Kelita Pethahiah Judah Eliezer Eliashib porters Shallum Telem Uri Israel Parosh Ramiah Jeziah Malchiah Miamin Eleazar Malchijah Benaiah Elam Mattaniah Zechariah Jehiel Abdi Jeremoth Eliah Zattu Elioenai Eliashib Mattaniah Jeremoth Zabad Aziza Bebai Jehohanan Hananiah Zabbai Athlai Bani Meshullam Malluch Adaiah Jashub Sheal Ramoth Pahathmoab Adna Chelal Benaiah Maaseiah Mattaniah Bezaleel Binnui Manasseh Harim Eliezer Ishijah Malchiah Shemaiah Shimon Benjamin Malluch Shemariah Hashum Mattenai Mattathah Zabad Eliphelet Jeremai Manasseh Shimei Bani Maadai Amram Uel Benaiah Bedeiah Chelluh Vaniah Meremoth Eliashib Mattaniah Mattenai Jaasau Bani Binnui Shimei Shelemiah Nathan Adaiah Machnadebai Shashai Sharai Azareel Shelemiah Shemariah Shallum Amariah Joseph Nebo Jeiel Mattithiah Zabad Zebina Jadau Joel Benaiah strange

13 A Commentary on the Scriptures by Paul Nolan Hyde, Ph.D. The Book of Ezra 0.0 Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther form the final section of what has been called the Historical books of the Old Testament. From Joshua to the end of 2 Kings we may see a somewhat continuous chronological narrative from the death of Moses until the fall of the southern kingdom of Judah to the Babylonians. Admittedly, as we have long since discovered, the events related in these books were not always set in chronological order. At times there were stories told that took place at the same time, but in different parts of the land of promise. We should not find this practice disturbing. The narrators of these various books were doing their best to communicate to the rising generations those cautionary tales that helped define the cultural traditions that they were to inherit. The chronology would not have been particularly interesting in and of itself, if it had not been for the textual difficulties that appeared when an attempt was made to reconcile all of the dating that has been provided. We have passed through all of the arguments that may be made for and against the traditional views on the matter in previous volumes. The result has been the various chronological charts that have been constructed to help clarify the seeming problems. Ezra AF 240, 243 AGQ EM 2:765, The books of 1 and 2 Chronicles did not constitute a continuation of the historical narrative that began with Joshua and ended with 2 Kings, but in some respects served as a reprise of that which had been presented in 1 and 2 Kings. It appears to have been compiled sometime after the Babylonian Captivity; that is to say, sometime after 520 BC. There is a wide array of differing opinions as to how late they may have been put together. It is clear, however, that the narrator had far more information about the history and destiny of the southern kingdom of Judah than he did of the northern kingdom of Judah. It is also quite plain that the earliest records from which the compiler was drawing were fragmentary at best, and sometimes were almost unintelligible. This is particularly true in the opening chapters of 1 Chronicles. 0.2 Most scholars have concluded, with considerable justification, that the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther are closely related, and for that reason appear as they do in the ordering of the Old Testament. Ezra and Nehemiah, for example, were for a long period of time bound together as Ezra I and Ezra II, inasmuch as they treat the two major returns of the Jews to Jerusalem from Babylon. Esther takes place within the same time frame as Ezra and Nehemiah, but in association with the events transpiring in Mesopotamia. We may perceive a similar correspondence in the writings of the prophets. Daniel and Ezekiel, for example wrote in Mesopotamia, while about the same time Obadiah and Habakkuk were representing the Lord God of Israel in the land of Judea. 0.3 Determining precise chronologies based on the text of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther is just as difficult as those that might be constructed for the books that preceded them. In our explorations of the various time frames, we have attempted to maintain a steady course, beginning with the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden and continuing through to the end of the two kingdoms established in the land of Canaan. We have made little or no attempt to correlate biblical history with that of the history of her neighbors in the Middle East or elsewhere. The slope is far too slippery in any event, and 13

14 egregious errors in judgment have been made over the centuries by earnest but misguided scholars. The traditional chronologies that have circulated in the world at large have been based on assumptions made by the modern calendaring systems which have been proven to be iffy at best. In what year was the Lord Jesus Christ born, for example? The arguments provided for and against any given year are embarrassing in most cases, and dates from what we presently call 10 BC to 10 AD might be justified by the evidence proffered. With the aid of the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants it is possible to fix a precise date from which all other calendar dates for the history of Israel might be determined. Without question, Jesus of Nazareth was born on 6 April 1 BC, according to the calendar we presently observe. 0.4 Having fixed the date for the birth of Jesus Christ, we are able to postulate a second temporal marker. The prophet Lehi and his family departed from the city of Jerusalem six hundred years before the advent of the Savior into the mortal world. In round terms, then, the first year of the reign of king Zedekiah would have transpired about the year 601 BC according to our contemporary calendars. We have determined that Zedekiah came to the throne of Judah 3281 years after our first parents departed from the Garden of Eden. We have also speculated that the first year of the reign of king Zedekiah began about the year 602 BC, allowing Lehi about a year to conduct his short ministry and make his preparations to depart from the city of Jerusalem at the behest of the Lord God of Israel. These two suppositions in place would suggest that our first parents, Adam and Eve, departed from the Garden of Eden 3883 years before the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, when time, as we presently understand it, first began. Thus we may make an informed proposal regarding the relative dates of the other major events in the world s history since that time. Ad. Yr Cal.Yr. Event Scripture BC Adam and Eve depart the Garden BC Birth of Noah Gen. 5: BC Year of the Flood Gen. 7: BC Abraham born (?) Gen. 11: BC Noah dies Gen. 9: BC Jacob and Esau born Gen. 25: BC Birth of Joseph to Rachel Gen. 30: BC Jacob goes to Egypt Gen. 47: BC Joseph dies Gen. 50: BC Moses born BC Moses flees Egypt (40) Acts 7: BC Jethro ordains Moses (60?) D&C 84: BC Moses receives his call (80) Acts 7: BC Moses Translated (20 Adar) BC Joshua dies (110) Josh. 24: BC Samuel born (?) 1 Sam. 1: BC David born (?) BC The foundations of Temple Laid 1 Kgs. 6: BC Solomon dies 1 Kgs 11: BC Kingdom of Israel destroyed 2 Kgs. 18: BC Zedekiah becomes king 2 Kgs. 24: BC Lehi begins ministry 1 Ne. 1: BC Lehi departs Jerusalem 1 Ne. 2: BC Jerusalem destroyed 2 Kgs. 25: BC Jehoiachin brought from prison 2 Kgs. 25:27 14

15 It should be noted that many Christian scholars have settle upon 4004 BC as the beginning of time. Jewish scholarship has determined that 3761 BC as the year that Adam was created. We need not treat the strengths or weaknesses of either conclusion. 0.5 At the end of 2 Chronicles we appended a chronology chart that summarized the final 300 years of the children of Israel prior to the Babylonian Captivity. Both the continuing calculations from the time of Adam and Eve and the approximate dates according to our present calendar were given. We include that chart here as well as a reminder. Ad. Yr Cal.Yr. Event Scripture BC Azariah born 2 Kgs. 14: BC Azariah appointed co-regent BC The battle against Edom at Sela 2 Kgs. 14: BC Judah defeated by Israel 2 Chr. 25: BC Amaziah dies 2 Chr. 25: BC Azariah becomes sole king 2 Kgs. 14: BC Jotham born 2 Kgs. 15: BC Ahaz born 2 Kgs. 16: BC Azariah dies 2 Kgs. 15: BC Jotham becomes king 2 Kgs. 15: BC Hezekiah born (Ahaz 11?) 2 Kgs. 18: BC Ahaz becomes king 2 Kgs. 16: BC Ahaz and Tiglath meet in Damascus 2 Kgs. 16: BC Hezekiah becomes co-regent(15?) 2 Kgs. 18: BC Kingdom of Israel destroyed 2 Kgs. 18: BC Ahaz dies 2 Kgs. 16: BC Hezekiah becomes sole king 2 Kgs. 16: BC Temple rededicated 2 Chr. 29: BC Passover services resume in Jerusalem 2 Chr. 30: BC Sennacherib invades Judah 2 Kgs.18: BC Manasseh born 2 Kgs. 21: BC Hezekiah dies 2 Kgs. 18: BC Manasseh becomes king 2 Kgs. 21: BC Manasseh goes to Babylon 2 Chr. 33: BC Manasseh returns from Babylon 2 Chr. 33: BC Amon born 2 Kgs. 21: BC Josiah born 2 Kgs. 22: BC Manasseh dies 2 Kgs. 21: BC Amon becomes king 2 Kgs 21: BC Amon assassinated 2 Kgs. 21: BC Josiah becomes king 2 Kgs. 21: BC Josiah seeks righteousness 2 Chr. 34: BC Josiah purges Judea of idolatry 2 Chr BC Josiah begins repairs on Temple 2 Chr. 34: BC Josiah celebrates the Passover 2 Kgs. 23: BC Zedekiah born 2 Kgs. 24: BC Jehoiachin born 2 Kgs. 24: BC Josiah dies 2 Kgs. 22: BC Jehoahaz becomes king 2 Kgs. 23: BC Eliakim appointed king by Necho 2 Kgs. 23: BC Eliakim s reign ends 2 Kgs. 23: BC Jehoiachin becomes king 2 Kgs. 24: BC Zedekiah becomes king 2 Kgs. 24:17 15

16 BC Zedekiah becomes king 2 Kgs. 24: BC Lehi begins ministry 1 Ne. 1: BC Lehi departs Jerusalem 1 Ne. 2: BC Jerusalem destroyed 2 Kgs. 25: BC Jehoiachin brought from prison 2 Kgs. 25: BC Cyrus ends the Babylonian Captivity 2 Chr. 36:22 33 What we may gather from the end of the chart is that the destruction of the Temple and the city of Jerusalem that took place in the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah, transpired 3292 years after our first parent departed from the Garden of Eden, or about the year 591 BC. We may quibble at length as to when the seventy year captivity prophesied by Jeremiah began, but we have assumed without argument that the destruction of the city was the date. Therefore, we must conclude as well that the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, took place in 3362, or about the year 521 BC. Needless to say, this date is as speculative as any that has been proffered by any student of Sacred Writ in living memory. We should here observe that dating the events hereafter in the history of Israel is no less problematical. 1.1 This verse is a reprise of 2 Chronicles 36:22. The events of this verse and the following transpire after the seventy years captivity of the kingdom of Judah. There are great difficulties associated with matching the chronicles of the children of Israel with those of the Persian empire. This process is compounded by the vagaries of the modern calendar, its origins, and the assumptions made about its reflections upon the chronologies of the ancient world. For our purposes at present we will assume that the calculation of the seventy years began with the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah when the city of Jerusalem was destroyed. Thus the first year of the reign of Cyrus would have been about 3362 years after Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, or about the year 521 BC first year This has become a complex issue for some, primarily because of the conclusions drawn by historians dedicated to the nations of the earth whose courses ran parallel to that of the kingdom of Judah. The first year of Cyrus reign marks the end of the seventy years captivity. The burning question has to do with the beginning of the Babylonian exile. Some have placed it at the time that Jehoiachin was carried away into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar; that is to say, in the year of Adam 3281 or about 602 BC. In this case, the seventy years would have ended about the year 532 BC. Unfortunately, Cyrus the Great, as most historians aver, took office about the year 559 BC and died about 530 BC. Obvious something is amiss in the calculations of the scholars. The first year of Cyrus reign according to the historians would have been in 559 BC, the purported end of the seventy years exile, and therefore the beginning of the exile would have been about the year 629 BC, clearly off the mark by no less than 27 years. We therefore submit that beginning the seventy year period in 591 BC and marking its end in 521 BC is no less onerous than any other conclusion Cyrus The king of Persia who was instrumental in allowing the remnants of the House of Israel to return from Babylonia to the land of Judea after seventy years of exile Persia The great nation that lay to the east of the Mesopotamian valley. It was the source of an empire that ruled from India to Greece, succeeding both the Assyrians and the Babylonians. Cyrus, the king of Chapter 1 1. Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Ezra 1 AF 153, 348 DS Ezra 1:1 3 AF 240 Ezra 1:1 4 DNTC 2 76 JC 59 16

17 the Persians toward the end of the Babylonian Captivity, was instrumental in restoring the exiles from the kingdom of Judah back into their homelands Jeremiah A priest born in the city of Anathoth who directly opposed the faint hope of deliverance from the Babylonians generated by the alliance between Jehoiakim and the Egyptians. Jeremiah is cast into prison many times during his life. He is the most vocal and notable of the prophets of God during the time immediately prior to Lehi s departure from the city of Jerusalem. 1.2 This verse is a reprise of 2 Chronicles 36:23. We may only speculate, as have countless others, as to how Cyrus was moved to allow the return of the Jews to Jerusalem. We may also be hard pressed to justify the extraordinary financial support given by the king to perform the labor of raising up the city and the Temple Cyrus The king of Persia who was instrumental in allowing the remnants of the House of Israel to return from Babylonia to the land of Judea after seventy years of exile Persia The great nation that lay to the east of the Mesopotamian valley. It was the source of an empire that ruled from India to Greece, succeeding both the Assyrians and the Babylonians. Cyrus, the king of the Persians toward the end of the Babylonian Captivity, was instrumental in restoring the exiles from the kingdom of Judah back into their homelands Jerusalem A city located about 32 miles from the Mediterranean Sea and 18 miles from the Jordan River and the northern tip of the Dead Sea. Once the city was captured by the children of Israel from the Jebusites, it served as the capital of the kingdom of Israel and Judah for many centuries. Jerusalem sits aside of several prominences including mount Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to take Isaac as an offering unto the Most High God, and mount Zion. The Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives lie immediately to the east. The traditional sites of Calvary and the Garden Tomb lie immediately to the north. The king at the time of the initial entry into the land of promise was Adonizedek Judah The fourth son of Jacob and Leah. The family of Judah would be given the responsibility to preside in Israel, beginning with the reign of David the King. His posterity would include the mortal Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will reign over the children of men throughout the Millennium and in the eternities. His name mean praised, celebrated. The marriage of Judah to the daughter of Shuah took place about the year 2221, the year that Jacob returned to the land of Canaan and was living in Succoth east of the river Jordan. He was probably 19 at the time. We do not know why he did not marry while in the land of Padanaram. The daughter of Shuah died about the Adamic Year 2237, at which time Judah had his liaison with his widowed daughter-in-law Tamar, the result of which was the birth of Pharez and Zerah. 1.3 Some scholars have proposed that when the Persians conquered the Babylonians that Cyrus came in contact with Daniel, a man held in high esteem by the Chaldeans. If that were so, then it would have been an easy step from the writings and teachings of the prophets in Mesopotamia to those of the prophets who had raised their voices in the land of Canaan. Of course, even without the prophecies of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel could have been privy 2. Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. 3. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in 17

18 to the same intelligence that had graced the words of the prophets in Israel Jerusalem A city located about 32 miles from the Mediterranean Sea and 18 miles from the Jordan River and the northern tip of the Dead Sea. Once the city was captured by the children of Israel from the Jebusites, it served as the capital of the kingdom of Israel and Judah for many centuries. Jerusalem sits aside of several prominences including mount Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to take Isaac as an offering unto the Most High God, and mount Zion. The Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives lie immediately to the east. The traditional sites of Calvary and the Garden Tomb lie immediately to the north. The king at the time of the initial entry into the land of promise was Adonizedek Judah The fourth son of Jacob and Leah. The family of Judah would be given the responsibility to preside in Israel, beginning with the reign of David the King. His posterity would include the mortal Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will reign over the children of men throughout the Millennium and in the eternities. His name mean praised, celebrated. The marriage of Judah to the daughter of Shuah took place about the year 2221, the year that Jacob returned to the land of Canaan and was living in Succoth east of the river Jordan. He was probably 19 at the time. We do not know why he did not marry while in the land of Padanaram. The daughter of Shuah died about the Adamic Year 2237, at which time Judah had his liaison with his widowed daughter-in-law Tamar, the result of which was the birth of Pharez and Zerah Israel The name given to Jacob, the younger twin born to Isaac and Rebekah, and the brother of Esau. Much has been made of the naming of the younger brother, most of which has reflected poorly on Jacob. That Jacob would be the preferred son spiritually was clearly impressed upon the mind and heart of Rebekah and no doubt Isaac was familiar with the prophecy that had been given by the Lord to his wife. It would appear, however, that the naming of Jacob, which was no doubt done to help Esau realize that the spiritual blessings were not going to be bestowed upon him, was for the most part lost on him. The scholars of the world have pointed to Jacob s name as a term of derision, inasmuch as one of its prominent meanings in Hebrew is supplanter. It literally means, however, heel-catcher in reference to one of the instances in the manner of his birth, he holding on to Esau s heel as he was being born. It is interesting that Esau himself used wordplay to deride Jacob s acquisition of the birthright and the blessing. This complaint and accusation was to come to an end with the angel s blessing. The scholars of the world have apparently missed this point; that is to say, the divine commandment that Jacob from that time forward would be called Israel. The proper name Israel derives from roots that mean he will rule as God; the prince that prevails with God. 1.4 Whatever was possible for the children of Israel could do they were expected by Cyrus to do. They would make great contributions to the rebuilding of the city and the Temple. This would come in the form of materials, means, and transport Jerusalem A city located about 32 miles from the Mediterranean Sea and 18 miles from the Jordan River and the northern tip of the Dead Sea. Once the city was captured by the children of Israel from the Jebusites, it served as the capital of the kingdom of Israel and Judah for many centuries. Jerusalem sits aside of several prominences including Jerusalem. 4. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. 18

19 mount Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to take Isaac as an offering unto the Most High God, and mount Zion. The Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives lie immediately to the east. The traditional sites of Calvary and the Garden Tomb lie immediately to the north. The king at the time of the initial entry into the land of promise was Adonizedek. 1.5 Some of the Israelites were deeply moved by Cyrus offer, and immediately prepared themselves to return to the ancient city of their fathers, albeit it was in ruins Judah The fourth son of Jacob and Leah. The family of Judah would be given the responsibility to preside in Israel, beginning with the reign of David the King. His posterity would include the mortal Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will reign over the children of men throughout the Millennium and in the eternities. His name mean praised, celebrated. The marriage of Judah to the daughter of Shuah took place about the year 2221, the year that Jacob returned to the land of Canaan and was living in Succoth east of the river Jordan. He was probably 19 at the time. We do not know why he did not marry while in the land of Padanaram. The daughter of Shuah died about the Adamic Year 2237, at which time Judah had his liaison with his widowed daughter-in-law Tamar, the result of which was the birth of Pharez and Zerah Benjamin The thirteenth child and twelfth son born to Jacob and the second son born to Jacob and Rachel. He was called Benoni by his mother, inasmuch as she would die in childbirth, but Jacob called him Benjamin. We know nothing of his wife, but we may assume that she was part of Jacob s entourage when he dwelt in the land of Hebron and therefore a member of a covenant people. We assume for the sake of argument that he was 15 or so when he did marry. He was 25 years of age when he left Hebron for the land of Egypt priests By definition, the priests of Israel were all descendants of Aaron and his sons Levites The posterity of the third son of Jacob and Leah. Levi would be the father of almost all those who would hold the priesthood of God from the time of Moses until the time of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. With the apostasy of the House of Israel at the foot of mount Sinai, the promise of Melchizedek priesthood was withdrawn. In its place a lesser priesthood was bestowed upon the tribe of Levi, it taking its name from the tribe. The administrative aspects of the Levitical priesthood were the responsibility of the sons of Aaron, the brother of Moses. His name means joined. We know nothing of his marriage or of his wife who bore him his three sons. According to the record, Levi had no grandchildren when he accompanied Jacob into Egypt. What we cannot determine is whether he or his sons did not marry until they were considerably older in life. For the sake of argument, we are supposing that Levi married while still dwelling in the land of Padanaram at about 16 years of age. We also assume that his first child would have been born a year later Jerusalem A city located about 32 miles from the Mediterranean Sea and 18 miles from the Jordan River and the northern tip of the Dead Sea. Once the city was captured by the children of Israel from the Jebusites, it served as the capital of the kingdom of Israel and Judah for many centuries. Jerusalem sits aside of several prominences including mount Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to take Isaac as an 5. Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem. Ezra 1:5 11 CR00-O 53 19

20 offering unto the Most High God, and mount Zion. The Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives lie immediately to the east. The traditional sites of Calvary and the Garden Tomb lie immediately to the north. The king at the time of the initial entry into the land of promise was Adonizedek. 1.6 It is clear that not only were many of the exiles from the land of Canaan comfortable, they had also become quite prosperous in the land of Babylonia. Those who chose to remain behind in Babylon willingly provided means for the great work to begin, together with animals that might be offered up upon the altar of the Temple once that was properly prepared for use. 1.7 The instruments of worship that had been stripped from the great Temple during the various pillages by the Babylonians, were given to the returning Israelites to aid them in their task to restore proper worship in the holy land Cyrus The king of Persia who was instrumental in allowing the remnants of the House of Israel to return from Babylonia to the land of Judea after seventy years of exile Nebuchadnezzar Elsewhere Nebuchadrezzar. The king of Babylon at the time of the Babylonian captivity of the southern kingdom of Judah. He regained all of the territory that the Assyrians and Babylonians had lost to the Egyptians, including the possessions in the land of Canaan. He was instrumental in glorifying Babylon, particularly regarding what the world would come to call the hanging gardens of Babylon, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. He figures prominently in the writings of Daniel the prophet Jerusalem A city located about 32 miles from the Mediterranean Sea and 18 miles from the Jordan River and the northern tip of the Dead Sea. Once the city was captured by the children of Israel from the Jebusites, it served as the capital of the kingdom of Israel and Judah for many centuries. Jerusalem sits aside of several prominences including mount Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to take Isaac as an offering unto the Most High God, and mount Zion. The Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives lie immediately to the east. The traditional sites of Calvary and the Garden Tomb lie immediately to the north. The king at the time of the initial entry into the land of promise was Adonizedek. 1.8 All that had once pertained to the Temple of Jerusalem was to be sent back to that city in anticipation of the restoration of the worship of Jehovah in that place Cyrus The king of Persia who was instrumental in allowing the remnants of the House of Israel to return from Babylonia to the land of Judea after seventy years of exile Persia The great nation that lay to the east of the Mesopotamian valley. It was the source of an empire that ruled from India to Greece, succeeding both the Assyrians and the Babylonians. Cyrus, the king of the Persians toward the end of the Babylonian Captivity, was instrumental in restoring the exiles from the kingdom of Judah back into their homelands Mithredath The treasurer of the Persian empire who supervised the restoration of the artifacts of the Temple of Jerusalem to the returning Babylonian Israelites in the days of Cyrus Sheshbazzar The appointed leader of the returning Babylonian 6. And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered. 7. Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods; 8. Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah. 20