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Ver. 5. And hired counsellors against them] But good counsellors would not have been hired, either to bolster out a bad cause, or to outface a good; to justify the wicked for a reward, or to take away the righteousness of the righteous from him. There is a notable instance of this in Papinian, a Pagan counsellor. Thou mayest (said he to Antoninus, the fratricide) command my neck to the block, but not my tongue to the bar. I prize not my life to the pleading of an ill cause. These sordida poscinummia in the text were none such. Some think they were courtiers and counsellors to the king; such as by whom the king was even bought and sold, as Aurelian, the good emperor was, who might know nothing but as his counsellors informed him. This made Alphonsus, king of Aragon, say, that kings were herein most miserable, that whereas they abounded with all things else, the truth of matters they could seldom come by. All the days of Cyrus king of Persia] Who, warring abroad, committed the government of his kingdom to his son Cambyses, a light and lewd lowly, easily prevailed with to hinder so good a work. Even until the reign of Darius] i.e. Of Darius Nothus, say some, the son of Artaxerxes Longimanus, [named Ezra 4:7] the father of Artaxerxes Mnemon. But they do better, in my opinion, that understand the text of Darius Hystaspis, who succeeded Cambyses, and married his sister; seeking to ingratiate with the people by ratifying whatsoever Cyrus had decreed, and this of the temple among the rest, see Ezra 6:1.
Ver. 6. And in the reign of Ahasuerus] That is, of Cambyses, who is also called Artaxerxes in the next verse; for these two names were given to many kings of Persia; like as Pharaoh was to the kings of Egypt, as a title of honour. Ahasuerus signifieth a hereditary prince. Daniel calleth him the prince of the kingdom of Persia, Daniel 10:13, because he was viceroy in his father’s absence. Infamous he is for many lewd pranks (as that he killed his brother, and then his own sister, after he had first married her, and made a law that any man might do the like), yet was he not so ungracious a son to Cyrus as our Henry II’s eldest son was; whom he not only crowned king during his own life, but also, to do him honour at his coronation, renounced the name of a king for that day, and, as sewer, served at the table. For which he was thus requited, My father, said he, is not dishonoured by attending on me; for I am both a king’s and a queen’s son, and so is not he. In the beginning of his reign] As loth to lose time (Esau began in the very womb to persecute Jacob), and as taking their fittest season for granting of suits. Wrote they an accusation] Heb. a Satanical suggestion, a diabolical accusation, hatched in hell, and dictated by the devil. He it is that acteth and agitateth the saints’ adversaries and accusers; sitting upon their tongues and pens, and setting an edge on them.
Ver. 7. And in the days of Artaxerxes] This seems to be Cambyses’ Persian name, as Ahasuerus was his Chaldee name. It is as much as Bellator egregius, an excellent warrior. So Scipio was called Fulmen belli, the lightening bolt of war; Bajazet, the Great Turk, Gilderun, or lightning; Albert, Marquis of Brandenburg, was called Achilles Teutonicus (Bucholc.). Our Black Prince was so named, not of his colour, but of his courage, and of his dreaded acts in battle; for he assailed no nation which he overcame not, he besieged no city which he took not (Speed). Cambyses had great success in his wars, and added Egypt, and other countries, to the Persian monarchy. Wrote Bishlam, Mithredath] These were the king of Persia’s toparchs or deputies, beyond the river Euphrates. Written in the Syrian tongue] Called also the Chaldee, Babylonish, and Assyrian; commonly spoken by the Jews, who, in the seventy years’ captivity, lost the purity of their own language; like as the Latins also did, when the Goths, Vandals, and other barbarous nations overran them, and mingled with them. And interpreted in the Syrian tongue] i.e. With Syrian characters, Et Scriptura et lingua erat Syriaca, ut sine interprete in aula regis intelligeretur, saith Shindler. It was so written that it might be understood at court without an interpreter.
Ver. 8. Rehum the chancellor] Or, president of the council. It is of the Chaldee termination; the whole history also following to Ezra 6:19, is Chaldee, transcribed, as some think, out of the rolls and registers of the Chaldees, and here inserted.
Ver. 9. The Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites] This was not unity, but conspiracy, of a rabble of rebels against God and his people. So Psalms 83:5,6, &c., “They have consulted together with one consent: they are confederate against thee: the tabernacles of Edom, and the Ishmaelites; of Moab, and the Hagarenes,” &c. A whole legion of devils could agree to enter into one poor man, to vex him; and to act as one in that possession.
Ver. 10. The great and noble Asnapper] Some great commander under the Assyrian monarch. There is, they say, a greatness belluine, and a greatness genuine. Asnapper, notwithstanding his big-swollen titles, might be rather great than good; and more notable than noble, Nobilitas sola est atque unica virtus (Juvenal). On this side the river] That ancient river, the river Euphrates, which the more I see the more I admire, saith one.
Ver. 11. Thy servants] Not thy subjects only, but thine officers.
Ver. 12. The rebellious and the bad city] After so many years doth Jerusalem rue one perfidious act of Zedekiah; and, having once been treacherous, it still hears, “The rebellious and bad city,” as if it had been a very πονηροπολις, a professed sanctuary of roguery (as the Jesuits say of Geneva), and as Florus saith of the temple at Jerusalem, that it was impiae gentis arcanum. And have set up the walls thereof] This was no less false than scandalous. But malice careth not how true the accusation is, but how mischievous. And joined the foundations] Chald. sewed together. Or, rather these false informers had sewed a lie together with great art, that it might seem a truth, Psalms 119:69. The proud have forged a lie against me, assuunt mendacium mendacio, they have taught their tongues to speak lies, Jeremiah 9:5, and are artists at it.
Ver. 13. Be it known now unto the king] q.d. This is no light business, but of greatest importance; and, therefore, fit to be noted and noticed. Then will they not pay toll, tribute, &c.] This is an old device of the devil and his imps, to represent God’s people to the world as anti-magistratical, and disturbers of the public peace. Thus they dealt by the primitive Christians, who were the emperors’ best subjects, and yielded them greatest respect and profit. Thus Francis, king of France, pretended and professed to the princes of Germany, whose friendship he desired, that he pursued the Lutherans with fire and sword, for no other cause but for that they were levellers, and enemies to civil government. This drew from Calvin, who was then but twenty-five years of age, that golden book of his, Institutions of Christian Religion, to free the Reformed Churches of that slur and slander. The like was suggested by the Arminians in the Low Countries, and by the Episcopal party here. It was in Tacitus’s time, unum crimen eorum qui crimine vacabant, the only fault of such as were indeed without fault. And so thou shalt endamage the revenue] Diminish the annual revenues of the crown, which are well called the king’s strength here, because if these fail little good can be done, either at home or abroad, Henry, king of Navarre (afterwards king of France), was wont to say, that he was a husband without a wife, a soldier without money, and a king without a kingdom. What would the king of Spain’s greatness soon come to were it not for his yearly incomes, his mines of America?
Ver. 14. Now because we have maintenance from the king’s palace] Chaldee, are salted with the salt of the palace, Salarium de regis palatio pereipimus, have our salary from the court, as Junius rendereth it. The great use of salt m akes it here put for all kind of commodity; like as bread is called pants, as if it were το παν, the all and whole of our sustenance, Deuteronomy 8:3. And it was not meet for us to see the king’s dishonour] Chaldee, nakedness, privities, which uncovered, cause contempt, as it befell Noah in his drunkenness; and the king of Spain, when by Queen Elizabeth proclaimed bankrupt. Therefore have we sent and certified the king] As knowing that Beneficium postulat officium, Bounty commands duty. Ingratitude is a monster in nature, a solecism in good manners, &c. Lycurgus would make no law against it, because he held that none could be so unreasonable as to be guilty of it. Yet Alphonsus complained of his ungrateful courtiers; and so did Frederick III, emperor of Germany. Queen Elizabeth also said, that in trust she had oft found treason. That traitor Parry had vowed her death, although he had been condemned for burglary, and saved by her pardon (Speed).
Ver. 15. In the book of the records] Chaldee, of the remembrances, that is, the chronicles usual in all kingdoms. And know that this city is a rebellious city] [See Trapp on “Ezr 4:1”] [See Trapp on “Ezr 4:2”] Learn, that fidelity to governors is ever both safe and honourable. Zedekiah’s falsifying his oath to the king of Babylon, was the overthrow of that commonwealth. See what God himself saith, not without great indignation, Ezekiel 17:18, “Seeing he” (Zedekiah) “despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape.”
Ver. 16. We certify the king] They doubt not of audience, while they sang a song of Utile, which therefore they thus set on with more confidence than charity.
Ver. 17. Peace, and at such a time] As the Latins saluting say, Ave, or Salve, the Greeks χαιρε, so the Hebrews and Syrians say, Shalom lach, that is, Peace be to thee (Hieron.). The Turks’ salutation at this day also is, Salaam aleek, the reply, Aleek Salaum, peace is a complexive blessing (Blount).
Ver. 18. Hath been plainly read before us] This in the general was commendable; but he should have reserved (as Alexander used to do) ους αδιαβλητον, one ear free, and have heard both parties.
Ver. 19. Hath made insurrection against kings] Chaldee, lift up itself against kings. Pride is painted with a triple crown on her head; upon the first whereof is written Transcendo;, I ascend; upon the second, Non obedio;, I disobey; upon the third, Perturbo., I throw into confusion; Wat Tyler the rebel dared to say, that all the laws of England should come out of his mouth.
Ver. 20. Beyond the river] Euphrates, the boundary of Solomon’s empire, 1 Kings 4:21,24, as it was also promised, Genesis 15:18 Ex 23:31 De 11:24 Jos 1:4.
Ver. 21. Give you now commandment] Chaldee, Make a decree; which yet did but carry on God’s decree; for while persecutors sit backward to his command, they row forwards to his decree.
Ver. 22. Take heed now that ye fail not] This was to spur a free horse; like as letters were sent from King Philip and Queen Mary to Bishop Bonner, complaining that heretics were not so reformed as they should be, and exhorting him to more diligence. Why should damage grow] Take heed of that howsoever. Multi reges graviorem ducunt iacturam regionis, quam religionis, &c. (Bucholcer). Many kings consider it more serious to about to be thrown out of their kingdom than of their religion.
Ver. 23. They went up in haste] Perurgente diabolo, the devil driving them, and their own malicious dispositions egging them thereunto (Bern.). So, when Queen Mary lay a dying, Harpsfeild, arch-deacon of Canterbury, being at London, made all post-haste home to dispatch those martyrs whom he had then in his cruel custody (Acts and Mon. 1562). So ambitious are wicked men of hell, they take long strides, and mend their pace, as if they feared lest it should be taken up before they come thither.
Ver. 24. Then ceased the work of the house of God] And now the adversaries have got the ball on the foot, thinking to carry the game before them; but “the triumphing of the wicked is short,” Job 20:5, and that they prosper at all in their designs it is non ad exitium, sed ad exercitium Sanctorum, not for the ruin of the Church, but for the exercise of the faith and patience of God’s people.