The Commandment to Restore and to Build Jerusalem

Chapter 4: The Decree Of Artaxerxes

Decree of Artaxerxes-The wonderful provident of God that gave existence to this decree-What it enacted-It completes the grant of power needed to accomplish the restoration of Jerusalem-Ezra’s journey to Jerusalem-When did the commandment go into execution?-A notable exercise of its power-The right to build the walls of Jerusalem proved by the words of Ezra-Confirmed by the action of Nehemiah-The prophecy concerning Cyrus-Illustrated by the case of Elijah, 1 Kings 19:15, 16-Conclusion

“Now after these things in the reign of Artaxerxes the king of Persia ... 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.... And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month which was in the seventh year of the king.... 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. CRBJ 44.1

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. 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. For as much as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counselors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand: and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counselors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem; and all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the free-will offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem; that thou mayest buy speedily with this money, bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings, and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. CRBJ 44.2

And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house. And I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of Heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred bottles of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. Whatever is commanded by the God of Heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of Heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? Also we certify you, that, touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God; it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.” Ezra 7:1-26. CRBJ 45.1

It is said that the king granted Ezra all his request, which shows, 1. That this decree was solicited by this eminent man of God. 2. That its grant of power was in his estimation so ample that he could ask for nothing further. This decree sanctions all the work that had been accomplished under the decrees of Cyrus and Darius and greatly enlarges the grant of power made by them to the Jews. It is the last decree made by the kings of Persia for the restoration of Jerusalem. The providence of God appears in as signal a manner perhaps in this concluding decree, as in that of Cyrus which began the work. For this Artaxerxes was the Ahasuerus of the book of Esther. The Septuagint which is a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, made about two centuries after the reign of Ahasuerus, calls him Artaxerxes. This translation was made by learned Hebrews in Egypt who could hardly have been mistaken as to the identity of this king. According to Josephus the Ahasuerus of Esther is the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7. Antiquities of the Jews, book 11, chap. 7. Such is the view maintained in Dr. Hale’s Analysis of Chronology, and the Sacred Chronology of S. Bliss. Dean Prideaux has entered largely into the proof of this point. Such also is the view of Scott the commentator, and of Dr. A. Clarke, and of a host of eminent Biblical scholars. CRBJ 45.2

The marriage of Esther with Artaxerxes, which was one of the most remarkable events of providence (see Esther 1; 2;) took place in the tenth Jewish month, Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. Esther 2:16. But it is to be observed that the years of Artaxerxes reign begin between the fifth and nine months of the Jewish year, and consist therefore of a part of two of those years, the last part of one and the first part of another. Compare Ezra 7:7-9; Nehemiah 1:1; 2:1. So that Esther being married to Artaxerxes in the tenth Jewish month in the seventh year of his reign, it was some two months before the time when he gave to Ezra that decree which caused him in the first Jewish month of that year to set out for Jerusalem with a considerable body of his own people. The king, in honor of his marriage with Esther, signalized that year of his reign, which was the seventh, by making a release to the provinces and giving gifts according to his royal state. Esther 2:16, 18. This auspicious moment seems to have been seized by Esther to bring Ezra and his people to the favorable notice of Artaxerxes; and under this potent influence, for the hand of God was in it, the king and his seven counselors (compare Ezra 7:14; Esther 1:14) made great and costly offerings to the house of God, and granted to Ezra, whose great piety and worth were probably known to them, all the power that he could ask or use for the restoration of Jerusalem. This decree of Artaxerxes embraces the following important matters: CRBJ 46.1

1. It renews the original grant of Cyrus relative to the return of the Hebrews, and allows every one in the Persian empire to return with Ezra if so disposed. CRBJ 47.1

2. It expressly recognizes the legal existence of Jerusalem; or, rather, it confers legality upon the existence of that city, by sending Ezra to inquire concerning it, according to the law of his God that was in his hand. That law designated the place which God should choose, which proved to be Jerusalem, as that locality in which he should worship on earth. Deuteronomy 16; 1 Kings 8. This was directly designed to make Jerusalem in this respect what it had been before its ruin. CRBJ 47.2

3. It directed Ezra to carry the large sum which the king and his officers and such of the Israelites as did not go up, gave to the God of Israel. CRBJ 47.3

4. After making ample provision for the sacrifice of the altar and for the maintenance of the worship of God in his temple, the king granted Ezra power to do WHATSOEVER should seem good to him and his brethren to do with the rest of the silver and gold; a grant that Ezra understood to authorize him to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Ezra 9:9. CRBJ 47.4

5. Ezra was directed to deliver the golden vessels which the king had given, in the house of God. CRBJ 47.5

6. The King makes such provision for beautifying the house of God, that Darius had finished seventy years before, as to justify the statement of Ezra 6:14, that it was finished “according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes, king of Persia.” CRBJ 48.1

7. All the treasurers in that part of the king’s domains, were required to fill Ezra’s orders for a large sum in addition to that which Ezra took with him. CRBJ 48.2

8. He was required to see that the worship of God was diligently maintained in Jerusalem. CRBJ 48.3

9. The king takes off all toll, tribute and custom, from those engaged in maintaining the worship of God. CRBJ 48.4

10. He authorizes Ezra to appoint all the magistrates and judges on that side of the river, probably in this case the Jordan, and gives him great power to compel men to acquaint themselves with the law of God. CRBJ 48.5

11. He makes the law of God the civil law of Jerusalem, clothing it with all the power of the Persian empire. CRBJ 48.6

Such is the great and ample grant of power made by Artaxerxes. No wonder Ezra could ask no more. It completed the great work of clothing the prophetic commandment of the God of Israel with the legal authority of the Persian empire, and of thus making it the law and commandment of that empire. Now, Jerusalem has a legal existence, and a right to erect its ancient walls. Now the house of God is to be perfectly restored, and the worship of God diligently maintained therein. And now, as the crowning act of all, there is legal authority from a heathen king, to enforce the law of God in Jerusalem, and to punish idolatry, blasphemy, Sabbath breaking, and marriages with idolaters. CRBJ 48.7

“The commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem” is now complete as a law of the Persian empire. It will be of interest to discover, as nearly as possible, the first of those acts under Ezra, in which this complete mandate went into effect; for it is this that marks the commencement of the sixty-nine weeks. CRBJ 49.1

Ezra, with the most devout gratitude, blesses God for putting it into the heart of Artaxerxes to beautify that house which Cyrus had founded, and Darius had erected, and that he had extended mercy to him before the king and his counselors, in granting him all his requests in this great bestowment of power. Ezra 7:27, 28. At the river Ahava, Ezra gathered his company to start for Jerusalem. About fifteen hundred males, probably adults, are enumerated. We may conclude that an equal number of females pertained to the party, and that there were at least as many children as adults. This would indicate some six thousand persons as belonging to the company that went up with Ezra. They carried with them a very considerable treasure: some six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and one hundred talents of gold; in all, according to the computation of Scott, about $500,000. Besides this, the sacred vessels were in weight, of silver one hundred talents, and of gold, twenty basons of one thousand drams, and two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold. Starting from the river Ahava on the first day of the first month, they reached Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, and four days afterward delivered the treasure committed to their trust by the king, to the proper officers of the temple. Ezra 8. CRBJ 49.2

The first great act of Ezra, by which the commandment went forth, or was carried into execution, was, no doubt, to select and appoint magistrates and judges who should restore the law of God to its proper place as the civil law of Jerusalem, and enforce that law with adequate penalties. In all probability, this occurred in the great solemnity of the seventh month, then just far enough in the future to give Ezra time to acquaint himself with the people and to make the proper selection. Closely connected with this work, was his act of delivering the king’s commissions to his lieutenants and governors on that side of the river, who furthered the people and the house of God. Ezra 8:36. CRBJ 50.1

But it is certain that in the ninth month, four months after his arrival at Jerusalem, we have a most notable instance of his exercising the great power bestowed by this final edict for the restoration of Jerusalem. For after these things which first demanded his attention in the execution of the king’s decree, he learned to his great distress, that the wives of many of the people were idolatresses. After a season of the deepest humiliation before God, he arises, armed with the powers of that decree which completed the authority for Jerusalem’s restoration, and with the way, no doubt, prepared by the judges and magistrates that he had appointed to enforce the law of God, (Ezra 7:25, 26; 10:14,) and taking hold of this matter with a strong hand, accomplishes the work under penalty of confiscation of goods and banishment. Ezra 9:9. It is certain, therefore, that “the going forth of the commandment,” in its complete form in the work of Ezra, was somewhere between the fifth and ninth months of that year. There is another source of information on the subject, but it belongs to the consideration of the different periods in Daniel 9, and events that mark their conclusion. CRBJ 50.2

One remarkable statement in the confession of Ezra should here be noticed: “For we were bondman; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.” Ezra 9:9. It is to be observed, 1. That Ezra attributes the restoration of the city and people, not to one king of Persia, but to several. 2. He enumerates their acts which were (1.) A reviving in their bondage in allowing them to return. (2.) The setting up of the house of God by Cyrus and Darius. (3.) The repairing of its desolations in its being beautified by Artaxerxes. (4.) The giving them a wall in Judah and Jerusalem, in the full grant of power, by Artaxerxes. CRBJ 51.1

This statement of Ezra relative to the wall of Jerusalem, is fully confirmed in what we read in Nehemiah 1 and 2. Thirteen years after this, Nehemiah was at Shushan in the palace of the king of Persia. Here he learned that “the remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province, are in great affliction and reproach: THE WALL OF JERUSALEM also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.” Nehemiah 1:3. This causes him the greatest distress and consternation. It would be absurd to refer this calamity to the work of Nebuchadnezzar about one hundred and fifty years before, as this could be no news to Nehemiah. This statement of his astonishment and distress evinces that he was grieved, 1. That Ezra having authority to build the walls of Jerusalem, had not been able to do it because of the fierce attacks of the Samaritans, or 2. That Ezra having built up the walls of Jerusalem, the adversaries of the Jews had been able to throw them down. In either case, it is a testimony to the fact that power to restore the walls had been granted by the king, as Ezra 9:9, testifies. If it be borne in mind that the work of Haman recorded in the book of Esther transpired between the conclusion of the record in Ezra and the commencement of the record in Nehemiah, we may all understand that the remnant left of the captivity in Judea, had experienced great affliction. We have a further confirmation of the fact that Artaxerxes had granted to Ezra power to re-build the walls in that when he sent Nehemiah at his urgent request to do this work, he gave him no further decree on the subject; and indeed, Nehemiah asked none. And when he reached Jerusalem, and encouraged the Jews to build up the walls, that they be no more a reproach, he told the king’s words which he had spoken unto him. Nehemiah 2:18. Mordecai and Esther had no doubt been the means of Nehemiah’s promotion to the office of cup-bearer, and we may well conclude that the queen, who sat by when Nehemiah made his request unto the king, was no other than Esther. The further consideration of this subject properly belongs to the work of the seven weeks of Daniel 9:25. CRBJ 51.2

In concluding this subject, a few words relative to the prophecy concerning Cyrus may be demanded. CRBJ 52.1

“That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.” Isaiah 44:28. “I have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the Lord of hosts.” Isaiah 45:13. CRBJ 53.1

It is not Cyrus, but the Most High, who is represented as “even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built.” For, 1. The clause “even saying” properly attributes this sentence to him, who, in the sentences immediately preceding is thrice represented as speaking. It is the Most High who is the speaker. 2. The proclamation of Cyrus said nothing concerning the building of Jerusalem, as has been most fully shown. It is not Cyrus, therefore, who is represented in this prophecy as addressing Jerusalem. But of Cyrus it is said, 1. He shall do all my pleasure. 2. He shall build my city. 3. He shall let go my captives. CRBJ 53.2

The book of Ezra, which records the acts of Cyrus toward the people of God, shows just what it was the pleasure of God that Cyrus should do in their behalf. 1. He released all the people of God, and allowed them to return to Jerusalem to build the temple; and he gave them back the sacred vessels of the former temple. 2. He protected them in the work until they had laid the foundation of the temple, when he suffered their enemies to stop them by force. Thus it appears that God’s pleasure concerning Cyrus, as shown by the fulfillment of this prophecy, was that he should begin the work of the Jews’ restoration, not that he should finish it. CRBJ 53.3

But how did Cyrus build the Lord’s city? 1. Not by decree that it should be built; for he did not authorize that act. 2. Not by protecting the Jews in building the city so far as they might venture to do this while erecting the temple; for they had no more than fairly laid the foundation of that building whose erection he had expressly decreed, when he suffered their enemies to stop them by force. But Cyrus did perform an important part in the building of Jerusalem. 1. In allowing the Jews to return and build their temple; for many houses must have sprung up around the temple for the use of those engaged in building that structure, and also for those interested in the work. 2. The temple was the great central object of interest in Jerusalem, the heart and life of the place. To decree the restoration of that building was therefore to do that which should in the end accomplish the rebuilding of Jerusalem itself. And such proved to be the fact. For though he suffered the work to be hindered after it was begun, yet his decree in behalf of the temple, which was the publication of the first part of the great commandment for the restoration of Jerusalem, set an example of showing favor to the people and the house of the God of Israel, and set in motion that train of events that caused Darius and Artaxerxes to carry forward and complete the whole work. Cyrus did a part of the work himself; and the remainder of it through those kings of Persia who were stirred up to follow his example, and to carry forward the work to completion. This prediction concerning Cyrus is well illustrated by the case of Elijah, in 1 Kings 19:15, 16. CRBJ 53.4

“And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus; and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria; and Jehu, the son of Nimshi, shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel; and Elisha, the son of Shaphat, of Abel-meholah, shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room.” CRBJ 54.1

Elijah anointed Elisha to be prophet in his room, and was then taken up to Heaven, leaving the other two acts unaccomplished. 1 Kings 19:19-21; 2 Kings 2. Several years after this event, Elisha appointed Hazael to be king over Syria; 2 Kings 8:7-13; and in the case of Jehu, Elisha himself did not act, but sent another person, one of the sons of the prophets, to anoint him king over Israel. 2 Kings 9:1-3. Elijah begun the work, Elisha, appointed to fill his place, carries it forward; and one of the sons of the prophets, appointed to fill the place of Elisha, completed the commandment of the Lord. And thus did Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, accomplish the restoration of Jerusalem. CRBJ 55.1

The book of Ezra is simply the commandment for the restoration of Jerusalem, in an extended form, and the record of the going forth of that commandment. The book of Nehemiah is a witness and attestation that the commandment presented at full length in Ezra, was complete for the accomplishment of the work designed. The book of Esther connects the record in Ezra with that contained in Nehemiah. CRBJ 55.2

Should Providence permit, and the cause of truth seem to demand it, the work of the seven weeks of Daniel 9:25, may be hereafter considered. CRBJ 55.3

Rochester, N.Y., July 18, 1865. CRBJ 55.4