(5-11) Immediate result of the decree.
(5) With all them whose spirit God had raised. — Namely, all is the more exact rendering. The same influence that prompted the decree of Cyrus was necessary to overcome the inertness of the captives: many preferred to remain in Babylon. — The people were enumerated as tribes, families, and fathers’ houses; the second and third orders of classification are not here distinguished from each other.
(6) Precious things. — The Hebrew equivalent is a rare word, which, when it occurs, is connected only with the precious metals.
Willingly offered. — Although it is not so said, the people of Cyrus were “stirred up” like himself: how much he gave, and how much he valued the worship of the Temple, we shall hereafter see.
(7) His gods. — Rather, his god. Merodach, to wit, whom he called “his lord” (Daniel 1:2). From 2 Kings 25:13-17 it appears that much had been taken away which Cyrus had not been able to find.
(8) Mithredath. — “Dedicated to Mithra,” the sun god of the Persians, whose worship among the Vedic Indians had thus early reached Persia.
Sheshbazzar. — The Chaldee name of Zerubbabel, whose title, however, as Prince of Judah is given him from the Hebrew side. He was the legal heir of Jehoiachin, being the son of Pedaiah (1 Chronicles 3:19), who possibly married the widow of Salathiel or Shealtiel. And the title “Prince of Judah,” or “Prince of the captivity,” was specially given to him in common with a very few others.
(9) Chargers and knives. — Rare words in the original, perhaps on the whole best rendered as here.
(10) Of a second sort. — Of inferior quality.
(11) Five thousand and four hundred. — The total of the several sums should be in round numbers, such as are frequently used, two thousand and five hundred. Obviously, therefore, the writer, whom we must needs suppose to have his own previous numbers before him, here includes vessels not before enumerated as chargers and basons.
Bring up. — They were not, as sometimes said, the freewill offering of Cyrus. Sheshbazzar brought these rich vessels “with them of the captivity,” and they were sent as already belonging to God, who vindicated by His judgment on Babylon their desecration at the feast of Belshazzar.