1 esdras 2:30 - Then king Artaxerxes his letters being read, Rathumus, and Samellius the scribe, and the rest that were in commission with them, removing in haste to Jerusalem with horsemen and a multitude of people in battle array, began to hinder the builders; and the building of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
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What does "1 esdras 2:30" mean?
This verse from 1 Esdras 2:30 describes the interruption of the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem due to opposition from local officials and the Persian king Artaxerxes. Let's break it down:
"Then king Artaxerxes his letters being read...": King Artaxerxes (likely a reference to Artaxerxes I) had previously received a complaint from local officials about the Jews rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. He then issued letters (orders) in response.
"Rathumus, and Samellius the scribe, and the rest that were in commission with them...": Rathumus and Samellius are names of officials (likely Persian or local governors) who were appointed by the Persian king and had authority in the region. The scribe would have been responsible for writing and managing official documents. "The rest that were in commission with them" refers to other officials working under their authority.
"...removing in haste to Jerusalem with horsemen and a multitude of people in battle array...": These officials, acting on Artaxerxes' orders, traveled quickly to Jerusalem with a military force ("horsemen and a multitude of people in battle array"). This indicates they intended to use force to stop the rebuilding.
"...began to hinder the builders...": They actively stopped the Jewish people from continuing their work on the temple.
"...and the building of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.": As a result of the opposition, the rebuilding of the temple was halted. This verse indicates that the work remained stopped until the second year of the reign of King Darius (likely Darius I, who ruled later than Artaxerxes). Darius I eventually allowed the rebuilding to resume.
In Summary:
The verse describes a historical period when the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem faced opposition. Local officials, authorized by King Artaxerxes, used military force to stop the construction. This interruption lasted until the reign of King Darius, who eventually allowed the temple rebuilding to continue.
Contextual Notes:
1 Esdras: It's important to remember that 1 Esdras is a book found in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) and in some versions of the Old Testament. It is considered apocryphal (not part of the canonical Jewish or Protestant Bibles). It parallels some of the material found in the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Historical Accuracy: The chronology and details in 1 Esdras sometimes differ from those in Ezra and Nehemiah, leading to scholarly debate about its historical accuracy.
Significance: This verse highlights the challenges and opposition faced by the Jewish people in their efforts to rebuild their temple and community after the Babylonian exile. It underscores the political and religious complexities of the period.
Therefore, this verse details a specific point in the rebuilding of the second temple where the work was stopped by opposition.
1 esdras 2:30 - Then king Artaxerxes his letters being read, Rathumus, and Samellius the scribe, and the rest that were in commission with them, removing in haste to Jerusalem with horsemen and a multitude of people in battle array, began to hinder the builders; and the building of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.
What does "1 esdras 2:30" mean?
This verse from 1 Esdras 2:30 describes the interruption of the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem due to opposition from local officials and the Persian king Artaxerxes. Let's break it down:
"Then king Artaxerxes his letters being read...": King Artaxerxes (likely a reference to Artaxerxes I) had previously received a complaint from local officials about the Jews rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple. He then issued letters (orders) in response.
"Rathumus, and Samellius the scribe, and the rest that were in commission with them...": Rathumus and Samellius are names of officials (likely Persian or local governors) who were appointed by the Persian king and had authority in the region. The scribe would have been responsible for writing and managing official documents. "The rest that were in commission with them" refers to other officials working under their authority.
"...removing in haste to Jerusalem with horsemen and a multitude of people in battle array...": These officials, acting on Artaxerxes' orders, traveled quickly to Jerusalem with a military force ("horsemen and a multitude of people in battle array"). This indicates they intended to use force to stop the rebuilding.
"...began to hinder the builders...": They actively stopped the Jewish people from continuing their work on the temple.
"...and the building of the temple in Jerusalem ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of the Persians.": As a result of the opposition, the rebuilding of the temple was halted. This verse indicates that the work remained stopped until the second year of the reign of King Darius (likely Darius I, who ruled later than Artaxerxes). Darius I eventually allowed the rebuilding to resume.
In Summary:
The verse describes a historical period when the rebuilding of the Second Temple in Jerusalem faced opposition. Local officials, authorized by King Artaxerxes, used military force to stop the construction. This interruption lasted until the reign of King Darius, who eventually allowed the temple rebuilding to continue.
Contextual Notes:
1 Esdras: It's important to remember that 1 Esdras is a book found in the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible) and in some versions of the Old Testament. It is considered apocryphal (not part of the canonical Jewish or Protestant Bibles). It parallels some of the material found in the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
Historical Accuracy: The chronology and details in 1 Esdras sometimes differ from those in Ezra and Nehemiah, leading to scholarly debate about its historical accuracy.
Significance: This verse highlights the challenges and opposition faced by the Jewish people in their efforts to rebuild their temple and community after the Babylonian exile. It underscores the political and religious complexities of the period.
Therefore, this verse details a specific point in the rebuilding of the second temple where the work was stopped by opposition.