This verse, 1 Esdras 6:27, is essentially a royal decree from Darius, the Persian king, protecting the Jewish people's right to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Let's break down the meaning:
"And also he commanded that Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Sathrabuzanes, and their companions, and those which were appointed rulers in Syria and Phoenicia...": This identifies the recipients of the king's command. Sisinnes and Sathrabuzanes were Persian officials in charge of the region of Syria and Phoenicia, which included Judea. Their "companions" and "those which were appointed rulers" would be their subordinates and other officials in the area.
"...should be careful not to meddle with the place...": This is the core of the decree. The king is ordering these officials not to interfere with the Temple construction project in Jerusalem. "The place" refers to the site where the Temple was to be rebuilt.
"...but suffer Zorobabel, the servant of the Lord, and governor of Judea, and the elders of the Jews, to build that house of the Lord in its place.": This explicitly states that the officials are to allow (suffer) Zerubbabel (also spelled Zorobabel in some texts), the Jewish governor, and the Jewish elders to continue their work of rebuilding the "house of the Lord," meaning the Temple, in its original location.
In essence, the verse is a royal order to the Persian officials to leave the Jews alone and let them rebuild their Temple without obstruction. It affirms Darius' support for the rebuilding effort and grants the Jews the freedom to practice their religion in their ancestral land.
Context is Important:
1 Esdras (also known as 3 Esdras in some traditions) is considered apocryphal by some and canonical by others. It provides a different account of the events surrounding the return of the Jews from Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the Temple than the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
The book emphasizes the role of Zerubbabel in the rebuilding effort.
Therefore, the verse demonstrates the historical context of the Jewish people during the time of the Persian Empire, where they were under the rule of the Persian Kings. This was also a time when the people could rebuild their temple while retaining their religious beliefs under the Persian Empire.
This verse, 1 Esdras 6:27, is essentially a royal decree from Darius, the Persian king, protecting the Jewish people's right to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Let's break down the meaning:
"And also he commanded that Sisinnes the governor of Syria and Phoenicia, and Sathrabuzanes, and their companions, and those which were appointed rulers in Syria and Phoenicia...": This identifies the recipients of the king's command. Sisinnes and Sathrabuzanes were Persian officials in charge of the region of Syria and Phoenicia, which included Judea. Their "companions" and "those which were appointed rulers" would be their subordinates and other officials in the area.
"...should be careful not to meddle with the place...": This is the core of the decree. The king is ordering these officials not to interfere with the Temple construction project in Jerusalem. "The place" refers to the site where the Temple was to be rebuilt.
"...but suffer Zorobabel, the servant of the Lord, and governor of Judea, and the elders of the Jews, to build that house of the Lord in its place.": This explicitly states that the officials are to allow (suffer) Zerubbabel (also spelled Zorobabel in some texts), the Jewish governor, and the Jewish elders to continue their work of rebuilding the "house of the Lord," meaning the Temple, in its original location.
In essence, the verse is a royal order to the Persian officials to leave the Jews alone and let them rebuild their Temple without obstruction. It affirms Darius' support for the rebuilding effort and grants the Jews the freedom to practice their religion in their ancestral land.
Context is Important:
1 Esdras (also known as 3 Esdras in some traditions) is considered apocryphal by some and canonical by others. It provides a different account of the events surrounding the return of the Jews from Babylonian exile and the rebuilding of the Temple than the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah.
The book emphasizes the role of Zerubbabel in the rebuilding effort.
Therefore, the verse demonstrates the historical context of the Jewish people during the time of the Persian Empire, where they were under the rule of the Persian Kings. This was also a time when the people could rebuild their temple while retaining their religious beliefs under the Persian Empire.
