And all who were about them aided them with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, with beasts, and with costly wares, besides all that was freely offered.
Cyrus had just issued his decree, and the families God stirred were packing to leave Babylon for Jerusalem. Their neighbours paid for the journey — which raises two questions: who moved these givers, and what does it mean to fund a work you are not joining?
Fellowship for those who could not go
The decree spoke to two groups: those who would go, and those who would stay and help pay.
Michael HardtThose whose spirits were raised up were to go up (v. 5). Verse 4 tells others, who would not go up themselves, to support them with material help. It is beautiful to read that they did so (v. 6).
Moved by God, not by the decree
The decree asked for these gifts, but the decree is not what produced them.
Edward DennettNext, God worked in the hearts of the neighbours of those who devoted themselves to the work of the Lord's house. They "offered willingly," as the proclamation had asked, out of their own property. They helped them with vessels of silver and gold, and so on.
Agreement that nobody organised
Notice what is missing from the chapter. Nobody called a meeting to arrange any of this.
Edward DennettWe have here, in this chapter, all the signs of a genuine work of God. Everyone concerned comes to the same heart and purpose. Cyrus agrees, and without his permission the captives could not have returned. The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin agree, and the actual building work needed them. Those who stayed behind agree, and they shared with their brothers by their freewill offerings and so contributed towards the necessary expenses. There were no meetings beforehand to arrange things and reach agreement. The Lord alone produced this union of heart and purpose, working on the hearts of all alike. This is what marks off a divine work from a human one, and it is the sure proof of a real working of the Spirit of God. Every needed instrument comes forward at the right moment, because the work is of God and it must be accomplished.
Not only freed, but enriched
God's people did not leave Babylon empty-handed. Their neighbours could have despised them for going. Instead they filled their hands.
Leslie M. GrantThis was not only a matter of freeing slaves, but of enriching them. So Cyrus was rightly representing a God of grace.… People near those who intended to go were willing to help them as Cyrus had directed. They gave silver and gold, goods and livestock, and precious things — that is, things of special value (v. 6). This shows at least that those so concerned about going to Jerusalem had not earned the contempt of the people among whom they lived.
Generosity that stopped short of going
The open wording of the decree did more than invite volunteers. It sorted them.
F. B. HoleThe proclamation did not name any person or persons who were to go to Jerusalem and build the house. It threw the door open to any Jew whose heart stirred him to go, and promised him generous help in the project ahead of him. Worded like this, it meant that those who responded would mainly be men of piety, whose hearts were alive to the glory of God and to the place of His Name. The more worldly and selfish would be inclined to stay in the comfortable homes they had built during the seventy years of captivity. They would leave the task to others who were ready to face the difficulties and hardships.
"Strengthened their hands with precious things"
Older translations say "strengthened their hands… with precious things." The ESV has "aided them… with costly wares." One writer turns those older words into a question for us.
F. A. HughesIn the wonderful day of recovery pictured in Ezra we see men of Judah and men of Benjamin concerned about building God's house. Their names remind us of the praises of God and of the Son of His right hand. Priests, Levites, and all whose spirits God had raised strengthened their hands with, among other blessed features, "precious things." Beloved, have our hearts not been "raised" (or "stirred," J.N.D.) by the truth that has been recovered to us in our day?… What strengthening of hands should be ours! Outwardly it is a day of smallness and weakness. Inwardly we are strong in affection and loyalty to Christ as we know and enjoy these "precious things" in the power of the Spirit.
Summary
- Stirred. God moved Cyrus. He moved the families who went. He moved the neighbours who paid. The offering was His work before it was theirs.
- Shared. Those who stayed home still had a share in the work. Their gifts were their real part in it.
- Sign. King, builders and givers agreed, and nobody called a meeting. That unplanned unity marks a work of God rather than a work of men.
- Standing. The neighbours did not despise this small group for going. They sent them off rich.
- Sifted. The open decree let each heart show itself. Some faced the hardship. Others kept their comfortable homes and left the task to someone else.