But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of the fathers' houses of Israel, said unto them, You have nothing to do with us to build a house unto our God; but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.
All Commentaries on Ezra 4:3 Go To Ezra 4
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
You Literally, "It is not for you and us to build. "But why might not these people assist in the work, as well as king Hiram or Darius? (Haydock)
Schismatics and heretics must not communicate in sacrifices with Catholics, (Worthington) nor must the latter have society with them, in matters of religion. The Jews feared lest the Samaritans might introduce the worship of idols, or claim a part of the temple, or at least boast of what they had done. (Tirinus)
They were aware of the insincerity of these people. (Menochius)
The permission was moreover only granted to the Jews: (Calmet) but Cyrus had exhorted all to contribute; (chap. i. 4,) and Darius, as well as his pagan governors, were not repelled with disdain, chap. vi. 13. This treatment caused the Samaritans to be more inveterate, though the Jews were always more unwilling to come to a reconciliation. (Haydock)
"For the Scripture did not say, the Samaritans have no commerce with the Jews "says St. Chrysostom in John iv. The Jewish authors inform us, that "Ezra, gathered all the congregation into the temple, and the Levites sung and cursed the Samaritans. That no Israelite eat of any thing that is a Samaritan's, nor that any Samaritan be proselyted to Israel, nor have any part in the resurrection "(R. Tan chum) (Lightfoot i. p. 598.) (Kennicott)
If this were true, it would be carrying their resentment too far; as we ought to promote the conversion of the greatest reprobates. But we have no reason to condemn such great men. They knew the character of the Samaritans, and wished to bring them to a sense of their duty, by this rebuke. (Haydock)
