And hired counselors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.
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Bede
AD 735
The story is well known, because the text declares that the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin are the Samaritans, whom the king of the Assyrians, during the captivity of the ten tribes, assembled from different nations and moved into their cities and lands. And while they had accepted the law of God and partly served it …, they still worshiped their old idols. Therefore those who abhorred the true followers of God promised that they would have helped in the reconstruction of the temple, so that, after being received in their society, they might cause a loss of funds. It is obviously clear to everybody that these people figuratively represent the false brothers, that is, the heretics and the evil Catholics. In fact, they are the adversaries of Judah, that is, of the confession and praise that now the church offers to the Lord through orthodox faith and works that are worthy of faith. They are also enemies of Benjamin, that is, of the son of the right, because they separate the people wh...
Counsellors; ministers of the king, (Calmet) or governors of the provinces. (Tirinus)
Cyrus, who was ignorant of their machination, (Josephus) being engaged in war with the Scythians. We may easily conceive what ill-disposed ministers may do, against the inclinations of their prince. (Calmet)
Darius, son of Hystaspes, who succeeded the false Smerdis, after five months' usurpation. (Calmet)
