Ezra 7:15, commentary and pictures

The king and his counselors freely gave silver and gold to the God of Israel whose dwelling is in Jerusalem. The gifts were for the service of the temple and the restoring of worship, with the heavy costs of that service also to be met from the king's treasury in support of Ezra's return and work. The command belongs to the decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus in his seventh year, the third decree since the end of the seventy years captivity, authorizing Ezra's return and the restoring and building of Jerusalem. That decree completed what Cyrus began and Darius carried forward, so that together they stand as one decree, remarkable for reverent regard for the God of heaven and for liberality that made it possible for the people to serve God again in their own land. In its completed form in 457 B.C. it supplied the command to restore and rebuild Jerusalem and marks the beginning of the 2,300 years of Daniel 8:14 and the seventy weeks, from which starting point the specifications of the seventy weeks were fulfilled. Reckoned simply from 457 the 2,300 years were understood to end in 1843 for the coming of the Lord, and His not coming then brought sad disappointment, but because the decree went forth near the close of 457 B.C. and took effect in the autumn, the period reaches to the fall of 1844.

Gifts and Decree Setting

The king united with his counselors in freely giving silver and gold to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem. Those gifts were intended for the temple service and for the restoring of worship there. They accompanied the king's support for Ezra's return to Jerusalem and his work on behalf of God's people. Many heavy expenses for that service were also to be paid out of the king's treasure-house.

The verse belongs to the decree of Artaxerxes Longimanus, issued in his seventh year and dated to 457 B.C. It was the third decree since the close of the seventy years captivity, for the restoring and building of Jerusalem. That decree authorized Ezra's return to Jerusalem as part of the restoration of the city.

This decree completed the work begun by Cyrus and carried forward by Darius, so their actions are counted as one decree concerning Jerusalem. It is remarkable for reverent expressions regarding the God of heaven and for the liberality of the grants made to the remnant people. This provision showed the king's favor toward them and God's forbearance, making it possible for them to serve Him again in their own country after the Babylonian captivity.

Prophecy of Twenty-Three Hundred Years

The decree in its completed form under Artaxerxes in 457 B.C. supplied the commandment to restore and build Jerusalem, and it marks the beginning of the 2,300-year period of Daniel 8:14 and the seventy weeks. The silver and gold which the king and his counselors freely offered to the God of Israel whose dwelling was in Jerusalem belong to that decree issued in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, which completed the work begun by Cyrus and carried forward by Darius so that their actions count as one decree concerning Jerusalem. Its seventh-year date is the starting point for the seventy weeks and the 2300-day prophecy, and from that starting point the specifications of the seventy weeks were fulfilled. The decree took effect in the autumn of that year, so the prophetic periods begin then and not at the beginning of the calendar year.

Reckoned simply from 457, the 2300 years were counted so simply and plainly that even children could understand them to terminate in 1843 for the coming of the Lord in the clouds of heaven. Counting 2300 years from 457 leaves 1843 for the close of the period, which was first expected as the end. When that year passed entirely away without the Saviour coming it brought sad disappointment.

Because the decree was issued near the end of 457 B.C. and took effect in the autumn of that year, the period reaches to the fall of 1844 rather than the end of 1843. The initial disappointment came from not accounting for the decree's late-year date and not allowing for it. When the late date in the year is allowed for, counting 2300 years from that date brings the period first to the close of 1843 and then to the fall of 1844.