11 And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, at the completion of the word of Jehovah from the mouth of Jeremiah, hath Jehovah waked up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he causeth an intimation to pass over into all his kingdom, and also in writing, saying, 2 'Thus said Cyrus king of Persia, All kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, God of the heavens, given to me, and He hath laid a charge on me to build to Him a house in Jerusalem, that 'is' in Judah; 3 who 'is' among you of all His people? His God is with him, and he doth go up to Jerusalem, that 'is' in Judah, and build the house of Jehovah, God of Israel—He 'is' God—that 'is' in Jerusalem. 4 'And every one who is left, of any of the places where he 'is' a sojourner, assist him do the men of his place with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, along with a free-will offering for the house of God, that 'is' in Jerusalem.'
5 And heads of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin rise, and the priests and the Levites, even every one whose spirit God hath waked, to go up to build the house of Jehovah, that 'is' in Jerusalem; 6 and all those round about them have strengthened 'them' with their hands, with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, apart from all that hath been offered willingly. 7 And the king Cyrus hath brought out the vessels of the house of Jehovah that Nebuchadnezzar hath brought out of Jerusalem, and putteth them in the house of his gods; 8 yea, Cyrus king of Persia bringeth them out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbereth them to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. 9 And this 'is' their number: dishes of gold thirty, dishes of silver a thousand, knives nine and twenty, 10 basins of gold thirty, basins of silver (seconds) four hundred and ten, other vessels a thousand. 11 All the vessels of gold and of silver 'are' five thousand and four hundred; the whole hath Sheshbazzar brought up with the going up of the removal from Babylon to Jerusalem.
21 And these 'are' sons of the province who are going up—of the captives of the removal that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed to Babylon, and they turn back to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city— 2 who have come in with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah: The number of the men of the people of Israel: 3 Sons of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two. 4 Sons of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. 5 Sons of Arah, seven hundred five and seventy. 6 Sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua, Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. 7 Sons of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. 8 Sons of Zattu, nine hundred and forty and five. 9 Sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. 10 Sons of Bani, six hundred forty and two. 11 Sons of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three. 12 Sons of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two. 13 Sons of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six. 14 Sons of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six. 15 Sons of Adin, four hundred fifty and four. 16 Sons of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. 17 Sons of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three. 18 Sons of Jorah, a hundred and twelve. 19 Sons of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three. 20 Sons of Gibbar, ninety and five. 21 Sons of Beth-Lehem, a hundred twenty and three. 22 Men of Netophah, fifty and six. 23 Men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight. 24 Sons of Azmaveth, forty and two. 25 Sons of Kirjath-Arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three. 26 Sons of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one. 27 Men of Michmas, a hundred twenty and two. 28 Men of Beth-El and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. 29 Sons of Nebo, fifty and two. 30 Sons of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six. 31 Sons of another Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. 32 Sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty. 33 Sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five. 34 Sons of Jericho, three hundred forty and five. 35 Sons of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
36 The Priests: sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. 37 Sons of Imner, a thousand fifty and two. 38 Sons of Pashhur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven. 39 Sons of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. 40 The Levites; sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, seventy and four. 41 The singers: sons of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight. 42 Sons of the gatekeepers; sons of Shallum, sons of Ater, sons of Talmon, sons of Akkub, sons of Hatita, sons of Shobai, the whole 'are' a hundred thirty and nine. 43 The Nethinim: sons of Ziha, sons of Hasupha, sons of Tabbaoth, 44 Sons of Keros, sons of Siaha, sons of Padon, 45 Sons of Lebanah, sons of Hagabah, sons of Akkub, 46 Sons of Hagab, sons of Shalmai, sons of Hanan, 47 Sons of Giddel, sons of Gahar, sons of Reaiah, 48 Sons of Rezin, sons of Nekoda, sons of Gazzam, 49 Sons of Uzza, sons of Paseah, sons of Besai, 50 Sons of Asnah, sons of Mehunim, sons of Nephusim, 51 Sons of Bakbuk, sons of Hakupha, sons of Harhur, 52 Sons of Bazluth, sons of Mehida, sons of Harsha, 53 Sons of Barkos, sons of Sisera, sons of Thamah, 54 Sons of Neziah, sons of Hatipha. 55 Sons of the servants of Solomon: sons of Sotai, sons of Sophereth, sons of Peruda, 56 Sons of Jaalah, sons of Darkon, sons of Giddel, 57 Sons of Shephatiah, sons of Hattil, sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, sons of Ami. 58 All the Nethinim, and the sons of the servants of Solomon 'are' three hundred ninety and two. 59 And these 'are' those going up from Tel-Melah, Tel-Harsa, Cherub, Addan, Immer, and they have not been able to declare the house of their fathers, and their seed, whether they 'are' of Israel: 60 sons of Delaiah, sons of Tobiah, sons of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. 61 And of the sons of the priests: sons of Habaiah, sons of Koz, sons of Barzillai (who took from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite a wife, and is called by their name;) 62 these have sought their register among those reckoning themselves by genealogy, and they have not been found, and they are redeemed from the priesthood, 63 and the Tirshatha saith to them, that they eat not of the most holy things till the standing up of a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
64 All the assembly together 'is' four myriad two thousand three hundred sixty, 65 apart from their servants and their handmaids; these 'are' seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and of them 'are' singers and songstresses two hundred. 66 Their horses 'are' seven hundred thirty and six, their mules, two hundred forty and five, 67 their camels, four hundred thirty and five, asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. 68 And some of the heads of the fathers in their coming in to the house of Jehovah that 'is' in Jerusalem, have offered willingly for the house of God, to establish it on its base; 69 according to their power they have given to the treasure of the work; of gold, drams six myriads and a thousand, and of silver, pounds five thousand, and of priests' coats, a hundred. 70 And the priests dwell, and the Levites, and of the people, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, in their cities; even all Israel in their cities.
23 The soldiers, therefore, when they did crucify Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to each soldier a part, also the coat, and the coat was seamless, from the top woven throughout, 24 they said, therefore, to one another, 'We may not rend it, but cast a lot for it, whose it shall be;' that the Writing might be fulfilled, that is saying, 'They divided my garments to themselves, and upon my raiment they did cast a lot;' the soldiers, therefore, indeed, did these things. 25 And there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleopas, and Mary the Magdalene; 26 Jesus, therefore, having seen 'his' mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he was loving, he saith to his mother, 'Woman, lo, thy son;' 27 afterward he saith to the disciple, 'Lo, thy mother;' and from that hour the disciple took her to his own 'home'. 28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things now have been finished, that the Writing may be fulfilled, saith, 'I thirst;' 29 a vessel, therefore, was placed full of vinegar, and they having filled a sponge with vinegar, and having put 'it' around a hyssop stalk, did put 'it' to his mouth; 30 when, therefore, Jesus received the vinegar, he said, 'It hath been finished;' and having bowed the head, gave up the spirit.
31 The Jews, therefore, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, since it was the preparation, (for that sabbath day was a great one,) asked of Pilate that their legs may be broken, and they taken away. 32 The soldiers, therefore, came, and of the first indeed they did break the legs, and of the other who was crucified with him, 33 and having come to Jesus, when they saw him already having been dead, they did not break his legs; 34 but one of the soldiers with a spear did pierce his side, and immediately there came forth blood and water; 35 and he who hath seen hath testified, and his testimony is true, and that one hath known that true things he speaketh, that ye also may believe. 36 For these things came to pass, that the Writing may be fulfilled, 'A bone of him shall not be broken;' 37 and again another Writing saith, 'They shall look to him whom they did pierce.'
38 And after these things did Joseph of Arimathea—being a disciple of Jesus, but concealed, through the fear of the Jews—ask of Pilate, that he may take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave leave; he came, therefore, and took away the body of Jesus, 39 and Nicodemus also came—who came unto Jesus by night at the first—bearing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, as it were, a hundred pounds. 40 They took, therefore, the body of Jesus, and bound it with linen clothes with the spices, according as it was the custom of the Jews to prepare for burial; 41 and there was in the place where he was crucified a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one was yet laid; 42 there, therefore, because of the preparation of the Jews, because the tomb was nigh, they laid Jesus.
(Read John 19:19-30)
Here are some remarkable circumstances of Jesus' death, more fully related than before. Pilate would not gratify the chief priests by allowing the writing to be altered; which was doubtless owing to a secret power of God upon his heart, that this statement of our Lord's character and authority might continue. Many things done by the Roman soldiers were fulfilments of the prophecies of the Old Testament. All things therein written shall be fulfilled. Christ tenderly provided for his mother at his death. Sometimes, when God removes one comfort from us, he raises up another for us, where we looked not for it. Christ's example teaches all men to honour their parents in life and death; to provide for their wants, and to promote their comfort by every means in their power. Especially observe the dying word wherewith Jesus breathed out his soul. It is finished; that is, the counsels of the Father concerning his sufferings were now fulfilled. It is finished; all the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, which pointed at the sufferings of the Messiah, were accomplished. It is finished; the ceremonial law is abolished; the substance is now come, and all the shadows are done away. It is finished; an end is made of transgression by bringing in an everlasting righteousness. His sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul, and those of his body. It is finished; the work of man's redemption and salvation is now completed. His life was not taken from him by force, but freely given up.
(Read John 19:31-37)
A trial was made whether Jesus was dead. He died in less time than persons crucified commonly did. It showed that he had laid down his life of himself. The spear broke up the very fountains of life; no human body could survive such a wound. But its being so solemnly attested, shows there was something peculiar in it. The blood and water that flowed out, signified those two great benefits which all believers partake of through Christ, justification and sanctification; blood for atonement, water for purification. They both flow from the pierced side of our Redeemer. To Christ crucified we owe merit for our justification, and Spirit and grace for our sanctification. Let this silence the fears of weak Christians, and encourage their hopes; there came both water and blood out of Jesus' pierced side, both to justify and sanctify them. The Scripture was fulfilled, in Pilate's not allowing his legs to be broken, Exodus 12:46. May we ever look to Him, whom, by our sins, we have ignorantly and heedlessly pierced, nay, sometimes against convictions and mercies; and who shed from his wounded side both water and blood, that we might be justified and sanctified in his name.
(Read John 19:38-42)
Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple of Christ in secret. Disciples should openly own themselves; yet some, who in lesser trials have been fearful, in greater have been courageous. When God has work to do, he can find out such as are proper to do it. The embalming was done by Nicodemus, a secret friend to Christ, though not his constant follower. That grace which at first is like a bruised reed, may afterward resemble a strong cedar. Hereby these two rich men showed the value they had for Christ's person and doctrine, and that it was not lessened by the reproach of the cross. We must do our duty as the present day and opportunity are, and leave it to God to fulfil his promises in his own way and his own time. The grave of Jesus was appointed with the wicked, as was the case of those who suffered as criminals; but he was with the rich in his death, as prophesied, Isaiah 53:9; these two circumstances it was very unlikely should ever be united in the same person. He was buried in a new sepulchre; therefore it could not be said that it was not he, but some other that rose. We also are here taught not to be particular as to the place of our burial. He was buried in the sepulchre next at hand. Here is the Sun of Righteousness set for a while, to rise again in greater glory, and then to set no more.
