Verse 15. - And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered. Large sums in specie had in ancient times to be remitted from one country to another under escort. The roads were never safe from robbers; and the more considerable the remittance, the greater the danger of its being intercepted. We hear of its being usual to protect the treasure annually remitted to Jerusalem from Babylon in Roman times by an escort of above 20,000 men (see Joseph., 'Ant. Jud.,' 18:9, § 1). The God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem. No more seems to be meant by "habitation" here than by "house" in Ezra 1:2, 3. Artaxerxes does not regard Jehovah as a local God.

7:11-26 The liberality of heathen kings to support the worship of God, reproached the conduct of many kings of Judah, and will rise up in judgment against the covetousness of wealthy professed Christians, who will not promote the cause of God. But the weapons of Christian ministers are not carnal. Faithful preaching, holy lives, fervent prayers, and patient suffering when called to it, are the means to bring men into obedience to Christ.And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem. In the temple built there; for the service of which, either for purchasing and procuring vessels that were wanting in it, or for sacrifices to be offered in it, the king and his nobles had made a voluntary contribution, and intrusted and sent Ezra with it.