Ezra 4:3

“But Zerubbabel, and Joshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers, said unto them, etc.] The prince and high priest, and chief of the people: you have nothing to do with us to build an house to our God; being neither of the same nation, nor of the same religion: but we ourselves together will build to the Lord God of Israel; we and we only, who are together as one man, united in one body of people, and in the same religious sentiments, being Israelites; we separately, without admitting strangers among us, will build a temple to the God of Israel: as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, hath commanded us; thereby letting them know that they acted by his authority, and the commission they had…”

“But Zerubbabel and Jeshua . . . said . . . Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God--This refusal to co-operate with the Samaritans, from whatever motives it sprang, was overruled by Providence for ultimate good; for, had the two peoples worked together, familiar acquaintanceship and intermarriage would have ensued, and the result might have been a relapse of the Jews into idolatry. Most certainly, confusion and obscurity in the genealogical evidence that proved the descent of the Messiah would have followed; whereas, in their hostile and separate condition, they were jealous observers of each other's proceedings, watching with mutual care over the preservation and…”

“Ye have nothing to do with us - Because the Samaritans had united idolatrous rites with the worship of Yahweh 2 Kings 17:29-41. To have allowed them a share in restoring the temple would have been destructive of all purity of religion. As king Cyrus ... commanded us - The exact words of the edict gave the right of building exclusively to those who should “go up” from Babylonia to Judaea Ezra 1:3. return to 'Top of Page'”

“With us - As being of another nation and religion, and therefore not concerned in Cyrus's grant, which was confined to the Israelites. Take heed, whom you go partners with, and on whose hand you lean. While we trust God with an absolute confidence, we must trust men with a prudent caution. Ezra 4:5”

“4:3 The key political, religious, and tribal leaders spoke with a unified voice against the foreigners’ proposal, which would have opened the door for their idolatrous beliefs. The Jews did not want to make the same mistake as their ancestors, who were sent into exile as a result of worshiping the false gods of the Canaanites. • as King Cyrus of Persia commanded us: See 1:2-4.”

“Ye have nothing: Neh 2:20; Joh 4:22, Joh 4:23; Act 8:21; Rom 9:4, Rom 9:5; Jo3 1:9, Jo3 1:10 king Cyrus: Ezr 1:1-3, Ezr 6:3-5; Ch2 36:22, Ch2 36:23; Isa 44:28, Isa 45:1, Isa 45:4; Mat 10:16 Ezra 4:4”

“Zerubbabel and the other chiefs of Israel answer, "It is not for you and for us to build a house to our God;" i.e., You and we cannot together build a house to the God who is our God; "but we alone will build it to Jahve the God of Israel, as King Cyrus commanded us." יחד אנחנוּ, we together, i.e., we alone (without your assistance). By the emphasis placed upon "our God" and "Jahve the God of Israel," the assertion of the adversaries, "We seek your God as ye do," is indirectly refuted. If Jahve is the God of Israel, He is not the God of those whom Esarhaddon brought into the land. The appeal to the decree of Cyrus ( Ezr 1:3, comp. Ezr 3:6, etc.) forms a strong argument for the sole agency of…”