Ezra 8:31

“Then we departed from the river of Ahava, on the twelfth day of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem, etc.] The month Nisan, answering to part of March and part of April; this was two days before the passover began: and the hand of our God was upon us; guiding, directing, and protecting them by his providence: and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way; either by intimidating them, that they dared not attack them, or by directing them to take a different road, whereby they escaped them, (see <150822> Ezra 8:22).”

“we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month--Computing from the time of their setting out to the period of their arrival, they occupied about four months on the way. Their health and security were marvellous during so long a journey. The pilgrim-caravans of the present day perform long journeys through the wildest deserts of the East under the protection of a firman from the Porte, and an escort of soldiers. But for a large body, composed as that of Ezra--of some thousands of men, women, and children, unaccustomed to travel, undisciplined to order, and without military strength, and with so large an amount of treasure tempting the cupidity of the marauding,…”

“The Jews with Ezra left Babylon on the first day of the first month Ezra 7:9. They reached Ahava in nine days, and, having remained there three Ezra 8:15, quitted it, and resumed their journey on the twelfth. They reached Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month Ezra 7:9, four months after the departure from Babylon. return to 'Top of Page'”

“8:31-32 We broke camp . . . on April 19: It took twelve days to get organized, to encourage some Levites to join them, and to pray for God’s protection before Ezra could actually get the people moving toward Jerusalem (see 7:9).”

“the river of Ahava: Ezr 8:15, Ezr 8:21 the hand: Ezr 8:22, Ezr 7:9, Ezr 7:28; Job 5:19-24; Psa 91:9-14; Isa 41:10-14; Act 25:3, Act 26:22 and he delivered: Ezra and his company had now entered upon a journey of several hundred miles through the desert, which they were nearly four months in completing, encumbered with families and possessions, and carrying large treasures with them, which would invite the attempts of the Arabian hordes, and others, that infested that neighbourhood; yet, having declared to the king, "that the hand of God was upon all them for good that seek him, and that his power and wrath were against all them that forsook him," ( Ezr 8:22), he determined to travel without a…”