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7. Gave money. During the festive assembly discussions were held concerning the rebuilding of the Temple, and contracts were closed with artisans able to carry out the plans there laid. Many of the exiles had doubtless been employed by the Babylonians in building their palaces, temples, and fortifications. During the time of the Exile, particularly under Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon had witnessed tremendous activity, as the texts excavated there have shown. The professional skill acquired in Babylon now proved to be a great asset, and Zerubbabel set the masons and carpenters to work at their respective tasks, paying them regular wages in money.

Meat. Literally, “food.”

Zidon. The purchase of cedars from the Lebanon Mountains was made by contract with the Sidonians and Tyrians, with compensation in kind. Phoenicia was a narrow strip of coastland and had to import foodstuffs (see Acts 12:20; see also Vol. II, p. 68). Solomon had paid for the materials received from Hiram of Tyre with wheat, barley, wine, and oil (2 Chron. 2:15), and similar arrangement was now made by Zerubbabel. From the most ancient times the Lebanon region had furnished cedarwood for building palaces, temples, and other public buildings throughout the civilized countries of the Near East.

That the Sidonians are mentioned before the Tyrians accords with the actual political situation under the Persian rule. Herodotus (vii. 96, 98; viii. 67) claims that in the time of Xerxes the king of Sidon possessed a higher rank than the king of Tyre. This condition probably existed before Xerxes’ time, and was due to the long siege of Tyre by Nebuchadnezzar. The result was a marked weakening of the economic strength and prestige of Tyre. Sidon profited by this situation and thereafter took the lead among the Phoenician city states (see Vol. II, p. 69).

According to the grant. A special grant of Phoenician timber made by Cyrus seems to be intended. Although outside of this remark we have no written evidence of such a grant, the provision made in the official decree, as later found in Ecbatana, to have the cost of the Temple paid from royal funds, apparently included the purchase of building material with public money. The food, drink, and oil must have been provided by the Persian administration, because the newly arrived Jews could hardly have found enough foodstuffs even for their own needs in the half-deserted country to which they had come.