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The Investigating Commission of Tattenai: The Purpose of the Investigation and its Results
Hebrew Union College Annual, (1995)
Аннотация
The commission headed by Tattenai, the governor of the province of Beyond-the-River, came to Jerusalem some time during the early years of the reign of Darius which were stormy and full of rebellions. They investigated the actions of the Jews who were building their Temple at a rapid pace. Their arrival was the result of a complaint by the adversaries of the Jews to Tattenai, that the Jews would rebel against the Persians once the Temple was completed. Not only was the fate of the Temple dependent on the answers of the Jews, but also the very welfare of the province of Judah. Zerubavel the governor and Joshua the high priest, did not appear before the commission because of their deep affinity with the prophecies of Haggai and Zachariah. Instead, only the elders appeared (since their leadership was not considered a revolt against the Persians).One should see their answers as a list of careful, well thought out series of arguments aimed to set at rest any fears the Persians might have had as to a possible Jewish revolt against Darius. The questions put to the elders (Ezra 5:3—4) and the report of Tattenai to Darius (5:11—17) were edited by the narrator, rather than fully quoted. The elders were asked two questions but in each one of the two passages the narrator chose to relate to only one answer by chiastic construction. The answers of the elders, which were formulated with great care, appeared to Tattenai as true.
