Once work on the city walls and the Temple of God had been renewed on the 24th day of the 6th month in the 2nd year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia (Ezra 4:24), it would have taken some time for word about this matter to get to the Persian authorities. It is reasonable, then, that it took about a month before Tatnai, Zerubbabel’s immediate superior, and who was the Persian governor on the west side of the Euphrates,[1] came to Jerusalem with companions, which probably means a small military force. Since Haggai didn’t prophesy again until nearly a month later on the 21st day of the 7th month (Haggai 2:1), it seems reasonable that this was due to Tatnai’s recent visit, and there was a great need for further encouragement, especially for the leaders of the Jews, Zerubbabel, the governor, and Joshua, the high priest (Haggai 2:2).
The words “at the same time” (Ezra 5:3) means during the same season of the renewal of the building project (Ezra 5:1-2). The building of the walls of the city and the Temple of God had begun again, and was now being challenged by the Persian governor. This act was also something that was expected by the Jewish leaders prior to their decision to begin rebuilding Jerusalem and its Temple once more.
Tatnai came with a band of men and asked: “Who has commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?” (Ezra 5:3). His question was submitted, no doubt, to Zerubbabel personally, because it was he who would have been held responsible for any wrongdoing done to the king. We need to keep in mind that these men were not the Samaritans, who would have had to write to the king, before anything could be done against the Jews. Tatnai and his men were Persians who had the directive of the king to keep the peace and challenge anything suspicious that could develop into something that would hurt the king’s honor or his revenue. Moreover, insurrections weren’t uncommon during the reigns of Cambyses and Darius Hystaspes, so Tatnai was here with full authority of the Persian Empire to question what was going on at Jerusalem and why Zerubbabel had renewed the building project without a decree from the king, which would have certainly passed through Tatnai’s hands before reaching the Jews.
So, the question was: “Who has commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?” (Ezra 5:3). A second question was asked, different from the first: “What are the names of the men who are responsible for this building project” (Ezra 5:4).[2] An answer was given (verse-10), and further questioning is implied before Tatnai took action, because, if he understood that an insurrection was in the making, he would have slain or at least imprisoned the Jewish leaders immediately. Therefore, further questioning is, indeed, implied, and it seems reasonable to me that these matters would have been discussed in Zerubbabel’s quarters, not out in the open in the hearing of the people. These were officials representing the interests of the king, and it needed to be understood whether or not those interests were in conflict.
We are told in the text that the “eye of God was upon the elders of the Jews,” so the Persian governor couldn’t cause them to cease the building project, until Tatnai had written to Darius and received a response from him (Ezra 5:3)! But, how could this be? The Persian governor was Zerubbabel’s superior, and he had all the authority he needed to conclude the matter immediately. What changed that?
In the New Covenant text Jesus told his disciples that they would be brought before folks in authority, and when this would occur, they weren’t to consider the matter beforehand, because it would be given them what to say during their meeting with those officials (Luke 21:14-15). When Zerubbabel was asked: “Who has commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?” (Ezra 5:3), naturally the reply would have been simple. Cyrus decreed it, and that was the very reason they were here. This reply took away any authority Tatnai had over Zerubbabel, because the decrees of the kings of Persia could not be changed (Daniel 6:8)! Therefore, the Persian governor had to seek higher authority to know what must be done about the building going on in Jerusalem!
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[1] Tatnai is referred to as the governor (H8674) for the west side of the Euphrates. Some believe him to be the successor to Rehum who is described as the chancellor (H2942). The problem is that Rehum doesn’t seem to be Persian, as Tatnai is. Tatnai could challenge those working in Jerusalem, but Rehum could not. Rehum, without a letter from the King of Persia, seems to be equal with Zerubbabel in authority.
[2] The fact us that the question of the identities of the Jewish leaders probably came prior to the question about a decree from the king. It seems to me that the question about a decree would have been put to Zerubbabel personally, but before that could happen, his identity needed to be disclosed.
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