§ 2. RESTORATION OF THE ALTAR OF BURNT SACRIFICE, AND CELEBRATION OF THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES.
EXPOSITION
RESTORATION OF THE ALTAR (Ezra 3:1-3). On their arrival in their own land, the exiles, it would seem, proceeded first of all to their several cities, reconnoitring the ground, as it were, and at first taking no step that could arouse the hostility or jealousy of the previous inhabitants. After a while, however, "when the seventh month was come," they ventured with some misgivings to restore and rebuild the great altar of burnt sacrifice, which Solomon had formerly erected in the principal court of the temple, directly opposite to the porch (2 Kings 16:14; 2 Chronicles 4:1), and on which, until the destruction of the temple, the morning and evening sacrifice had been offered. We gather from Ezra's narrative, that when the ruins were carefully examined, the site of the old altar was ascertained, and care was taken to put the new one in the old place. The restoration of the altar thus considerably preceded even the commencement of the temple; the one being essential to the Jewish service, which could not exist without sacrifice, while the other was only a convenient and desirable adjunct. The altar must have been completed by the last day of the sixth month (see verse 6).