And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered.

And all they that were round about, helped their hands with vessels of silver, and gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with furniture, besides what they had offered on their own accord.

And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with articles of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.

and all those round about them have strengthened them with their hands, with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, apart from all that hath been offered willingly.

And all their neighbours gave them help with offerings of vessels of silver and gold and goods and beasts and things of great value, in addition to what was freely offered.

And all those who were all around assisted their hands with vessels of silver and gold, with goods and cattle, with equipment, in addition to whatever they had offered freely.

Vessels of silver - Articles of silver, gold, etc.

And all (g) they that [were] about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things, beside all [that] was willingly offered.
(g) The Babylonians and Chaldeans gave them these presents: thus rather than have the children of God be in need, he would stir the heart of the infidels to help them.

And all they that were about them,.... Their neighbours, the Chaldeans:
strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with beasts, and with precious things; which they either did of themselves at their own motion, or by the direction and example of Cyrus, Ezra 1:4 and perhaps many of them to ingratiate themselves into the favour of their new monarch:
besides all that was willingly offered: by the rich Jews, who thought fit, at least for the present, to remain in Babylon.

All their surrounders assisted them with gifts. The surrounders are the people of the places where Jews were making preparations for returning; chiefly, therefore, their heathen neighbours (Ezra 1:4), but also those Jews who remained in Babylon. חזּקוּ בידיהם is not identical in meaning with יד חזּק, to strengthen, e.g., Jeremiah 23:14; Nehemiah 2:18; but with החזיק בּיד, the Piel here standing instead of the elsewhere usual Hiphil: to grasp by the hand, i.e., to assist; comp. Leviticus 25:34. על לבד, separated to, besides; elsewhere joined with מן, Exodus 12:37, etc. התנדּב connected with כּל without אשׁר, as the verbum fin. in Ezra 1:5, 1-Chronicles 29:3, and elsewhere. האלהים לבית must, according to Ezra 1:4, be supplied mentally; comp. Ezra 2:68; Ezra 3:5; 1-Chronicles 29:9, 1-Chronicles 29:17.

Strengthened their hands - God can, when he pleases, incline the hearts of strangers to be kind to his people; yea, make those strengthen their hands, who formerly weakened them.