בֵּאדַ֗יִן בְּטֵלַת֙ עֲבִידַ֣ת בֵּית־אֱלָהָ֔א דִּ֖י בִּירוּשְׁלֶ֑ם וַהֲוָת֙ בָּֽטְלָ֔א עַ֚ד שְׁנַ֣ת תַּרְתֵּ֔ין לְמַלְכ֖וּת דָּרְיָ֥וֶשׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־פָּרָֽס׃ (פ)
Pada waktu itu terhentilah pekerjaan Bait Allah yang di Yerusalem, dan pekerjaan itu tetap terhenti sampai tahun kedua pemerintahan Darius, raja Persia.
Rashi
In the second year of King Darius This was Darius king of Persia, who succeeded Ahasuerus. We find in Midrash Leviticus Rabbah (13:4) that he was Esther’s son. Now, in the days of Cyrus I, Zerubbabel and Joshua the Priest went up from Babylon to Jerusalem with the sanction of Cyrus, as it is said (Ezra 1:3): “Whoever is among you of all His people, etc.” The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin rose up and sent their letters to Cyrus to [have him] ordain that they [Judah and Benjamin] stop the construction of the Temple, which they had commenced; and he gave the order and stopped it. From that day they stopped, as is explained in Ezra (4:24): “Then the work of the house of God was stopped, etc.” It was stopped for the three years that Cyrus reigned, the fourteen years of Ahasuerus, and the first year of Darius his son. In the second year [of Darius] this prophecy was proclaimed to Haggai: to urge them [i.e., Judah and Benjamin] to resume the building, and that they should not fear, for the heathens would not stop them for the Holy One, blessed be He, would grant them success.
Ramban
BESIDE THE FIRST FAMINE THAT WAS IN THE DAYS OF ABRAHAM. Perhaps103“Perhaps.” Since in Bereshith Rabbah 25:3, it is stated that there were ten famines in the world, the first one having been in the days of Adam, Ramban writes, “Perhaps,” meaning that a famine of such magnitude had never occurred before the days of Abraham, and this explains why Scripture uses it as a reference point. there was no famine in the world until the days of Abraham. This is why Scripture counts from it, for otherwise, what need is there to mention it? In my opinion the correct reason why Scripture mentions it is to tell us that people remembered the first famine, mentioning that on account of it Abraham went down to Egypt and there G-d did him great honor. It was for this reason that Isaac wanted to go in his father’s footsteps by descending into Egypt until it was said to him, Go not down into Egypt.104Verse 2 here. The reason for the prohibition has been stated by our Rabbis: “You [Isaac] are a perfect burnt-offering and residence outside of the Land of Israel does not befit you.”105Quoted by Rashi in this form. The source is in Bereshith Rabbah.
In my opinion, there is also included in this subject a reference to the future. Abraham’s exile into Egypt on account of the famine is an allusion to the exile of his children there.106See Ramban above, 12:10, for complete exposition of this subject. His going to Abimelech107Chapter 20. however was not an exile for he resided there of his own volition. But Isaac’s going [to the land of Abimelech, as recorded here in this verse, And Isaac went unto Abimelech] on account of the famine, does allude to an exile since he left his place against his will and went to another land. Now Isaac’s exile was from his own place to the land of the Philistines, which was the land in which his father had resided. This alludes to the Babylonian Exile, which took place in the land in which their ancestors had resided, namely, Ur of the Chaldees.108In view of the fact that Ramban, at the end of Seder Noach (11:28), states his opinion at length that Abraham’s birthplace was not Ur of the Chaldees, it is necessary to say that the author’s reference here is to the time when Terah, his father, took him there, and while being there his life was saved by a miracle. See Ramban there at the end of Verse 28.
Know further that this Babylonian Exile mentioned is mirrored in the events which befell Isaac in that they did not take his wife109As they did to Abraham in Egypt. (12:15). in the land of the Philistines. Rather, his lot there was only exile and fear. At the beginning Abimelech said, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.110Further, Verse 11. Later he regretted it and said, Go from us.111Verse 16 here. Afterwards, he returned and made a covenant with Isaac112Verses 25-31 here. Similarly, in the Babylonian Exile, they were exiled there because of the burning heat of famine,113Lamentations 5:10. and while there, they were neither subjugated, nor were they treated harshly. On the contrary, their leaders were princes in the government. Later on, they said, Whosoever there is among you of all His people — his G-d be with him — let him go up,114Ezra 1:3. even alerting the princes and governors beyond the River115Euphrates. The term “beyond the River” here applies to the region beyond the River westward from the standpoint of those in Babylonia or Persia. to help them. Later on, they ceased work [on the House of G-d in Jerusalem] , and it ceased “for a season and a time.”116See Ezra 4:24 and Daniel 7:12. Later, they again changed their policy and gave permission for the construction of the House of G-d, saying, That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor unto the G-d of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.117Ezra 6:10.
In my opinion, there is also included in this subject a reference to the future. Abraham’s exile into Egypt on account of the famine is an allusion to the exile of his children there.106See Ramban above, 12:10, for complete exposition of this subject. His going to Abimelech107Chapter 20. however was not an exile for he resided there of his own volition. But Isaac’s going [to the land of Abimelech, as recorded here in this verse, And Isaac went unto Abimelech] on account of the famine, does allude to an exile since he left his place against his will and went to another land. Now Isaac’s exile was from his own place to the land of the Philistines, which was the land in which his father had resided. This alludes to the Babylonian Exile, which took place in the land in which their ancestors had resided, namely, Ur of the Chaldees.108In view of the fact that Ramban, at the end of Seder Noach (11:28), states his opinion at length that Abraham’s birthplace was not Ur of the Chaldees, it is necessary to say that the author’s reference here is to the time when Terah, his father, took him there, and while being there his life was saved by a miracle. See Ramban there at the end of Verse 28.
Know further that this Babylonian Exile mentioned is mirrored in the events which befell Isaac in that they did not take his wife109As they did to Abraham in Egypt. (12:15). in the land of the Philistines. Rather, his lot there was only exile and fear. At the beginning Abimelech said, He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.110Further, Verse 11. Later he regretted it and said, Go from us.111Verse 16 here. Afterwards, he returned and made a covenant with Isaac112Verses 25-31 here. Similarly, in the Babylonian Exile, they were exiled there because of the burning heat of famine,113Lamentations 5:10. and while there, they were neither subjugated, nor were they treated harshly. On the contrary, their leaders were princes in the government. Later on, they said, Whosoever there is among you of all His people — his G-d be with him — let him go up,114Ezra 1:3. even alerting the princes and governors beyond the River115Euphrates. The term “beyond the River” here applies to the region beyond the River westward from the standpoint of those in Babylonia or Persia. to help them. Later on, they ceased work [on the House of G-d in Jerusalem] , and it ceased “for a season and a time.”116See Ezra 4:24 and Daniel 7:12. Later, they again changed their policy and gave permission for the construction of the House of G-d, saying, That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savor unto the G-d of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.117Ezra 6:10.
Rashi
three weeks of days twenty-one years. They are eighteen years from the one year of Darius the Mede, when he [Daniel] put to his heart to calculate the seventy years of the exile, as it is written: until the second year of Darius the Persian, the son of Esther, who built the Temple. As for the three extra years, I do not know whether he started to fast before them or whether the duration of the acceptance of the vow of his fasts terminated three years after the building.
Rashi
Then - in the days of Cyrus - the work of the House of God ceased. As Cyrus had commanded to build [it] and then recanted about it because of enemies of Yehudah and Benyamin, as it is written in the book of Ezra. Until the second year of Darius the Second, who reigned after Ahasuerus. And he was called by three names: Darius, Cyrus and Artaxerxes.