Why did he speak to his brothers and Cheil Shomron?
Rashi: Also they were Tzarei Yehudah. "Echav" is his friends.
What is "Amelalim"?
Rashi: This is weakness and softness.
Ibn Ezra: Their bodies are cut and broken from great suffering.
What was the question "Mah ha'Yehudim"?
Rashi: Why are the Jews doing so?
Ibn Ezra: What benefit will come from their deeds?
What was the question "ha'Ya'azvu Lahem"?
Rashi: Do they think that the Nochrim will let them build?!
Ibn Ezra: This is like Ma'azivah (a plastered roof).
Metzudas David: Will they strengthen the wall themselves via filling it with earth? Malbim ? Azivah is strengthening, like "va'Ya'azvu Es Yerushalayim" (8).
What was the question "ha'Yizbechu"?
Rashi: Will they offer their Korbanos constantly, like they plan to?!
Ibn Ezra: Will they offer Korbanos to inaugurate the Bayis 1 ?
Malbim: Will they offer Korbanos, and in this merit, be able to finish the work in one day?!
Ezra (6:15-17) says that they inaugurated Bayis Sheni in Daryavesh's sixth year. Above (1:1) was in [his] 20th year! Even if Ibn Ezra explains that it was a different king, Bayis Sheni was inaugurated before his 20th year! This requires investigation. (PF)
Why did he say "ha'Ychalu va'Yom"?
Rashi: Can they finish the work that they began in one day?! I.e. the Nochrim will not let them finish their building.
Ibn Ezra: Will they finish it on the day that they expect to finish it?!
Refer to 3:34:5:3.
What was the question "ha'Yichyu"?
Rashi: Will the rocks live, be fixed and return to their prior state, to be hard and strong, from the earth? Ibn Ezra ? a burned rock is considered dead.
Malbim: The rocks are already dead, and buried in mounds of earth. It is a metaphor to apply life and death to rocks.
What are "Aremos"?
Rashi: They are piles and mounds.
Why did he say "v'Hemah Serufos"?
Rashi: They were building from rocks that were burned and fell to the ground [when Yerushalayim was burned], and became earth.
