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.