THEOSISTheodoret of Cyrus
Upon their return from Babylon, as some Church leaders suggest, these nations turned against Judah. This interpretation aligns with prophecy, as the Prophet declares, "Come ye unto a land brought down by the sword," indicating a land liberated from foes and released from bondage. He further states, "Gathered from the tongue unto the land of Israel," referring to the once-desolate region. It is believed that during Zerubbabel's leadership, these nations were vanquished, and the spoils of their conquest were utilized for the construction of God's temple, since the Jews, being impoverished and in captivity, lacked financial resources. Likely, the neighboring nations, envious of the Jews' well-being, conspired to rally these adversaries against them.
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Their obstruction of the temple's construction, through misleading the local rulers or the kings of Persia, is evidenced in the writings of Ezra. The Prophet also adds, "And these shall come out of the tongue, and shall dwell in peace with you." This illustrates that the assault by these nations followed closely after the return from exile, as God states, "And these came out of the tongue, and dwelt in peace."