Chapter XXXVI
Ver. 1-4. Jehoahaz, Succeeding, is Deposed by PhaKAOH. 1. the people of the land took Jclioahaz—Immediately after Josiah's overthrow and death, the people raised to the throne Shalluin (1 Chronicles 3. 15), afterwards called Jehoahaz, in preference to his elder brother Eliakim, from whom they expected little good. Jehoahaz
Is said (2 Kings 23. 30) to have received at Jerusalem tlie royal anointing—a ceremony not usually deemed necessary in circumstances of regular and undisputed succession. But, in tne case of Jehoahaz, it seems to have been resorted to in order to impart greater validity to the act of popular election, and, it may be, to render it less likely to be disturbed by Necho, who, like .all Egyptians, would associate the idea of sanctity with tlie regal anointing. He was the youngest son of Josiah, but the popular favourite, on account, probably, of his martial spirit (Ezekiel 19. 3) and determined opposition to the aggressive views of Egypt. At his accession the land was free from Idolatry; but this prince, instead of following the footsteps of his excellent father, adopted the criminal policy of his apostatising predecessors, and through his influence, directly or indirectly used. Idolatry rapidly increased (see on 2 Kings 23.32). 3. he reigned three months In Jerusalem — His possession of sovereign power was of but very brief duration; for Neclio determined to follow up the advantage he gained in Judah, and, deeming it expedient to have a king of his own nomination on the throne of that country, he deposed the popularly elected monarch, and placed his brother Eltakim or Jehoiakim on the throne, whom he anticlpatc<l to be a mere obsequious vassal. The course of events seems to have been this: on receiving intelligence after the battle of the accession of Jehoahaz to the throne, and perhaps also in consequence of the complaint whicli
full development of his ungodly principles and habits (see Ezekiel 19. 5-7). His reign being of so short duration cannot be considered at variance with the prophetic denunciation against his father (Jeremiah 30. 30). But his appointment by the people gave umbrage to Nebuchadnezzar, who, " when the year was expired" (y. 10) i. e., In
tlie spring, when campaigns usually began—came in person against Jerusalem, captured the city, and sent Jelioiachin In chains to Babylon, removing at tlie same time all the nobles and most skilful artisans, pillaging
all the remaining treasures both of tlie temple .and palace (see on 2 Kings 24. 8-17).
11-21. Zedekiah's Reign. 11. Zedekiah—Nebuchadnezzar appointed him. His name, originally Mattaniah, was, according to the custom of Oriental conquerors, changed Into Zedekiah, and though the son of Josiah
Eliakim brought before him In regard to this matter, Necho set out with a part of his forces to Jerusalem, While the remainder of his troops pursued their way at
(1 Clironicles 3. 15; Jeremiah 1. 2, 3; 37. 1), he Is called (i'. 10) the brother of Jehoiachln, t. e., according to the latitude
Cyrus Orders the Building of the Temple, EZRA I, II, and the Return oj the People.
of Judah (see on 2 Kings 25.; Ezekiel 12.13; 17.16). 21. until tile land had enjoyed her sabbaths—The return of every seventh was to be held as a sabbatic j'ear, a season of rest to all classes, even to the land itself, which was to be fallow. This Divine institution, however, was neglected—how soon and how long, appears from the prophecy of Moses (Leviticus 26.34), and of Jeremiah in this passage (see also Marginal Reference), which told that for Divine retribution it was now to remain desolate seventy years. As the Assyrian conquerors usually colonized their conquered provinces, so remarkable a deviation in Palestine from their customary policy must be ascribed to the overruling providence of God.
of Hebrew style in words expressing affinitj', his relative or kinsman (see on 2 Kings 24. 18; 2ii. 1-21). 13. wlio liad made him swear—Zedekiah received his crown on the express condition of taking a solemn oath of fealty to the king of Babylon (Ezekiel 17. 13), so that his revolt by joining in a league with Pharaoh-hophra, king of Egypt, involved the crime of perjury. Hisown pride and obdurate impiety, the incurable idolatry of the nation, and their
reckless disregard of prophetic warnings, brought down on his already sadly reduced kingdom the long threatened judgments of God. Nebuchadnezzar, the executioner of the Divine vengeance, commenced a third siege
of Jerusalem, which, after holding out for a year and a
22, 23. Cykus' Pkoclamation. aa. the Iiord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus—(See on Ezra 1. 1-3.)
half, was taken in the eleventh year of the reign of Zedekiah, resulting in the burning of the temple, with, most probably, the ark, and in the overthrow of the kingdom
EZRA.
great liberality In aiding and prcnnotlng the views of the emigrants.
Ver. 1-6. Proclamation of Cyrus for Building the Temple. 1. In the first year of Cyi-us king of Persia— The Persian empire, including Persia, Media, Baby-
7-11. Cyrus Restores the Vessels. 7. Cyrus . . . brought forth the vessels of the house of the £.ard though it is said (2 Kings 24. 13) that these were cut in pieces, that would not be done to the large and magnificent vases, and, if they had been divided, the parts could be reunited. But it may be doubted whether the Hebrew word rendered cut in pieces, does not signify merely cut
lonia, and Chaldea, with many smaller dependencies, was founded by Cyrus, b. c. 536. [Hales.] tliat the word of tixe Liortl by the month of Jeremiah miglit be fulfilled—(See Jeremiah 2.5. 12; 29. 10.) Tliis reference is a parenthetic statement of the historian, and did not form part of the proclamation, a. Tlie Lord God of lieaven Iiath given me all the kingdoms of the earth — though this is in the Oriental style of hyperbole (see also Daniel 1. 1), it was literally true that the Persian empire was the greatest ruling power in the world at that time, he hath cliarged me to build him an house at .Torusalem—The phraseology of this proclamation, Independently of tlie express testimony of Josephus, altbrds indisputable evidence tliat Cyrus had seen, probably through mi'ans of Daniel, his venerable prime minister and favourite, those prophecies in which, 200 years before he was born, his name, liis victorious career, and the Important services he should render to the Jews were distinctly foretold (Isaiah 44. 28 ; 46. 1^). The existence of j)redicti()iis so remarkable led him to acknowledge that all his kingdoms were gifts bestowed on him by "the Lord God of heaven," and prompted him to fulfil the dul.v which had been laid upon him long before his birth. This was the source and origin of the great favour he showed to the Jews. The proclamation, though Issued 'in the first .year of Cyrus," did not take effect till the year following. 3. Who is there among you of all his people—the purport of the edict was to grant full permission to those Jewish exiles, in every part of his kingdom, who chose, to return to their own countr.y, as well as t,o recommend those of their countrymen who remained to aid the jjoor and feeble on their way, and contribute liberally towards the ri;l)uilding of the temple. 5, 6. Then rose up tllie clilef of tlie fatliers, &c.—The paternal and ecch^siastical chiefs of the later captivity, those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, with some also from other tribes (1 Chronicles 9. 3), who retained their attaclunent to the pure worship of God, naturally took the lead In this movement, and their example was followed by all whose piety and patriotism were strong enough to brave the various discouragements attending the enterprise. They w(^ro liberally assisted by multitudes of their captive countrymen, who, born in Babylonia, or comfortably establislK'd In it by family connections or thS possession of property, chose to remain. It seems that their Assyrian fritjnds and neighbours, too, either from a favourable disposition toward the Jewish faith, or from Imita-
off, i. e., from further use in the temple. 11. All tl»e vessels of gold and of silver were five tikousand and four hundred—The vessels here specified amount only to the number of 2499. Hence it is probable that the larger vases only are mentioned, while the Inventory of the whole, including great and small, came to the gross sum stated in the text. Sheshbazzar, tlie prince of Judali
i.e., Zerubbabel, son of Salathiel (cf. ch. 3. 8; 5.16). He was born in Babylon, and called by his family Zerub-
b.ibel, t. e., stranger or exile in Babylon. Sheshba/.zar, signifying " flre-worshipper," was the name given him at court, as other names were given to Daniel and his friends. He was recognized among the exiles as hereditary prince of Judah. them of the captivity tliat were brought up f^-om Babylon to Jerusalem—all the Jewish exiles did
not embrace the privilege wlilch the Persian king granted them. The great proportion, born In Babylon, preferred continuing in their comfortable homes to undertaking a distant, expensive, and hazardous Journey to a desolate land. Nor did the returning exiles all go at once. The
first band went with Zerubbabel, others afterwards with Ezra, and a large number with Nehomlah at a still later period.
Ver. 1-70. NuMnEU ok the People that Returned.
1. children of the province i.e., Judea (ch. 5. 8), so called Rs being now reduced from an Illustrious, independent, and powerful kingdom to an obscure, servile, tributary province of the Persian empire. This name Is applied by the sacred historian to Intimate that the Jewish exiles, though now released from captivity and allowed to return Into their own land, were still the subjects of Cyrus, Inhabiting a province dependent upon Persia, came again unto Jerusnlcm and Judah, every one unto his city—either the city that had been ocnipied by his ancestors, or, as most parts of Judea were tnen either desolate or possessed by others, the city that was rebuilt and allotted to him now. !i. Which cninr with Zernl»- babel—he was the chief or leader of the first bainl of returning exiles. The names of other infiuentlal persons who were associated In the conducting of the caravans are also mentioned, being extracted probably from t*ae Per-
tion of the court policy, displayed hearty gooU-wlU and
Kuinber of th« People that Returned. EZSA III. The Foundation of the Temple laid.
singular It may seem to us, is in unison with the established notions and customs of the Ea.st.
sisin archives, in which the register was preserved : conspicuous in tlie number are Jeshua, the high priest, and
Neheniifth. 3. the clilldi-cn—this word, as used throughout tliis catalogue, means posterity or descendants. 4. chlldicn of Arah, seven liundred seventy and Ave—tile number is stated in Neliemiah 7. to have been only 652.
Ver. 1-13. The Altar Set up. 1. When the seventl montli was come—the departure of the returning exiles from Babylon took place in spring, and for some time after their arrival they were occupied in tlie necessary work of rearing habitations to themselves amid the ruins of Jerusalem and its neighbourliood. This preliminary worlc being completed, they addressed themselves to rebuild tlie altar of burnt offering, and as the seventh montli of tliesacred year wasat hand—corresponding totlielatter end of our September—wlien the feast of tabernacles (Leviticus 23.) fell to be observed, they resolved to celeVjrate that religious festival, just as if the temple had been fully restored. SJ. Jeshua—was the grandson of Seraiali, tlie high priest, put to death by Nebuchadnezzar at Iliblah
It is probable that all mentioned as belonging to this aimily repaired to the general place of remiezvous, or had enrolled tlieir names at first as intending to go; but in the
Interval of preparation, some died, others were prevented
by sickness or insurtnountable obstacles, so tliat ultimately no more than 652 came to Jerusalem. 23. The men of Anathoth—it is pleasant to see so many of this
Jewisli town returning. It was a city of the Levites; but the people spurned the prophetic warning, and called
forth against themselves one of his severest predictions (Jeremiah 32.27-35). This prophecy was fulfilled in the Assyrian conquest. Anathoth was laid and continued a heap of ruins. But the people having been brought during the captivity to a better state of mind, returned, and their city was rebuilt. 38-39. The priests—each of
(2 Kings 25. 18-21). His father, Josedech, had been carried captive to Babylon, and died tliere, some time before this. Zerubbabel—was, according to the order of nature, son of Pedaiah (1 Chronicles 3. 17-19), but having been brought up by Salathiel, was called his son. bullded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt otferlngs thereon— This was of urgent and immediate necessity, in order,
their families was ranged under its prince or head, like those of the other tribes. It will be remembered that the whole body was divided into twenty-four courses, one of which, in rotation, discharged the sacerdotal duties every week, and each division was called after the name of its
first, to make atonement for their sins; secondly, to olitain the Divine blessing on their preparations for the temple, as well as animate their feelings of piety and patriotism for the prosecution of tliat national work. 3. they s«t the altar upon his bases i. e., they reared it upon Its old foundation, so that it occupied as nearly as possible the site on which It had formerly stood, they oflfered burnt offerings . . . morning and evening-- Deemiiig it their duty to perform flie public rites of religion, they did not wait till the temple should be rebuilt and dedicated; but, at the outset, resumed the daily service prescribed by the law (Exodus 29. 38, 39; Leviticus 6.
first prince or chief. It appears from this passage, tliat only four of the courses of the priests returned from the Babylonish captivity; but (hese four courses were afterwards, as the families increased, divided into twenty-four, which were distinguished by the names of the original courses appointed by David. Hence we find the course
of Abijah or Abia (1 Chronicles 24. 10) subsisting at the commencement of the Christian era (Luke 1. 5). 55. The children of Solomon's servants—eitlier the strangers that monarch enlisted in the building of the temple, or those who lived in his palace, which was deemed a high honour. 61, 6!i. The children of Barzlllal—lie preferred that name to that of his own family, deeming it a greater distinction to be connected with so noble a family, than
9, 11), as well as observed the annua! seasons of solemn olDservance.
4-7. Offerings Renewed. 4. Tiiey kept also tlie feast of tabernacles . . . From the first day of tSic seventh month—They revived at that time the daily oblation, and It was on the fifteenth day of that month the feast of tabernacles was held. 7. They gave . . . meat . . . drink, and oil, unto tliem of Zldon—they opened negotiations with the Tyrians for workmen, as well as for timber, on the same terms and with the same views as Solomon had done (1 Kings 5. 11 ; 2 Chronicles 2. 15, 16). 8-13. The Foundation of the Temple Laid. 8. appointed the licvites ... to set forward the work i. e., to act as overseers of the workmen, and to direct and animate the labourers In the various departments. 9. Jeshua with his sons—not the high priest, but a Levite (oh. 2. 40). To these, as probably distinguished for their meclianical? skill and taste, the duty of acting as overseers was particularly committed. 13. But many of the priests and licvltes, and chief of the fathers . . . wept wltlx a loud voice—Those painful emotions were excited by the sad contrast between the prosperous circumstances In which th^foundatlons of the first temple had been laid, and the desolate, reduced state of tlie country and city when the second was begun; between the inferior size and costli* ness of the stones used In the foundations of the second
to he of the house of Levi. But by this worldly ambition he forfeited the dignity and advantages of the priesthood. 63. Tlrshatha—a title borne by the Persian governors of Jadea (see also Nehemiah 7. 65-70 ; 8. 9; 10. 1). It is derived from the Persic torsh, severe, and is equivalent to " your severity," "your awfulness." 64. the whole congregation together was forty-two thousand three hundred and threescore—this gross amount is 12,000 more than the particular numbers given in the catalogue, when added together, come to. Reckoning up the smaller numbers, we shall And that they amount to 29,818 in this chapter, and to 31,089 in the parallel chapter of Nehemiah. Ezra also mentions 494 persons omitted by Nehemiah, and Nehemiah mentions 1765 not noticed by Ezra. If, therefore, Ezra's surplus be added to the sum In Nehemiah, and Nehemlah's surplus to the number In Ezra, they will both become 31,583. Subtracting this from 42,360, there will be a deficiency of 10,777. These are omitted, because they did not belong to Judah and Benjamin, or to the priests, but to the other tribes. The servants and singers, male and female, are reckoned separately (v. 65), so that putting all these items together, the number of all who went with Zerubbabel amounted to 50,000, with 8000 beasts of burden. (Alting, quoted Davidson's Hermeneutics.) 68. some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Liord, offered freely for the house of God, Ac—The sight of a place hallowed by the most endearing and sacred associations, but now lying in desolation and ruins, made the well-springs of their piety and patriotism gush out afresh, and before taking any active measures for providing accommodation to themselves and their families, the chief among them raised a large sum by voluntary contributions towards the restoration of the temple. 69. dramsof gold—rather darics, a Persian coin (see on I Chronicles 29. 7). priests' garmenta (cf. Nehemiah 7. TO). This—In the circumstances—was a very appropriate gift. In general, It may be remarked that presents of garments, or of any other u.sable commmlitles, however
(1 Kings 7. 9, 10), and the much smaller extent of the foundation Itself, Including all the appurtenances of the building (Haggal 2. 3); between the comparative smallnesa of their present means and the immense resources of David and Solomon. Perhaps, however, the chief oiuse of grief was, that the second temple would be destitute of those things which formed the great and distinguishing glory of the first, viz., the ark, the shechinah, the Urim and Thummlm, &c. Not that this second temple was not a very grand and beautiful structure. But how great soever Its material splendour. It was Inferior in this respect to that of Solomon. Yet the glory of the second far outshone that of the first temple in another and more Important point of view, viz., the receiving within lUi 28?
The Btdhhrtg of the Temple Hindered. EZRA lY, V. Its £/iii(Ilng (n/ain.Iicnev'ed,
—The name "Jews" was generally used after the return from the captivity, because the reluming exiles belongeti chiefly to the tribes t)f Judah and Benjamin, and lillhoi gU the edict of Cyrus permitted all who chose to return, a permission of which some of the Israelites availed themselves, the great body whowt ul to settle in Judea were the men of Judali. 13. toll, tribute, and custoiit—the
vaUs the incarnate Saviour (Ilaggai 2. 9). 13. the people could not discern the sUont of Joy fi-om tlie noiise of the weeping—Among Eastern people, expressions of sorrow are always very loud and vehement. It is indi-
cated by wailing, the howl of which is sometimes not
easily distinguishable from joyful acclamations.
first was a poll-tax; the second was a property-tax; the
tliird the excise-dues on articles of trade and nierchan-
Ver. 1-6. The Buii.ding Hindered. 1. the adver-
di.se. Tlieir letter, and the edict that followed, commanding an immediate cessation of the worli at the city walls, form the exclusive subject of narrative from v. 7 to v. And now from this digression he returns at v. 2-1 to resume
saries of JiidaU and Benjamin— i. e., strangei-s settled
in tlie land of Israel. 3. wc seek yonr Cio<l, as ye do
and we do sacrifice nnto hiin since the days of Esarhaddon . . . wliieh toroiight lis up hitlier—A very
tile thread of his narrative concerning the building of the temple. 9. the Dinaites—The people named were the colonists sent by the Babj-lonian monarch to occupy the territory of the ten tribes. "The great and noble Asuapper" was Esjir-haddon. Immediately after the murder of Sennacherib, the Babylonians, Medes, Armenians, and other tributary people sei/.ed the opportunity of throwing olF the Assyrian yoke. But Esar-liaddon haviiig, in the thirtieth year of his reign, recovered Babylon, and subdued the other rebellious dependants, transported numbers of them into the waste cities of Samaria, most probably as a punishment of llieir revolt. [Hales.] 14. wc have maintenance from tlie king's palace lit., we are s:vlted with the king's salt. "Eating a prince's salt" is an. Oriental phrase, etiuivalent to "receiving maintenance from liim." !4-t. Then ceased the work of the house of God—It was this occurrence that Jirsl gave
interesting explanation of this passage has been recently obtained from the Assyrian sculptures. On a large
cylinder, deposited in the British Museum, there is in-
.«cribed a long and perfect copy of the annals of Esarhaddon, in wliich the details are given of a large depor-
tation of Israelites from Palestine, and a consequent settlement of Bal)yloniau colonists in their place. It is a striking confirmation of the statement made in this pas-
sage. Those Assyrian settlers intermarried with the remnant of Israelite women, and their descendants, a mongrel race, went under the name of Samaritans. Though originally idolaters, they were instructed in the knowledge of God, so that they could say, "We seek your God ;" but they .served Him in a superstitious way of their own (see on 2 Kings 17. 26-34, 41). 3. But Zeruhbabel and JesUua . . . said . . . Ye have nothing to do witit us to build an house unto our God—This refusal to co-operate with the Samaritans, from whatever motives
rise to the strong religious antipatliy lietween the Jews and the Samarita)is, which was afterwards greatly aggravated by the erection of a rival temple on Mount Oerizini,
it sprang, was overruled by Providence to ultimate good
for, had the two peoples worked together, familiar acquaintanceship and intermarriage would have ensued, and the result might have been a relapse of the Jews into
Veil 1-17. Zeuuijii.^bel and Je-siiua set fokwakd THE BUII.niNCi OF THE Te.MI'LE IN THE IvElGN OK DAKfUa
Idolatry, and most certainlj-, confusion and obscurity in the genealogical evidence that proved the descent of the Messiah ; whereas, in their hostile and separate condition, they were jealous observers of each other's proceedings, watching with mutual care over the preservation and integrity of the sacred books, guarding the purity and honour of the Mosaic worship, and thus contributing to the maintenance of religious knowledge and truth. 4. Then the people of the land weakeited the hands of the people of Judah, &c.—Exasperated by this repulse, the Samaritans endeavoured by every means to moh^st the workmen as well as obstruct the progress of the building; and, though they could not alter the decree which Cyrus had issued regarding it, yet by bribes and clandestine arts indefatlgably plied at court, tliey laboured to frustrate the effects of the edict. Their success in tho.se underhand dealings was great, for Cyrus, being fre(jueid ly absent, and much absorbed in his warlike expeditions,
1. Titen the propSiets . . . prophesied ... in tlicikam* of the Gwl of Israel—Prom the recorded wr.tings ot Haggai anti Zei hariah, it appears that the difliculties ex« perienced, and tlie many ol)stacles thrown in the way, had llrstcooled tlie zeal of the Jews in tlie building ol the temple, and then led to an abandonment of the work, under a pretended belief that the time for rebuilding it had not yet come (Haggai 1. 2-U). Kor fifteen year.s the work was completely suspemled. These two prophets upbraided them with severe reprt>aclies for their sloth, negligence, and worldly .selfishness (Haggai 1. 4), threatened them with severe judgments if they continued backward, and proini.sed that they wouUl be blessi-d with great national prosperity If they resumed and prosecuted the work with alacrity and vigour. Zecharlnli, the son of Iddo— /. grandson (Zechariah I. 1). Then rose up Zerubbabel . . . and .Teshua . . . and Iregan to l>uil(i the Itouse of God—The strong appeals and animating exhortations of these prophets gave a new impul.se to the building of the temple. It was In the second year of the reign of Darius Hystaspcs that the work, after a long Interruption, was resiimi'd. 3, 4. at the same time came to tikcm Tatnai, governor on this side the river -Tliu Persian empire west of the Euiihrates included at tliis time Syria, Arabia, Egypt, Pluenicia, and otiier provinces sub-
left the government in the hands of his son Cambyses, a wicked prince, and extremely hostile to the .lews and their religion. The same arts were assiduously i)ractlsed during the reign of his successor, Smerdis, down to the time of Darius Hystaspcs. In consequence of the dilllculties and obstacles thus Interposed, for a period of twenty years, the progress of tlio work was very slow. 0. Ii> the reign of Ahasuerus, In the beginning of his reign, wrote they . . . an accusation—^Ahasu(M iis was a regal title, and the king referred to was successor of ©arius, the famous Xerxes.
ject to Darius. The empire was divided Into twenty prov-
inces, callcil .satrapies. Syria forme<l one satrap.v, Inclu.si ve of Palestine, Phoenicia, and Cyprus, and furnished an annual revenue of IViO talents. It was presided over by a satrap or viceroy, who at this tinie lesideil at Damascus, and though superior to the native governors of the Jews
7-21. Lh'ITUk to Artaxeuxes. 7. in the days of Ahasuerus wrote BIshlain, Ac.—The three olllcers named are supposed to have been deputy-governors appointed by the king of Persia over all the provinces subject to his empire west of the Euphrates, the Syrian tongue—or ArauQfpan language, called sometimes in our version
iippoiiited by the Persian king, never Interfered with their Internal government, except when there was a threatened illstmbaiiceof orderand traiKiuilllty. ralnak, the governor (wlu'lher this was a personal name or an olHcial title Is unknown), had probably been incited bj the complaints and tiubulent outrages of the SamarltanB against the Jtnvs; but he susiiended his judgment, and he prudently rc'solved to repair lo .I'uusalem, that ho might ascertain the real state of matters by personal lu-
Chald(^(!. This was made use of by the Persians in their decrcas and communications relative to the Jews (cf. 2 Kings 18. 2fi; Isaiah 30. 11). The ol)Jeet of their liU ter was to press upon the royal iiollco the Inexpediency and danger of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The.y laboured hard to prejudice the king's mind against that measure. 1'-!. tike Jews which came up from tliee to us 290
The Decree of Dai ius in favour of the Jews, EZEA VI. TJie '^emple Finished and Dedicated,
the height of a foot or more from the fioor they were entirely filled with them ; some entire, l)Ut the greater part broken into many fragments, proljably by the falling in of the upper part of the building. They were of different
B)vctioii and Inquiry, In company with another dignified
olfic-er and liis provincial council. 5. But the eyeof tlitlr God was upon tlic eldt-rs of the Jews, &c.—The unusual
presence, the imposing suite, the authoritative inquiries
sizes; the largest tablets were fiat, and measured about 9 inches by 6i inches; the smaller were slightly convex, and some were not more than an incli long, with but one or two lines of writing. The cuneiform characters on most of them were singularly sharp and well defined, but so minutein some instances as tobealiaostillegible without a magnifying glass. Tliese documents appear to be of various kinds. The documents that have thus been discovered 'in the house of rolls' at Nineveh probably exceed all that have yet been afforded by the monuments of Egypt, and when the innumerable fragments are put together and transcribed, the publication of these records will be of the greatest importance to tlie history of the ancient world." [Nixevkh and Babylon.] 2. Achmetlia —Long supposed to be the capital of Greater Media—tlie
of the satrap appeared formidable, and might have produced a paralyzing influence or led to disastrous eonse-
qneticcs, if he had been a partial and corrupt judge, or actuated by unfriendly feelings towards theJewish cause. The historian, therefore, with cliaracteristic piety, throws
in this parenthetical verse to intimate that God averted the threatening cloud and procured favour for the elders or 1-eaders of the Jews, that they were not interrupted in
their proceedings till communications with the court should 1)6 made and received. Not a word was uttered to
dispirit the Jews or afford cause of triumph to their opponents. Matters were to'go on till contrary orders arrived from Babylon. After surveying the work in progress, he inquired, first, by what authority this national temple was undertaken; and, secondly, the names
Ecbatana of classical, the Hamadan of modern times, at the foot of the Elwund range of hills, where, for its coolness and salubrity, Cyrus and his successors on the Persian throne established their summer residence. There was another city, however, of this najne, the Ecbatana of Atropatene, and the most ancient capital of northern Media, and recently Identified by Colonel Rawlinson in the remarkable ruins of Takht-i-Soleiman. Yet as everything tends to showtheattactimentof Cyrus to his native city, the Atropatenian Ecbatana, ratlic^r than to the stronger capital of Greater Media, Colonel Rawlinson is inclined to think that he deposited tliere, in his var or fortress, the famous decree relating to the Jews, along with the othei records and treasures of his empire. [Nineveh and Persepolis.] 8-10. of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river . . . expenses be given them—The decree granted them the privilege of drawing from his provincial treasury of Syria, to the amount of whatever they required for the furthering of the work and providing sacrifice for the service of the temple, that the priests might daily pray for the health of the king and the prosperity of the empire. 11. whosoever shall alter this word—The warning was specially directed against the turbulent and fanatical Samaritans. The extremely favourable purport of this edict was no doubt owing in some measure to the influence of Cyrus, of whom Darius entertained a high admiration, and whose two daughters he had married. But it proceeded still more from the deep impressions made even on the idolatrous people of that country and that age, as to the being and providence of the God of Israel.
of the principal promoters and directors of the undertaking. To these two heads of inquiry the Jews returned ready and distinct replies. Then having learned that it originated in a decree of Cyrus, who bail not only released the .Jewish exiles from captivity, and permitted them to return to" their own land for the express purpose of rebuilding the house of God, but, by an act of royal grace, had restored to them the sacred vessels which Nebucha<lnezzar had carried off as trophies from the former temple, Tatnai transmitted all this information in an official report to his imperial master, accompanying
It with a recommendatory suggestion that search should be maile among the national archives at Babylon for the original decree of Cyrus, that the truth of the Jews' statement might be verified. The whole conduct of Tatnai, as well as the general tone of his despatch, is marked by a bound discretion and prudent moderation, free from any party bias, and evincing a desire only to do his duty. In
all respects he appears in favourable contrast with his predecessor, Rehum (ch. 4.9). 8. the house of the great God, which is Imllded with great stones—lit., "stones of rolling" i.e., stones of such extraordinary size that they could not be carried—they had to be rolled or dragged along the ground. 1.3. Cynis the king . . . made a decre<—The .Tews were perfectly warranted according to the principles of the Persian government to proceed with the building in virtue of Cyrus' edict. For everywhere a public decree Is considered as remaining in force until it
is revoked; but the "laws of the Medes and Persians changed not." 16. Then came . . . Sheshbazzar . . . since that time even until now hath It been in build- 'ng—This was not a part of the Jews' answer—they could nol have said this, knowing the building had long ceased. But Tatnai used these expressions in his report, either looking on the stoppage as a temporary interruption, or supposing that the Jews were always working a little, as thej' had means and opportunities.
13-15. The Temple Finished. 13. Then Tatnai . . . did speedily—A concurrence of favourable events is mentioned as accelerating the restoration of the temple, and infusing a new spirit and energy into the workmen, who now laboured with unabating assiduity till it was brought to a completion. Its foundation was laid in April, .S^e B. V. (eh. 3. 8-10), and it was completed on 21st February, 515 M. c, being 21 years after it was begun. [Dightfoot.] IG-IS. FEAST.S OF THE DEDICATION. IG. the Children of Israel . . . kept the dedication . . . with joy—The ceremonial was gone througli with demonstrations of the liveliest joy. The aged who had wept at the laying of the foundation were most, if not all of them, now dead; and all rejoiced at the completion of this national undertaking. 17. twelve he-goats—as at the dedication of the tabernacle (Numbers 8. 17). 18. they set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites In their courses . . . as 11 Is written in the book of Moses—Alt liough David arranged the priests and Levltes in courses according to their families, it was Moses who assigned to the priests and licvitcs their rightsnnd privileges, tlieir stations and several duties.
Ver. 1-12. Daiiius' Decree for Adtancingthe Buii^bIKO. 1. Darius the king—This was Darius llystaspes. Great and interesting light has been thrown on the history of this monarch and the transactions of his reign, by the decipherment of the euneatic inscriptions on tlie rocks at I'.ehlstun. In the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up In Babylon—An idea of the form of this llabylonlan register house, as well as the manner of preserving public records within its repositories, can be obtained from the recent discoveries at Nineveh. Two small chambers were discovered in the palace of Koyunjik, wliich, from the fragments found in them, Mr. l.ayard considers "as a house of the rolls." After reminding his readers that the historical records and public documents of the Assyrians were kept on tablets and cylinders of baked clay, many specimens of wliich have been brought to .'his country, he go(!S on to say, "The chambers I am describing appear to have been a depository ill the palace of Nineveh for such documents. To
19-22. And of the Passover. 21. nil such ns had separated themselves . . . from the filthlness of tbe heathen—/, e., who had given satisfactory evidence of being true pros(>lytes by not only renouncing the linpuru worship of idolatry, but by undeigoiiig the rile of circumcision, a condition indispensable te a participation ot
Ezra goes up to Jerusalem. EZEA VII, VIII. His Companions from Babtjlon.
thority of kings. But it was as probably a mere Orientalism, denoting a great and powerful prince, as the heaven of heavens signifled the highest heaverf, and vanity of vanities, tlie greatest vanity. Tliis vainglorious title was assumed by the kings of Assyria, from whom it passed to the sovereigns of Persia, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven—The appointment of Ezra to this influeutial mission was of the highest importance to the Hebrew people, as a large proportion of tliem were become, in a great measure, strangers both to the language and the institutions of their forefathers. 14. sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors—Tbia was the fixed number of the privy council of the kings of Persia (Esther 1. 10, U). The document describes, with great clearness and pj-ecision, the nature of Ezra's commission and the extent of power and prerogatives with which he was invested. It gave him authority, in tlie first place, to organize the colony in Judea, and institute a regular government, according to the laws of the Hebrew people, and by magistrates and rulers of their own nation (v. 25, 26), with power to punish offenders by fines, imprisonment, exile, or death, according to the degree of their criminality. Secondly, he was empowered to carry a large donation in money, partly from the royal treasury, and partly raised by voluntary contributions among his countrymen to create a fund out of which to make suitable provision for maintaining the regular worship of God in Jerusalem (v. 16, 17). Thirdly, the Persian ollicers in Syria were commanded to afford him every assistance by gifts of money within a certain specified limit, in carrying out the objects of his patriotic mission (u. 21). ari. an hundred talents of silver—£22,000, according to the rate of the silver talent of Babylon. Fourthly, Artaxerxes gave his royal sanction in establishment of the Divine law, which exempted priests and Levites from taxation or tribute, and confirmed to them the exclusive right to officiate in the sacred services of the sanctuary. And, finally, in the expression of the king's desire for the Divine blessing upon the king and his government («. 23), we see the strong persuasion which pervaded the Persiaa court, and had been produced by the captivity of the Hebrew people, as to the being and directing providence of the God they worshipped. It will be observed, however, that the commission related exclusively to the rebuilding of the temple—not of the walls. The Samaritans (ch. 4. 20-22) had succeeded In alarming the Persian court by their representations of the danger to the empire of fortifying a city notorious for the turbulent character of its Inhabltjints and the prowess of Its kings.
the passover. 23. kept tlie feast . . . tvitli joy : for the Lord . , , turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them i. e., king of the Persian empire, which now inolnded the possessions, and had surpassed the glory, of Assyria. The favoni-able disposition which Darius had evinced towards the Jews secured them peace and prosperity, and tlie privileges of their own religion during the rest of his reign. The religious joy that so remarkably characterized the celebration of this feast, was testi-
fied by expressions of lively gratitude to God, whose overruling power and converting grace had produced so marvellous a change on the hearts of the mighty potentates, and disposed them, heathens though they were, to aid the cause and provide for the worship of the true God.
Ver. 1-10. Ezra Goes ttp to Jerusalem. 1. in the reign of Artaxerxes—the Ahasuerus of Esther. Ezra the son of Seralah i. e., grandson or great-grandson. .Seraiah was the high priest put to death by Nebuchadnezzar at Riblah (2 Kings 25. 18). A period of 130 years had elapsed between that catastrophe and the journey of Ezra to Jerusalem, and as a grandson of Seraiah, viz., Jeshua, who held the office of high priest, had accompanied Zerubbabelin the first caravan of returning exiles, Ezra must have been in all probability a grandson, descended, too, from a younger son, the elder branch being in possession of the pontificate. 6. This Kzra . . . was a ready scribe in the law of Moses—The term "scribe" does not mean a penman, nor even an attorney well versant in forms of law, and skilled in the method of preparing public or private deeds. He was a rabbi, or doctor, learned in the Mosaic law, and in all that related to the civil and ecclesiastical polity and customs of the Hebrew people. .Scribes of this description possessed great authority and influence
(cf. Matthew 23.2.5; Mark 12.28). the king granted lilin all his request^He left Babylon entrusted with an important commission to be executed in Jerusalem. The nianner in which he obtained this oflice is minutely related in a subsequent passage. Here it is noticed, but with a pious acknowledgment of the Divine grace and goodness which disposed the royal mind in favour of Ezra's patriotic objects. The Levites, &c., did not go at that time, and are mentioned here by anticipation. 8. he came to Jerusalem in tl»e flfth month— i. e., corresponding to the end of our July or beglnningof our August. As he left Babylon on New Year's Day (v. 9), the journey must have occupied not less than four months—a long periodbut it was necessary to move at a slow pace, and by short, easy stages, as he had to conduct a large caravan of poor people, including women, children, and all their household gear (see on ch. 8). 10. Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the I>ord, Ac—His reigning desire had been to study the Divine law—its principles, institutions, privileges, and requirements; and now from love and zeal, ho devoted himself, as the business of his
27, 28. Ezra Blesses God for this Favour. 37. Blessed be the Lonl God of our fathers—This devout thanksgiving is in unison with the whole character of Ezra, who discerns the hand of God In every event, and
is always ready to express a pious acknowledgment for the Divine goodness.
life, to the work of instructing, reforming, and edifying others.
Ver. 1-14. Ezra's Companions from Babylon. 1. thU
Is the genealogy of tltem that went up wltli me ft-om Babylon—The number given hero amounts to 1751. But this is the register of adult males only, and as there were women and children also (v. 21) the whole caravan may be considered as comprising between 6000 and 7000.
11-26. Gracious Commission OF Artaxerxes. 11. this Is the copy of the letter that the King Artaxrrxes gave—The measure which this document authorized, and the remarkable Interest in the .Tews displayed In it, were most probably owing to the influence of Esther, wlio Is thought to have been raised to the high position of queen a few months previous to the departure of Ezi a. (Halks.] According to others, who adopt a different chronology, it was more proljably pressed upon the attention of tlie Persian court by Ezra, who, like Daniel, showed tlie prophecies to the king; or by some leading Jews on his accession, wlio, seeing the unsettled and disordered state of the colony after the death of Zerubbabcsl, Jeshua, Haggal, and Zecliariali, recommended the appointment of ac'ominlssion to reform abuses, suppress disorder, and enf<)rco the observance of the law. Iti. Arlaxerxes, king of kings-That title might have been assumed as, with literal truth, applicable to him, Kinco many of the tributary princes of his empire still retained the name and au-
15-20. He Sends to Iddo for Ministers for the Temple Service, in. I gatheml them together to the river that runneth to Ahava—This river has not been ascertained. The probability Is, that the Ahava was one of the streams or numerous canals of Mesopotnmia communicating with the Euphrates. [Cyclopaedia of Biblical IjIterature.) But It was certainly In Babylonia on the banks of that stream; and perhaps In the nelghbovirhood of a town of the same name was the place appointed for general rendezvous. The emigrants encamped there for three days, according to Oriental custom, while the preparations for the departure were being completed, and Ezra was arranging the order of the caravan. I . . . found there none of the on* of Lievl—i. e., the ordinary Le-
THE RIVEU THAT liUNNETlI TO AHAVA.
OPI N SEPULCII::E3.—JEHtMIAH V. 16.
A Fast Proclaimed. EZRA IX. Ezra's Player and Confession,
vites. Notwithstanding the privilege of exemption from
all taxes granted to persons engaged In the temple ser-
vice, none of the Levltical tribes were induced to join the settlement in Jerusalem; and it was even not witliout
Ver. 1-4. Ezra Mourns for the Affinity of the People with Strangers. 1. Now wlien these tilings were done—The first days after Ezra's arrival in Jerusalem were occupied in executing the different trusts committed to him. The nature and design of tlie office with which the royal authority had invested him was publicly made known to his own people by the formal delivery of the contribution and the sacred vessels brought from Babylon to the priests to be deposited in the temple. Then his credentials were privately presented to the provincial governors; and by this prudent, orderly proceeding he put himself in the best position to avail himself of all the advantages guaranteed him by the king. On a superficial view everything contributed to gratify his patriotic feelings in the apparently flourishing state of the church and country. But a further acquaintance discovered the existence of great corruptions, which demanded immediate correction; and one was particularly brouglit under his notice as being the source and origin of all othei's, viz., a serious abuse that was practised respecting the law of marriage, tlie princes came to me, saying—The information they lodged with him was to the eflect tliat numbers of the people, in violation of the Divine law (Deuteronomy 7.2, 3), had contracted marriages with Gentile women, and that the guilt of tlie disorderly practice, far from being confined to the lower classes, was shared in by several of the priests and Levites, as well as of tlie leading men in the country. This great irregularity would inevitalily bring many evils in its train; it would encourage and increase idolatry, as well as break down the barriers of distinction which, for important purposes, God had raised between the Israel-
difficulty Ezra persuaded some of the priestly families to accompany hini. 16, 17. then sent I for Ellezer . . . with commandment unto Iddo the chief— Ezra sent this deputation, either by virtue of authority which by his
priestly character he had over the Levites, or of the royal commission with which he was invested. The deputation were despatched to Iddo, who was a prince or chief of tlie Nethlnims—for the Persian government allowed the Hebrews during their exile to retain their ecclesiastical government by their own chiefs, as well as to enjoy the priv-
ilege of free worship. Iddo's influence procured and brought to the camp at Ahava thirty-eight Levites, and
220 Nethinims, the descendants of tlie Gibeouites, who performed the servile duties of the temple.
21-30. A Fast Proclaimed. 21. Then I proclaimed a fast there—The dangers to travelling caravans from tlie Bedouin Arabs that prowl through the desert were in ancient times as great as they still are; and it seems that travellers usually sought the protection of a military es-
cort. But Ezra had spoken so much to the king of the sufficiency of the Divine care of his people that lie would have blushed to apply for a guard of soldiers; and there-
fore he resolved that his followers should, by a solemn act of fasting and prayer, commit themselves to the Keeper of Israel. Their faitli, considering the many and constant perils of a journey across the Bedouin regions, must have been great, and it was rewarded by the enjoyment of per-
fect safety during the whole way. 24-33. Then I sei>arated twelve ofthe chief of the priests . . . and weiglied unto them the silver, &c.—The custody of the contributions and of the sacred vessels was, during the journey, committed to twelve of the chief priests, who, with the assistance of ten of their brethren, were to watch closely over them by the way, and deliver them into the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. The treasures in silver and gold,
ites and all other people. Ezra foresaw these dangerous consequences, but was overwiielraed witli a sense of the difficulty of correcting the evil, when matrimonial alliances had been formed, families liad been reared, affections engaged, and important interests estaljlislied. 3. wlicn I lieard tliis ... I rent my garment and my mantle, &c.—the outer and inner garment, which was a token not only of great grief, but of dread at tiie same time of the Divine wrath; "plucked off the hair of my head and my beard," which was a still more significant sign of overpowering grief. 4. Then were assembled nnto me every one that trembled at the words of . . . God, &c.—All the pious people who reverenced God's word and dreaded its threatenings and judgments joined with Ezra in bewailing the public sin, and devising tlie means of redressing it. I sat astonied until the evening sacrifice—The intelligence of so gross a violation of God's law by those who had been carried into captivity on account of their sins, and who, though restored, were yet unreformed, produced such a stunning effect on the mind of Ezra that he remained for awhile incapable
a( cording to the value of the Babylonian talent, amounted
to about £515,000 sterling. 37. two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold — Almost all commentators agree in maintaining that the vessels referred to were not made of copper, but of an alloy capable of taking on a bright polish, which we think highly probable, as copper was then in common use amongst the Babylonians, and would not be as precious as gold. This alloy, much esteemed amongst the Jews, was composed of gold and other metals, which took on a high polish and was not subject to tarDish. [No YES.] 31. we departed from the river of Aliava on the twelfth day of the flrst montli—Computing from the time of their setting out to the period of their arrival, they occupied about four months on the way. Their health and security were marvellous during so long a
journey. The pilgrim-cai'avans of the present day perform long journeys through the wildest deserts of tlie East under, the protection of a firman from the Porte, and an escort of soldiers. But for a large body, composed as tliat of Ezra— of some thousands of men, women, and children, unaccustomed to travel, undisciplined to order, and without military strength, and with so large an amount of treasure tempting the cupidity of the marauding, plundering tribes of the desert— to accomplish a journey so long and so arduous in perfect safety, is one of tlie most astonishing events recorded in liistory. Notliing but the vigilant care of a superintending Providence could have brought tliem securely to tlieir destination. 33. Now, on the fourth day was the silver . . . weighed in the Ikouse of our God—Devoted the flrst three days after their arrival in Jerusalem to repose; on the next, the treasures were weighed and handed over to the custody of the officiating priests of the temple. The returned exiles offered l)urnt ofTerings, and Ezra delivered the royal commission to the satraps and inferior magistrates; while the Levit-
eitlier of speecli or of action. The hour of the evening sacrifice was tlie usual time of the people assembling, and at that season, having again rent his hair and garments, he made public prayer and confession of sin.
5-15. Prays to God. 5. I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God — Tlie burden of his prayer, which was dictated by a deep sense of the emergency, was tiiat lie was overwhelmed at the flagrant enormity of this sin, and the bold impiety of continuing in it after having, as a people, so recently experienced the heavy marks of the Divine displeasure. God had begun to show returning favour to Israel by tlie restoration of some. But this only aggravated tlit-ir sin,
that, so soon after their re-establishment in their native land, they openly violated the express and repeated precepts which commanded tliem to extirpate the Canaan-
ites. Such conduct, he exclaimed, could issue only in drawing down some great punishment from oft'ended Heaven and ensuring the destruction of tlie small remnant of us that is left, unless, by the help of Divine grace, we repent and bring (ortii the fruits of repentance in »u immediate and thorough reformation.
ical portion of them lent all the assistance they could in performing the additional work which the arrival of so many new worshippers occasioned.
Nchonlali Mourns, Faxts u,ul Prays. NEHEJIIAH I, II. His Commission from Ai-laxerxes.
resolvtd to enter into a general covenant to put away their foreign wives and children; that a proclamation should be made for all who had returned from Babylon to repair within three days to Jerusalem, under pain of excommunication and confiscation of their property. 0-11. Tlien all the men of Judah and Benjamin—The returned captives belonged chiefly to these tribes; but other Israelites are also included under these names, as they all were then occupying the territor,v ftn-nicrly assigned to those two tribes. It was the ninth month—
CHArXER X.
Ver. 1-17. Ezra Kkfokms thk .Strange Marki.IlGes.
1. Now vvlifii Ezra liaci prayed—As this prayer \va.s uttered in public, while tliere was a ji:eiieral concourse of the people at tlie time of tlie evenins; sacrifice, and as it was accompanied witli all the demonstrations of poignant sorrow and an<;uisli, it is not surprising that tlie spectacle of a man so respected, a priest so hol.v, a governor so dig-
nified as Ezra, appearing distressed and tille<l with fear
i.e., between the end of December and the beginning of .January, whicii is the coldest and most rainy season of theyeai'in Palestine, all the people sat in the street
at the sad state of things, should produce a i\e(-p sensa-
tion ; and tlie report of his passionate grief and expressions in the court of the temple having rapiiUy spread
/. c, the court. 10. Ezi-a t!»e priest stood up, and s.Tid Having fuU.v represented the enortiiity of their sin, and urge<l them to dissolve their unlawful connections, he was gratified by receiving a prompt acknowledgment of the justice of his reproof and a promise of compliance with his recommendation. But as the weather was ungenial, and the defaulters were too numerous to be passed in review at one time, it was re.solved that a commission should be appointed to examine into the whole matter. These commissioners, assisted hy the judges and ciders of the respective cities, made a minute investigatioti into every case, and after three months' labour completely removed all traces of the abuse. Doubtless, an adequate provision was made for the repudiated wives and children, according to the means and circumstances of the husbands.
tliii)UL:li the city, a great multitude flocked in the spot, a—4. SliecJianiali . . . answered and said unto Ezra, \Ve liave trespassed—Th is was one of the leading men, who was not himself a delinquent in the matter, for his name does not occur in the following list. He spoke in
tlie general name of the people, and his conduct evinced a tender conscience, as well as no small fortitude in making such a proposal; for as his father and five paternal uncles (r. 26) were involved in the guilt of unlawful juarriages, he showed, by the mi>asure he recommended, that he deemed it better to obey God than to please his nearest relatives, yet now there Is Iiope in Israel concerning this thing—This hope, however, depended on timely measures of reformation, and therefore, instead of surrendering them.selves to despair or despondency, he counselled them to amend their error without delay, relying on God's mercy for the past. Though the proposal may seem harsh and cruel, yet in the peculiar circumstances of the Jews it was just as well as necessary; and he urged the duty of seeing it executed on Ezra, as the only person competent to carry it into effect, being possessed of skill and address for so delicate and difficult a work, and invested by God, and under liim by the Persian king (eh. 7. 2.V2S), with the requisite authority to enforce it. 5-8. Then Ezra . . . went into the chamber of Jolianan—At a private council of the princes and elders held there, under the presidency of Ezra, it was
IS-ii. Those THAT HAD TAKKN StKANGE WiVKS. 18. among the sons of tlie priests—from the names of so many men of rank appearing in the following list, some idea may be formed of the great and complicated difliculties attending the reformatory work, they gave their hands i.e., came under a solemn engagement, which was usually ratified by pledging the right hand (Proverbs G.l; Ezekiel 17.18). The delinquents of the priestly order bound themselves to do like the common Israelites
(!.'. 25), and sought to expiate their sin by sacrificing a ram as a trespass oft'ering.
THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH.
of Jerusalem, as well as the defenceless state of the returned exiles. The commissions previously given to Zeruhbabel and Ezra extending only to the repair of the temple and private dwellings, the walls and gates of the city had been allowed to remain ii m.iss of shattered ruins, as they had been laid by the Chaldean siege.
Ver. 1-3. NeHEMIAII, tlNDEUSTANDING BY HANANI TiiK Affi^icted State of Jf.iut.salem, MourtNS, Easts A.ND Prays. 1. Nelieminli tile son of Hachaliah—This eminently pious and patriotic .lew is to be (•arefully distinguished from two other persons of the same name one of whom is mentioned as helping to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem (ch. 3. lf>), and the other is noticed in the list of those who accompanied Zerul)babel in the first detachment of returning exiles (Ezra 2. 2; ch.7. 7). Though
4-11. His Piiaykj{. 4. when I heaiil tlieae words . . . I sat down , , . and moitriied, . . . and fasted and prayed—The recital deeply a ll'ected the patriotic leelings of this good man, and no comfort could ho find but in earnest and )>r<)tracte<l jn-ayer, that God would fa votir the liurpose, which he seems to have secretly formed, of asking the royal permission to go to .Jerusalem. II. I was the king's cup-bearer—This olllccr, in the ancient Oriental courts, was always a person of rank and Imporl.iiice; and, from the confld(>ntial nature of his duties and his frequent access to the royal presence, possessed of great Influence.
1 i 1 1 le is known of his genealogy, it is highly ])robable that he was a descendant of the tribe of Judah and tlu! royal tamily of David. In the month ChLslen—answering to the close of November and the larger jiart of December. SUiisliaii the palace—The capital of ancient Kusiana, east of I he Tigris, a provin<'eof Persia. From the time of Cyrus
It was the I'avourite winter residence of the Persian kings.
'2. Ilaiiani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain
men of .ludah— IIa,nani is called (ch. 7. 2) his brother. But as that term was used loosely by Jews as well as oi her Orientals, it is probable that no more is meant than
Ver. 1-20. Artaxekxes, iiNDiCKSTANnixo the CAI'SK OF Nehkmiah's Sadness, senps him with IjErrEKS and A Commission to Bt'ii.n again tiik Wat.i.s of JekhSAI.EM. 1. it came to pass In the month IVIsan—This
tliat he was of the sanu; family. According toJoscphus, Nehemiah, while walking around the pahuuwalls, ovi'rheard some jwrsons conversing In the Hebrew language, and having ascertained 'hat the.v had lately returin>d from Judea, was Inlormed by mem. In answer to his eager Inquiries, of the unfinished and desolate condition
wa.-i nearly four months aft(-r he had learned the di-solate and ruinous state of Jerusalem (ch. I. 1). The reasons of so long a delay cannot be ascertained. I took np the wine, and gave it unto the king—Xenophou has |»ttr-
29^
HUINS ()!' I'UKSKI'OMS.
Nehemiah'g Commission from Arlaxerxes. NEHEMIAH III. XavicH and Order of Ihe Biiddari,
ticularly remarkPd the ptilislied and graceful manner in wUieli the cup-hearcr.s ol Mie Mediuii. antl eoiisequently
from which turning round the fount of Ophel. lo the king's imol ; but there wa.s uo place for the bciist that was under me to pass— /. c, by the sides of tliis jiool— Solomon's—there being water in the pool, and too much
tlie Pei-sian, iiiouarcli.s jierlbniied liu ir duty ol presenting
tlie wine to llieir royjl nia-sler. Uaving waslied tliecup
rubbisli about it to permit the passage of tlie beast. 15. Then 1 went up . . . by the brook— /. e., Kedmn. and entered by the ga^e <>it «hc valley, and so i cluiited The gate leading to the valley of Jehoshaijlial, east ol the
In the kind's presence, and poured into tlieir h it liand a
little of tlie wine, wliieli tliey drank oil' in liis presi iice, tUey then lianded tlie eiip ti> him, not grasped, but lightly
held with the tips of tlieir tliumb and lingers. Tliis
city. lie went out by this gate, and liaving made the circuit of the city, went in by it again. [Bakclav's City OF TMK Okicat King.] 10-18. the rulers knew not—The following day, having assembled the eiders, Nehemiah produced his commission and exhorted them to assist in the work. The sight of his credentials, ami the animating strain of his address and example, so revived their drooping spirits, that they resolved immediately to commence the building, which they did, despite of tlie bitter taunts and scolling ridicule of some influential men.
description has received some tairious illusiraiions Iroin the nionuinentsi of Assyria and I'ersia, on wiiich tlie (Uipbearers are fre<iuontly ivpn'sented in ilie act of liandiug wine to the king. 'i. the kin^ saiil iiulo me. Why is
tliy countenance sad 1— It was deemed liigljly unhicomIng to appear in the royal presence Willi any weeds or signs of sorrow (Esther 4. 2)\ and lience it was no wonder that the king was struc-k with tiie dejected air of his cupbearer, while that att<jndant, on his part, felt his agitation Increased by his deep an.Yiely aboul the issue ol tiie conversation so abruptly begun. Hut the piet.v and intense earnestness of the man immediately restored him to calm self-possession, and enabled him to communicate, first, the cause of his sadness, anil next, the patriotic wish of his heart to be the honoured instruineiil of reviving the ancient glory of the ciiy of his fathers. G-9. tiie jjinecn also sitUug l>y Itiiu—-Vs the Persian nionarehs did not admit their wives to be present at their state festivals,
Ver. 1-.S2. The Names and Oudp:r of them that UtULDED THE W A.IA, OF Jekusale.M. 1. Then £linshib the high priest—The grandson of Jeshua, and the first high priest after tlie return from Babylon, rose up, with his brethren the priests i. e., set an exaiajjle by commencing the work—their labors l)eing confined to the sacred localities, they buildcd the sheep-gale—close lo the temple. Its name arose eilher from the sheep-market, or from the pool of liethesda, where the sheep were washed, whicli Wiis there (John .5. 2), and thence they were taken to the temple for sacrifice, they sauctiAed it, and set up
this must have been a private occasion. Tlic qneeii referred to was probably Esther, whose presence would tend greatly to emijoiden Nehemiah in stating his request; and through lier influence, powerlnlly e.xeried it
ni.ty be supposed, also by her sympathy with the patriotic design, his petition was gi'anttfd, to go as deputy-governor of Judea, accompanied by a military guard, and invested with full powers to ol)taiii nmterials lor the building in Jerusalem, as well as to get all requisite aid in promoting his enterprise. 6. I set Hilin a time—Considering the great despatch made in raising tlie walls, it iij probable that this leave of absence was limited at liist to a year or Bix months, after which he returned to his duties in Bhushan. The circumstance of fixing a set time for his return, as well as entrusting so important a work as the
tlie doors—Being the common entrance into the temple, and the first part of the building repaired, it is probable that some religious ceremonies were observed in gratitude for its completion. " It was the first-fruits, and therefore, in the sanctification of it,.the whole lump and building was sanctified." [Poole.] the tower of Meah — This word is improperly considered, in our version, as the name of a tower ; it is tlie Hebrew word for " a hundred," so that the meaning is, they not only rebuilt the sheepgate, but also a hundred cubits of the wall, which extended as far as the tower of Hananeel. 2. next unto liim builded the men of Jericho, &c.—The wall was divided into portions, one of which was assigned respectively to each of the great families which had returned from the captivity, and this distribution, by which the building was carried on in all parts simultaneously with great energy, was eminently favourable to despatch. "The villages where the restorers resided being mostly mentioned, it will be seen that this circumstance affords a general indication of the part of the wall upon which they laboured, such places being on that side of the city nearest their placeof abode; the onlj' apparent exception being, perhaps, where they repaired more than their piece. Having completed their first undertaking (if they worked any more), there being no more work to be done on the side next their residence, or having arrived after the repairs on that part of the city nearest them under operation were completed, they would go wherever their services would be required." [Barclay's City of the Great King.] 8. they fortlflcd Jerusalem unto tlie broad wall—or double wall, extending from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate, 400 cubits in length, formerly broken down by Joash, king of Israel, but afterwards rebuilt by Uzziah, who made it so strong that the Chaldeans, finding it difficult to demolisli it, had left it standing. 12. Shallum . . . he and his daughters—who were either heiresses or rich widows, who undertook to defray the expenses of a part of the wall next them. 13. the inhabitants of Zanoah—There were two towns so called in the territory of Judah (Joshua 15. 3t, 56). 14. Beth-haccereni —a city of Judah, supposed to be now occupied by Bethulia, ona hill of the same name, which is sometimes called also the mountain of the Franks, between Jerusalem and Tekoa. 16, the sepiilchres of David, and to the pool that was i^ade, and unto the house-of the mighty
refortilication of Jerusalem to his care, proves the high favour and confidence Nehemiah enjoyed at the Persian court, and the great estimation in which his services were held. At a later period he received a new commission for the better settlement of the afTairs of ,Iudea, and remained governor of that province for twelve years (ch. 5.1 1). 7. letters l>e gi^ cn me to the governors beyond the river—The Persian empire at this time was of vast extent, reaching from the Indus to the Mediterranean, and the Euphr.ates was considered as naturally dividing it Into two parts, eastern and western (see Ezrao. 8, 4). 8. according to the good ii.ind of my God upon me—The piety of Nehemiah api)ears in every circumstance. The conception of his-patriotic design—the favourable disposition of the king, and the success of tlie undertaking are
all ascril)ed to God. 9, 10. Sanballat the Horunite Horonaim being a town in Moab, tliis person, it is proba-
ble, was a Moabite. Tobiahthc servant, the .1.minonite —The term used indicates him to have been a freed slave, elevated to some official dignity. These were district magistrates under the government of the satrap of Syria
and they seem to have been leaders of the Samaritan faction. 11, lii< So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days—Deeply affected with the desolations of Jerusalem, and uncertain what course to follow, he remained three days before informing any one of the object of his mission, and at tlie end of the third day, accompanied with a few attendants, he made, under covert of night, a secret survey of the walls and gates. 13-15. I went out by night by the gate of the valley i. c, the Jaffa gate, near the tower of Hippicus. evei» before the dragon well i. c, fountain on the opposite side of the valley, and to the duitg-i>ort—The gate on the east of the city, through which there ran a common sewer to the brook Kedron and the valley of Hinnom. 14. Then
i. «., after having passed through the gate of the Essenes. I went on to the gate of the fountain— i. e,, SUoaii,
i, e., along ttie precipitous clilTs of Ziou. [Barcl.\y.] 19. 295
Tite Enemies are Wroth, and Scoff. NEHEMIAH IV, V. The Usurers Rebuked.
he has important public work to do, never tails to ra^se up instruments for accomplishing it, and in the person of Neheraiali, who, to great naiuial acuteness and energy added fervent piety and heroic devotion. He provided a leader, whose liigli qualities fitted him for llie demands of the crisis. Nelieiniah's vigilance anticipated every difficulty, his prudent measures defeated every obstruction, and with astonishing rapidity this Jerusalem was made again " a city fortified.
at tlie turning of the wall—i. e., the wall across the Ty-
ropojon, being a continuation of the first wall, connecting Mount Zion witli the temple wall. [Barclay.] 25. the tower which lietU out from the king's liigli house
i. e., watch-tower by the royal palace. [Barclay.] 26. tlie IVetliinims—Not only the priests and the Levites.bat the meanest persons tliat belonged to the house of God, contributed to the work. The names of those who repaired the walls of Jerusalem are commemorated, because it was a work of piety and patriotism to repair the holy city. It was an instance of religion and courage to defend tlie true worshippers of God, that they might serve Him in quietness and safety, and, in the midst of so many enemies, go on with tills work, piously confiding in the power of God to support them. [Bishop Patrick.]
Ver. 1-5. ThePeople Complain of their Debt, Mortgage, AND Bondage. 1. there was a great crj' of tlie people . . . against their brethren—Such a crisis in tlie condition of tlie Jews in Jerusalem—fatigued with hard labour, and harassed by the machinations of restless enemies, the majority of them poor, and the bright visions which hopeh.ad painted of pure happiness on their return to the land of their fatliers being unrealized—must have been very trying to their faith and patience. But, in addition to these vexatious oppressions, many began to sink under a new and more grievous evil. The poor made loud complaints against the rich for taking advantage of their necessities, and grinding tbem by usurious exactions. Numbers of them had, in consequence of these oppressions, been driven to such extremities, that they had to mortgage their lands and houses, to enable them to pay the taxes to the Persi.an'goveriiment, and ultimately even sell their children for sla ves to procure the means of subsistence. The condition of the poorer inhabitants was indeed deplorable; for, liesides the deficient liar\-ests caused by the great rains (Ezra 10. 9; also Haggai 1. 6-11). a dearth was now threatened by the enemy keeping such a multitude pent up in the city, and preventing the country people bringing in provisions.