chapter that Ezra did not go thither until the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, (a distance of sixty years,) some persons have ascribed the first six chapters to a more antient author. This, however, does not necessarily follow: and we apprehend it will appear that these chapters were written by Ezra as well as the four last.

In the first place, from the intimate connection of the sixth chapter with the seventh for the diversity of speech and narration observable in them may readily be accounted for by the circumstance of Ezra's having copied, or extracted from, the authentic memoirs, which he found on his arrival at Jerusalem, of the transactions that had happened since the return of the Jews from the Babylonish captivity.

Secondly, the same method of narration prevails in both parts: for, as in the second part (ch. vii. 12-26.) the royal decree is inserted, entire, in the Chaldee dialect; so, in the first part, the edict of Cyrus, the epistle of the Samaritans to the Pseudo-Smerdis, and his reply to them, together with part of the fourth chapter, are also given in Chaldee.

And lastly, in the third place, it is not likely that a short historical compendium, like the book of Ezra, should be the work of more than one author: nor ought we to assign it to several authors, unless we had either express declarations or internal evidence that they were concerned in it; all these evidences are wanting in the book of Ezra. This book is written in Chaldee from chapter iv. 8. to chapter vii. 27. As this portion of Ezra chiefly consists of letters, conversations, and decrees, expressed in that language, the fidelity of the historian probably induced him to take down the very words which were used. The people too, having been accustomed to the Chaldee during the captivity, were in all probability better acquainted with it than with the Hebrew; for it appears from Nehemiah's account that they did not all understand the law of Moses as it had been delivered in the original Hebrew tongue.

II. The book of Ezra harmonises most strictly with the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah, which it materially elucidates. (Compare Ezra v. with Hagg. i. 12. and Zech. iii. iv.) It evinces the paternal care of Jehovah over his chosen people, whose history it relates from the time of the edict issued by Cyrus, to the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus,-a period of about seventy-nine, or, according to some chronologers, of one hundred years. This book consists of two principal divisions: the first contains a narrative of the return of the Jews from Babylon under the conduct of Zerubbabel; and the second gives an account of the reformation of religion under Ezra. PART I. From the return of the Jews under Zerubbabel to the re building of the temple. (ch. i.—vi.)

SECT. 1. The edict of Cyrus, permitting the Jews to return into Judæa and rebuild the temple; account of the people who first returned under the conduct of Zerubbabel, and of their offerings towards rebuilding the temple, (i. ii.) On this joyous occasion it is probable that the hundred and twenty-sixth psalm was composed.

VOL. IV.

SECT. 2. The building of the temple commenced, but hindered by the Samaritans. (iii. iv.)

SECT. 3. The temple finished in the sixth year of Darius Hystaspes, by the encouragement of the decree issued in the second year of his reign. (v. vi.)

PART II. The arrival of Ezra at Jerusalem, and the reformation made there by him. (vii.-x.)

SECT. 1. The departure of Ezra from Babylon with a commission from Artaxerxes Longimanus. (vii.)

SECT. 2. Account of his retinue and arrival at Jerusalem. (viii) SECT. 3. Narrative of the reformation effected by him. (ix. x.)

The zeal and piety of Ezra appear, in this book, in a most conspicuous point of view: his memory has always been held in the highest reverence by the Jews, who consider him as a second Moses though not expressly styled a prophet, he wrote under the influence of the Divine Spirit, and the canonical authority of his books has never been disputed. He is said to have died in the hundred and twentieth year of his age, and to have been buried at Jerusalem.

III. In Justin the Martyr's conference with Trypho the Jew, there is a very extraordinary passage respecting the typical import of the passover, cited by that father: in which Ezra, in a speech made before the celebration of the passover, expounds the mystery of it as clearly relating to Christ; and which, Justin concludes, was at a very early day expunged from the Hebrew copies by the Jews, as too manifestly favouring the cause of Christianity. The passage may be thus translated: And Ezra said unto the people, THIS PASSOVER is our SAVIOUR and our REFUGE; and if ye shall understand and ponder it in your heart, that we are about to humble HIM in this sign, and afterwards shall believe on HIM, then this place shall not be made desolate for ever, saith the Lord of hosts. But if ye will not believe on HIM, nor hear HIS preaching, ye shall be a laughing stock to the Gentiles." As this passage never existed in the Hebrew copies, and is not now to be found either in them or in any copies of the Septuagint version, it is the opinion of most critics that it originally crept into the Greek Bibles from a marginal addition by some early Christian, rather than that it was expunged from the later copies by the Jews.

SECTION IX.

ON THE BOOK OF NEHEMIAH.

I. Title and author. II. Argument and synopsis of its contents. I. THE book of Nehemiah, we have already observed, is in some versions termed the second book of Ezra or Esdras, from an opinion

1 Justin Martyr, Dial. cum Tryphone, pp. 292, 293. edit. by Thirlby, or vol. ii. p. 196. ed. Oberthur. Mr. Whitaker (Origin of Arianism, p. 305.) advocates its genuineness; and concludes that the passage in question originally stood in Ezra

which antiently obtained, and was adopted by Athanasius, Epiphanius, Chrysostom, and other eminent fathers of the church, that Ezra was the author of this book. In the modern Hebrew Bibles it has the name of Nehemiah prefixed to it, which is also retained in our English Bibles. The author of this book was not the Nehemiah who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon with Zerubbabel.

That Nehemiah, whose name this book bears, and who was cupbearer to Artaxerxes Longimanus, was the author of it, there cannot be any reasonable doubt: the whole of it being written in his name, and, what is very unusual when compared with the preceding sacred historians, being written in the first person. The insertion of the greater part of the register in chap. xii. 1–26. (which is supposed to militate against this generally received opinion,) may be accounted for by supposing it either to have been added by some subsequent author, or perhaps by the authority of the great synagogue: for it seems to be unconnected with the narrative of Nehemiah, and if genuine, must ascribe to him a degree of longevity which appears scarcely credible.1

II. Nehemiah, according to some writers, was of the tribe of Levi, but, in the opinion of others, of the royal house of Judah as the office he held in the Persian court (that of cup-bearer) was a post of great honour and influence, it is certain that he was a man of illustrious family; and of his integrity, prudence, and piety, the whole of this book presents abundant evidence. He arrived at Jerusalem thirteen years after Ezra, with the rank of governor of the province, and vested with full power and authority to encourage the rebuilding of the walls of that city, and to promote the welfare of his countrymen in every possible way.

Having governed Judæa for twelve years (Neh. xiii. 6.), Nehemiah returned to his royal patron (ii. 6.), and after a short time he obtained permission to return to his country, where he is supposed to have spent the remainder of his life. His book may be conveniently divided into four parts, viz.

PART I. The departure of Nehemiah from Shushan, with a royal commission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, and his first arrival there. (ch. i. ii. 1--11.)

PART II. Account of the building of the walls, notwithstanding the obstacles interposed by Sanballat. (ii. 12—20. iii.—vi. 4.) PART III. The first reformation accomplished by Nehemiah, contain

ing,

SECT. 1. A register of the persons who had first returned from Babylon, and an account of the oblations at the temple. (vii. 5. -72.)

SECT. 2. Account of the reading of the law, and the celebration of the feast of tabernacles. (viii.)

vi. 19-22., probably between the 20th and 21st verses. Dr. Grabe, Dr. Thirlby, and after them, Dr. Magee, (Disc. on Atonement, vol. i. p. 306., note) doubt its genuineness. Dr. A. Clarke is disposed to believe it authentic. (Disc. on Eucharist, p. 83.)

1 Prideaux, Connection, sub anno 458, vol. i. p. 296. et. seq. 8th edition.

SECT. 3. A solemn fast and humiliation kept; and the renewal of
the covenant of the Israelites with Jehovah. (ix. x.)
SECT. 4. Lists of those who dwelt at Jerusalem, and of other cities
occupied by the Jews that returned; register and succession of
the high priests, chief Levites, and principal singers (xi. xii. 1
-26.) The completion and dedication of the wall. (xii. 27—
47.)

PART IV. The second reformation accomplished by Nehemiah on his
second return to Jerusalem, and his correction of the abuses whick
had crept in during his absence. (xiii.)

The administration of this pious man and excellent governor lasted about thirty-six years, to the year of the world 3574 according to some chronologers, but Dr. Prideaux has with more probability fixed it to the year 3595. The Scripture history closes with the book of Nehemiah.

SECTION X.

ON THE BOOK OF ESTHER.

I. Title.-II. Author.-III. Argument. -IV. Synopsis of its

contents.

I. THIS book, which derives its name from the person whose history it chiefly relates, is by the Jews termed Megilloth Esther, or the volume of Esther. The history it contains comes in between the sixth and seventh chapters of Ezra: its authenticity was questioned by some of the fathers, in consequence of the name of God being omitted throughout, but it has always been received as canonical by the Jews, who hold this book in the highest estimation, placing it on the same level with the law of Moses. They believe that whatever destruction may attend the other sacred writings, the Pentateuch and the book of Esther will always be preserved by a special providence.

II. Concerning the author of this book, the opinions of biblical critics are so greatly divided, that it is difficult to determine by whom it was written. Some ascribe it to the joint labours of the great synagogue, who, from the time of Ezra to Simon the Just, superintended the edition and canon of Scripture. Philo the Jew assigns it to Joachin, the son of Joshua the high priest, who returned with Zerubbabel: others think it was composed by Mordecai; and others, again, attribute it to Esther and Mordecai jointly. The two latter conjectures are grounded on the following declaration in Esther ix. 20. 23.: And Mordecai wrote these things, and sent letters unto all the Jews that were in all the provinces of king Ahasuerus; and the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them. But the context of the passage clearly shows that these words do not relate to the book itself, but to the circular

letters which Mordecai sent to the Jews in all the provinces of the Persian empire, announcing the mighty deliverance from their enemies which had been vouchsafed to them, and instituting a perpetual anniversary in commemoration of such deliverance. The institution of this festival, and its continued observance to the present time, is at convincing evidence of the reality of the history of Esther, and of the genuineness of the book which bears her name: since it is impossible, and in fact inconceivable, that a nation should institute, and afterwards continue to celebrate, through a long succession of ages, this solemn annual festival, merely because a certain man among them had written an agreeable fable or romance. The transactions here recorded relate to the time of Artaxerxes Longimanus, the same who reigned during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah; whence Augustine is of opinion that this book was written by Ezra; which conjecture is perhaps more probable than any that have been offered respecting the author of Esther.

III. The history contained in this book commences about the year of the world 3544, and it continues through a period not exceeding eighteen or twenty years: it relates the elevation of a Jewish captive to the throne of Persia, and the providential deliverance of herself and people from the machinations of the cruel Haman and his confederates, whose designed mischief returned upon themselves: thus affording a practical comment on the declaration of the royal psalmist :-"Verily, there is a reward for the righteous: verily, he is a God that judgeth in the earth." (Psal. lviii. 11.)

IV. The book consists of two parts, detailing,

PART I. The promotion of Esther; and the essential service rendered to the king by Mordecai, in detecting a plot against his life. (ch. i. ii.)

PART II. The advancement of Haman; his designs against the Jews, and their frustration.

SECT. 1. The promotion of Haman, and the occasion of which he availed himself to obtain an edict for massacreing the Jews. (iii.)

For an account of this festival, called the feast of Purim, see Vol. III. Chap. IV. § X.

2 Chronologers are greatly divided in opinion who was the Ahasuerus of the sacred historian. Scaliger, who has been followed by Jahn, has advanced many ingenious arguments to show that it was Xerxes who was intended; Archbishop Usher supposes it to have been Darius the son of Hystaspes. The most probable opinion is that of Dr. Prideaux, (Connection, sub anno 458, vol. i. pp. 270. et seq.); who, after a very minute discussion, maintains that the Ahasuerus of Esther was Artaxerxes Longimanus, agreeably to the account of Josephus, (Antiq. Jud. lib. xi. 6.) of the Septuagint version, and of the apocryphal additions to the book of Esther. The opinion of Prideaux is adopted by Bishop Tomline, Dr. Gray, and the very accurate chronologer Dr. Hales. (See Gray's Key, p. 227. Bishop Tomline's Elements, vol. i. p. 93. Dr. Hales's Analysis, vol. ii. book i. pp. 524. et seq.) We may therefore conclude, that the permission given to Nehemiah to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem was owing to the influence of Esther and Mordecai, and that the emancipation of the Jews from the Persian yoke was gradually, though silently, effected by the same influence. It is not improbable that the pious reason, assigned by Artaxerxes (Ezra, vii. 23.) for the regulations given to Ezra, originated in the correct views of Jehovah which were communicated to him by his queen Esther.

3 De Civitate Dei, lib. xviii. c. 36.