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on a gallows made of the wood of his own house, and his habitation should be completely destroyed, and made only fit for a dunghill. Tatnai immediately obeyed the commands of the king. "And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai, the prophet, and Zechariah, the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it," that is. the temple-" according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and ac cording to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes, king of Persia." The writer of the history here mentions the different kings who favored the Jews after their captivity; respecting the last named there is, however, some difference of opinion; Darius had a son named Xerxes, who was his successor, but some think Artaxerxes Longimanus, his grandson, is here intended, for history states that he sent Ezra to Judæa with new privileges, and that he was kind to Nehemiah.

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children of the captivity," those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, " kept the dedication of this house of God with joy." And they offered "an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin-offering for all Israel, twelve he-goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel." And they arranged the order of the priests to do the work in the temple by turns. And at its proper time they kept the passover. They also kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy. And God turned the heart of the "king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel." Cyrus and his successors possessed all the rights of the kings of Assyria as well as of Persia, and therefore were called by both names.

We should have thought that, after such an instance of severe punishment in being carried into captivity, and after such a display of God's goodness in their restoration, the Jews would never again have offended so

grievously against God; but, when we come to the New Testament, we shall have occasion to speak of a second and more terrible captivity and dispersion, from which they have as yet never recovered.

Ezra's Embassy to Babylon, and Return to Jerusalem, favored by King Artaxerxes.

THIS

EZRA VII.

HIS chapter begins with an account of Ezra himself, tracing back his descent from Aaron the high priest. It appears that in the reign of Artaxerxes, or, as some suppose, the seventh year of the reign of Darius, whom they consider as the same king, Ezra went a second time from Babylon, having first gone there with Zerubbabel. He was a scribe, as we have before said. He was a well-instructed scribe, having carefully studied the law; and so he was well qualified to teach it to others. It is said that "the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him." What the request was is not stated, but without doubt, by his being again at Babylon, and making his applications there, he was employed as a sort of ambassador, to obtain royal assistance in carrying into complete effect all the decrees of Cyrus in favor of the Jews. God's favor was with him; and he prospered in his object. On his return, a great number of the children of Israel-perhaps some of the ten tribes which had been mingled with Judah and Benjamin—and also many of those who had to fill offices in the temple, finding it now finished, returned with him.

It is said that "Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord." He learned the holy truth of God that he might "teach in Israel statutes and judgments;" that is, "the laws moral, ceremonial, and civil." By moral laws are meant those which relate to our duty to God and our neighbor-not to swear, break the Sabbath, lie, steal, and do other wicked things, but to love God and to love our neighbors, and to try and do them good. By ceremonial laws are intended those which regulated all the customs of Jewish worship. And by civil laws are pointed out those which regulate our conduct in society towards each other, especially as citizens, watching over each other's interests as a body of people, and behaving orderly in our connection with mankind around us.

Such a man as Ezra, who learned, and did, and taught these laws, was

indeed a blessing to his nation. To show how God approved of him, he gave him the greatest success at the court of Babylon; for the king wrote a letter granting him a number of favors for his people, and giving him very great power. He wrote a letter which, you will observe, begins, "Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest." This title supremely, or above all, belongs to Jesus Christ, who is "King of kings, and Lord of lords." It was, however, neither a profane nor a false title, as used by Artaxerxes, for he was king over other kings, who having been conquered by his people, were tributary to him, and held their crowns at his pleasure. In this letter, the king granted permission to all the Jews which yet remained

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at Babylon to go to Jerusalem. He also authorized him to inquire into all the behavior of the Jews at Jerusalem, and to see if it was such as the law of his God required. He likewise, with his nobles, gave him rich presents, and he granted him leave to collect gifts of gold and silver, and to take them to Jerusalem in aid of the temple; particularly to buy beasts for the purpose of offering them up to God according to the law. The king also

ordered the ministers of the holy religion to be free from all taxes; and he authorized Ezra to appoint wise and just magistrates to govern the people, and to punish those that broke the laws.

When Ezra thought of this kindness of the king, he blessed God, and owned that it was he who put it into the king's heart. And Ezra gladly undertook to fulfil all his commission, and for this purpose went to Jerusalem, accompanied by many chief men of Israel, whom he now persuaded to accompany him.

IN

Ezra forwards the Work of God at Jerusalem.

EZRA VIII.

N this chapter we have an account of those Jews that accompanied Ezra from Babylon to Jerusalem; and how he gathered them together, procured ministers for the temple, proclaimed a fast to ask for God's protection, as he would not ask the king for soldiers, lest it should show a want of confidence in God, and so dishonor him before the heathen: and then how he divided amongst them the treasures he had procured for the temple services, the whole of which a learned writer reckons to have been worth six million ninety-three thousand dollars; and some reckon it at double that amount. Then they left the river Ahava, where they had assembled, went to Jerusalem, took a particular account of the treasure, and "offered burnt-offerings unto the God of Israel," and "they furthered the people and the house of God," adding to the comfort of the former and to the beauty of the latter.

Judah's Sinful Alliances, and general Reformation.

EZRA IX., X.

WE have more than once said that God had commanded the Israelites

not to marry the people of other lands, which were all heathen, and therefore served false gods. The reason of this we also think we have before mentioned to you-it was, lest they should be seduced by such marriages to forsake God, and to become the worshippers of idols.

When Ezra had settled all that we have seen about the temple, some of the pious princes went to him in great grief, and lamented that this people had acted in a very ungrateful manner towards God, and instead of serving

him more faithfully, united themselves with idolaters, "doing according to their abominations." Widowers had even married Canaanitish and other heathen wives, and sanctioned the same marriages among their sons; not only so, but some of the princes and rulers, who, from their higher rank, ought to have set a better example, had been guilty of the like offence against God's laws.

When Ezra heard these things, he rent his clothes, plucked off the hair of his head and beard, and sat down silent on the ground. These were all customs among the Jews

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expressive of the greatest grief. While Ezra thus grieved, a number of pious men gathered themselves around him; and at the time of the evening sacrifice, Ezra rose up, fell upon his knees, and lamented the sins of the people, and then left himself and them in the hands of God as a God of mercy.

Seeing his excessive grief, great numbers had now gathered around him,

and while he wept they

READING OF THE LAW UNDER EZRA.

also wept-men, women,

and children. At length, one whose name was Shecaniah acknowledged the guilt of the people, and expressed a hope that they would do the evil complained of no more. He, therefore, advised that all the strange wives, which had been taken against the command of God, should be put away; and the chief priests, Levites, and all Israel, swore it should be done as Shecaniah and Ezra had proposed.

Within three days after this, all Judah and Benjamin assembled, being called together, and Ezra told them how they had sinned against God, and entreated them to put away their heathen wives. And they all said they would do so.

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