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cation* of the temple with great joy, offering a hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and twelve goats, according to the number of the twelve tribes of Israel and having settled the priests and Levites in their order for the service of God, they kept the passover at the usual time, and the feast of unleavened bread seven days, for joy that the Lord had inclined the heart of the king to encourage and assist them in the re-building the house of the Lord God of Israel.

The temple being finished, Ezra,† a priest and scribe, learned in the law of God, who had hitherto continued at Babylon, with others of the captivity, who had not yet returned, having obtained leave of the king, prepared to go to Jerusalem. To this the king not only readily consented, but gave him an ample commission to take with him what he should think necessary both for his journey thither, and service there; furnishing him with money to buy cattle for sacrifice, provisions of corn, wine, oil and salt, and giving him credit to take of his treasures in those parts to the value of a hundred talents of silver: besides which, he gave to the priests, Levites, singers, porters, and Nethinims, or ministers of the house of God, an indemnity from all toll, tribute or custom; empowering Ezra at the same time to appoint

* Dedication. The feast of Dedication is termed in the new Testament Enkainia, a feast wherein something is renewed: because those things only are reputed consecrated, which are separated from their common, and dedicated to some new and holy use. We read of many things consecrated in the Old Testament; as the tabernacle, the temple, priests, altars, vessels, and garments: but there was no anniversary or yearly solemnity appointed to be observed in remembrance of their consecration.

+ Ezra. See his genealogy deduced from Aaron, ch. vii.

Commission. See Ezra vii. 12.

§ Hundred, &c. That is, thirty-seven thousand, five hundred pounds.

Nethinims. These were under-officers, for the more servile work of the tem

ple; such as the fraudulent Gibeonites were first appointed to.

magistrates and judges over the people, to do justice among them, and instruct those that knew not the law of God.

Ezta having returned thanks to the Lord, who had thus mercifully inclined the king's heart to beautify and adorn the temple, and given him favour in the eyes of the king and his princes, prepared to return to Jerusalem with those who were left at Babylon, being in number one thousand four hundred and ninety-six males. With these he took his way by the river that runneth to Ahava, where, encamping three days, he took an account of the people, and finding no Levites or Nethinims among them, he sent back Eliezer and some others to Iddo; who was chief of the Nethinims at Casiphia, requiring him to send with them some officers fit for the service of the Lord's house; upon which they brought several Levites, and two hundred and twenty Nethinims to the camp. And now Ezra, considering the great charge of money and plate they had with them, and to what dangers they might be exposed in their march, proclaimed a fast, to implore the divine protection over them and their substance. For though he might, for asking, have had a convoy from the king, yet remembering he had told the king, that the hand of their God would be upon them, he declined it. Therefore having fasted and prayed on this occasion, they proceeded; and Ezra having delivered by weight to twelve of the priests, the gold, silver, and vessels, which the king and his counsellors, and others, had given him as an offering to the house of the Lord, he enjoined them to keep this treasure safe, till they came to

* Hand. See Ezra vii. 28, and ibid.

+ Treasure. This treasure was of a considerable value: for there were six hundred and fifty talents of silver, which at three huudred seventy-five pounds to the talent, make two hundred forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds. The silver vessels weighed a hundred talents, which came to thirty-seven thousand and five hundred pounds. The gold in coin was an hundred talents, which, at four thousand five hundred pounds each talent, made four hundred and fifty thouVOL. II.

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Jerusalem, and there to deliver it by weight to the chief of the priests and Levites, as they had received it of him.

As Ezra had apprehended, they were in danger on their march, for they were way-laid ;* but God was with them, and preserved them; and after a journey of four months, they arrived safe at Jerusalem, where having refreshed themselves three days, they delivered the treasure, by weight, in the house of the Lord to those priests who were appointed to receive it, and an inventory of the number and weight was taken. Then they offered a burnt-offering of twelve bullocks for the twelve tribes, ninety-six rams, seventy lambs, and twelve he-goats. After which Ezra delivered the king's commission to the officers, who in obedience to it, furnished the people with all things necessary for the service of the temple.

Soon after this, some of the chief Israelites complained to Ezra, that the priests, Levites, and people, had not separated themselves from the abominations of the ancient natives; but had taken their daughters for wives to themselves, and sons. This threw Ezra into so violent a fit of grief, that he tore off the hair of his head and beard, and those who feared God among the people assembled together with him, and lamented deeply the transgression of those that had been captives, and were lately drawn into these wicked practices; and Ezra, having continued in a sorrowful posture till the time of evening sacrifice, then fell on his knees, and spreading out his hands to the Lord, made this humble confessiont and prayer.

sand pounds. Besides which, there were twenty basons of gold of a thousand drams, and two vessels of fine copper, as valuable as gold.

* Way-laid. See Ezra, viii. 31.

Natives. These were the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites; with whom the Israelites were expressly forbidden all manner of conversation, Deut. vii. 3, &c.

Corfession. See Ezra, ix. 6.

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"Our trespass is so great, that I am ashamed to look up to thee, O Lord, we have been sinners from the beginning; for which thou didst deliver our kings and. "priests into the hands of the heathen kings. But thou "hast shewed us favour in our captivity, and inclined "the hearts of the kings of Persia to be merciful to us, "and to restore us to Jerusalem. And now, what shall we say for our ungrateful disobedience in neglecting thy "commandments? Thou hast forbidden us to defile our"selves with the abominations of the people of the "land; to marry their daughters, or partake of their "wealth; and yet we have broken thy commandment,

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and made affinity with them. Thou mayest justly be "angry with us, till thou hast consumed us: but thou, "O Lord, art righteous, for we remain, as appears this "day. Behold, we are before thee in our sins, by reason "of which we cannot justify ourselves."

Ezra having ended this confession in a shower of tears, the Lord was pleased so to influence the minds of the people, that they likewise wept; which when Shecaniah, a man of condition in Israel, observed, he, in behalf of himself and the people, thus addressed himself to Ezra. "We have sinned in taking strangers to our wives: yet "considering the disposition of the people to repent, "there is hope in Israel, that God will be merciful. Let "us therefore make a covenant with our God, to put 66 away all the strange wives and their children, and do "thou see that it be done as the law obligeth."

Ezra accordingly caused proclamation to be made throughout all Judah and Jerusalem, that they should meet at Jerusalem within three days, upon penalty of confiscation* of all their substance, and excommunication. Upon the summons they all met at Jerusalem, and standing in the streets they trembled partly through guilt, and partly through cold, for it was a very wet season. Then Ezra, repeating the occasion of their assembling,

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they promised to do as he would have them; but desired him to consider the great number of those that had transgressed in this thing; the inconveniency of the wet season; and that it was not the work of a single day. Therefore they desired, that their rulers might answer for them; and that all they, who in the several cities had taken strange wives, should come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, to certify that these were all that were guilty in that place and so proceed till the Lord was appeased. This was approved; and certain chief men of Israel were deputed to inspect the matter till it was finished: after which they took a list of all that had taken strange wives, and obliged them to give their hands,* that they would put them away. Which being done, they offered a trespass-offering, as the law required, and so the matter was concluded.

Zerubabel the governor being now dead, and the administration of civil as well as ecclesiastical affairs passing through Ezra's hands, God was pleased to relieve him, by joining another in commission with him, which was Nehemiah,† a captive Jew, and a favourite of the king of Persia. It happened one day, that Nehemiah saw some men of Judah, who had been at Jerusalem, and were come back again to Chaldea. He asked them of the welfare of their brethren that were in Jerusalem; who told him, that they were in great affliction, and under great reproach from their enemies, to whose insults they

Hands. This was a certain ceremony of giving security, for the confirmation of any covenant; as in Ezek. xvij. 18.

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Nehemiah. Some will needs have this Nehemiah to be the same with Ezra ; which cannot be; for he was a companion part of the time with Ezra; and his speaking of Ezra in the third person, as he does, ch. vii. ver. 65, and ch.viii. ver. 9, and of himself in the first person, ch. i. ver. 1, shews he was Nehemiah distinct from Ezra.

Enemies. Probably the Samaritans, or other enemies of the Jews: but chiefly the Samaritans who opposed their rebuilding the temple, after they refused to join with them.

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