sentiments are elevated, fervid, and full of fire: his imagery magnificent and terrific, and his language austere and rough, full of repetition, not introduced for the sake of elegance, but in the heat and vehemence of his indignation.

The tomb of Ezekiel was for many ages pointed out, a few miles to the south-east of the ruins of Babylon: the site is not improbable, as though usually residing on the banks of the Chebar, the prophet might have been at the capital when he died, or his remains might have been removed thither, to do them greater honor after his death. A superstitious belief is mentioned by Bishop Gray, as prevailing in the time of Epiphanius, that Ezekiel was interred in the same grave as Shem and Arphaxad: it is certain that his tomb was resorted to by both Persians and Jews.

Pythagoras, the great Grecian philosopher, visited Babylon, as is supposed by some, during the life-time of this prophet, and it is conjectured that Nazaratus, under whom Pythagoras studied, was the same person as Ezekiel. According to many calculations, Pythagoras did visit Babylon about this time, and might have conversed with, and been instructed by, Ezekiel, when he was old, and drawing towards the close of his life.

AFTER THE

SEVENTY YEARS' CAPTIVITY.

DATES OF THE SEVERAL CAPTIVITIES,

(ACCORDING TO ARCHBISHOP USHER.)

B. C.

Captivity of the Tribes beyond the Jordan by Tiglath-
Pileser, (and also of the Syrians of Damascus.)

Captivity of the Ten Tribes by Shalmaneser.

740

Captivity in the Fourth Year of Jehoiakim, (when Daniel and many of the princes are carried to Babylon, and the 70 years' Captivity begins.)

Destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar.

606

587

The Seventy years' Captivity reckons from the First taking of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar B. C. 606-to Cyrus' decree B. c. 536.

CHAPTER XXX.

RETURN OF THE JEWS UNDER ZERUBBABEL: DISSENSIONS BETWEEN THE JEWS AND SAMARITANS. CHANGE OF CHARACTER IN THE JEWS. THE TEMPLE REBUILT.

EZRA. NEHEMIAH.

SEVENTY years had passed since the nation B. C. of Judah received its first overthrow by Nebuchadnezzar, when her king Jehoiakim, with the flower of her noble and priestly families, were carried captive to Babylon. Although Jehoiakim was soon restored, and replaced on his throne, yet from that time Judah ceased to be an independent kingdom; from this first taking of Jerusalem therefore, is dated the seventy years' captivity of Judah, which brings its termination to the first year of the reign of Cyrus, after the death of his uncle, Darius the Mede.

Under the guiding Providence of God, Daniel was made an instrument in the redemption of his nation from captivity, by showing Cyrus the prophecies of Isaiah, in which he saw himself mentioned by name, more than two hundred years before his birth; he found his vast conquests there predicted, and the injunction given by the same divine spirit that he should restore the people of the LORD to their country, and

rebuild their ruined temple at Jerusalem. It is evident from the words of the royal decree that this prophecy deeply affected Cyrus, and that he desired publicly to mark his obedience to it. The decree begins as follows: "Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of Heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth: and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah,” &c.

As soon as the royal mandate was obtained, the people began to assemble under Zerubbabel, son of Salathiel, (or Shalteal,) grandson of king Jehoiakin, and under Jeshua, grandson of Seraiah, who was High Priest when Jerusalem was destroyed. The numbers amounted to between forty and fifty thousand; a small remnant of the once powerful nation, which under David and Solomon, had extended its dominions from Egypt to the Euphrates. The tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi, are alone mentioned by name, and hence from this period the name of 'Jews,' derived from the tribe of Judah, which was by far the most numerous and important, was accepted by the whole nation. Many and different opinions have been held, as to whether the ten tribes of Israel returned with the rest. They were settled in other districts, principally in Media, and had been carried captive more than a century earlier than the kingdom of Judah, therefore there seems every reason to suppose, that they did not at once embrace the offer of a return to their desolated land, which