The tomb of

The rest of the book of Esther recounts only the greatness of Ahasuerus, and the favor of Mordecai, who by his influence procured peace and prosperity to all the Jews. Esther and Mordecai is shown at Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, which hence became a place of pilgrimage to the Jews. The original tomb was destroyed by Tamerlane, but a more humble one has been erected on its site, containing the supposed sarcophagi of these celebrated deliverers of their nation.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

EZRA. NEHEMIAH REBUILDS THE WALLS OF

B. C.

JERUSALEM.

Ezra viii. Nehemiah.

IN the seventh year of Artaxerxes 457. Longimanus, Ezra, a learned scribe of the sacerdotal race, descended in the direct line from Aaron, was sent to Jerusalem with a commission from the Persian king, to take upon himself the government of that city; he was invested with full authority, even to the power of life and death, and might execute whatever he should judge to be conducive to the well being of his countrymen; he was to rectify abuses, and above all, to restore the sacrifices and worship of the Temple. For this latter purpose, he was authorized to make a collection among the Jews

still resident in Babylonia and Persia, and even the royal treasury contributed; also the governors of the neighbouring districts were commanded to supply him with wheat, oil, and wine, and whatever else he should require for the maintenance of the daily sacrifices. Armed with these extensive powers, Ezra set out from Babylon, accompanied by about seven thousand persons, including women and children, who, urged by his exhortations, or of their own choice, availed themselves of the king's permission to return to Judea.* The whole caravan rendezvoused on the banks of the river Ahava: the name is unknown, but it was probably not far from Babylon here Ezra received his followers, and appointed a fast, to beseech the LORD to protect them, and bring them in safety to Jerusalem; for, he said, "I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken unto the king, saying; The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him: but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him."

Ezra and his company accomplished the perilous journey without encountering any obstacles, and on delivering the king's letters, the new

* The numbers in Ezra amount to 1754, but as these are only the men, and those probably of adult age, the number, according to actual calculation, including women and children, would amount to about 7,000. (See Dr. Kitto's notes.) Jahn makes the numbers 6,000.

governor was acknowledged and received with respect by the Persian authorities. After offering sacrifices of thanksgiving in the temple, Ezra set himself to the task of reforming the abuses, which had crept in with the long license of an unsettled administration. The chief violation of the law was the people intermarrying with the idolatrous tribes of the country: even the priests and Levites had taken wives from the Samaritans and Ammonites, the Moabites and the Egyptians, and the pure race of the Hebrews was thus in danger of being lost: besides that idolatry would almost necessarily have followed. Ezra, by his authority and persuasion, prevailed upon the priests and elders to join him in reforming this fatal abuse, and the book of Ezra closes with a list of those who put away their strange wives, and returned, in this particular, to the law of Moses.

The commission of Ezra lasted twelve years; at the end of which time he was succeeded by Nehemiah, whom Artaxerxes appointed governor in the twentieth year of his reign, and sent him to Jerusalem with authority to rebuild the walls of the city, and put the place in a posture of defence. On the arrival of Nehemiah, Ezra retired from public life, and devoted himself to the important task of revising the sacred books: by some he is thought to have gone into Persia to render an account of his government to Artaxerxes; but if he did, he returned, as we find him reading the Scriptures to the people at

the desire of Nehemiah, in the early part of his administration, besides being his adviser and supporter in all his reforms.

Nehemiah, who succeeded Ezra as governor, was born in Babylon, and of noble extraction; but whether of the tribe of Judah or Levi, is not agreed. He was selected to fill the office of cupbearer to Artaxerxes, a post of great honour and emolument, and which, by giving its possessor the opportunity of appearing before the king in his hours of ease and enjoyment, was often the means of procuring personal favors, and even of exerting a considerable influence in the royal councils. But Nehemiah, notwithstanding the honours and riches he enjoyed in Persia, was warmly attached to his own people, and when some of his brethren returned from a journey to Jerusalem, he enquired with deep and unaffected interest concerning the state of the city, and of those who had gone thither: their reply filled him with grief, for they said, "the remnant of the captivity are in great affliction and reproach; and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and the gates are burned with fire!"

When Nehemiah heard these words, he sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven. He acknowledged with deep humility the sins of his people; they had not kept the commandments, nor the statutes of Moses, and they had been scattered among the nations; but he prayed

that God would forgive them, and listen to the prayer of those who feared his name, and that he himself might prosper in his attempt to serve them, and find favor for this object before the king.

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Accordingly it happened, that when Nehemiah was next before the king, and presented him with wine, the king noticed that his countenance was sad; this was unusual and displeasing, as kings are early accustomed to see people suppress their private feelings before them, and affect delight in their presence. No doubt, to appear otherwise than cheerful was a dangerous breach of Persian etiquette, for Nehemiah evidently felt the risk he ran; and when Artaxerxes demanded 'wherefore he was sad? seeing he was not sick,' and that, therefore, it could only be sorrow of heart,' he was very sore afraid.' But offering a mental prayer to God, he took courage, and told the king the cause of his sadness; how the place of his fathers' sepulchres lay waste, and the gates of Jerusalem were consumed with fire. king listened with favor, and when Nehemiah requested that he might be sent to Jerusalem with authority to rebuild its walls, and restore it to something of its former state, Artaxerxes granted him all he desired, only fixing a time when he should return, as he stood high in his master's favor, and was an officer of trust. It is mentioned that the queen was seated by the king's side, when Nehemiah hazarded this bold petition; which strengthens the supposition that

The