continued in Babylon, with others of the captivity that had not yet returned, asked permission of Ahasuerus to go to Jerusalem, and to take with him as many people of his own nation as were willing to accompany him.

Ahasuerus not only complied with Ezra's request, but likewise gave him an ample commission to take with him what he should think necessary both for his journey thither and service there. He furnished him with money to buy cattle for sacrifice, provisions of corn, wine, oil and salt, and empowered him to draw from his public treasuries to the amount of one hundred talents of silver. He likewise granted to the priests, Levites, singers, porters, and Nethinims (or ministers of the House of God) an indemnity from all toll, tribute or custom; and empowered Ezra, at the same time, to appoint magistrates and Judges over the people, to do justice among them, and instruct those who knew not the law of God.

Ezra returned thanks to God for having been pleased to incline the king's heart not only to permit him to go to Jerusalem, but likewise to furnish him with the means of making such contributions to the temple as might promote and establish the true religion. Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers (said he) who hath put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the House of the Lord which is in Jerusalem: and hath extended mercy unto me before the king and his counsellors, and before all the king's mighty princes.

Having made every necessary preparation for so long a journey, Ezra left Babylon on the first day of the first month (which is called Nisan, and answers to about the middle of our March) accompanied by no less than one thousand four hundred and ninety-six of his countrymen. When he came to the river Ahava,* he made a halt, and

This was a river in Assyria, and, very probably, that which ran along the Adiabene, where the river Diava, or Adiava, is known to be, and on the banks of which Ptolemy places the city of Abane, or Aavane. Here, some imagine, was the country, which, in the second book of Kings (chap. xvii. 24.) is called Ava, from whence the king of Assyria removed the people called Avites into Palestine, and settled some of the captive Israelites in their stead. It was a common thing for those who travelled from Babylon to Jerusalem, in order to avoid the scorching heat of the desert Arabia, to direct their course northVOL. ii. 3 F

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the people having erected tents according to his orders, they encamped there for three successive days. On the first day of their encampment, Ezra took an account of the number of those who accompanied him, and not finding any Levites or Nethinims among them, he sent 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. Iddo readily obeyed Ezra's orders, furnishing the messengers with thirty-eight Levites, and two hundred and twenty Nethinims, all of whom they brought safe to the camp.

Ezra, considering the great charge of money and plate with which he was entrusted, and the dangers to which both he and his people might be exposed in their march, proclaimed a fast throughout the camp, to implore the Divine protection over them and their substance. He might, indeed, for asking, have had a convoy from the king, but recollecting he had told him that the hand of their God would be upon them, he thought proper to decline it, lest the king should think that what he had said was no more than mere boasting, and that he distrusted the power and favor of him, of whom he had spoken with such distinguished confidence.

Having thus implored the Divine protection, Ezra ordered the people to strike their tents, and prepare themselves for prosecuting their journey. This being done, he delivered by weight, to twelve of the priests, all the gold, silver and vessels, which the king and his counsellors had given him as an offering to the house of the Lord; strictly enjoining them to keep this treasure safe till they came to Jerusalem, and there to deliver it by weight to the chief of the priests and Levites, as they had received it of him.

Ezra and his company quitted the place of their encampment on the twelfth day after their leaving Babylon, and arrived safe at Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth

ward at first, and then, turning to the west, to pass through Syria into Palestine. But Ezra had a farther reason for taking the route he did; for, as he intended to get together as many Israelites as he could to carry with him to Jerusalem, he took his course this way, and made an halt in the country of Ava, or Ahava, from whence he might send emissaries into the Caspian mountains, to invite such Jews as were there to come and join him.

month, called Ab, (which answers to the middle of our July) so that they were exactly four months on their journey.

On their arrival at Jerusalem, they took three days to refresh themselves, and on the fourth the priests delivered the treasure by weight into the house of the Lord, to those who were appointed to receive it, and a proper inventory was taken of the whole. They then offered up a burnt-offering of twelve bullocks for the twelve tribes, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve hegoats; after which, Ezra delivered the king's commission to the proper officers, who, in obedience thereto, furnished the people with all things necessary for the service of the temple.

Ezra had not been long at Jerusalem, before complaint was made to him by some of the heads of the Israelites, that not only the people, but likewise many of the priests and Levites, had intermixed with the descendants of the ancient inhabitants of the country, namely, the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Amonites, &c. contrary to the express commands of their great legislator Moses. Ezra was greatly grieved at this intelligence, and expressed his sorrow by rending his mantle, and tearing off the hair from his head; and those who had any fear or concern on them, came to him, and bemoaned the transgression of those that had been captives, and were lately drawn into the commission of these wicked practices. Ezra continued in this melancholy situation till the time of evening sacrifice, when, falling on his knees, and spreading out his hands, he made a humble confession and prayer to God, in words to this effect: "Our transgressions (said he) O Lord, are "so great, that I am ashamed to look up unto thee. 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 favor in our "captivity, and inclined the hearts of the kings of Persia to be merciful to us, and restore us to Jerusalem. And

* This treasure was of very considerable value. It consisted of a hundred talents of gold, six hundred and fifty of silver, and the silver vessels weighed an hundred talents; besides which, there were twenty basons of gold of a thousand drachms, and two vessels of such fine copper as to be little inferior to gold.

"now, what shall we say for our ungrateful disobedience, "in neglecting thy commands? Thou hast forbidden us to "defile ourselves with the abominations of the people of "the land, to marry their daughters, or partake of their "wealth; and yet we have broke thy commandment, and "made affinity with them. Thou mayest justly be angry "with us, till thou hast consumed us: but thou, O Lord, "art righteous, and hast preserved us to this day. Behold, we are before thee in our sins, and what can we "say in justification of our conduct? We have forsaken thy commandments, which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people, with their abominations which have filled it from one end to the other with their uncleanness.

As soon as Ezra had finished his confession, which he did in a flood of tears, the people expressed the sense they had of their transgressions by shedding tears likewise. This circumstance attracted the peculiar attention of one Shechaniah, a considerable person among the Jews, who in behalf of his countrymen, addressed Ezra, in words to this effect: "We have (said he) 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 away all the strange wives and their "children, and do thou see that it be done as the law "obligeth."

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This advice was readily approved of by Ezra, who im mediately caused a proclamation to be made throughout the whole land, that the people should all assemble at Jerusalem within three days, on pain of being excommunicated, and all their possessions forfeited to the king. In consequence of this proclamation, the people assembled at the time appointed, when Ezra, placing himself in the midst of the multitude, addressed them as follows: Ie have transgressed, and have taken strange wives to increase the trespass of Israel. Now, therefore, make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives.

The multitude promised to do as Ezra directed, but desired him to consider, that as the number of those who had transgressed was exceeding great, the work could not be accomplished in one day. They therefore proposed that their rulers should answer for them, and that all those who, in the several cities, had taken strange wives, should come at appointed times to Jerusalem, and bring with them the elders of every city to certify that they were all the guilty persons in that place; and so to proceed till the Lord was appeased. This proposition being approved of, commissioners were appointed to inspect into the affair, who, in the space of three months, made such accurate enquiries that this great enormity was removed, and a thorough reformation brought about among the people.

On the death of Zerubbabel (the governor of Judah and Jerusalem) the administration, both of civil and ecclesiastical affairs, devolved upon Ezra, who continued in that high office till the twentieth year of the reign of king Ahasuerus, when it fell into the hands of Nehemiah, a very religious and good man among those of the captivity, and who was a particular favorite with the king.

Nehemiah, from his office (which was that of cupbearer* to the king) constantly resided in the palace of Shushan, and by his great familiarity with this prince, had frequent opportunities of doing acts of benevolence to his distressed countrymen. It happened one day that Nehemiah, seeing some people of Judah, who had been at Jerusalem, asked them some questions concerning their brethren in that city, as also with respect to the state of the place itself. They told him that the city was in a very miserable condition indeed, for that its walls were broken down,

This was a place of great honor and advantage in the Persian court, because of the privilege the person who enjoyed it had of being frequently in the king's presence, and thereby having the opportunity of obtaining such favors as he might have occasion to require at his hands. That it was a place of great advantage appears evident from Nehemiah's gaining those immense riches, which enabled him for so long a time (see Nehemiah v. 14. 19.) out of his own private purse, to live in his government with the greatest splendor, without applying to the people to discharge the expenses of so high an office.

†The commissions, which had hitherto been granted the Jews, were supposed to extend no farther than to the building of the temple,