NOTE ON EZRA. EZRA continued his labours at Jerusalem for some years; and appears in the next book zealously co-operating with Nehemiah in promoting the reformation of the people. He is said to have lived one hundred and twenty years, attaining the same age as Moses; and stands next to the great lawgiver in the estimation of Jewish writers for the services which he rendered to the religious interests of the nation. They state that, with the assistance of others also versed in the sacred writings, and under the guidance of the Spirit of God, Ezra collected all the existing books of Scripture; disposed them in proper order; corrected errors which had crept in through the inadvertence of copyists; changed some names of places which had become obsolete; made explanatory and other additions which the lapse of time had rendered necessary; and transcribed the whole into the Chaldee, or square character: and that, having thus settled the canon of Scripture, he sent it forth in a perfectly accurate form, from which the copies now extant were afterwards made with great care. The prophecy of Malachi, and a few passages in other books, must have been inserted subsequently to his time, probably by a succession of pious and learned men, till about the time of Simon the Just, who was made high priest about the year 300 B. C.; after which nothing was added to the sacred books of the Old Testament. OF NEHEMIAH. THE BOOK OF THIS book, which in the ancient canon was joined with the preceding, and is sometimes called the Second Book of Ezra, takes up the history of the Jews about twelve years after the close of the former; and records the improvements in Jerusalem, and reformations among the people, which were carried on by Nehemiah. By him the greater part of this book was evidently written; and the rest, in which he is spoken of in the third person (ch. viii.-x.) is, with great probability, ascribed to Ezra. As the numerous states subject to the great Oriental despots might often be at war among themselves-little notice being taken of their affairs at court, unless the revenue or authority or personal partialities of the monarch were interfered with-the Jews felt themselves insecure, so long as the walls of the city remained in ruins. It was, in part, to effect their restoration that Nehemiah was raised up by God. Though a Jew and a captive, he held one of the most honourable and confidential offices at the court of Persia, being the king's cup-bearer. But his own prosperity and wealth did not cause him to be unmindful of the afflicted condition of his countrymen. Hearing of their state, he made it the subject of earnest prayer; and, after four months, his sorrow of heart being seen in the sadness of his countenance, an opportunity was afforded him of presenting his suit to the king, who appointed him governor of Jerusalem, with a commission to rebuild the walls, and provide for the welfare of his people (ch. i., ii. 1—8). The rebuilding of the city wall was accomplished in about two months; notwithstanding many discouragements and difficulties, caused chiefly by the leading men in the rival and unfriendly colony of Samaria, who, by scoffs and threats and various stratagems, did their utmost to stop the work. In addition to these dangers from without, Nehemiah also encountered troubles and hin 1 drances from his own people, arising out of the general distress, which was aggravated by the cruel exactions and oppressions of the great men. These grievances were redressed on the earnest remonstrance of Nehemiah, who had himself set a noble example of disinterestedness. It appears also that some of the chief men in Jerusalem were in conspiracy with foreigners against him (ch. ii. 9-20; iii.-vi.) Thus the wall was built in troublous times' (Dan. ix. 23); and its completion was afterwards joyously celebrated by a solemn dedication (ch. xii. 27-43). Nehemiah then turned his attention to other measures for the public good. He appointed some necessary officers (ch. vii. 13; xii. 44-47); and excited among the people more interest and zeal in religion, by the public reading and exposition of the law, by an unexampled celebration of the feast of tabernacles and the observance of a national fast, and by inducing the people to enter into a solemn covenant to walk in God's law,' especially by avoiding intermarriages with the heathen, duly observing the sabbath, and contributing to the support of the temple (ch. viii.-x.) The inhabitants of the city being as yet too few for its defence and prosperity, Nehemiah brought one family out of every ten in the country to take up their abode in the ancient capital, which then presented so few inducements to the settler, that the people blessed all the men that willingly offered themselves to dwell at Jerusalem' (ch. vii. 4; xi. 1—19). In all these important proceedings he appears to have enjoyed the assistance of Ezra. After about twelve years, Nehemiah returned to Babylon. He subsequently went back to Jerusalem, and exerted himself to promote the further reformation of his countrymen, particularly by the correction of abuses which had crept in during his absence (ch. xiii.) His whole administration probably lasted about thirty-six years. Nehemiah receives information concerning his countrymen; his distress, and prayer. year, as I was in 2 Shushan the palace, that Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah;5 and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were 3 left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem. And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire. 1 Or, 'the actions' of Nehemiah; that is, the history of his labours for his country. See 1 Kings xi. 41. 2 The third month of the civil year, answering to parts of our November and December. 3 That is, in the twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus (see note on Ezra vii. 1); the tenth year after Ezra's journey to Jerusalem. 4 Or Susa, on the Chouspes, in the hot plains of the a ch. 10. 1 Lam. 1. 7. 1 Ki. 9. 7. Ps. 79 4; Is. 43. 28; Lam. 5. 1. d eh. 2. 17. 2 Ki. 25. 10. Tigris, the winter résidence of the Persian kings. Ruins found at a place called Shus are supposed to mark its site. 5 They probably came to solicit help from the king. 6 As we have no account in the book of Ezra of the wall being rebuilt, there is reason to suppose that it was still in ruins. The former commissions of Zerubbabel and Ezra (Ezra i.; vii. 11-28) did not extend to the fortification of the city. 4 8 Moses. A A Dan. 9. 4 A Ex. 20. 6; Dea. 7.9 Ki. 8. 28. 29; 2 Chr. 6. 40; Dan. 17, 18. * P. 88. 1; Lk. 237. Dan. 9. 20 "PL. 106, 6; Dan. 9 5,6 2 Chr. . 2; Bos 99 • Dec. 6 1; 28. 15. PP. 119 49. And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and 5 mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven, and said,1 I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth 6 covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments: let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and 'confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father's house have sinned. 7 We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, " If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the 9 nations but if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, 'yet will I gather them from thence, and "will bring them unto the place that I 10 have chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy servants and thy Dea. 12 5 people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 11 O LORD, I beseech thee, 'let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and "grant him mercy in the sight of ch. 25 this man. For I was the king's cupbearer. 2 2 Nehemiah, having obtained a commission from the king, goes to Jerusalem; and AND it came to pass in the month Nisan,3 in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Ezra 7. L the king, that wine was before him: and I took up the wine, and gave it unto 2 the king. Now I had not been beforetime sad in his presence. Wherefore the king said unto me, Why is thy countenance sad, seeing thou art not sick? this is i 6 6 A 3 nothing else but sorrow of heart. Then I was very sore afraid, and said unto Pre. 15. 13. the king, Let the king live for ever: why should not my countenance be sad,11,31: Dan 2 when the city, the place of my fathers' sepulchres, lieth waste, and the gatesch, 1. 3; Pa. 17. & thereof are consumed with fire? 4 51. Then the king said unto me, 'For what dost thou make request? So I prayed Est. & 3,6; Mk. 14 5 to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king, If it please the king, and if thy servant have found favour in thy sight, that thou wouldest send me unto Judah, 6 unto the city of my fathers' sepulchres, that I may build it. And the king said unto me, (the queen5 also sitting by him,) For how long shall thy journey be? and when wilt thou return? So it pleased the king to send 7 me; and I set him "a time. Moreover I said unto the king, If it please the ch5 14; 13 & king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may 8 convey me over till I come into Judah; and a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the palace which appertained " to the house, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall enter into. And the king granted me, according to the good hand of my God upon me. Then I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of the army and horsemen with me. 10 When Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man to seek the welfare of the children of Israel. #cb. 3 7. ⚫ ver. 18: 11, 12 So IP came to Jerusalem, and was there three days. And I arose in the night, Era I and some few men with me; neither told I any man what my God had put in 1 We have here (vers. 5-11) the substance of Nehemiah's constant supplications. 2 The office of cup-bearer was one of great honour and confidence, as well as of considerable profit and influence. The person who held it being in constant attendance on the king, had opportunities of preferring petitions and obtaining favours. Nehemiah appears to have been enabled from his own resources to sustain his government at Jerusalem with great dignity and hospitality, without laying any burden on the people: see ch. v. 14, etc. Many of the Jews were advanced to places of trust and authority under the Babylonian and Persian monarchs; and so were able to assist and protect their brethren. 3 The seventh month, answering to our March or April; so that four months had elapsed since he had learned the condition of his countrymen at Jerusalem. This may have been his first attendance since that time on the | king in private. See ver. 6, and note. 4 Or, wickedness of heart:' the king might have inputed his melancholy to discontent or disaffection; hence, probably, Nehemiah's great alarm. 5 The presence of the queen intimates the privacy of the occasion; for the Persians and other Orientals have never allowed their wives to be present at their publie feasts. Some suppose the queen to have been Esther; but on this, see preface to the book of Esther. 6 Sanballat is supposed to have been a Moabite of Horonaim, a city of Moab; Tobiah the Ammonite had been a slave. The Moabites and Ammonites had been subdued and carried captive by the kings of Babylon; and it is probable that Sanballat and Tobiah, and Gesher the Arabian (ver. 19), held appointments under the king of Persia, as governors over the remnant of these nations and the Samaritans, who were all very hostile to the Jews 9 my heart to do at Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the 13 beast that I rode upon. And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well, and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down, and the gates thereof were consumed with | ́ 14 fire. Then I went on to the gate of the fountain, and to the king's pool: but 15 there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall, and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned. 16 And the rulers knew not whither I went, or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to 17 the rest that did the work. Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire: come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more "a 18 reproach. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work. But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us, and 20 said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king? Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem. 19 3 a b The rebuilding of the walls and gates of the city. THEN Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests, and they builded the sheep gate; they & sanctified it,3 and set up the doors of it; even unto the tower of Meah they sanctified it, unto the tower of Hananeel. 2 And next unto him builded the men of Jericho. And next to them builded Zaccur the son of Imri. 3 ch. 3 13; 2 Chr. 26.9. ver. 17; ch. 1. 3. eh. 3. 15. 2 Sam. 15 23; Jer. 31. 40; John 18. L 14; Zeph. 1. 10. see ch. 6. 1; 7. 1. 'But the fish gate did the sons of Hassenaah build, who also laid the beams ch.12. 39; 2 Chr. 33 thereof, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. 4 And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz. And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah, the son of Meshezabeel. 5 And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to " the work of 6 their Lord. "Judg. 5. 23. Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah, and Meshullamch. 12. 39. the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof, and set up the doors thereof, 7 and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of 8 Mizpah, unto the throne of the governor on this side the river. Next unto him ch. 2. & repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths. Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries, and they fortified Jerusalem 9 unto the broad wall. And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur, 2 ch. 12. 38 10 the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem. And next unto them repaired Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over against his house. And next unto him repaired 11 Hattush the son of Hashabniah. Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahath-moab, repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces. 12 And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh, the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.7 The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the wall unto the dung gate. 14 But the dung gate repaired Malchiah the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Beth-haccerem; he built it, and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof. 15 ch. 12. 38 ch. 2. 13. fch. 2. 13. But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Col-hozeh, the ruler ch. 2. 14. of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the doors thereof, the 1 Probably Hezekiah's pool (2 Chron. xxxii. 3, 30). 2 They could hardly be ignorant that Nehemiah was acting under the king's commission. But the charge of rebellion has been at all times a favourite pretext with the enemies of the church. See Luke xxiii. 2, etc. 3 By offering prayers, and probably sacrifices, this being the priests' work. 4 This may mean the place where the governor of Syria sat in judgment when he visited Jerusalem. 5 This word means 'refiners.' There appear to have been among the Jews, at this period, guilds of various artisans and traders. 6 That is, dealers in spices or perfumes. 7 Some of the persons mentioned in this list as having repaired certain portions of the wall, probably did so by paying the expense of the work. 8 That is, the valley of Jehoshaphat; lying between the city and the mount of Olives. locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah' by the 16 king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David. After him repaired Nehemiah the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Beth-zur, unto the place over against the sepulchres of David, and to the pool that was 17 made, and unto the house of the mighty. And after him repaired the Levites, 2 Chr. 9. 6 Eec. 9. 10; Rs. 12.11. Rehum the son of Bani. Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the 18 half part of Keilah, in his part. After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the 19 son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah. And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over against the going 20 up to the armoury at the turning of the wall. After him Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired the other piece, from the turning of the wall unto ther. Zaca 21 door of the house of Eliashib the high priest. After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the son of Koz another piece, from the door of the house of 22 Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib. And after him repaired the 23 priests, the men of the plain. After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub over against their house. After him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of 24 Ananiah by his house. After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another piece, from the house of Azariah unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner. 25 Palal the son of Uzai, over against the turning of the wall, and the tower which lieth out from the king's high house, that was by the court of the prison. After. 26 him Pedaiah the son of Parosh. Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, [or, the tower, or, which dwelt in Ophel, repaired] unto the place over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out. 4 27 After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against the great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel. 28 From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his 29 house. After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house. After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east 30 gate. After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece. After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah 31 over against his chamber. After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against the gate Miphkad, 32 and to the going up of the corner. And between the going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants. 4 Opposition of enemies, and consequent precautions. ver. 13. 32°2; 32. 1; 57. ch. 11. 21; Ezra 2 43. 2 Chr. 7.3 ch. & 1,3; 12. 37. A 2 KL. 11. 16: 7 Chr. 23 15; Jer. 31. 40. BUT it came to pass, 'that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, hech 21, 19; Esra 2 was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are 3 burned? Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which ch. 2 10, 19. they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall. 4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised and "turn their reproach upon their 5 own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: and " cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders. 6 So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof for the people had a mind to work. 7 14, 15; Jer. 18. 22 • ver. 1 But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians, and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth, P 8 and conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and 9 to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch 10 against them day and night, because of them. And Judah said, 'The strength of 1 According to Josephus, Siloah or Siloam was on the south-east, at the meeting of the valleys of Jehoshaphat and the Tyropoœon. 2 This was, perhaps, the place formerly occupied by the guard; but the Sept. gives this as a proper name, Bethaggarim (Heb., Beth-haggiborim). 3 This and the other phrase, 'next unto him,' seem to be perfectly equivalent, and to denote that the person next mentioned began at that part of the wall where the other left off. 4 This is explained by ch. xii. 28. By assigning to each one the execution of the portion over against his own house, where it adjoined the wall, 2 Ki. 19. 11-19: A Nom 13 31; 329: Nehemiah wisely blended the personal with the patristie. 8 Nehemiah might properly ask the punishment of these inveterate enemies of God's people, not only in order to remove obstacles to the further progress of his work, but also as a warning to others who were disposed to injure the Jews. 9 Sincere faith and prayer will always be accompanied by watchfulness and activity. the bearers of burdens is decayed, and there is much rubbish; so that we are not 11 able to build the wall. And our adversaries said, 'They shall not know, neither Judg. 20. 29, etc. see, till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work 12 to cease. And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came, they said unto us "ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto us they will be 13 upon you. Therefore set I in the lower places behind the wall, and on the higher places, I even set the people after their families, with their swords, their 14 spears, and their bows. And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the LORD, which is great and terrible, and "fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses. 15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, 16 every one unto his work. And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were 17 behind all the house of Judah. They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in 18 the work, and with the other hand held a weapon. For the builders, every one had his sword2 girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the 19 trumpet was by me. And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the 20 wall, one far from another. In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: Four God shall fight for us. 21 So we laboured in the work: and half of them held the spears from the rising 22 of the morning till the stars appeared. Likewise at the same time said I unto the people, Let every one with his servant lodge within Jerusalem, that in the 23 night they may be a guard to us, and labour on the day. So neither I, nor my brethren, nor my servants, nor the men of the guard which followed me, none of us put off our clothes, saving that every one put them off for washing.3 Nehemiah redresses the grievances of the poor. Ge. 31. 7: Num. 14. 22; Job 19. 3 Num. 14. 9: Deu. 1. 29; 2 Chr. 32. 7. y Ps. 20. 7; 1s. 51. 12, 13. eh. 1.5; Den. 10. 17. 42 Sam. 10. 12. 52 Sam. 15. 31; 17. 14; Job 5. 12; P 33. 10, 11; Pro. 21. 30; s. 8. 10. Num. 10. 9. d Ex. 14. 14, 25: Den. 1.1; 32; 20. 4; Jos. 23. 10. ch. 5. 16; Judg. 9.48. 28: 1. 5. 7. #e. 25. 35-37; Deu. 15 7. A Ge. 47. 15-95 í ch. 9. 37. 5 AND there was a great cry of the people and of their wives against their Ezra 37 Job 24. 2 brethren the Jews. For there were that said, We, our sons, and our daughters, are many therefore we take up corn for them, that we may eat, and live. 3 Some also there were that said, We have mortgaged our lands, vineyards, and 4 houses, that we might buy corn, because of the dearth. There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute, and that upon our lands 5 and vineyards. Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we 'bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought unto bondage already: neither is it in our power to redeem them; for other men have our lands and vineyards. 6,7 And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words. Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, "Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly 8 against them. And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and 9 found nothing to answer. Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to 1 The construction of this sentence is difficult; but the meaning appears to be, that the Jews who dwelt near the Samaritans and other adversaries, were constantly coming to Nehemiah with information of contemplated attacks. 2 At the present day it is not unusual, in districts adjacent to the Bedouins and other roving tribes, to see men following the plough with guns slung at their backs, and swords by their sides. Sometimes, also, armed men keep guard, while their companions pursue their labours. 3 It is better to follow the marginal rendering of our translators in this difficult clause, reading, after clothes,' every one went with his weapon for water." See Judg. v. 11. 4 The poor seem to have had just ground of complaint against their wealthier brethren. Although their exile in Babylon had cured the Jews, as a people, of their tendency to idolatry, they were still, like their ancestors, 1. 58. 7. Ex. 21. 7; Le. 25. 39. F.x. 22. 25: Le. 25. 36: Eze. 22. 12. Le. 25, 47-19. 2. 21. 16. much given to covetousness and oppression. The transactions in this chapter appear to have occurred during the building of the wall; causing probably an interruption of the work. 5 The cultivation of the land had probably suffered from the difficulties to which the people had been exposed, and from other causes. Hence there was a scarcity of food; and the rich men, taking advantage of their brethren's distress, compelled them to part with all that they possessed, and even to sell their children into bondage, in order to obtain the means of procuring food and of paying the taxes. 6 The Mosaic law forbade the Israelites to take usury of their brethren (Exod. xxii. 25; Lev. xxv. 36; Deut. xxiii. 19). 7 That is, from slavery, into which some of the poor Jews had been sold. |