CHAP. XXXIII. See 2 Kings xxi. Verse 12. when he was in affliction, he besought the Lord] Manasseh might now say with David, "It is good for me that I have been afflicted." Afflictions are not indeed for our present pleasure, but they are for our lasting profit. The repentance of Manasseh should be well considered, as it represents on one hand the necessity and advantage of afflictions; and on the other affords us an extraordinary instance of God's mercy to the greatest sinners, when they humble themselves and make a good use of their corrections. Let us likewise seriously attend to Manasseh's behaviour after his restoration, which was directly opposite to his former conduct; for during a long reign he remedied the faults he had committed in his youth. True repentance consists in removing and remedying, as much as possible, the evil we have done, and in amending our lives. The repentance of Manasseh is not mentioned in the book of Kings. CHAP. XXXIV. See 2 Kings xxii. and xxiii. CHAP. XXXV. See 2 Kings xxiii. 21. CHAP XXXVI. See 2 Kings xxiii. 30, xxiv. and xxv. Verse 15.-rising up betimes, and sending;] That is, sending them out of His fatherly care of, and affection to them, and time enough for them to have prevented the mischiefs that befel them for their sins. 21.-kept sabbath,] The meaning is, that the land lay uncultivated in rest and silent desolation, as the prophet Jeremiah foretold, Jer. xxv. 9, 12. &c. -to fulfil threescore and ten years.] This calamitous punishment was to continue for the space of seventy years, till the period when the Babylonian empire was to end, and the Persian to begin. See Jeremiah xxix. 10. NN NOTES ON Ezra. THIS Book derives its name from Ezra, the author of it. It carries the Jewish histor through a period of seventy-nine years, commencing from the edict of Cyrus. The first six chapters contain an account of the return of the Jews under Zerubbabel, after the captivity of seventy years; of their re establishment in Judea, and of the building and dedication of the temple at Jerusalem. Ia the last four chapters Ezra relates his own appointment to the government of Judea by Artaxerxes Longimanus; the disobedience of the Jews; and the reform which he immediately effected among them. It is to be observed, that between the dedication of the temple and the departure of Ezra, that is, between the 6th and 7th chapters of this Book, there was an interval of about fifty-eight years, during which nothing is here related concerning the Jews, except that, contrary to God's command, they intermarried with Gentiles. CHAP. I. Verse 1. Now in the first year of Cyrus] This is that famous Cyrus, who, 140 years before the temple was destroyed, and 200 years before he was born, was mentioned by name in the prophecy of Isaiah, as designed by God for the restoration of His people, Isai. xliv. 28. xlv. 1. 4. 2. he hath charged me to build him an house] So he understood from Isaiah's prophecies; and, most distinctly, from chap. xliv. 28.," He shall say to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid." 7. Also Cyrus-brought forth the vessels] It had been expressly foretold at Jer. xxvii. 22. that the sacred vessels should be restored to the house of God. 8.- Sheshbazzar,] The Babylonish name of Zerubbabel. CHAP. II. Verse 63.—the Tirshatha] Meaning Zerubbabel whose title in the Persian language was Tirshatha, that is, governor or judge. -till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.] Till there might stand up a priest who could pronounce whether these persons were of the line of Aaron or not, from the revelation of the Divine will by Urim and Thummim, concerning which see note on Exod. xxviii. 30. CHAP. III. Verse 12. But many of the priests and Levites -wept] The old men, who had seen the glory of the first temple, and had no expectation that this, which was now building, could ever equal the former, wept at the remembrance of that which was gone, while others rejoiced at the foundation of the new one. Though this temple was in many respects greatly inferior to Solomon's; yet God declared by the Prophet Haggai, chap. ii. 9. that "the glory of this latter house should be greater than of the former." Which prophecy was fully accomplished when our Saviour appeared on earth, and honoured this second temple with His glorious presence. CHAP. IV. Verse 1.-the adversaries of Judah] Meaning, the Samaritans. 3.-Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God;] You have no just claim to join with us in building a house to our God, nor can we by our religion admit you so to do, as being worshippers of other gods as well as of our God. 10.-and at such a time.] This alludes to the date of the letter, which is not here expressed. 23.—and made them to cease by force] As we see, from this part of Scripture, that God sometimes permits the best undertakings to be opposed, and the best men to be slandered; we discover that it is no new thing to meet with such conduct, and that good men should always bear it with patience. CHAP. V. No Levites, properly so called; none of the sons of Levi who were not priests: the want of these to attend upon the priests was likely to prove a great defect in the temple service. 22.-1 was ashamed to require-a band of soldiers] Ezra had so openly declared his dependence ón God for safe conduct on his journey, that he was ashamed to ask a guard of protection from the king, who might have imagined that the Jews only made vain boasts of the favour of God towards them, and of the prophecies respecting their restoration. CHAP. IX. Verse 1.-doing according to their abominations,] Meaning, that they had promiscuously intermarried with idolatrous nations, which was expressly forbidden by the Law. 8.10 give us a nail in his holy place,] To give us a fixed or settled abode. Since the tents in which the Hebrews once lived were fastened down by nails or pins, therefore," a nail" came to signify in their language "a settled abode." 9to give us a reviving,] The restoration of the Jews is here called " a reviving." In a similar manner Ezekiel compares them, when they were captive in Babylon, to the dry bones of dead men, Ezek. xxxvii. 1. -to give us a wall in Judah] That is, to establish us in our former land of Judah, and in the city of Jerusalem. CHAP. X. Verse 2.yet now there is hope in Israel] There is hope in God's mercy that He will pardon us in this thing, provided we truly repent. 9.-trembling because of this matter, and for the great rain.] They were trembling because of the offence they had committed, and their dread of its consequences; "and for the great rain," which fell at the time, and which they believed to be a token of God's anger against them, on account of their transgression. 19.-they gave their hands] They solemnly engaged to divorce their wives, openly acknowledged their crime, and offered a sacrifice of atonement for it at the temple. NOTES ON THE Book of Nehemiah. THE Book of Nehemiah, which was written by the person whose name it bears, is a continuation of the history of the state of the Jews, after their return from the Babylonish captivity. Ezra appears to have continued near ten years in the government of Judea, after the reform which he mentions in the last chapter of his Book; persisting probably in his endeavours to restore religion, and to promote the prosperity of his country. Circumstances were however so unfavourable to his designs, that in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes king of Persia, we find, from Nehemiah, that representations were made to him at Babylon of the afflicted state of the Jews, and of the ruinous condition of their city. This Book contains an account of Nehemiah's grief at this report; his obtaining permission from Artaxerxes to visit and rebuild Jerusalem; his departure and arrival in the country, and the reformation which he effected. CHAP. I. Verse 1.-in the twentieth year,]__ Of the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, king of Persia.. 3.-the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down,] They mean, that the walls and gates lay as the Chaldeans had left them when they destroyed the city, and had not been repaired, although the temple was rebuilt. 11.-in the sight of this man.] That is, of the king, to whom he was about to make his petition. -the king's cupbearer.] This was a place of great honour and advantage in the Persian court, on account of the privilege it afforded of being daily in the king's presence, and the opportunity it thereby gave of obtaining a favour. CHAP. II. Verse 10.-it grieved them exceedingly] The people of these neighbouring nations were excited to their opposition, not only by the ancient and bitter enmity which they bore to the Jewish nation, on account of their difference in manners and religion, but, more especially, at this time, on account of their lands. These nations having seized the lands of the Jews during their captivity, had been forced to restore them on their return: thus they naturally endeavoured to prevent their complete settlement, hoping that, if they were kept in a depressed state, they might have an opportunity of recovering at some future time the prey they had lost. 18. Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me;] He told them how favourable God had been to him, in disposing the king to assist him in his project. 20.-ye have no portion, nor right,—in Jerusalem.] You have no property, no right of any kind, your names are not even registered, in Jerusalem; you have therefore no right to interfere in a concern exclusively ours. CHAP. III. Verse 1.- and they builded the sheep gate;] The sheep gate is supposed to have taken its name from the circumstance of the sheep which were intended for sacrifices being led in at this gate, on which account, it may be presumed, the priests undertook this part of the work, as most proper for them. After they had completed it, "they sanctified it," that is, blessed it with solemn prayers, and perhaps with sacrifices. CHAP. IV. Verse 2.-will they revive the stones &c.] In his expressions of derision, he represents it to be impossible that they should repair the wall, unless they could make the broken pieces of stone which had mouldered become whole stones again. 10. And Judah said, &c.] That is, some of the Jews represented to him, that, from the length and severity of the work, the labourers were quite exhausted; and that from the quantity of rubbish remaining, more than they were able to remove, it would be necessary to desist, for the present at least, from building the wall; they professed besides to have intelligence that their enemies were meditating a secret attack, so that there would be no notice of their approach till they were actually in the midst of them.. 17.-every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, Meaning, that every workman was prepared to work or to fight, as occasion might Verse 1.—there was a great cry of the people] That is, of the poor against the rich, by whom they were oppressed." 2.-we take up corn for them,] That is, to support our families we are obliged to take up corn for them, at the unreasonable rates which are demanded. 5.-our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren,] That is, we poorer sort are Jews as well as the richer, and there is no other difference. 7.-1 set a great assembly against them.] I resolved to shame them out of their scandalous proceeding in an open assembly of magistrates and people, which I immediately called for that purpose. 11.-also the hundredth part of the money,] By this is meant a particular sort of usury practised in those countries. It signifies, that the hundredth part of the sum lent was to be paid as interest every month; that is, in modern expression, an interest of twelve per cent. every year. 14.-I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.] I and my family have not taken that allowance which was appointed for the governor, and which therefore, we might have taken without impropriety. CHAP. VI. Verse 5.-with an open letter in his hand;] As if the contents were known to every body, and required no secrecy. Or perhaps the letter was sent open as a mark of contempt or disrespect. 10. who was shut up ;] That is, who confined himself to his house under pretence of devont bumiliation and prayer. CHAP. VIÍ. Verse 3.-until the sun be hot;] Till some time after sun-rise, when the approach of an enemy might be clearly discerned, and the people prepared in case of danger. CHAP. VIII. Verse 9.-For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.] The people bewailed the ignorance in which they had lived, and the many violations of the Law of which they had been guilty. It would be well if the generality of Christians could be persuaded to have the same pious regard for the Book of God, to lay it up in their memories, and to regulate their lives and conduct by it. 17.-for since the days of Jeshua-had not the children of Israel done so.] We are not to suppose that the feast of tabernacles had never been observed since the time of Joshua; the meaning is, that the joy with which it was celebrated had never since that time been so great as upon this occasion. CHAP. IX. Verse 3. And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers,] That is, such of the Israelites, as had been guilty of taking strange or idolatrous women for their wives, now renounced them. 29.-(which if a man do, he shall live in them;)] The meaning is, that if a man keep God's commandments, he shall live and be happy. 38. And because of all this we make a sure covenant,] In consideration of all which they had stated, they resolved to renew their covenant of better obedience, which they promised under their hands and seals, as the only remedy to procure perfect deliverance. CHAP. X. Verse 31.-and that we would leave the seventh year, and the exaction of every debt.] That is, leave the land to rest on the seventh or sabbatical year, and at the same time remit the debts owing from their brethren. poor 34.-we cast the lots for the wood offering,] The people divided into portions, provided the wood necessary for the service of the altar, and brought it every year by lot. CHAP. XI. Verse 1. And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem: &c.] For the better security of the city, which was but thinly inhabited, the chief |