Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. II.

Vers. 1. NOw these are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, &c.] In this chapter we have a catalogue of those that went out of Babylon with Zerubbabel, when Cyrus by his proclamation gave them liberty to return. Some conceive they are called the children of the province, be∣cause they had dwelt in Babylon. But I rather conceive that it is the land of Judea which is here called the province, and so with respect thereto, the Jews are here called the children of the province, because Judea was now one of the provinces that were in subjection to the Babylonian Empire, according to that Esther 1.1. Ahasuerus which reigned from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twen∣ty provinces. Now though it be most probable that some of the ten tribes that were carried into Assyria before Nebuchadnezzars reigne, did now return with Zerubba∣bel, chap. 1.5. yet because there were but few of them to speak of, therefore they that returned, are said to be those whom Nebuchadnezzar had carryed away, and they are said to have returned every one unto his citie, whereby is meant not the ci∣ties wherein they had formerly dwelt, but the cities appointed them by their pre∣sent governours for their dwelling; for those of the ten tribes that did now return, dwelt not in the cities of Samaria, but in the cities of Judah.

Vers. 22. Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, &c.] These that are here expressed by name, were doubtlesse the chiefest and most eminent of those that went now with Zerubbabel, the most of them happely captains and governours of the people, and then afterwards he addes in the sequel of the chapter, the number of the men of the people of Israel, that is, how many there were of the people. Now concerning those that are expressed by name, we must note; first, that Jeshua was the high priest the sonne of Jozadak, chap. 3.2. called elsewhere Joshua the sonne of Josedech, as Haggai 1.1. the great assistant of Zerubbabel, in the building of the Temple: se∣condly, that in Nehem. 7.7. where the catalogue of those that did at first go up

with Zerubbabel is again set down, some of these here mentioned are called by o∣ther names, as Seraiah is there called Azariah; Relaijah, Raamiah; Misper, Mispe∣reth; and Rehum, Nahum; and withall there is one added there, to wit, Nahuma∣ni, that is not mentioned here: and thirdly, that it is not probable that either Ne∣hemiah here mentioned, was that famous Nehemiah the pen-man of that book of Scripture which is called by his name; or Mordecai, that famous Mordecai that was Esthers uncle, but two others of the same name: for first, had that Nehemiah gone up in the first yeare of Cyrus, he must needs have been well stricken in years, and yet we see he was cup-bearer to Artaxerxes, Neh. 2.1. and the Persians used to have young men to attend them in such places: and secondly, from the first yeare of Cyrus to Darius the last who was beaten by Alexander the great, there was at least two hundred years and upwards, and till the time of that Darius the last, did that famous Nehemiah live; for in his book mention is made of Jaddua the priest, Neh. 12.11. of whom we reade in Josephus that he met Alexander the great in his priestly robes, and so stayed him from doing any hurt to the city and Temple: and as for Mordecai Esthers uncle, he brought up Esther in Shushan in Persia long after this in the dayes of Ahasuerus (or Zerxes) and therefore did not return with Zerubba∣bel in the first yeare of Cyrus, as this Mordecai did.

Vers. 3. The children of Parosh, &c.] That is, the posterity of Parosh, or ra∣ther the family whereof Parosh was the head or chief: afterwards vers. 21. many of the people are mentioned by the names of the cities where they had formerly dwelt, as the children of Beth-lehem, the children of Netophah, &c. but that the proper names here mentioned are not the names of cities, but the names of men that were the heads of families is evident, Neh. 10.14. where many of them are men∣tioned as the chief of the people that sealed the covenant.

Vers. 5. The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.] Neh. 7.10. it is six hundred fifty two, which must thus be reconciled, that seven hundred se∣venty five (as here is said) gave up their names in Babylon that they would return, but onely six hundred fifty two mentioned in Nehemiah, came up into Judea; the rest changing their minds, or dying by the way: and the like must be held concer∣ning vers. 8, 27, 28, 33, 42, 60.

Vers. 6. Of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.] Neh. 7.11. the number is, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen; to wit, because when they came up into Judea, there were six more then had given up their names in Babylon, the like must be held concerning vers. 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 35, 41, 65.

Vers. 16. The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.] That is, where∣as there were severall families descended of Ater of the children of Hezekiah, who was the head of one of those families, there were ninety and eight.

Vers. 21. The children of Beth-lehem, &c.] That is the children of those that were formerly inhabitants of Beth-lehem: and so we must understand the following verses, wherein there are any townes or cities mentioned.

Vers. 25. The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, &c.] Or Kiriath-jearim and Ceprah, Neh. 7.29.

Vers. 29. The children of Nebo, fifty and two.] Not Nebo in the tribe of Ru∣ben,

but Nebo in the tribe of Judah, called usually Nob, and therefore Nehemiah calleth it the other Nebo. Neh. 7.33.

Vers. 30. The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.] These are not mentioned at all in Nehemiah, see above vers. 5.

Vers. 43. The Nethinims.] See 1. Chron. 9.2.

Vers. 44. The children of Siaha.] Or Sia, Neh. 7.47.

Vers. 55. The children of Solomons servants.] That is, the strangers, prose∣lytes that were imployed by Solomon in the building of the Temple, and having li∣ved long amongst the children of Judah, were now reckoned amongst them.

Vers. 61. Which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.] Some conceive that Barzillai was a priest, and these priests that married the daughters and heirs of the family, were therefore called by that name, but because they could not prove their genealogie were put from the priesthood: Others conceive, that these priests marrying into the noble family of Barzillai, disregarding the honour of the priesthood, because in the captivity where they were not imployed as priests in offering up sacrifices, they had neither any pro∣fit nor honour by being priests, did therefore chuse to be called after the family of their wives; but now being returned to Judea, and the priesthood growing into fame and request again, these degenerate priests would fain have taken place among the priests of the Lord; but not being now able to prove their genealogie they were amongst others put from the priesthood.

Vers. 63. And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat, &c.] Tir∣shatha is a name of office, as the commissary the governour or deputy of the king. It is elsewhere given to Nehemiah, Neh. 8.9. And Nehemiah which is the Tirsha∣tha: and therefore some think that this catalogue was taken by Nehemiah though it be set down here: but because Nehemiah came out of Babylon so long after the Jewes came first thence, therefore it is rather here meant of Zerubbabel who was now chief governour, called also Sheshbazzar, chap. 1.8. and whereas it is here said, that these priests that could not prove their genealogie, should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim, hereby it is manifest, that the Urim and Thummim was either lost or burnt together with many other things when the Chaldees took Jerusalem, and indeed however Zerub∣babel hoped as it seemes by these words, that they might by the providence of God he had again; yet they were never found again, the Lord thereby teaching the Church that the ceremonies were going and the Messias coming, that salvation was not to be placed in the ordinances of Moses, but that they were shortly to expect the true Urim and Thummim Christ Jesus, the high priest of their profession.

Vers. 64. The whole congregation together, was fourty and two thousand three hundred and threescore.] That is, both of those of Judah and Benjamin, of whom the particular numbers are before punctually expressed, and those of the other ten tribes who are not here mentioned. If we summe up the particular numbers before set down, they all amount but to twenty nine thousand eight hundred and eighteen, which is above twelve thousand lesse then the totall summe here expressed, and these no doubt were those of the other ten tribes that returned with their brethren of Ju∣dah and Benjamin, 1. Chron. 9.3. And in Jerusalem dwelt of the children of Ju∣dah

and of the children of Benjamin, and of the children of Ephraim and Manasseh: we no where reade of so many that were carryed into Babylon, but it seems they multiplyed greatly in Babylon as formerly in Egypt.

Vers. 65. And there were among them two hundred singing-men, and singing-women.] These were such as were imployed amongst them in singing at their wed∣dings and funerals, and such other solemnities, 2. Chron. 35.25. in Nehemiah 7.67. it is said there were of these two hundred forty five, but for this, see the note above, vers. 6.

Vers. 68. When they came to the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem, &c.] That is, to the place where the Temple had stood.

Vers. 70. So the priests and the Levites, and some of the people, &c.] That is, some of the people dwelt in the cities to the priests and Levites assigned for their habitation.