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. IV.

Vers. 2. THen they came to Zerubbabel, and to the chief of the fathers, and said unto them, Let us build with you, &c.] This they did doubtlesse not out of any sincere desire to set forward the building, or to advance the worship of God (for these Samaritanes that spake this were alwayes deadly enemies to the Jews) but either to curry favour with Cyrus (for because he now favoured the Jews and gave way to the building of the Temple, therefore they would be as one people with them, and approve it by joyning with them in this holy work) or else out of hope that their people being mingled with the Jews in this work, there would some contention arise, and so the work would be hindred; yet to the end they might pre∣vail with the Jews, they alledged they served and sacrificed to the true God of Israel (as indeed they pretended to do, though withall they served their idol-gods too, 2. Kings 17.33. They feared the Lord, and served their own Gods) even since the dayes of Esarhaddon king of Assur, who was the sonne of Shalmaneser, and grand∣child of Sennacherib, 2. Kings 19.37. and it seems brought a new colony of severall nations into the land of Samaria, as his father had done before him.

Vers. 3. You have nothing to do with us, to build an house unto our God, &c.] Thus Zerubbabel and the rest answered the Samaritanes, because they were idola∣tours, and neither were of the stock of Israel, nor did purely worship the God of Israel: therefore they protested against them, that they had nothing to do with the Temple to sacrifice there, and so also not to joyn with them in the building of it, al∣ledging

withall that they would build it themselves, as say they, king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us, wherein they give them to understand that the com∣mission they had from the king, did warrant them to do what they did.

Vers. 4. Then the people of the land weakned the hands of the people of Judah, &c.] That is, when Samaritanes could not by fraud accomplish their desires, because the Jews would not admit them to joyn with them in building the Temple, then they used other means to hinder them in their work; to wit, partly by threatning them, and by raising any false rumours that might discourage them, and partly, no doubt, by using all means that they might not have those materials and money out of the kings revenues which Cyrus had commanded should be given them for the build∣ing of the Temple, chap. 6.3, 4.

Vers. 5. And hired counsellours against them, to frustrate their purpose, &c.] That is, the Samaritanes did not onely do what themselves could to hinder the Jews in building the Temple, but by bribes also they secretly hired such as were powerfull with the king of Persia; to wit, the deputies and governours in Samaria and other provinces, yea, and those that were of his privie counsel in Persia, to advise the king by many false pretences and informations, to disanull that decree which had been made for the building of it▪ and this they did all the dayes of Cyrus king of Persia, even untill the reigne of Darius king of Persia; that is, all the dayes of Cyrus and Cambyses his sonne, and Smerdis the Magus (who a while usurped the king∣dome after Cambyses death) unto the second yeare of Darius the sonne of Hystaspes, when the work of the Temple was again set forward, vers. 24. So it ceased unto the second yeare of the reigne of Darius king of Persia; and that by the incourage∣ment of the Prophet Haggai, Hag. 1.1. In the second yeare of Darius the king, in the sixth moneth, in the first day of the moneth, came the word of the Lord by Hag∣gai the prophet unto Zerubbabel, &c, It may seem strange indeed that the building of the Temple should be hindred in Cyrus time; but for this we must know that Cy∣rus going abroad a while after the return of the Jews, to finish such other warlike expeditions as he had in hand, he left Cambyses his sonne, or Viceroy, to govern the kingdome in his absence, who is therefore called the Prince of the kingdome of Persia, Dan. 10.13. and with him those counsellours mentioned did so farre prevail, that he countermanded the building begun. Cyrus being dead, Cambyses reigned in his stead, a wicked and cruell Prince (that as other histories report, slew his bro∣ther and married his own sister, and afterwards put her to death) and no marvell though he were an enemy to the Jews, when he reigned as absolute king in his own right, having been so when he governed the kingdome as Viceroy in his fathers right: especially if we consider what other histories report, that he was resolved to invade Egypt, and therefore he might well fear the Jews, who were accused to be al∣wayes a rebellious people, and ready still to side with Egypt: whilest he was abroad following the warres, one Smerdis one of his Magi (pretending himself to be Smer∣dis the brother of Cambyses) usurped the kingdome, whereof Cambyses hearing, as he was mounting his horse to haste home, his sword unsheathing ran into his thigh, and so he died without issue: God revenging the great wrong he had done to his peo∣ple. He being dead, the seven Princes of Persia soon slew the usurping Magus, and and then Darius Hystaspes was chosen Emperour, in whose second yeare a decree was

made for the Jewes rebuilding of the Temple, chap. 6.1. Many learned men indeed are of opinion that it was Darius Nothus, that was long after Darius Hystaspes, that made this decree, and that Darius the sonne of Hystaspes is here mentioned in∣clusively, as one of those kings in whose time the building of the Temple was hin∣dred: but from the first yeare of Cyrus to the second of Darius Nothus is ordina∣rily accounted above one hundred and thirty years: and first, Zerubbabel being of some good years when he came out of Babylon, it is not probable that he should live so long, and yet we know that he laid the foundations of the Temple in Cyrus his dayes, and he also finished it in the sixth yeare of Darius, according to that pro∣phesie, Zach. 4.9. The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you: and secondly, some of those that had seen the Temple before it was destroyed by the Chaldeans, were it seems alive when that decree of Darius was made, Haggai 2.3. Who is left among you that saw this house in her first glo∣ry? and how do you see it now? is it not in your eyes in comparison of it, as no∣thing? which could not be if it were Darius Nothus; either therefore it was Da∣rius the sonne of Hystaspes that renewed Cyrus his decree, or else of necessity we must hold that the king of Persia reigned not in their severall times, so long as it is by all Historians reported they did, which if we might admit, then happely it might be said that it was Darius Nothus (of whom mention is made, vers. 24. of this cha∣pter, and chap. 6. vers. 1. who made a new decree to second that of Cyrus for the rebuilding of the Temple, and that these words are meant of the reigne of Darius the sonne of Hystaspes inclusively, he being numbred amongst those kings in whose times the enemies of the Jewes did by underhand dealing trouble them, and seek to frustrate their purpose in building the Temple.

Vers. 6. And in the reigne of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reigne, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.] They that hold that Darius the sonne of Hystaspes is mentioned in the former verse inclu∣sively, to wit, that to the end of his reigne, the enemies of the Jewes did secretly hire counsellours against them to hinder them in their work, they also hold that Aha∣suerus here mentioned, was Xerxes that fourth rich king of Persia, mentioned Dan. 11.2. And the fourth shall be farre richer then they all, and by his strength through his riches he shall stirre up all against the realme of Grecia; and that he was called Ahasuerus, that is an hereditary prince, because he was the first sonne of Darius Hystaspes by his wife Atossa, who was the daughter of Cyrus, and that in the be∣ginning of his reigne the Jewes enemies began first openly to write letters of accu∣sation against them for building the Temple: and so again likewise they hold that Artaxerxes mentioned in the following verse, was Artaxerxes Longimanus the sonne of Xerxes by Esther the daughter of Abihail, Esther 2.15. who is by other au∣thors called Amestris the daughter of Otan, and so that the building of the Temple ceased in the reigne of both these kings, untill the second yeare of Darius Nothus who was the bastard sonne of this Artaxerxes, and succeeded him in the throne, but for the reasons mentioned in the former note, and withall, because it is not pro∣bable that the Temple lay so long unbuilt, and especially in the dayes of Ahasuerus or Xerxes the husband of Esther, therefore the more probable opinion of all other

Interpreters generally is, that it is Cambyses the sonne of Cyrus who is here called both Ahasuerus, vers. 6. and Artaxerxes, vers. 7. so that what was generally af∣firmed, vers. 5. is now more particularly expressed in the sequel of the chapter.

Vers. 7. And in the dayes of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithridath, &c.] Some Interpreters translate this word Bishlam in peace, and so they would have the meaning of the words to be, that Mithridath and the other here mentioned wrote to Artaxerxes against the Jewes, secretly and cunningly; when in the mean season they carried themselves towards the Jewes, as if they had been at peace with them and meant them no hurt: but better I conceive is this word by our Translatours ta∣ken, as the name of one of the chief of those that wrote to Artaxerxes. And as con∣cerning this Artaxerxes, it is said before in the foregoing note, that though some hold it was Artaxerxes Longimanus the sonne of Xerxes, who is called Ahasuerus in the former verse; yet most generally it is held that the same Cambyses the sonne of Cyrus, who is called Ahasuerus in the former verse, is here called Artaxerxes, vers. 6. it is said that they wrote to Ahasuerus against the Jewes, where Cambyses is called by the name given him amongst the Chaldees, and now in this verse under∣taking to set down the copy of the letters, the penman of this story doth again re∣peat the time when, and the king to whom it was written, onely here he calls him by his Persian name which it seems was used in the letter, to wit, Artaxerxes.

And the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue, and inter∣preted in the Syrian tongue.] That is, in the Syrian tongue, and with Syrian characters.

Vers. 8. Rehum the Chancellour, and Shimshai the Scribe, wrote a letter against Jerusalem, &c.] That is, the letter was composed by Rehum the Chancellour and written by Shimshai the scribe, though it was written in the name of those men∣tioned vers. 7. and others the Governours in Samaria, and from this to vers. 19. chap 6. the story is written in the Chaldee tongue.

Vers. 9. The Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, &c.] These were severall people that were placed by the Assyrians in Samaria, who joyned now in writing these let∣ters to Artaxerxes.

Vers. 10. And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over, &c.] The most of Expositours think that it is Esarhaddon mentioned before, vers. 2. the sonne of Sennacherib who brought over a colony of these nati∣ons into Samaria, that is here called the great and noble Asnappar, yet it may be meant of some great commander or chief officer of Esarhaddon, imployed by him in bringing over this colony.

And the rest that are on this side the river.] That is, Euphrates that divided the Jews from the Babylonians.

Vers. 12. And have set up the walls thereof, and joyned the foundations.] Be∣cause there is no mention any where made that they had at this time meddled with building of the walls: but on the contrary we reade, that long after this complaint was made to Nehemiah, Nehem. 1.3. that the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and the gates thereof burnt with fire, that is, that they continued in that condition as Nebuchadnezzar had long ago left them; therefore it is most likely that this was a mere falshood which the Samaritanes charged upon the Jews, onely thereby to

stirre up jealousies in the king of Persia against them; and indeed it is not probable that they would undertake the building of the city walls, when they were not well able to go through with that work which they had first set upon, and were so zea∣lously intended to finish it, to wit, the building of the Temple.

Vers. 15. That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers.] Be∣cause this Artaxerxes was a Persian, and the rebellion of the Jewes which is here objected, was not against the Persians, but against the Assyrians and Babylonians, to what end should search be made in the records of Artaxerxes his father? I an∣swer: First, that the Persians did usually aid the Assyrians and Babylonians against the Jews, and because of this there might be mention made of the rebellion of the Jews against the Syrians in the records of the Persian kings, see Isaiah 22.6. Se∣condly, that by his fathers here may be meant the Babylonian kings onely, be∣cause the Persians succeded them in their Empire, or perhaps because they pretended some title of succession, as conquerours to establish themselves the better, are usually wont to do.

Vers. 24. So it ceased unto the second yeare of the reigne of Darius king of Persia.] That is, of Darius Hystaspes; yet some think it was Darius Nothus the bastard sonne of Artaxerxes Longimanus.