That Artaxerxes, mentioned in the seventh of Ezra, was the same Darius mentioned before in the 1sixth chapter, in whose reign the Temple was finished. But this cannot be. For Ezra ending his story of Darius in the sixth chapter begins his seventh thus: Now after these things in the reign of Artaxerxes King of Persia, &c. Which words show plainly that he spake of another King, and of things done long after Darius. Besides, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, Ezra had Commission to set Magistrates 2and Judges over the people, which could not be the next year after the finishing of the Temple, unless we will suppose that Zerubbabel the Governor, and 3Jeshua the High-Priest, and the other Magistrates, did all die together on a sudden, as soon as the Temple was finished.
That Artaxerxes, mentioned in the seventh of Ezra, was the same Darius mentioned before in the 1sixth chapter, in whose reigne the Temple was finished. But this cannot be. For Ezra ending his story of Darius in the sixth chapter begins his seventh thus: Now after these things in the reigne of Artaxerxes King of Persia, &c. Which words shew plainly that he spake of another King, and of things done long after Darius. Besides, in the seventh yeere of Artaxerxes, Ezra had Commission to set Magistrates 2and Iudges over the people, which could not be the next yeere after the finishing of the Temple, unlesse we will suppose that Zerubbabel the Governour, and 3Ieshua the High-Priest, and the other Magistrates, did all die together on a sudden, as soon as the Temple was finished.
- 1Broughtens Advertisement; and Consent.
- 2Ezra 7. v. 8. 25.
- 3Hag. 1. v. 1. Zech 4. v. 6.