The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 47

much work necessary iu the way of reforma.tiou. This wns specially the case with regard to marriageR with the heathen, by which the pure descent not merely of the nation but even of the priests was being contaminated. \Ve could hardly have a stronger proof of the cha.nge wrought by the Captivity, in tuming the people from love of foreign idolatry to de,·otion to their owri law, tha.n the fact the.t they con- sented to snap the strong ties of wedlock and fatherhood, when they became \)Onvinced that the law required it of them. ·we need not suppose that the decree of Cyrus e.llowing the Jews to return and rebuild the temple and J emso.lem was an act of wholly unmixed generosity. There was probably something of Persian statecraft in it; viz., the wish to place e. nation bound by ties of gratitude to Persia, for delivering them from Babylon and letting them go free, on the dangerous frontier that looked towards Egypt. At any rate, the generosity of the Persian kings had thus far been limited by their jealousy of possible ri,als or rebels; and they had hitherto not allowed the Jews to rebuild the walls of a place strategically so strong as Jerusalem. The fortifications and gates of the city were still in the same ruined state to which they had been reduced by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar. Consequently the Jews lived in constant dread of falling nctims to the a,arice, or jealousy, or animosity of their neighbours. A deputation was 8ent to the Persian court, where Nehemiah, e, Jew holding high office among the great king's personal attendants, became their spokesman. Here again, as in the history of Esther, we may trace the workings of Providence in the political history of the world. Previous events had contributed not a little to pre- dispose Arlaxerxes to listen to Nehemiah's trembling request. The Persian empire had just recei.ed heavy blows from the-Athenian admiral, Cimon. His victories, especially the last, in the midst of which he died, compelled Persia to abandon all attempts at aggression and to adopt a defensive position. She bound herself not to allow her armies to approach within three days' march of the sea. Jerusalem, being just about this distance, became a military position of the highest importance: and as risk must be run somewhere, it was better to allow Persian vassals under e, native officer of tried fidelity to fortify it than to risk its falling into the hands of the enemies of Persia. Hence the secrecy with which Nehemiah acts, not only in the interesi,s of the Jews but of the Persians. However, in spite of the active opposition of the Ammonites, Arabs, and Samaritans, the fortification of Jerusalem was successfully completed. And then Nehemiah, like Ezra, ·bad to direct his attention to internal reforms. Abuses of the grossest kind, especially in the way of cruel oppression of the poor by the rich, had again crept in. By example and sharp exhortation Nehemiah rectified this, and, in conjunction with Ezra, renewed the often forgotten covenant between the people and Jehovah; after which he returned to the Persian court (c. B.c. 433). It mtlBt have made this self-denying and generous statesman indeed sick at heart to find on his return to J eru6alem, after some years of absence, that he had all this miseral,le work to do over again. The solemn covenant had been forgotten as soon as his Lack was turned. The high-priest himself had profaned the temple; the sabbath was systematically violated ; nnd mixed marriages had age.in taken place, the grandson of the high-priest being one of the offenders. It is in the midst of the reformation of these evilii that we lose sight of N ehemie.h; His concluding prayer has been heard; he has been "remembered for good" (eh. xiii. 81, 14). His good deeds have not been wiped out, but are preserved in the canon of Scripture for o. memorial and an example for ever.  JOSHUA TO NEREMIAll. • 111