AKD SUDSEQUENT EXECUTION OF THE MORE again -~n eh. x. 23, and Noh. viii. 7; x. 9; PRESSING OF THE COMMISSIONS INTRUSTED and xn. 3. To HIM (eh. nil. 32-36). After the fatigues Ver. ,·~.-By number and b:, weight. of a four months' journey, a b1ief period of The gold :tnd the silver were weighed; the ve~els w?re both counted and weighed; the complete rest was well-nigh necessary. Liko obJect bemg to se, that what was deliverou Nehemiah (Neh. ii 11), Ezra was content to Meremotb corresponded exactly with what with a rest of three days. On the fourth Ezra had given l.Il charge to Sherebiah he discharged himself of his commission to Hashabiah,~d.Jlcl otners at Aho.va (see above: present to the temple treasury the offerings vers. 24-21 /· All the weight was written at that time. Not only were the vessels of the Pbrsian 1..ing, bis counsellors and counted nnd weio-hed, but an inventory of lords (ver. 25), together mth that spon- them was made by the priests in charcre of taneously contributed by the Israelites who the temple, and the weight of every v~ssel had accompanied him (eh. vii. 16). This he noted. Such was the care taken to prevent did by appearing in person before the priests any embezzlement of the temple property by its custodians. nnd Lentes who 'll"ere in charge of the temple, Ver. 35.-Also the children of those who and making over to them the entire offering had been carried away. I. e. the newly- of gold, silver, and vessels which !iad been returned exiles. Like their predecessors brought to Jerusalem from Babylon. .At under Zerubbabel, who had made an offering the same time the exiles whom he had for all Israel (eh. vi. 17), so the present colonists under Ezra, assuming that they induced to return, and whom he had con- represented all Israel, offered for the whole ducted in safety through so long a journey, nation. Tbe classes of animals offered are sacrificed on the altar of burnt offerings a the same on the two occasions, and the number of bullocks, rams, lambs, and he- number of the he-goats is identical ; but in every other case the victims are far less goats, as a token of their thankfulness to numerous now than on the former occasion. God for delivering them from the perils of This is fully accounted for by the compara- the way. .After this Ezra proceeded to tively small number of those who returneu make known to the satraps and other under Ezra. governors of the provinces lying west of the Ver. 36. -And the:, delivered the king's commissions. Parts of Ezra's .forman con- Euphrates the terms of the permanent com- cerned vitally the other provincial governors, mission which he had received from the and had of necessity to be communicated to king. The result was that these officials them. Such were the provisoes concerning thenceforth helped the Jews instead of Ezra's power of drawing upon the provincial hindering them, and furnished the necessary treasuries for corn, wine, oil, salt, and money (eh. vii 22, 23), and concerning the exemption supplies for the temple service. of all ranks of the Jewish sacred order from Ver. 33.-Jrleremoth the son of Uriah, or taxation of any kind whatsoever (ibid. ver. lJrijah, was one of the heads of the priestly 24). Unto the king's lieutenants, and to order, both under Ezra and under N ehemia.h. the governors. The word translated "lieu- He is mentioned as repairing two pieces of tenants" is that which corresponds to the the wall of Jerusalem when N ehemia.h was Persian term "satrap," and designates the governor (Neh. iii 4, 21), and also as one of highest class of the Persian provincial those who set their seal to the covenant with governors. That translated "governor" is God which the whole people entered into, the term which has been already applied by under Ezre.'s and Nehemiah's guidance, Ezra to Tatnai (eh. v. 3, 4) and Zerubbabel shortly after the completion of the wall, in (eh. vi 7). It denotes a lower grade of B. c. 444. Eleazar the son of l'hi.nehaa is official. They furthered the people. The perhaps the Eleazar mentioned as taking satraps and lower officials, on being made part in the dedication of the wall (~eh. acquainted with the king's wishes, readily xii 42). Like Meremoth, he was a pnest. complied with them, and became supporter& 1ozabad and lfoadiah, chief Levites, occur and favourers of the Jewish lleollle.
HOMILETICS.
Vera. 21-30.-Before &tarting. Ezra's body of travellers now duly assembled and organised, what else was required ? On the one hand, they were in a condition of much danger. Without being very numerous, they were numerous enough to be OH, VIII, 21-36,] THE BOOK OF EZRA. 129