most unfortunately omitted in all our copies but this best and
completest copy of Josephus； and by such omission the famous
prophecy of Isaiah； Isaiah 44：28； where we are informed that God
said of or to Cyrus； 〃He is my shepherd； and shall perform all my
pleasure； even saying to Jerusalem； Thou shalt be built； and to
the temple； Thy foundation shall be laid；〃 could not hitherto be
demonstrated from the sacred history to have been completely
fulfilled； I mean as to that part of it which concerned his
giving leave or commission for rebuilding the city Jerusalem as
distinct from the temple； whose rebuilding is alone permitted or
directed in the decree of Cyrus in all our copies。
（3） Of the true number of golden and silver vessels here and
elsewhere belonging to the temple of Solomon； see the description
of the temples； chap。 13。
（4） Josephus here follows Herodotus； and those that related how
Cyrus made war with the Scythians and Massagets； near the Caspian
Sea； and perished in it； while Xenophon's account； which appears
never to have been seen by Josephus； that Cyrus died in peace in
his own country of Persia； is attested to by the writers of the
affairs of Alexander the Great； when they agree that he found
Cyrus's sepulcher at Pasargadae； near Persepolis。 This account of
Xenophon is also confirmed by the circumstances of Cambyses； upon
his succession to Cyrus； who； instead of a war to avenge his
father's death upon the Scythians and Massagets； and to prevent
those nations from overrunning his northern provinces； which
would have been the natural consequence of his father's ill
success and death there； went immediately to an Egyptian war；
long ago begun by Cyrus； according to Xenophon； p。 644； and
conquered that kingdom； nor is there； that I ever heard of； the
least mention in the reign of Cambyses of any war against the
Scythians and Massagets that he was ever engaged in all his life。
（5） The reader is to note； that although the speeches or papers
of these three of the king's guard are much the same； in our
Third Book of Esdras； ch。 3。 and 4。； as they are here in
Josephus； yet that the introduction of them is entirely
different； while in our Esdras the whole is related as the
contrivance of the three of the king's guards themselves； and
even the mighty rewards are spoken of as proposed by themselves；
and the speeches are related to have been delivered by themselves
to the king in writing； while all is contrary in Josephus。 I need
not say whose account is the most probable； the matters speak for
themselves； and there can be no doubt but Josephus's history is
here to be very much preferred before the other。 Nor indeed does
it seem to me at all unlikely that the whole was a contrivance of
king Darius's own； in order to be decently and inoffensively put
in mind by Zorobabel of fulfilling his old vow for the rebuilding
of Jerusalem and the temple； and the restoration of the worship
of the 〃one true God〃 there。 Nor does the full meaning of
Zorobabel； when he cries out； 3 Esd。 4。 41）； 〃Blessed be the God
of truth ；〃 and here； 〃God is true and righteous；〃 or even of all
the people； 3 Esd。 4。 41； 〃Great is truth； and mighty above all
things ；〃 seem to me much different from this； 〃There is but one
true God； the God of Israel。〃 To which doctrine； such as Cyrus
and Darius； etc。； the Jews' great patrons； seem not to have been
very averse； though the entire idolatry of their kingdoms made
them generally conceal it。
（6） This strange reading in Josephus's present copies of four
millions instead of forty thousand； is one of the grossest errors
that is in them； and ought to be corrected from Ezra 2：61； 1 Esd。
5：40； and Nehemiah 7：66； who all agree the general sum was but
about forty…two thousand three hundred and sixty。 It is also very
plain that Josephus thought； that when Esdras afterwards brought
up another company out of Babylon and Persia； in the days of
Xerxes； they were also； as well as these； out of the two tribes；
and out of them only； and were in all no more than 〃a seed〃 and
〃a remnant；〃 while an 〃immense number〃 of the ten tribes never
returned； but； as he believed； continued then beyond Euphrates；
ch。 5。 sect。 2； 3； of which multitude； the Jews beyond Euphrates；
he speaks frequently elsewhere； though； by the way； he never
takes them to be idolaters； but looks on them still as observers
of the laws of Moses。 The 〃certain part〃 of the people that now
came up from Babylon； at the end of this chapter； imply the same
smaller number of Jews that now came up； and will no way agree
with the four millions。
（7） The history contained in this section is entirely wanting in
all our other copies； both of Ezra and Esdras。
（8） Dr。 Hudson takes notice here； that this kind of brass or
copper； or rather mixture of gold and brass or copper； was called
aurichalcum； and that this was of old esteemed the most precious
of all metals。
（9） This procedure of Esdras； and of the best part of the Jewish
nation； after their return from the Babylonish captivity； of
reducing the Jewish marriages； once for all； to the strictness of
the law of Moses； without any regard to the greatness of those
who had broken it； and without regard to that natural affection
or compassion for their heathen wives； and their children by
them； which made it so hard for Esdras to correct it； deserves
greatly to be observed and imitated in all attempts for
reformation among Christians； the contrary conduct having ever
been the bane of true religion； both among Jews and Christians；
while political views； or human passions； or prudential motives；
are suffered to take place instead of the Divine laws； and so the
blessing of God is forfeited； and the church still suffered to
continue corrupt from one generation to another。 See ch。 8。 sect。
2。
（10） This Jewish feast of tabernacles was imitated in several
heathen solemnities； as Spanheim here observes and proves。 He
also further observes presently； what great regard many heathens
had to the monuments of their forefathers； as Nehemiah had here；
sect。 6。
（11） This rule of Esdras； not to fast on a festival day； is
quoted in the Apostolical Constitutions； B。 V。； as obtaining
among Christians also。
（12） This miserable condition of the Jews； and their capital；
must have been after the death of Esdras； their former governor；
and before Nehemiah came with his commission to build the walls
of Jerusalem。 Nor is that at all disagreeable to these histories
in Josephus； since Esdras came on the seventh； and Nehemiah not
till the twenty…fifth of Xerxes； at the interval of eighteen
years。
（13） This showing king Xerxes's epistles to God； or laying them
open before God in the temple； is very like the laying open the
epistles of Sennacherib before him also by Hezekiah； 2 Kings
19：14； Isaiah 37：14； although this last was for a memorial； to
put him in mind of the enemies； in order to move the Divine
compassion； and the present as a token of gratitude for mercies
already received； as Hayercamp well observes on this place。
（14） It may not be very improper to remark here； with what an
unusual accuracy Josephus determines these years of Xerxes； in
which the walls of Jerusalem were built； viz。 that Nehemiah came
with his commission in the twenty…fifth of Xerxes； that the walls
were two years and four months in building； and that they were
finished on the twenty…eighth of Xerxes； sect。 7； 8。 It may also
be remarked further； that Josephus hardly ever mentions more than
one infallible astronomical character； I mean an eclipse of the
moon； and this a little before the death of Herod the Great；
Antiq。 B。 XVII。 ch。 6。 sect。 4。 Now on these two chronological
characters in great measure depend some of the most important
points belonging to Christianity； viz。 the explication of
Daniel's seventy weeks； and the duration of our Savior's
ministry； and the time of his death； in correspondence to those
seventy weeks。 See the Supplement to the Lit。 Accorap。 of Proph。
p。 72。
（15） Since some skeptical persons are willing to discard this
Book of Esther as no true history； and even our learned and
judicious Dr。 Wall； in his late posthumous Critical Notes upon
all the other Hebrew books of the Old Testament； gives none upon
the Canticles； or upon Esther； and seems thereby to give up this
book； as well as he gives up the Canticles； as indefensible； I
shall venture to say； that almost all the objections against this
Book of Esther are gone at once； if； as we certainly ought to do；
and as Dean Prideaux has justly done； we place this history under
Artsxerxes Longimanus； as do both the Septuagint interpretation
and Josephus。 The learned Dr。 Lee； in his posthumous Dissertation
on the Second Book of Esdras； p。 25； also says； that 〃the truth
of this history is demonstrated by the feast of Purlin； kept up
from that time to this very day。 And this surprising providential
revolution in favor of a captive people； thereby constantly
commemorated； standeth even upon a firmer basis than that there
ever was such a man as king Alexander ＇the Great＇ in the world；
of whose reign there is no such abiding monument at this day to
be found any where。 Nor will they； I dare say； who quarrel at
this or any other of the sacred histories； find it a very easy
matter to reconcile the different accounts which were given by
historians of the affairs of this king； or to confirm any one
fact of his whatever with the same evidence which is here given
for the principal fact in this sacred book； or even so much as to
prove the existence of such a person； of whom so great things are
related； but。 upon granting this Book of Esther； or sixth of
Esdras； （as it is placed in some of the most ancient copies of
the Vulgate；） to be a most true and certain history；〃 etc。
（16） If the Chaldee paraphrast be in the right； that Artaxerxes
intended to show Vashti to his guests naked； it is no wonder at
all that she would not submit to such an indignity； but still if
it were not so gross as that； yet it might； in the king's cups；
be done in a way so indecent； as the Persian laws would not then
bear； no more than the common laws of modesty。 And that the king
had some s