This history is contained partly in the three first chapters of the book of _Ezra_, and first five verses of the fourth; and partly in the book of _Nehemiah_, from the 5th verse of the seventh chapter to the 9th verse of the twelfth: for _Nehemiah_ copied all this out of the Chronicles of the _Jews_, written before his days; as may appear by reading the place, and considering that the Priests and Levites who sealed the Covenant on the 24th day of the seventh month, _Nehem._ x. were the very same with those who returned from captivity in the first year of _Cyrus_, _Nehem._ xii. and that all those who returned sealed it: this will be perceived by the following comparison of their names.
The Priests who returned. The Priests who sealed.
_Malluch_: or _Melicu_, _Neh._ _Malchijah._ xii. 2, 14.
_Shechaniah_ or _Shebaniah_, _Shebaniah._ _Neh._ xii. 3, 14.
_Rehum_: or _Harim_, _ib._ 3, _Harim._ 15.
_Ginnetho_: or _Ginnethon_, _Ginnethon._ _Neh._ xii. 4, 16.
_Sherebiah._ [Hebrew: shrbjh]. _Shebaniah._ [Hebrew: shbnjh].
_Judah_: or _Hodaviah_, _Hodijah._ _Ezra_ ii. 40. & iii. 9. [Greek: Ôdouia]; _Septuag._
The _Levites_, _Jeshua_, _Kadmiel_, and _Hodaviah_ or _Judah_, here mentioned, are reckoned chief fathers among the people who returned with _Zerubbabel_, _Ezra_ ii. 40. and they assisted as well in laying the foundation of the Temple, _Ezra_ iii. 9. as in reading the law, and making and sealing the covenant, _Nehem._ viii. 7. & ix. 5. & x. 9, 10.
Comparing therefore the books of _Ezra_ and _Nehemiah_ together; the history of the _Jews_ under _Cyrus_, _Cambyses_, and _Darius Hystaspis_, is that they returned from captivity under _Zerubbabel_, in the first year of _Cyrus_, with the Holy Vessels and a commission to build the Temple; and came to _Jerusalem_ and _Judah_, every one to his city, and dwelt in their cities untill the seventh month; and then coming to _Jerusalem_, they first built the Altar, and on the first day of the seventh month began to offer the daily burnt-offerings, and read in the book of the Law, and they kept a solemn fast, and sealed a Covenant; and thenceforward the Rulers of the people dwelt at _Jerusalem_, and the rest of the people cast lots, to dwell one in ten at _Jerusalem_, and the rest in the cities of _Judah_: and in the second year of their coming, in the second month, which was six years before the death of _Cyrus_, they laid the foundation of the Temple; but _the adversaries of _Judah_ troubled them in building, and hired counsellors against them all the days of _Cyrus__, and longer, _even until the Reign of _Darius_ King of _Persia__: but in the second year of his Reign, by the prophesying of _Haggai_ and _Zechariah_, they returned to the work; and by the help of a new decree from _Darius_, finished it on the third day of the month _Adar_, in the sixth year of his Reign, and kept the Dedication with joy, and the Passover, and Feast of Unleavened Bread.