Esdras

Ezra i, ii, iii, iv, &c.ESDRAS, or Ezra, was of the sacerdotal family. By some he is said to have been the son of Jeraiah the High-Priest, who was put to death at Riblatha by Nebuchadnezzar, after the taking of Jerusalem. But it is much more probable that he was his grandson only, or even his great-grandson. It is believed, that the first time of his returning from Babylon to Jerusalem was with Zerobabel, in the beginning of Cyrus’s reign at Babylon, in the year of the World 3468, before Jesus Christ 532, before the Vulgar Æra 536. Esdras wrote the history of his return, and what followed upon it; and as he was very skilful in the law, and abounded with zeal for God’s service, he had doubtless a great share in all that was transacted at that time.

Ezra iv. 7; 17. In the year of the World 3484, before J. C. 516, before the Vulgar Æra 520. Ezra vii. 1—6, & seq.The enemies of the Jews having found means to render them suspected at the court of Persia, an order came from thence, forbidding them to proceed farther in the building of the Temple, which work they had reassumed after the death of Cyrus and Cambyses. But this order having been revoked in the beginning of Darius’s reign, who was the son of Hystaspes, in 3485, they began again to build, and dedicated the Temple in 3489, before Jesus Christ 511, before the Vulgar Æra 515.

Esdras notwithstanding returned to Babylon, upon some affairs probably relating to his nation; and in the seventh year of the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, of the World 3537, before Jesus Christ 463, before the Vulgar Æra 467, this Prince sent him back to Jerusalem, and granted all that he had requested of him. He gave him letters patents, whereby he permitted all the Israelites who were in his kingdom to return to Jerusalem, to carry thither all the gold and silver that they had, and all that the King and his Counsellors offered to the Temple of the Lord, and to employ it in buying victims to sacrifice in the House of God. The King likewise restored to them the rich vessels of the Temple, which had not been returned by Cyrus. Artaxerxes commanded his Treasurers in the Provinces beyond the Euphrates, to furnish Esdras with every thing necessary for the sacrifices, either in corn, wine, oil, salt, or money. He farther granted immunities to all the Priests and Ministers of the Temple. Lastly, he gave leave to Esdras to appoint Judges, and Magistrates to judge the people, and granted him power to govern and instruct those who were returned to Jerusalem.

Esdras having received these powers and orders, assembled a great company of Israelites,Ezra viii. and set forward in his way to Jerusalem. When he came as far as the banks of the river Ahava, he sent to invite some Priests and Ministers of the Temple, who were at Casiphia, probably in the Caspian Mountains, to return with them to Palestine, and two hundred and fifty eight persons were brought to him. He published a feast in order to pray to God that they might have a happy journey. He remitted into the hands of the principal persons in his company, an account of the gold and silver vessels which the King had restored, and given to him. At last they proceeded on their journey, in number seventeen hundred and seventy-five men, and all arrived happily in Judæa, in the year of the World 3537, before Jesus Christ 463, before the Vulgar Æra 467.

Esdras being informed, that several of the Israelites, both Priests and Levites, Magistrates, and common people, had married Ezra ix.wives, who were strangers and idolaters, he rents his clothes, and tore the hair of his head and beard, and having taken his seat in the Temple, continued in great grief and silence till the evening sacrifice. Then he put up his prayers to God, and asked pardon for the sins of the people. A great multitude having flocked together about him, the principal of the people resolved to renew the covenant with the Lord, and to dismiss the strange wives, whom they had married, together with the children who had been born of them: and to this, all the people who were present, ingaged themselves by oath. But as there were many absent, Esdras directed an order to be published in Judah and Jerusalem, for all the people to meet Ezra x. In the year of the World 3538, before J. C. 462, before the Vulgar Æra 466.within three days at the Temple.

The people being all assembled on the day appointed, Esdras discovered to them the heinous nature of the sin, which they had committed, in marrying strange women; and declared to them the resolution which had been taken some days before, of separating from them, and dismissing their children with them. All the people answered, that they consented to this resolution. But as the season was very bad, and this was not the work of one day, it was determined that Commissioners should be named, who In the year of the World 3550, before J. C. 450, before the Vulgar Æra 454. Ezra i. ii. &c. Nehem. viii. In the year of the World 3551, before J. C. 449, before the Vulgar Æra 459. Nehem. xxx.should proceed to execute this resolution. This is what was performed in the year of the World 3538, before Jesus Christ 462, before the Vulgar Æra 466.

Esdras had the principal authority in Jerusalem, till the arrival of Nehemiah, who was sent into Judæa by Artaxerxes with the power and character of Governour. In the second year of Nehemiah’s Government, and after the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, the people being assembled at the Temple, to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles, Esdras was desired to read the Law. He therefore read it from morning to noon, accompanied with some Levites, who stood besides him, and kept the people silent. The next day they came to Esdras, desiring to know of him how they were to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. This he explained to them, and continued for eight days reading the Law to them in the Temple. All this was followed with a solemn renewal of the covenant with the Lord.

This is what we know with most certainty relating to the life of Esdras. Josephus says, that he was buried at Jerusalem: but the Jews believe that he died in Persia, in a second journey which he made to Artaxerxes. His tomb is shewn there in the city of Zamuza. He is said to have lived near a hundred and twenty years.

Some have asserted, that he was chiefly concerned in revising and compiling most of the books of Scripture¹. He corrected them, made some little changes in them, digested them into order, and put them into the condition wherein we now have them. As he had a great deal of zeal and knowledge, and was very careful to collect all the old monuments of his nation ; and withal, was filled with the Spirit of Prophecy, it is very probable that he did indeed take abundance of pains in collecting the sacred writings, and composing the Canon, which fixes the books of the Old Testament to be two and twenty in number, as is at this day acknowledged by the Hebrews.

Hieronym. Prolog. Galeato Talmudici in Sanhedrin.Some have also assured us that he was the inventor of the Massora and the vowel points, and that he changed the old writing, or the old Hebrew characters, and substituted the Chaldee characters in their room, which the Jews at this day make use of. Some have believed, that he renewed, repaired, and comcomposed a-new the Holy Scriptures, which were intirely lost during the captivity of Babylon. Lastly, some have asserted, that he and the prophet Malachi were the same. Each of these Articles would require a large Dissertation, but as we cannot in a Dictionary dwell long on any particular subject, we shall declare our thoughts in few words on each of these difficulties.²

The Massora and vowel points are much later than the original of Christianity, and consequently than the time of Esdras, as we shall shew under the articles MASSORA, MASSORITS, VOWEL POINTS. With regard to the old Hebrew characters, which are the same as those of the ancient Phœnicians, and present Samaritans, we have shewn in a particular Dissertation, 1. That there is no inconveniency in allowing that Esdras changed the old Hebrew Scripture, in order to substitute the modern Hebrew Character, which is the same as the Chaldæan, in the room of it. 2. That this change at first was not universal, but performed in part only and insensibly; since a long time after Esdras, there were some footsteps of the Old Hebrew Character, still visible in the Jewish way of writing.

The authority of the fourth book, attributed 4 Esd. xiv. 19, 20, 21, &c.to Esdras, has induced several of the Fathers to be of the opinion, that Esdras dictated over again all the Holy Scriptures, which this Book declares to have been lost during the captivity of Babylon. But this fourth book has been demonstrated to be an Apocryphal piece, and of no authority³; and that what is therein asserted concerning the renewing of the Scriptures, is contradicted by the Scriptures themselves. See our Dissertation on this matter prefixed to our Comment upon the first book of Esdras, or the book of Ezra.

Lastly, the opinion which declares Malachi and Esdras to be the same person, Hieron. Præfat. ad Malac. & in Commentar. pluries.is maintained not only by St. Jerom, and the Rabbins, but likewise by Abbot Rupert, and some others. In our Preface to this Prophet, we have brought some reasons to support this conjecture. It is certain that Malachy or Malachia is not so much a proper, as a common name, which signifies the Angel or Messenger of the Lord; and that in Esdras’s time the Prophets were frequently called Malachias, or Angels of the Lord. See Haggai i. 13. Malach. iii. 1. The Fathers have often cited Malachi under the name of Angel, or one sent from God. See the Article relating to him.

Nehem. xii. 22.We have four Books under the name of Esdras: but the two first only are acknowledged in the Latin Church to be Canonical; the two others are Apocryphal. The first and second make but one in the Hebrew. The first of these books is certainly the work of Esdras; herein he relates those things whereof he was a witness, and speaks often in the first person. The second book, which goes under the name of Esdras, is commonly attributed to Nehemiah. It must however be confessed, that some small matters have been added to it, which cannot belong to Nehemiah. For example, there is mention made in it of the High-Priest Jaddua, and King Darius. This Jaddua is Jaddus, in whose time Alexander the Great came to Jerusalem; and Darius is Darius Codomannus, who was overcome by Alexander the Great, above an hundred and twenty years after the arrival of Nehemiah at Jerusalem.

The third book⁴, which goes under the name of Esdras, is thought by the Greeks to be Canonical. It is the same in substance as the first of Esdras, but interpolated, and with the addition of several circumstances, the principal whereof is the history of three of Darius’s Guards, of which number Zerubbabel was one. The Author relates, that these three Guards offered to maintain each his particular proposition; the first, that the strongest thing in the world was wine. The second, that the King was so. Zerubbabel, who was the third, asserted that women were so, but that truth was still stronger than every thing besides. As soon as Darius was awake, the three Guards proposed their problems to him. The King convened his officers, and the governours of the several Provinces; the propositions of the three Guards were read to them, and each of them spoke what was proper to support his opinion. Zerubbabel carried the prize, by the confession of the whole assembly, and for a reward, Darius gave him leave to return to Jerusalem, to rebuild the Temple, and to carry back thither the Sacred vessels, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken away several years before. But, as I have already said, the Latin Church esteems this Book to be Apocryphal.

The fourth book of Esdras is written with art enough, as if Esdras himself had composed it; but there are several marks of falshood discernable in it. The Author believed that the day of Judgement was near, and that all the Souls both of good and bad men, would be delivered out of Hell after the day of Judgement. He speaks of two monstrous animals, created by God at the beginning of the world, in order to make a great Feast with them, for all the Elect after the Resurrection. He says, that the ten Tribes of Israel are gone into a certain country, which he calls Arseret, that Esdras repaired the whole body of the Holy Scriptures, which were intirely lost. He speaks of Jesus Christ and his Apostles in so clear a manner, that the Gospel itself is not more express. See our Dissertation on this Book, prefixed to the Books of Esdras. Neither the Synagogue, nor the Greek or Latin Church ever unanimously received it as Canonical, tho’ some of the Fathers have sometimes cited it, and the Latin Church in its Office has borrowed some words out of this Book. It is not now any where in Greek; it never was in Hebrew; it is printed in Latin at the end of the generality of our Bibles.

The two Books of Kings, and the Chronicles, and several other Books of the Bible have been attributed to Esdras; and it is very probable, that he did at least review and compile them. The Jews likewise ascribe to him certain regulations, some particular blessings, and prayers. Lastly, some speak of a Revelation, a vision, and a dream of Esdras. But nothing Vide Jo. Albert. Fabrit. Cod. pseudepigraph. V. T. art.229. p. 1145. & seq.of all this is authentick. The Jews have an extraordinary esteem for Esdras; they say, that if the Law had not been given by Moses, Esdras would have deserved to have been the Legislator of the Hebrews. The Mahometans call him Ozair the son of Seraiah. They relate of him, that being on the road in his return from BabyloniaAlcoran 1. Bacra d’Herbelot. Bibl. Orient. p. 697. Ozair. to Judæa, he stopped at a village very near the town, which went by the name of Sair-Abad, or the house of walking, or Diar-Anab, the place of vine-yards, that there he build a cottage along an old front of the wall, living upon fruits which he gathered in the neighbouring fields. As he was beholding Jerusalem from thence, which at that time was nothing but a heap of ruins, it came into his mind to say, How will God be able to restore these ruins, and revive the inhabitants of this place? Scarce had he conceived this thought, but God smote him with Death, and he remained an hundred years upon the same spot, without burial.

Now it so fell out, that the King of Persia some time after sent Jews to Jerusalem, with power to rebuild it; Esdras after having been an hundred years dead, rose again like one awakened out of a dream, and believing that he had not slept above a day, he cast his eyes upon Jerusalem, which he beheld to be rebuilt and well peopled; whereupon he cried, Certainly God is omnipotent, since he is able to do whatsoever he pleaseth.

See our Dissert. on this Subject.It is an ancient Tradition, which we meet with in the book which goes under the name of the fourth book of Esdras, and in several of the Fathers, such as Irenæus, Tertullian, Clemens Alexandrinus, Basil, Jerom, St. Austin, and some others, that Esdras was the restorer of the Sacred Writings, and that all the copies of them being burnt, lost or dispersed, under the last Kings of Judah, and during the captivity, Esdras wrote them a-new. The Mahometans have embellished this tradition with some additional circumstances. They say that Esdras, upon the return from the captivity, instructed the people without ceasing, and discoursed to them continually about the Law of God; but as the Sacred Texts were lost, they made no great account of his instructions.

The Jews, as a trial whither he had preserved the remembrance of the Holy Scriptures, as he boasted, put five pens in his hand, with which he began to write with as much ease and rapidity, as if he had but one only; and thus he transcribed all the Sacred Books from his memory, without using any Copy.

This wonder notwithstanding did not convert the Jews. They said among themselves, How can we know whether this which Esdras has written, be the true text of Scripture, since there is not one among us who ever read it, or can give any testimony of it. Hereupon one of them rose up, and said, I remember to have heard my father say, that formerly my grand-father had concealed a copy of the Law with in the hole of a rock in such a place. Thither they went therefore, searched and found the copy which had been so long hidden; this they compared with what Esdras had written, and it was found to be so very like it, that there was no variation even in a single letter. The people hereupon astonished at this prodigy cried out, Ozair is the Son of God, since he was able to perform a thing so extraordinary, and so much above the capacity of any human strength. From hence Mahomet took occasion to blaspheme Jesus Christ, by affirming, that God had no son, because he does not ingender.

The fourth book which goes under the name of Esdras, relates the matter differently. Esdras having desired of God, that he would please to communicate his Spirit 4 Esdr. xiv. 23, 24, &c.to him, that he might write down what the Sacred Books contained, which were then lost. God said to him, Go, find the people, and tell them that they must not seek for you these forty days; prepare several box-tables, and take with thee Sarea, Debrias, Selemia, Ecanus, and Asiel, five persons who write very nimbly, then return hither, and I will kindle in thine heart a light, which will not be extinguished, till what I have said is put in execution. Esdras did as God commanded him. He came to the appointed place, and God presented him with a cup full of liquor, in colour like fire. He drank of it, and perceived his heart to be inflamed with an extreme ardour. Then he began to dictate to the five men abovementioned. He spoke for forty days intire, and in this time two hundred and four books were written by them. He took no nourishment but in the night. God commanded him to reserve seventy of these books, and give them to the wisest of the people; and for the rest, he enjoined him to publish them openly, that they might be read by the worthy and unworthy.

D’Herbelot. Bibl. Orient. p. 698. col. 2.The Christians of the East say, that Esdras swallowed the dust of the ditch, wherein the sacred fire had been concealed, and so received the gift of the Holy Ghost, which enabled him to restore the Sacred Writings. All which proves the great progress which this opinion has made, both in the Church and out of it, which we have confuted at length in a Dissertation written particularly upon this subject.

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