of the last two verses of Chronicles, of
which he is also believed, on good grounds, to have been the author. In
certain passages he speaks of himself in the third person; Ch. 7:1-26;
ch. 10; but there is no reason to deny, on this ground, that he was
their author. Jeremiah changes, in like manner, employing sometimes the
first and sometimes the third person. Certain parts of this book, which
are mainly occupied with public documents respecting the building of the
temple and the orderly arrangement of its services, are written in the
Chaldee language, namely: chaps. 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26.

In respect to the Persian monarchs mentioned in this and the two
following books, there is not an entire agreement among biblical
scholars. The following table, formed in accordance with the
views that seem to be best supported, will be useful to the
reader. It contains, arranged in three parallel columns, first
the names of the Persian kings in their order of succession, as
given by profane historians; secondly, their scriptural names;
thirdly, the dates of their accession to the throne, according
to the received chronology.

Cyrus, Cyrus, Ezra 1:1, etc., B.C. 536.

Cambyses, Ahasuerus, Ezra 4:6, " 529.

Smerdis,[1] Artaxerxes, Ezra 4:7-23, " 522.

Darius Hystaspis, Darius, Ezra 4:24-6:15,[2] " 521.

Xerxes, Ahasuerus, Esther throughout,[3] " 485.

Artaxerxes Longimanus, Artaxerxes, Ezra 7:1, etc.; Neh.
2:1, etc. " 464.

[Footnote 1: He was a usurper who reigned less than a year.]

[Footnote 2: But in Neh. 12:22, Darius Nothus or Darius
Codomanus must be referred to.]

[Footnote 3: Some suppose Darius, others Artaxerxes, to have
been the Ahasuerus of Esther.]

26. The book of _Nehemiah_ continues the history of the Jewish people
after the restoration, beginning with the commission which Nehemiah
received from Artaxerxes Longimanus, king of Persia, in the twentieth
year of his reign (B.C. 446), to go to Jerusalem in the capacity of
Tirshatha, or civil governor, for the purpose of rebuilding the walls of
Jerusalem and setting in order the affairs of the commonwealth. The book
naturally falls into three divisions. The _first_ division contains the
history of his labors in rebuilding t