r houses, also the hundredth part of the money,
and of the corn, the wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.'

"Then said they, 'We will restore them, and will require nothing of
them; so will we do, even as thou sayest.'

"Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they should
do according to this promise. Also I shook out my lap, and said, 'So
God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that
performeth not this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied.'
And all the congregation said, 'Amen,' and praised the Lord.

"And the people did according to this promise. Moreover from the time
that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from
the twentieth year even unto the two and thirtieth year of Artaxerxes
the king, that is, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the
bread of the governor. But the former governors that were before me
were chargeable unto the people, and took of them bread and wine,
beside forty shekels of silver; yea, even their servants bore rule
over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God.

{223}{224}

[Illustration]
JERUSALEM, A PART OF THE WALL AND THE MOSQUE OF OMAR.

Jerusalem, like all ancient cities, was protected by walls. The
first of these walls was built by David and Solomon and the later
kings. This wall was broken down and overthrown when the people of
the city were carried into captivity, and was rebuilt again by
Nehemiah. In the time of Josephus, three walls encircled the city,
the oldest being the ancient wall and the others additions
necessitated by the enlargement of the boundaries. Parts of these
walls have been traced, and some portions still exist. These
existing portions are in places 150 feet high, and the ancient
towers at the corners were probably 250 feet high. They were built
of immense stones very solidly put together to resist the attack of
battering rams in times of war.
[End illustration]

{225}

Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any
land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.
Moreover there were at my table of the Jews and the rulers an hundred
and fifty men, beside those that came unto us from among the heathen
that were round about us. Now that which was prepared for one day was
one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and once
in ten days store of all sorts of wine: yet for all th