458 A SHORT VIEW OF SCRIPTURE HISTORY. For though Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi lived while the second temple was building, and prophesied after it was built, yet on their death the prophetic spirit ceased from among them. 8. Q. What was the first hindrance they found in the building of the temple? A. The Samaritans desired to join with them in their building, and because the Jews forbid them, they gave them continual trouble in thé days of Cyrus ; Ezra iv. 1 -5. 9 Q. What was the second hindrance they met with ? A. When Artaxerxes the first came to the throne of Persia these people wrote an accusation against the Jews, that the city of Jerusalem had been rebellious in former times ; whereupon Artaxerxes caused the work to cease till the second year of Da. rius; Verses 7-24. Note. This was not Darius, the first king, and he who took Babylon, and released Daniel from the lions' den ; but another who reigned several years after him. and was called Darius Hystaspesy as the best authors assert : And this also was long before that Darius whomAlexander subdued, and put an end to the Persian kingdom. Here let it be observed in general, that it is not a very easy matter for learned men to agree exactly in adjusting the time of all these events, and the particular accom- plishment of every prophecy, because there were several kings of the samename ; as, three or four Artaxerxes, and three or more Dariuses, &c. And there were four decrees from the kings of Persia in favour of the Jews : The first from Cyrus to Zerubbabel, or Shesbazzar, a prince of Judah ; Ezra i. 1 -8. The second from Darius the second, to theenemies of the Jews, to forbid their hindrance of the work ; Ezra vi. 1 -7. The third from Artaxerxes the second to Ezra, recorded in Ezra vii. 11. The fourth from the same Artaxerxes to Nehemiah, written in Nehem. ii. 1 .9. 10. Q. Who persuaded the Jews to goon with their work under the reign of this Darius ? A. The prophets of God which were withthem encouraged and required them in the name of the Lord, to go on with the work of the temple ; for several of them were too negligent, and God punished them for it with scarcity of corn andwine;'Ez 'ra v. 1, 2. Hag. i. 2-11. Zech. i. 7, ,.. &ö: and chap. iii. and iv. 11. Q. What encouragement did they meet with from the Persian court ? A. The goy« ors of the provinces at this time seeing them renew their bùiltting, sent to enquire concerning the order which Cyrus gave for it : And Darius having found this order among the records of Babylon, gave a fresh com- mand . for the rebuilding of the house of God ; Ezra v. 3 -17. and vi. 1 -14. 12. Q. When was the temple finished ? A. Through many delays, arising partly from the negligence of the Jews, partly from the opposition of their enemies, it was twenty years in build-
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