Commentary on Daniel, Chapter 9 · Doctrines 1 · Question 45 – Question 46
45. Quest. Which of the Persian kings it was that renewed the decree for the reedifying of the Temple.
1. The most receiued opinion is, that it was Darius the sonne of Hystaspis the third king of Persia, who renewed the edict for the building of the Temple, in whose sixt yeare it was finished, Ezr. 6. 15. of this opinion is Iosephus, with whome Pererius consenteth: so also M. Calvin, and M. Lydyat de emendat. tempor. ann. 3485. their speciall reason is taken from that place, Ioh. 2. where the Iewes affirme that the Temple was 46. yeares building: which time Pererius reckoneth thus, Cyrus raigned 30. yeares, Cambyses. 8. and in the sixt yeare of Darius the Sanctuarie was finished, but 3. yeares after in the ninth, the outward Court, and all was made an end of, as Iosephus writeth, lib. 11. antiq. so from the 2. of Cyrus, when they beganne to lay the foundation, vntounto the sixt of Darius, are 46. yeares.
Contra. 1. But seeing Ezra saith, that the house was finished in the sixt yeare, Iosephus conceit is not to be admitted, who in this matter is contrarie to himselfe, lib. 1. cont. Appion. where he saith, that the Temple was reedified in the second yeare of his raigne: Then must Pererius hold him to the sixt yeare: as Theodoret also and Iansenius doe there ende the 46. yeares, which the Iewes speake of: whome Pererius for that misliketh: but vntounto this 6. yeare by his owne computation are but 43. yeares.
2. M. Calvin will hauehave these 46. yeares, and the 7. weekes, which here are seuered from the rest, v. 25. to agree together, and to make the number euen 49. yeares, he alloweth three yeares for the first laying of the foundation: and herein he is so confident, that he thus writeth, quisquis hic tergiversari velit, no…ne prodet suam impudentiam, he that will here winde away, the matter beeing so euident, shall but bewray his impudencie. But if from Cyrus 2. to the 6. of Darius Hystaspis are in the largest reckoning but 43. or 44. yeares, where will those three other yeares be found out ouer and aboue, to make vp the 49. yeare? Touching the agreement betweene Daniels 7. weekes and these 46. yeares, more shall be saide, qu. 59. following. But M. Lydyat though he agree with them, that the Temple was reedified in the 2. of Darius Hystaspis, yet he dissenteth in the casting of the time: for he counteth but 12. yeares from Cyrus to the 2. of Darius, all which time, the worke of the Temple was intermitted: but this hath no agreement at all with Daniels 70. weekes seuered from the rest, because of the intermission of the worke of the Temple.
2. Iunius in his first edition, annot. in Ezr. 4. 24. was of opinion, that this Darius that sent Ezra, was Artaxerxes Longimanus sonne of Darius Hystaspis by …sther: so also Melancthon. And this is most like: for if the building of the Temple be driuen further off then vntounto this kings daies, Daniels 7. weekes set apart for the building of the Temple, will no waies agree: see more, qu. 59. following.
3. Iunius in his last edition thinketh otherwise, that it was Darius Nothus in whose sixt yeare the house of God was finished, which Iosephus Scalliger would prooue by this argument; because this Darius hath an Artaxerxes next before him, Ezr. 4. 7. and an other next after him, Ezr. 7. 1. and so hath no other, Darius among the kings of Persia: But the first Artashasht was Gambyses, who was not the next before Longimanus, and the other Artashassht is the same with Darius, called also Artaxerxas Longimanus, as is further shewed, qu. 59. following.
46. Quest. What Artaxerxes it was, in whose senenth yeare Ezra was sent, and in his 20. Nehemiah.
1. Iosrphus thinketh, lib. 11. Antiquit▪ that this was Xerxes, by whome Ezra first, and afterward Nehemiah was sent: but this can not be: for Xerxes is not held to hauehave raigned aboue 20. or 32. yeares: now mention is made of the 32. yeare of this Artaxerxes, Ezr. 5. 14. Beside Iosephus manifestly erreth in two other points: 1. he saith that Nehemiah was sent in the 25. yeare of this Artaxerxes, whereas it is euident, that it was the 20. yeare, Nehem. 2. 1. 2. he saith the walls were finished in two yeares and 3. moneths, whereas they were repaired in the space of 52. daies, Ezr. 6. 15.
2. Pererius, therein consenting with some auncient writers, holdeth this to be Artaxerxes Longimanus, the sonne of Xerxes; wherein he thinketh right, sauing that this can not agree with his former opinion, that it was Darius Hystaspis, in whose sixt yeare the Temple was built: which Darius in truth was Artaxerxes Longimanus, as is further declared, qu. 58. following. M. Lydyat also thinketh well, that this was Artaxerxes Longimanus, by whome Ezra and Nehemiah were sent, in ann. 3553. but from hence he doth not well beginne Daniels 70. weekes, as is shewed before▪ qu. 42.
3. Some thinke that this was Artaxerxes Muemon, which gaue libertie vntounto Ezra and Nehemiah to returne to Ierusalem, and repaire the citie; because no other Artaxerxes but he of the kings of Persia immediatly succee d…da Darius: Ioseph. Scall…g. Iun. The Art…shasht mentioned, Ezr. 7. 1. who sent Ezra, and afterward Nehemiah, succeeded not Darius, but was that Darius in whose 6. yeare the Temple was built… See qu. 58. following.