_THE FAMILIES ARE ENUMERATED WHICH WENT WITH ESDRAS. HE SENDS FOR LEVITES FROM CASIPHIA, TO WHOM HE INTRUSTS THE GOLD AND SILVER WHICH WAS TO BE BROUGHT TO JERUSALEM; AND ARRIVING THERE, HE OFFERS SOLEMN SACRIFICES._ _Before Christ 458._... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 15. _AHAVA_— This was a river of Assyria, and, very probably, that which ran along the _Adiabene,_ where the river _Diava,_ or _Adiava,_ is known to be, and upon which Ptolemy places the city of _Abane,_ or _Avano._ Here, as some imagine, was the country which, in the 2nd book of Kings, Exodu... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 17. _CASIPHIA_— It is not easy to guess what place this was. The text calls it _Casiphia the place._ Some have taken it for the Caspian mountains situate between Media and Hyrcania, in the mines of which these captive Nethinims are supposed to have been sent to work; if so, it is no wonder th... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 21. _I PROCLAIMED A FAST_— They had the greater reason to do this, because they carried with them things of considerable value, were apprehensive of enemies who lay in wait for them, and were ashamed to ask any guard of the king, who, being not much instructed in these matters, might possibly... [ Continue Reading ]
_VER._ 26, 27. _SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY TALENTS OF SILVER,_ &C.— The six hundred and fifty talents of silver, at three hundred and seventy-five pounds to the talent, make two hundred and forty-three thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds. The silver vessels weighed one hundred talents, which come to... [ Continue Reading ]