EZRA-NEHEMITAH. THE STRUCTURE OF THE TWO BOOKS AS A WHOLE’, ACCORDING TO THEIR CANONICAL ORDER. (Division) AL| EZRA, Tue Repumpina oF THe Terre, A®| NEHEMIAH, Tux Resvtnpiye or rae Wats. (A3, above). EZRA. THE REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE, (intrcerson) AQ/BLL14(Np. THE PEOPLE, EMANCIPATION. ©] 1.+2.10(), THE RETURN UNDER ZERUBBANET, | D[o.16(Q) THE ALTAR, BUILDING AND FEAST, D[a7—6.%(Q, THE TEMPLE, BUILDING AND FEAST. ©) %. 1-8 06, THE RETORN UNDER EZRA. BJ%1—10.44(N, THE PEOPLE, DEDICATION. REFORMATION. (A®, above). NEHEMIAH. THE REBUILDING OF THE WALLS. (Introversion and Alternation) A2/B (1.16 .6(k}) THE WALL REBUILDING, DISORDERS OVERCOME. FM([3.4N, JERUSALEM. CHARGE OVER, J] ts (P) THE RETURN UNDER ZERUBBABER, G}7.-1-8.18(Q). FEAST OF THE SEVENTH MONTH (26 ».c) G9. 110. 39(N). FEAST OF THE SEVENTH MONTH (40 9.0). F)H( 11 v(\. JERUSALEM, RESIDENTS IN. | yjiz.ase(N), THE RETURN UNDER EEA. B[ 12.218. 2 (k). THE WALL. DEDICATION. DISORDERS OVERCOME. + In Hebrew manuscripts of the Bible, and the early printed editions of the Hebrew text, these two books fare always treated and reckoned as one book: the 686 verses being numbered trom the first verve of Ezra to the last verse of Nehemiah ; the middle verse of the ane book being given by the Massorites as Neb. 8.32; while of the ton Sedarim (or Cycles for public ronding), the fourth begins at Hzra 8.28 and ends with Neb, 2.10. See note at foot ofp. 692. Moreover, the notes which the Massorites place at the end of each book are placed at | eke ond af Nehemiah, and not at the end of Ezra. Cp. note on the books of Saavzs, Kas, and Cusoxsce.x,p, 866. "The Structure of the one book is set forth at whove, the two Divisions being given in their Caxosteat | Onoes. Ezz confines himself mainly to the events connected with the Tran. Newxuran confines himself mainly to the events connected with the Waut and the Crer. Ezra comes frst in the Canonical Order, because the Tewrix is more important than the Wat, morally. and spiritual ‘Nehemiah follows, because the Wats is of secondary importance. ‘When the whole of the events aRs looked at in their Cunoxowootcat, and Hisronicat order, a different Structure is necessarily observed; this Structure is determined by certain fred points, common to both Orders ‘These fixed points determing the placo of the remaining events recorded in the two parts respectively. See | nwnte of Brems and Cunoxotooicar Structure on p. 618, and the Harmony of Events in Ap. 68 “The leters of this fount (in brackets) correspond With the same letters in the Cxnowotaorcat, Structure ‘on page 817, } 318 - -CERTAIN FIXED POINTS IN THE TWO DIVISIONS OF THE JOINT BOOKS ‘May bo exhibited as follows in bre «completa ist ofall the events willbe found in Appendix 68, HARA. NEHEMIAH. ‘The Watt, Rebuilding, External disorders overcome. ‘The People, Emancipation. List ‘Tho condition of the city, (People few. "Houses not built) 1,5— The Return under Zerubbabel B70. (The Temple still desolate : and for sixteen ‘years later, Hag. 1, 1-4) east of the Seventh Month (1262.c) 7. -7a— Feast of the Seventh Month (120 a, . 1B, -78-, The Return under Zerabbabel, 8.1% Temple. Foundation laid. 4.16.18, The Tompla: building. 6.1622, Dodication of the Temple 7.18 a0, The Return ander Ear. 9. 1-4. Feast, ao. of the Seventh Month 9. 3-37. Feast, 2, of the Seventh Month GO'a.e) COt'a.c). Soparation of the People. Separation of the People. ‘Earws Prayer, ‘Levites' Prayer. 10. 1-3 Strange wives put away, and tho ‘Covenant made, 11, 1-19-26. Residents in Jerusalem, 12-17, Dedication of the wall, 18.3.8, Reformation of the People, ‘We are now in s position to complete the Cunoxotootexs Structure ofthe joint books, THE STRUCTURE OF EZRA-NEHEMIAH AS A WHOLE, AccoRDING To THE HISTORICAL AND CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER OF EVENTS.* (nears on deat) ABAS/K|x0.11-8 084, THE GAnL, REDUMLDING. EXTERWAT DISORDERS OVERCOME WW Neb. 7.1-4(H) JERUSALEM. CHARGE OVER IT. | TP eta a nim nonce sasciraio ME |x ven Betean@ | Q[S8 5-978 6) peasn or sun suveNti MONTH ds xe) B [tone 0D) THR TEMPLE, FOUNDATION. BR Bare 1-.29(D, THE TENEEE. BUILDING AND DEDICARION P| tam redo (G) THE RETURY UNDE Rah Q Neb. 9.1-9() DHE SEVENTH MON’ ne eee ip, FEAST OF THE SEVENTH MONTH (404 ,c). HORS iO Jom monn. sean Jame aptony ospeR zenvppane. ara 9,610, 44(B). LIN | Nob. 11,112.26 (, JERUSALEM, RESIDENTS TN IT. K|Nch.12.27—18.(2. THE WALL, DEDICATION. INTERNAL DISORDERS OVERCOME, * Soo notes on p. 618. + The Index letters (in brackets) corresyond with Yue same letters which indicate the same members in the Cavontoat. Structure, om Page 616. 37NOTES TO THE CHRONOLOGICAL STRUCTURE (p. 617). ‘Tho Cunoxorocicn. Onoxe of Braves, and the Sraverone based thereon, revolutionises the traditional view, ‘which treats this one book as two books; places ara historically as procoding Nehemiah; and inserts the book of Eeruce between Hara, chapters 6 and 7, instea of before Ezra-Nehemiah, (Ses dante, Est. 1.5.) ‘Thoae who thus dislocate the two divisions of this book proceed to speak of certain portions as being “ mis: placed, and “not ceiginal”, and as having “false connections”. These so-called “diserepancies”, after having thus boon frst mado by the commentators, are changed home om the inspired writers thenuselves ‘That the “ diiculties” exist only in the minds ofthe erit will be seen if we note the following facts — 1, The fixed points, common to the two parts of the book, determine fr us the true position ofall the other parts, and result in giving us the Chronologivat Stractuto of the whole on page 617. 2% The traditional view places the building of the temple by Kara as coming many years before ‘Nehemiah 1, But this ia inconceivable in view of tho report brouglit by Hanani to Nehemiah concerning ‘the desolations (Neb. 1.3) and repeated to the king (Yeh, = 8, Nehemiah would surely have inquired about the wallare of te 42,280 exilea who are supposed to have returned to Jerusalem, and not about “he Jews that bad escaped, which were lft of the captivity” (Neh. 12), & When the wall was fished, “the houses were not yet bnilded” (Neb. 7, 1-4, 5, When the Feast of the seventh month waa kept (Noh. 6), the foundation of the temple of the Loxo was not yet 1aid” (Rara 8. 1-0, 6, When the people dwelt in their “cisled houses", the house of the Lop still Iny waste (Hag. 1. 1-4). ‘Thowe facts are more cvctain than all chronology, and are more important aad conclusive than all reasoning. 7. The names of some of the kings mentioned have been hitherto regarded as proper names; wheres, According to Sie Henry Rawlinson, Professor Sayee, The Encyclopedia Britannica, and The Century Bneyclopadia of Names, threo at least aro appellatives (like Pharaoh, Abimeleck, Czar, Shah, Saltan); viz | Avasoesus, which means “The venerable king”, Anearerys, which means “Tho grest king", and Dantes, which metns “The maintainer”, Seo the Geneulogy of the Persian Kings (Ap. 97), If these appellatives denote separate and diferent individual kings, no place ean be found for them all on the page of history. 8, See the longer notes on special passages at the end of Nehemiah, page 658. 38