8. The worship at Jerusalem soon became prominently important throughout the land. The strict observance of the Law and a deep hatred of idolatry seem fully to have occupied the minds of the people, and the feast of the Passover was observed at Jerusalem with the other feasts, in strict accordance with the Law. The sacrifices were made and burnt-offerings offered before the foundations of the Temple were laid, only the altar having been set up upon the former site and in the open air.
9. Very few, if any, of those Jews who had been scattered abroad came from the remnants of the ten tribes around the distant places of northern Assyria and from the other regions;but a new immigration, under Ezra, came from Babylon bringingin about 6,000 more.[108]This last immigration was not until fifty-eight years after the second Temple had been built under Zerub´babel,[109] who went out with the Jews from Babylon under the edict of Cyrus, at the first departure of the captives, B. C. 588.
10. Much of the history of these times is derived from the historian Josephus, but something may be learned from the writings of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Haggai encouraged Zerubbabel in the building of the Temple, Ezra 5:1, 2. He first appears in the second year of Darius Hystaspes, B. C. 521.About two months[110] after Haggai the prophet Zechariah began to prophesy in Jerusalem. Malachi, the last of the prophets, uttered his warnings and reproofs, and foretold the coming Messiah, about 125 years after Haggai and Zechariah, or probably about B. C. 397.
11. One of the books of the Bible contains the history of Esther, which reveals to us the extent of Jewish settlement and growth in the Persian provinces at about the era of Xerxes,who came to the throne of Persia B. C. 485, fifty years after the return of the Jews to Palestine.[111]
Cyrus had been succeeded by his son Cambyses, whose reign was spent chiefly in attempting to reconquer Egypt, until his death by suicide, B. C. 522. He was succeeded by Darius, who reigned till B. C. 486,and during that reign the Jews had peace and prosperity, both in Palestine and Persia.
At the death of Darius, Xerxes began his reign of twenty-one years. This king, known as Xerxes among the Greeks, was called Ahasuerus among the Hebrews, and is so presented to us in the book of Esther.
12. The king was spending his time at his splendid capital Susa, when he gave a feast of unexampled extravagance. It was at this feast that he became enraged at his queen because she refused to present herself, at the order of the king, before the half-drunken revellers of the occasion. The queen was deposed, and Esther was chosen in her place. The new queen was an orphan maiden of the tribe of Benjamin, and, about B. C. 478, she appeared before the king and the royal crown was placed upon her head.
Through jealousy a plot was originated by Haman to destroy the Jews. This plot was prevented by Esther, and the Jews were permitted to defend themselves and slay all who should attempt their destruction, throughout the “one hundred and twenty-seven provinces” of the Empire.
13. The recent explorations, by the French archæologist M. Marcel Dieulafoy, in the extensive mounds of the site of ancient Susa, have shown a very surprising accuracy in the description, both of the palace and its ornaments, as found in the book of Esther.“The brilliant coloring of the glazedtiles, the gorgeous decoration of the palace walls, the handsome friezes and enormous capitals,”[112] forming part of the collection brought together at the Musée du Louvre, together with the plan of the palace, its courts and gardens, afford sufficient evidence that the unknown author of the history of Esther must have been well acquainted not only with the structure of the palace, but with the customs of the people.