1.) The second temple, B. C. 535-515. This was begun soon after the return from exile (Ezra 3. 1, 2, 8), but was not completed until twenty-one years afterward (Ezra 6. 15, 16). It was smaller and less splendid than that of Sol´o-mon, but was built upon the same plan.

2.) Ez´ra's reformation, B. C. 450. The coming to Je-ru´sa-lem of Ez´ra the scribe was a great event in Is´ra-el-ite history; for, aided by Ne-he-mi´ah, he led in a great reformation of the people. He found them neglecting their law and following foreign customs. He awakened an enthusiasm for the Mo-sa´ic law, aroused the patriotism of the people, and renewed the ancient faith. His work gave him the title of "the second founder of Is´ra-el."

3.) The separation of the Sa-mar´i-tans, B. C. 409. (For the origin of the Sa-mar´i-tans see 2 Kings 17. 22-34.) They were a mingled people, both in race and religion; but until the captivity were permitted to worship in the temple at Je-ru´sa-lem. After the return from Bab´y-lon the Sa-mar´i-tans and the Jews grew farther and farther apart. The Sa-mar´i-tans opposed the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4. 9-24), and delayed it for many years; and a century later strove to prevent Ne-he-mi´ah from building the wall of Je-ru´sa-lem (Neh. 4. 2). Finally they established a rival temple on Mount Ger´i-zim, and thenceforth the two races were in bitter enmity (John 4. 9).

4.) The completion of the Old Testament canon. The prophets after the restoration were Hag´ga-i, Zech-a-ri´ah, and Mal´a-chi; but the author or editor of most of the latest books was Ez´ra, who also arranged the Old Testament nearly, perhaps fully, in its present form. Thenceforward no more books were added, and the scribe or interpreter took the place of the prophet.

2. The Greek period, B. C. 330-166. In the year B. C. 330 Al-ex-an´der the Great won the empire of Per´sia in the great battle of Ar-be´la, by which the sovereignty of the East was transferred from A´sia to Eu´rope, and a new chapter in the history of the world was opened. Al-ex-an´der died at the hour when his conquests were completed, and before they could be organized and assimilated; but the kingdoms into which his empire was divided were all under Greek kings, and were all Greek in language and civilization. Ju-de´a was on the border between Syr´i-a and E´gypt, and belonged alternately to each kingdom. We divide this period into three subdivisions:

1.) The reign of Al-ex-an´der, B. C. 330-321. The Jews had been well treated by the Per´sian kings and remained faithful to Da-ri´us, the last king of Per´sia, in his useless struggle. Al-ex-an´der marched against Je-ru´sa-lem, determined to visit upon it heavy punishment for its opposition, but (according to tradition) was met by Jad-du´a, the high priest, and turned from an enemy to a friend of the Jews.

2.) The E-gyp´tian supremacy, B. C. 311-198. In the division of Al-ex-an´der's conquests Ju-de´a was annexed to Syr´i-a, but it soon fell into the hands of E´gypt, and was governed by the Ptol´e-mies (Greek kings of E´gypt) until B. C. 198. The only important events of this period were the rule of Si´mon the Just, an exceptionally able high priest, about B. C. 300, and the translation of the Old Testament into the Greek language for the use of the Jews of Al-ex-an´dri-a, who had lost the use of He´brew or Chal´dee. This translation was made about B. C. 286, according to Jew´ish tradition, and is known as the Septuagint version.

3.) The Syr´i-an supremacy, B. C. 198-166. About the year B. C. 198 Ju-de´a fell into the hands of the Syr´i-an kingdom, also ruled by a Greek dynasty, the Se-leu´ci-dæ, or descendants of Se-leu´cus. This change of rulers brought to the Jews a change of treatment. Hitherto they had been permitted to live undisturbed upon their mountains, and to enjoy a measure of liberty, both in civil and ecclesiastical matters. But now the Syr´i-an kings not only robbed them of their freedom, but also undertook to compel them to renounce their religion by one of the most cruel persecutions in all history. The temple was desecrated and left to ruin, and the worshipers of Je-ho´vah were tortured and slain, in the vain endeavor to introduce the Greek and Syr´i-an forms of idolatry among the Jews. Heb. 11. 33-40 is supposed to refer to this persecution. When An-ti´o-chus, the Syr´i-an king, found that the Jews could not be driven from their faith, he deliberately determined to exterminate the whole nation. Uncounted thousands of Jews were slaughtered, other thousands were sold as slaves, Je-ru´sa-lem was well-nigh destroyed, the temple was dedicated to Ju´pi-ter O-lym´pus, and the orgies of the Bacchanalia were substituted for the Feast of Tabernacles. The religion of Je-ho´vah and the race of the Jews seemed on the verge of utter annihilation in their own land.

Blackboard Outline

I. Four Per. 1. Per. per. 1.) Sec. tem. 2.) Ez. ref. 3.) Sep. Sam. 4.) Com. O. T. can.
2. Gk. per. 1.) Rei. Alex. 2.) Eg. sup. 3.) Syr. sup.