Nothus, and Darius Codomannus, for one and the same Darius; and Jaddua, and Simeon Justus, for one and the same High-Priest.  Those Jews who took Herod for the Messiah, and were thence called Herodians, seem to have grounded their opinion upon the seventy weeks of years, which they found between the Reign of Cyrus and that of Herod:  but afterwards, in applying the Prophesy to Theudas, and Judas of Galilee, and at length to Barchochab, they seem to have shortned the Reign of the Kingdom of Persia.  These accounts being very imperfect, it was necessary to have recourse to the records of the Greeks and Latines, and to the Canon recited by Ptolemy, for stating the times of this Empire.  Which being done, we have a better ground for understanding the history of the Jews set down in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, and adjusting it; for this history having suffered by time, wants some illustration:  and first I shall state the history of the Jews under Zerubbabel, in the Reigns of Cyrus, Cambysis, and Darius Hystaspis.

This history is contained partly in the three first chapters of the book of Ezra, and first five verses of the fourth; and partly in the book of Nehemiah, from the 5th verse of the seventh chapter to the 9th verse of the twelfth:  for Nehemiah copied all this out of the Chronicles of the Jews, written before his days; as may appear by reading the place, and considering that the Priests and Levites who sealed the Covenant on the 24th day of the seventh month, Nehem. x. were the very same with those who returned from captivity in the first year of Cyrus, Nehem. xii. and that all those who returned sealed it:  this will be perceived by the following comparison of their names.

The Priests who returned.  The Priests who sealed.

Nehemiah. Ezra ii. 2. Nehemiah.

Serajah. Serajah.

* Azariah.

Jeremiah. Jeremiah.

Ezra. Ezra. Nehem. 8.

* Pashur.

Amariah. Amariah.

Malluch:  or Melicu, Neh. Malchijah. xii. 2, 14.

Hattush. Hattush.

Shechaniah or Shebaniah, Shebaniah. Neh. xii. 3, 14.

* Malluch.

Rehum:  or Harim, ib. 3, Harim. 15.

Meremoth. Meremoth.

Iddo. Obadiah or Obdia.