I have now stated the history of the _Jews_ in the Reigns of _Cyrus_, _Cambyses_, and _Darius Hystaspis_: it remains that I state their history in the Reigns of _Xerxes_, and _Artaxerxes Longimanus_: for I place the history of _Ezra_ and _Nehemiah_ in the Reign of this _Artaxerxes_, and not in that of _Artaxerxes Mnemon_: for during all the _Persian_ Monarchy, until the last _Darius_ mentioned in Scripture, whom I take to be _Darius Nothus_, there were but six High-Priests in continual succession of father and son, namely, _Jeshua_, _Joiakim_, _Eliashib_, _Joiada_, _Jonathan_, _Jaddua_, and the seventh High-Priest was _Onias_ the son of _Jaddua_, and the eighth was _Simeon Justus_, the Son of _Onias_, and the ninth was _Eleazar_ the younger brother of _Simeon_. Now, at a mean reckoning, we should allow about 27 or 28 years only to a Generation by the eldest sons of a family, one Generation with another, as above; but if in this case we allow 30 years to a Generation, and may further suppose that _Jeshua_, at the return of the captivity in the first year of the Empire of the _Persians_, was about 30 or 40 years old; _Joiakim_ will be of about that age in the 16th year of _Darius Hystaspis_, _Eliashib_ in the tenth year of _Xerxes_, _Joiada_ in the 19th year of _Artaxerxes Longimanus_, _Jonathan_ in the 8th year of _Darius Nothus_, _Jaddua_ in the 19th year of _Artaxerxes Mnemon_, _Onias_ in the 3d year of _Artaxerxes Ochus_, and _Simeon Justus_ two years before the death of _Alexander_ the Great: and this reckoning, as it is according to the course of nature, so it agrees perfectly well with history; for thus _Eliashib_ might be High-Priest, and have grandsons, before the seventh year of _Artaxerxes Longimanus_, _Ezra_ x. 6. and without exceeding the age which many old men attain unto, continue High-Priest 'till after the 32d year of that King, _Nehem._ xiii. 6, 7. and his grandson _Johanan_, or _Jonathan_, might have a chamber in the Temple in the seventh year of that King, _Ezra_ x. 6. and be High-Priest before _Ezra_ wrote the sons of _Levi_ in the book of _Chronicles_; _Nehem._ xii. 23. and in his High-Priesthood, he might slay his younger brother _Jesus_ in the Temple, before the end of the Reign of _Artaxerxes Mnemon_: _Joseph. Antiq._ l. xi. c. 7. and _Jaddua_ might be High-Priest before the death of _Sanballat_, _Joseph._ _ib._ and before the death of _Nehemiah_, _Nehem._ xii. 22. and also before the end of the Reign of _Darius Nothus_; and he might thereby give occasion to _Josephus_ and the later _Jews_, who took this King for the last _Darius_, to fall into an opinion that _Sanballat, Jaddua_, and _Manasseh_ the younger brother of _Jaddua_, lived till the end of the Reign of the last _Darius_: _Joseph._ _Antiq._ l. xi. c. 7, 8. and the said _Manasseh_ might marry _Nicaso_ the daughter of _Sanballat_, and for that offence be chased from _Nehemiah_, before the end of the Reign of _Artaxerxes Longimanus_; _Nehem_. xiii. 28.