Jews of the dispersion and those of Palestine. He himself was the
connecting link between them, and his activity prepared the minds of the
Palestinian Jews for the acceptance of those new principles that were
strongly held by leaders like himself. He also enforced the ethical and
social ideals of the earlier prophets, and ably advocated the principles
that are fundamental in the late priestly laws. Above all, in his own
personality as a prophetic layman, he held up before his race an example
of patriotism, self-sacrifice, efficiency, and devotion to the service
of Jehovah which made a profound and lasting impression upon his own and
later generations.

Section CII. THE TRADITIONAL ACCOUNT OF THE ADOPTION OF THE PRIESTLY
LAW

[Sidenote: Ezra 7:1, 6-10]
In the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra, a descendant of Aaron,
went up from Babylon; and he was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses,
which Jehovah, the God of Israel, had given. And the king granted him all
his request, inasmuch as the hand of Jehovah his God was upon him. And
some of the Israelites, and of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the
porters, and the temple servants went up to Jerusalem [with him]. And he
came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the
king. For on the first day of the first month he began the journey from
Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem,
since the good hand of God was with him. For Ezra had set his heart to
seek the law of Jehovah, and to observe it and to teach in Israel statutes
and ordinances.

[Sidenote: Neh. 7:73b, 8:4-6]
And when the seventh month drew near, all the people gathered themselves
together as one man to the broad place that was before the Water Gate. And
they spoke to Ezra the priest and scribe to bring the book of the law of
Moses, which Jehovah had commanded Israel. And Ezra the priest brought the
law before the assembly of men and women, and all who could hear with
understanding, upon the first day of the seventh month. And he read from
it before the open place that was before the Water Gate, from early
morning until mid-day, in the presence of the men and women and of those
who could understand; and all the people were attentive to the book of the
law. And Ezra the priest and scribe stood upon a wooden pulpit, which they
made for the purpose and opened the book in the sight of all the
people--for he was above all the people--and when he