ter the return from the _Babylonian_ captivity, because they bring down
the history of _Judah_, and the genealogies of the Kings of _Judah_, and of
the High Priests, to that captivity. The book of _Ezra_ was originally a
part of the book of the _Chronicles_, and has been divided from it. For it
begins with the two last verses of the books of _Chronicles_, and the first
book of _Esdras_ begins with the two last chapters thereof. _Ezra_ was
therefore the compiler of the books of _Kings_ and _Chronicles_, and
brought down the history to his own time. He was a ready Scribe in the Law
of God; and for assisting him in this work _Nehemias_ founded a library,
and _gathered together the Acts of the Kings and the Prophets, and of
_David_, and the Epistles of the Kings, concerning the holy gifts_, 2
_Maccab._ ii. 13. By the Acts of _David_ I understand here the two books of
_Samuel_, or at least the second book. Out of the Acts of the _Kings_,
written from time to time by the Prophets, he compos'd the books of the
Kings of _Judah_ and _Israel_, the _Chronicles_ of the Kings of _Judah_,
and the _Chronicles_ of the Kings of _Israel_. And in doing this he joined
those Acts together, in due order of time, copying the very words of the
authors, as is manifest from hence, that the books of the _Kings_ and
_Chronicles_ frequently agree with one another in words for many sentences
together. Where they agree in sense, there they agree in words also.

So the Prophecies of _Isaiah_, written at several times, he has collected
into one body. And the like he did for those of _Jeremiah_, and the rest of
the Prophets, down to the days of the second Temple. The book of _Jonah_ is
the history of _Jonah_ written by another hand. The book of _Daniel_ is a
collection of papers written at several times. The six last chapters
contain Prophecies written at several times by _Daniel_ himself: the six
first are a collection of historical papers written by others. The fourth
chapter is a decree of _Nebuchadnezzar_. The first chapter was written
after _Daniel_'s death: for the author saith, that _Daniel_ continued to
the first year of _Cyrus_; that is, to his first year over the _Persians_
and _Medes_, and third year over _Babylon_. And, for the same reason, the
fifth and sixth chapters were also written after his death. For they end
with these words: _So this _Daniel_ prospered in the reign of _Darius_ and
in the reign of _Cyrus_ the_ Persian. Yet these words m