Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 07.djvu/453

* EZEKIEL. 405 EZBA. His first large work was a group representing "Religious Liberty," which he was commissioned to model for the Jewish Order of the Sons of the Covenant (1874). II i- now in Fairmourit Park, Philadelphia. Among other works by him are the much-discussed "Christus," "Eve Hearing the Voice," "The Daughter of Eve," "Judith," a Madonna for a church in Tivoli, eleven statues ill famous artists for the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, and the Jefferson Monument in Louisville, Ky. His portraits, in the round and relief, include those of Liszt, Hohenlohe, Long- fellow, Lee, and Farragut. The work of Ezekiel is littie known in this country, for the besl of it remains abroad. 11 depa from the conven tional standard in many case, and is original and strong in sentiment. It also shows the inllu- ence of Michelangelo rather than the Greek models, although such work ( [isolation," "Pan and Cupid," and "Apollo and Mercury" are classical in tendency. EZION-GEBER, e'zl-6n ge'ber (Heb., where Geber-trees grow ) . A station oi the Israelites on their road from Egypt (Num. xx.xiii. 35; Dent. ii. 8). It was originally a cily of Edom, which David conquered (II. Sam. viii. 14). Later it was the station of Solomon's navy, which was engaged in the gold trade with Ophir (I. Kings ix. 2(j; II. Chron. viii. 17); when Jehoshaphat fitted out sliips for a similar purpose they were broken at this port (I. Kings xxii. 4S ; II. Chron. xx. 36-37). Josenhus (Ant. viii. Li. 4) says the plaee was called Berenice in his day. Ezion- Geber is probably identical with the modern Ain-el-Ghudyan, where is now the dry bed of the An' haii neai 1 lath iq.v.) . EZ'KA (perhaps shortened from Axariah, Je- hovah helps). With Nehemiah the most promi- inent figure connected with the return of the Hebrev from Babylonia and the reorganization of the temple cult. Of the details of his private life but little is known. He belonged to a priestly family, and v is resident in Babylon in the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus (B.C. 485- 425). With this monarch he seems to have been in considerable favor, and in the year B.C. 458 obtained permission to return to Jerusalem with a band of bis countrymen. 1754 in number. Ezra was authorized to carry offerings to the temple made by the King and by the Jews who remained behind, to purchase sacrificial animals, and to use the rest of the money that was given to him as he saw fit. As further privileges, all those en- gaged in the service of the temple were freed from taxaion. A later generation exaggerated the authority given to Ezra, and assumed that he wa» ;i!so instructed and given power to carry out the la - of the Persian King and the law of God. bile Ezra did not enjoy any au- thority of this kind, he, aided by the statesman Nehemiah. became an influential member of the new colony. Ezra, on his arrival in Palestine, found the Jewish population, priests and Levites in- cluded, contracting marriages with non- Jewesses. To one profoundly impressed with the funda- mental principle that Jehovah's people are to remain pure if the laws of Jehovah are to be carried out, such a state of affairs was distress- ing, and we can well understand Ezra's grief bordering on despair. The question was taken up in an assembly of the people held in the year of Ezra's arrival; but beyond the appointment of a commission ol inquiry, which drew up a list of p i ■'"is w ho had enti red upon nixed ma n ia lit! le was d i A< 1 1 radica I measu "■ ede<3 but th cause I shed until tin- advent of Nehemiah h hi n i lie at tempt was made i" enforce the law. not only against the mixed mar riages, but also the various other regulations in the legal codes, such as the observance of the Sabbath day, tin- letting the land In- fallow every seventh year, the contributions to the temple ei iid the paj fnenl of tithes. > ber el persons had agT I to abide by the law: they formed the nucleu ofthi true Israel, and thn 1 1 "in the opportunity was presented to lay be the whole I" iple On a solemn occasion the full law; promulgated in tin name of Moses, ad which contained the minute regulations "f the cult. Most, scholars are of the opinion thai tHis event took place in the year B.C. Ill, and is the die described in Nehemiah. clis. viii. x.. where Ezra with Nehemiah a1 his side i pictured as' gathering the people on the plateau before the Water Gate, and reading to them the Hook of the Law. The impressive scene is described in detail. Two days are consumed in the reading. The peo- ple are profoundly impressed, and portrayed as moved to tears at the thought of their past dis- obedience. Preparations are at once made i" carry out the law, and as a symbol of repentance a great fast is held. There is no reason to ques : tion the theory that Ezra used his time in Jerusa- lem in preparing an elaborate code, and that this code was promulgated on the occasion of Nehe- miah's first visit to Jerusalem, and not, as some scholars are inclined to believe, on the second visit ( B.c. 433 I . Still there are features connected with the promulgation that are very obscure, as indeed i- the whole question of the rela- tionship of Ezra to Nehemiah. The new law- book thus brought to the people is the com- pilation to which scholars have assigned the name Priestly Code (P) or Law-book, and whii l forms an important part of the present Pentateuch or Hexateuch (q.v.). Like the Yah- wistie and Elohistic histories (see Elohist and Yahwist), the l'riestly Code was a mix- ture of narrative and legislation, with this dis- tinction — that in the latter the legislative parts predominate and that the past of Israel is not merely viewed from the theocratic position, but with constant regard to the ceremonial law. The creation narrative is given in P for the sake of the Sabbath command attached to it, not. as in J, as a sole illustration of Jehovah's eternity and supreme power; and similarly the Flood interests P because of the prohibition against eating blood which is connected with it. He reviews the lives of Patriarchs, furnishes genealogies, and mani- fests fondness for statistical details. The aim and goal of the narratives is, however, the Law, to which the narratives serve simply.as an introduc- tion and a framework. This law covers the greater portions of Leviticus and large parts of Numbers. The priestly writer carries his narra- tive down through the death of Moses into the period of the conquest of Canaan. Whether Ezra's book was the Priestly Code in its com- plete shape or not, we may feel certain that what he read to the people was substantially what scholars designate as such. The movement thus inaugurated met with success. The new law book was formally recognized and the temple service