a Jewish priest, and doctor of the law. Artaxerxes Longimanus sent him with rich presents for the adornment of the temple at Jerusalem, which was rebuilt under Zerubbabel; and the king also ordered the neighbouring governors to provide him with whatever might conduce to the pomp of the Jewish religion, as well as to the exemption of the priests from paying taxes. He is supposed to have been the collector of the canon of Scripture, and to have added by divine inspiration some things which happened after the deaths of the authors. It is conjectured that he wrote the Chronicles, besides those books which bear his name, the last two of which are exploded even by the church of Rome.