Artaxerxes

The Greek form of the name of several Persian kings. (1.) The king who obstructed the rebuilding of the temple (Ezra 4:7). He was probably the Smerdis of profane history. (2.) The king mentioned in Ezra 7:1, in the seventh year (B.C. 458) of whose reign Ezra led a second colony of Jews back to Jerusalem, was probably Longimanus, who reigned for forty years (B.C. 464-425); the grandson of Darius, who, fourteen years later, permitted Nehemiah to return and rebuild Jerusalem.

(the great warrior).

ARTAXERX'ES (the great warrior), the name of two kings of Persia mentioned in the Bible. 1.Ezr 4:7-24, the king who stopped the rebuilding of the temple because he listened to the malicious report of the enemies of the Jews. He is supposed to have been Smerdis the Magian, the pretended brother of Cambyses, who seized the throne b. c. 522, and was murdered after 8 months. Ezr 7:7 and Neh 2:1 both speak of a second Artaxerxes, who is generally regarded as the same with Artaxerxes Longimanus (i.e. the Long-handed), son of Xerxes, who reigned b. c. 464—425. In the seventh year of his reign he permitted Ezra to return into Judaea, with such of his countrymen as chose to follow him; and fourteen years afterward he allowed Nehemiah to return and build up Jerusalem.

the silence of light; fervent to spoil

ARTAXERX'ES (the great warrior), the name of two kings of Persia mentioned in the Bible. 1.Ezr 4:7-24, the king who stopped the rebuilding of the temple because he listened to the malicious report of the enemies of the Jews. He is supposed to have been Smerdis the Magian, the pretended brother of Cambyses, who seized the throne b. c. 522, and was murdered after 8 months.