Bible Dictionaries
Artaxerxes

People's Dictionary of the Bible

Artaxerxes (är'tăg-zĕrk'sçz), the great warrior. The name of two kings of Persia mentioned in the Bible: 1. Ezra 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 eight months. 2. Ezra 7:7, and Nehemiah 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 Judæa, with such of his countrymen as chose to follow him; and 14 years afterwards he allowed Nehemiah to return and build up Jerusalem.

Bibliography Information
Rice, Edwin Wilbur, DD. Entry for 'Artaxerxes'. People's Dictionary of the Bible. https://www.studylight.org/​dictionaries/​eng/​rpd/​a/artaxerxes.html. 1893.