whether there was anyone among them who had seen the former Temple in its original glory. Now, they were very few and elderly; the Temple had been plundered by Nebuchadnezzar, and Israel had been taken captive and just restored after the lapse of seventy years. It was therefore very difficult to find an old person who was there before the devastation, had lived in captivity, and returned to Jerusalem. Hence he asks, Is there any of you who saw this house in its former glory, and then will see the