Jewish tradition has long attributed authorship of this historical book to the scribe and

scholar Ezra, who led the second group of Jews returning from Babylon to Jerusalem
(Ezra 7:1126). Ezra 8 includes a first-person reference, implying the authors
participation in the events. He plays a major role in the second half of the book, as well
as in the book of Nehemiah, its sequel. In the Hebrew Bible, the two books were
considered one work, though some internal evidence suggests they were written
separately and joined together in the Hebrew canon (and separated again in English
translations).
Ezra was a direct descendant of Aaron the chief priest (7:15), thus he was a priest and
scribe in his own right. His zeal for God and Gods Law spurred Ezra to lead a group of
Jews back to Israel during King Artaxerxess reign over the Persian Empire (which had
since replaced the Babylonian Empire that originally exiled the people of Judah).

Where are we?

The book of Ezra records two separate time periods directly following the seventy years
of Babylonian captivity. Ezra 16 covers the first return of Jews from captivity, led by
Zerubbabela period of twenty-three years beginning with the edict of Cyrus of Persia
and ending at the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem (538515 BC). Ezra 710 picks
up the story more than sixty years later, when Ezra led the second group of exiles to
Israel (458 BC). The book could not have been completed earlier than about 450 BC
(the date of the events recorded in 10:1744).
The events in Ezra are set in Jerusalem and the surrounding area. The returning exiles
were able to populate only a tiny portion of their former homeland.

Why is Ezra so important?

The book of Ezra provides a much-needed link in the historical record of the
Israelite people. When their king was dethroned and captured and the people exiled to
Babylon, Judah as an independent nation ceased to exist. The book of Ezra provides an
account of the Jews regathering, of their struggle to survive and to rebuild what had
been destroyed. Through his narrative, Ezra declared that they were still Gods people
and that God had not forgotten them.
In the book of Ezra we witness the rebuilding of the new temple, the unification of the
returning tribes as they shared common struggles and were challenged to work

together. Later, after the original remnant had stopped work on the city walls and
spiritual apathy ruled, Ezra arrived with another two thousand people and sparked a
spiritual revival. By the end of the book, Israel had renewed its covenant with God and
had begun acting in obedience to Him.
Ezra also contains one of the great intercessory prayers of the Bible (Ezra 9:515; see
Daniel 9 and Nehemiah 9 for others). His leadership proved crucial to the Jews spiritual

advancement.
What's the big idea?
Ezras narrative reveals two main issues faced by the returning exiles: (1) the struggle
to restore the temple (Ezra 1:16:22) and (2) the need for spiritual reformation (7:1
10:44). Both were necessary in order for the people to renew their fellowship with the
Lord.
A broader theological purpose is also revealed: God keeps His promises. Through the
prophets, God had ordained that His chosen people would return to their land after a
seventy-year exile. Ezras account proclaims that God kept His word, and it shows that
when Gods people remained faithful to Him, He would continue to bless them. Hence,
the book emphasizes the temple and proper worship, similar to Chronicles (which was
also written during these days).

How do I apply this?

God moved the hearts of secular rulers (Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes) to allow, even
encourage and help, the Jewish people to return home. He used these unlikely allies to
fulfill His promises of restoration for His chosen people. Have you encountered unlikely
sources of blessing? Have you wondered how God can really work all things together for
the good of those who are called by His name (Romans 8:28)? Take time today to
acknowledge Gods sovereignty and mercy in your life. Recommit to Him your trust,
your love, and your obedience.

CANONICITY:

A. Hebrew: The Hebrew title is hymjn-arzu (Ezra-Nehemiah)1

1. arzu is probably an Aramaic form of the Hebrew term rzu, meaning to

help2
2. hymjn is Hebrew meaning Yahweh comforts.3
3. The Writings: The Hebrew placement of the books is among the Writings
just before Chronicles4 and after Daniel:
a. The Hebrew Scriptures were probably originally canonized into a two-fold
division: the Law and the Prophets5
b. By around the second century B.C.6 a three-fold division of the Hebrew
Scriptures arose: The Law, The Prophets, and The Writings7
1) The three-fold division included the same books as the two-fold division
2) There are several possible reasons for a three-fold division: 8
a) A distinction was made between books which were written by men who
held the prophetic office, and men who only had the prophetic gift
b) Some at a later date may have felt that those books which were not
written by prophets were not fully canonical
c) A more practical purpose was served by the topical and
festal9 significance rather than by the two-fold categories
4. Unity: It seems that in the Hebrew canon Ezra and Nehemiah were one
book (Ezra-Nehemiah)
a. Ezra Nehemiah were regarded as one by the Babylonian
Talmud,10 Josephus11 and Melito of Sardis12
b. In the MT there is no space between the end of Ezra 10 and the beginning
of Nehemiah 113
c. In the MT the verse statistics are given for both books at the end of
Nehemiah and not at the end of Ezra14

d. Perhaps Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah were a first and second volume of

Hebrew history15
e. The books were not divided in the Hebrew canon until around the fifteenth
century A.D. (1448) when a Hebrew manuscript divided the books into two.
This was sustained in the Bomberg edition of 152516
B. Greek: The Greek titles are ESDRAS and NEEMIAS17
1. The LXX also grouped Ezra and Nehemiah together as one book calling the
canonical Ezra-Nehemiah Esdras B or 2 Esdras with 1 Esdras being the
apocryphal book18
2. Later, by the time of Origen, the LXX divided the books of Ezra and
Nehemiah
C. Latin: The Latin Vulgate divided Ezra-Nehemiah into First and Second Ezra
because of the duplicate list in Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7.
II. AUTHORS: Ezra and Nehemiah (and a possible Chronicler)

A. The Book of Ezra was written by the spiritual leader Ezra the scribe/priest
1. The Babylonian Talmud identifies Ezra the scribe as the chronicler of 1 and
2 Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah19
2. Note the use of the first person in Ezra 7:27--9:15
B. Most of Nehemiah seems to have been written by Nehemiah since it too is
in the first person (cf. 1:1--7:5; 12:31--13:31)
C. It seems that Ezra incorporated into one work his writings in Ezra and
Nehemiah (chapter 7) as well as Nehemiah's personal memoirs in Nehemiah
D. Another possibility is that a later, but not much later, Chronicler combined
the works of Ezra and Nehemiah into the canonical work of Ezra-Nehemiah

III. DATE: Some time around 433/432-400 B.C.

A. Ezra: Ezra's arrival in Jerusalem was probably in 458/457 B.C.20

1. Ezra 7:1 affirms that Ezra arrived in Jerusalem during the reign of
Artaxerxes the king of Persia
2. Ezra 7:8 affirms that Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in the fifth month of the
seventh year of the king (Artaxerxes)
a. The is some question as to whether this was in the reign of Artaxerxes I
Longimanus (464-423 B.C.) or Artaxerxes II Mnemon (404-359 B.C.)21
b. The evidence seems to be that this was during the reign of Artaxerxes I
Longimanus; therefore, the seventh year of his reign would have been
458/457 B.C.
1) Nehemiah 8:2 identifies Ezra as Nehemiah's contemporary
2) The Elephantine Papyri22 [c. 400 B.C.] mentions Johanan (the grandson of
Eliashib [Neh 3:1, 20])23
B. Nehemiah I: Nehemiah's first arrival in Jerusalem was probably in 445/444
B.C.
1. Nehemiah 1:2 and 2:1 affirm that the events of Nehemiah occurred in the
twentieth year of king Artaxerxes
2. Nehemiah arrived the first time in Jerusalem twelve-thirteen years after
Ezra arrived
C. Nehemiah II: Nehemiah's second arrival in Jerusalem was probably in
433/432-420 B.C.
1. Nehemiah 13:6-7 reads, But during all this time I was not in Jerusalem, for
in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes king of Babylon I had gone to the
king. After some time, however, I asked leave from the king, and I came to
Jerusalem and learned about the evil ....

2. Nehemiah left Jerusalem in the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes

3. Nehemiah may also have returned to Jerusalem in the thirty-second year
of Artaxerxes (this is not certain since the text reads, After some time, ...
D. Conclusion: While portions of each book were probably written earlier
during the lives and events of their authors, it seems that they were
combined and canonized some time after Nehemiah's second return to
Jerusalem in 433/432 B.C.24
IV. PURPOSES FOR THE BOOKS OF EZRA-NEHEMIAH

A. To provide a record of the reconstruction of the Hebrew theocracy upon

the physical and spiritual foundations of the past25
B. To emphasize covenant renewal in the restored community (e.g., Neh 810)
C. To demonstrate God's faithfulness through the physical rebuilding and
dedication of the wall (cf. Zeph 3:19-20; Hag 2:1-9)
D. To emphasize the historical and theological continuity between the
preexilic and postexilic Israel through the institution of the temple,
installation of officers like priests and temple servants, the emphasis of the
Law of Moses
E. To proclaim the legitimacy of the restored community's religious, political,
economic, and social life as God's people (cf. Neh 9:32-37)
F. To trace the re-establishment of Yahweh worship and the securing of
Jerusalem as a religious community separated from all foreign influences
unto Yahweh's Law26
G. To foreshadow the full restoration of the nation through that which was
accomplished by Ezra and Nehemiah27

To summarize, the books of Ezra-Nehemiah offer an extreme example of a

canonical process which has disregarded a strictly literary or historical
sequence in order to describe the restoration as a theological model for the
obedient and holy people of God. (Brevard S. Childs,Introduction to the Old
Testament as Scripture, 636-37).
Johnson writes, It is written to demonstrate what God has done without any
necessary implications directing attention to future actions. Rather, based on
the demonstration of what God has begun to fulfill, the godly reader is
encouraged to anticipate a complete fulfillment of what He has begun. The
godly Jews were expected to continue in purity of worship with an
expectation that God would continue to work He had begun (Elliott E.
Johnson, Ezra and Nehemiah, [unpublished class notes in 327 Seminar in Old
Testament Historical Literature, Dallas Theological Seminary, Spring 1989],
5).
Author of Ezra
Ezra is the author of the book and is also the main character in the story starting in
chapter 7 (Ezra 7:1, 11, 25, 28; 8:15-17, etc.). Though the book does not specifically
claim Ezra as the author, the writing style changes from third person in chapters 1-6 to
first person for the rest of the book. This coincides with when Ezra became the leader of
the people out of Babylon headed to Jerusalem. He was a priest and the son of Saraiah
(7:1-5). Ezra was a scribe which are sometimes called lawyers in the New Testament
(7:6, 21). He was a godly man (7:10).
Date Written
The book was written shortly after Ezra arrived in Jerusalem in 458 BC. It covers the
history of Israel for the years 536 to 456 BC. The book starts where the book of 2
Chronicles ends and is a continuation of that book which is apparently written by the
same author.
Ezra, like the books of Chronicles, was written some time between 460 and 440 BC.
Purpose of Ezra
While there is no specified audience (like the other historical books), Ezra is clearly
writing to outline the history of the re-establishment of Jerusalem. This book covers a
period of about 80 years. The book opens with the first wave of Jews returning to
Jerusalem. Then 78 years later there is a second group who came to the city to rebuild.
The first group was led by Zerubbabel and is covered in chapters 1-6. Ezra led the
second group in chapters 7-10.

Key Verses
Ezra 2:1 Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of
those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had
carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto
his city;
Ezra 3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the
LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the
people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the
foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Ezra 6:21, 22 And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all
such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the
land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat, And kept the feast of unleavened bread
seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the
king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the
God of Israel.
Ezra 7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of
Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his
request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
Key Words

Go up, went up, etc. Used several times.

Jerusalem Used 47 times.

Outline of Ezra
1. Zerubbabel leads the first return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1-6)
2. Ezra leads the second return to Jerusalem and leads the people to revival (Ezra
7-10)
Summary of Ezra
Cyrus, the King of Persia who conquered the Babylonians at the end of the book of
Daniel, put out a decree that he wanted to build a house for the Lord in Jerusalem. He
asked for volunteers from among the people of God (the Jews) to go back to re-inhabit
Jerusalem and re-build the Temple. He wanted to return the items from Solomons
Temple that the Babylonians had taken as well as finance the endeavor (chapter 1).
Chapter 2 provides a list of those who returned with Zerubbabel. There is also a
genealogy which established the claims of the priestly line to the descendants of Aaron.

This chapter says that there were 42,360 people plus servants, maids and musicians
who returned to Jerusalem to begin the reconstruction of the Temple.
The beginning of the rebuilding starts in chapter 3 and goes through chapter 6. The altar
is built and the Temples foundation is laid in chapter 3. However there was Samaritan
opposition which stopped the work for 2 years (chapter 4). The Samaritans wrote letters
to King Cyrus and surrounding kings leveling false accusations against the inhabitants
of Jerusalem that they would rise up in rebellion against the nations around them. They
were then physically prevented by the surrounding kingdoms from rebuilding the
Temple.
Though they are just mentioned in Ezra 5:1, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah
encouraged the people and the work began after a 2 year suspension. These two
prophets have books which bear their names. More about what they preached and
some of the surrounding events of the book of Ezra can be seen in their books.
King Darius, the Median king, discovered the documents where Cyrus had made a
decree to build the temple and he re-invigorates the efforts by supplying whatever the
Jews needed to finish the construction (chapter 6). This Temple is called Zerubbabels
Temple as opposed to the original known as Solomons Temple.
There is a 57 year gap between chapter 6 and chapter 7. During this period the events
of the book of Esther took place. Because of this large gap in time, most of the people
who had returned with Zerubbabel to rebuild the Temple had died. Ezra arrived in
Jerusalem with a new group of people and found that the original post-exilic Jews had
strayed from the Lord (chapters 7, 8)
In chapter 9 Ezra prayed to the Lord on behalf of the people. Revival came to
Jerusalem and the people took a separated and holy position towards God.
The Holy Writer
Along with Chronicles, tradition has accepted the authorship of this book to be by Ezra the priest
(cf. The Holy Writer & Time of Writing for Chronicles) for many reasons. A cursory reading
of these books will reveal that there are many similarities and ties between the books
of Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah. Some of the similarities include: The common use of lists
and genealogies (1:9-11; 2:2-58, 64-70; 7:1-5; 8:2-14, 26-27; 10:20-44), the description of
religious festivals (3:2-5; 6:16-22; 8:21-23, 35), words and phrases common to them all (for
example heads of families, the house of God, singer, gatekeeper, and temple servants),
and the prominence of the Levites and other temple personnel.
Ezra was a priest (a direct descendant of Aaron) and a learned scribe (7:1-6) chosen by God to
lead the second group of exiles back to the land of Judah in 458 B.C. Because of his leadership
and his efforts to restore the true worship of God during this time in history, he has been called

by some the Second Moses. Ezra himself indicates that he wrote the book, as he uses the first
person for the accounts which he was personally involved in (chapters 8ff). Ezra lived in the mid
5th century, but his book begins with Cyrus decree in 536 B.C. which happened before Ezras
leadership. So, like the records of Chronicles, the accounts recorded in the first part of the book
were gathered by the holy writer from other sources, and written as a narration, and not in the
first person.
Purpose and Theme
The Book of Ezra continues the narrative right where Chronicles leaves off. Ezra traces the
history of the Jews during the years following the decree of Cyrus to let the Jewish exiles return
to their homeland. The book is a reminder of Gods promise to deliver His people and to restore
them to their fatherland in preparation for the fulfillment of the promised Messiah who would be
born in Bethlehem. Like Chronicles, Ezra is written from a priestly or religious standpoint. It
describes the restoration of the temple worship, the correction of mixed marriages, and in general
Ezras task of reforming the people of Judah to a proper understanding of the LORD and His
will.
Another main purpose of the book is to contrast the Grace of God with human sinfulness. God
had restored His people to the land of promise, and how did they respond? They neglected the
rebuilding of the temple and began intermarrying with their heathen neighbors. For that reason
the LORD sent Haggai, Zechariah and Ezra to get the people back on track.
The book of Ezra offers hope and comfort for the people of God today as well. This book
reminds us that it is through instruction in Gods Word that His people are strengthened, For
Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes
and ordinances in Israel (Ezra 7:10). It also helps us to overcome discouragement as we carry
out the work of God, because it shows us that nothing can stop us when we seek to do the will of
God (cf. chapters 4-5).
Outline
I. Restoration under Zerubbabel (1-6)
A. The First Return of the Exiles (1:1-2:70)
1. Decree of Cyrus (1:1-11)
2. Listing of the Exiles (2:1-70)
B. Restoration of Public Worship (3:1-6:22)
II. Reforms under Ezra (7-10)
A. The Second Return of the Exiles (7:1-8:36)
B. The Dissolution of Mixed Marriages (9:1-10:44)
Ezras purpose was to accurately record the events of the return from the Babylonian exile,
after a seventy-year period and the events that surround the rebuilding of the temple in

Jerusalem. God is faithful in fulfilling His promises and so the Jews return to Jerusalem from
their exile in Babylon.
In Chapters 1-6, a relatively small number of Jews return to the city of Jerusalem and
immediately prepare to construct the new temple. They began the planning, the gathering of
materials, and the beginning of construction. The building drags on because the
surrounding enemies begin oppressing and frightening them. Twenty years later, it is
completed. The sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated
themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the LORD God
of Israel, ate the Passover. And they observed the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days
with joy, for the LORD had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of
Assyria toward them to encourage them in the work of the house of God, the God of
Israel (6:21-22).
From chapters 7-10, the second group of Jews returns to Israel. Ezra is included in this
return. He teaches the Law, but has problems with intermarriage and addresses the pagan
women who brought their religious practices with them.
For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His
statutes and ordinances in Israel (7:10), what a great example to follow!