Introduction to Ezra

The book of Ezra shows Yahweh’s faithfulness and emphasizes the loyalty He rightfully deserves. The narrative begins with the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy: After 70 years of exile in Babylon, the Jewish people would return to their homeland (Jer 25:11–12; 29:10–14; Ezra 1:1). Upon their return, the people began rebuilding the Jerusalem temple—the symbol of God’s presence among them. The book of Ezra depicts the difficulties of rebuilding a community based on faithfulness to Yahweh.

Background

Approximately 50 years before the narrative of Ezra begins (in 586 bc), the Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, destroyed the temple, and took the residents of Judah into exile. By the time the book of Ezra opens in 538 bc, the balance of world power had shifted from the Babylonians to the Persians. A year after conquering Babylon, Cyrus, the king of Persia, issued a decree that any Jews who wished to return to Judah and rebuild the temple would not only be allowed to do so, but would receive government support (Ezra 1:2–4).

Judah’s territory was now only a small area centered around Jerusalem. Instead of being self-governed, Judah was ruled as a province of the Persian Empire. The events in Ezra primarily take place in this location, with a few references to Persian concerns related to other locations.

The Jewish exiles did not leave Babylon all at once; the return to Judah happened in waves. Ezra led the third main group in 458 bc (80 years after King Cyrus’ decree). The book of Ezra probably was written a few decades later, around 445–430 bc. The text was originally part of a single work that also included Nehemiah.

Structure

Ezra may be divided into two sections. The first section (chs. 1–6) records events that happened before Ezra’s time. It opens with King Cyrus’ proclamation permitting the Jewish exiles to return to Judah (1:1–4; 538 bc). The first two waves were led by Judah’s first two governors under Persian rule: Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel (1:5–11; 2:1–70). Zerubbabel and Joshua (also called Jeshua) the high priest unite to lead the temple rebuilding project. The returned Jewish exiles soon find themselves in conflict with other people living in the area and ultimately at odds with the government, and the work to rebuild the temple comes to a halt (chs. 3–5). With encouragement from the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (Hag 1:4, 9; Zech 1:16; 4:9), temple construction resumes around 520 bc (Ezra 6). In 516 bc, the temple, the symbol of God’s presence among His people, is rededicated—signifying the completion of the 70 years Jeremiah had proclaimed (Jer 29:10, 12).

Ezra 7–10 concentrates on a later period, starting in 458 bc. A command by the Persian king Artaxerxes (who reigned about 60 years after Cyrus) sends a scribe and chief priest named Ezra to Judah as an authority in the law of God (Ezra 7:6, 25–28). When he arrives, he appoints and trains judges and magistrates for the leadership of Judah. Ezra’s attention first goes to the issue of intermarriage between men from Judah and foreign women from the local people living in the land (9:1–2). God’s people had disobeyed His command to live separately as a holy nation, and the intermarriages had likely led to synchronism of Yahweh worship with that of foreign gods (compare 1 Kgs 11:1–8; Neh 13:26). Under Ezra’s leadership, the people repent, and the men give up their foreign wives.

Outline

• Return from exile and rebuilding of the temple (1:1–6:22)

• Ezra’s return and reforms (7:1–10:44)

Themes

The book of Ezra is about the importance of staying faithful, and God’s strength to fulfill His promises. Against all odds, God worked in the heart of King Cyrus to allow the exiles to return. Despite this powerful sign of God’s favor, the temple was neglected for years because God’s people feared local opposition. It took the people receiving a message from two of God’s prophets to restart the project (Haggai and Zechariah; see Ezra 5:1). During Ezra’s time, the community again showed unfaithfulness in disobeying Yahweh’s commands about marriage (chs. 9–10). Returning to live in the promised land was not enough; the people needed to abide by God’s law. They needed to be faithful to the one who had redeemed them from exile.

Being people of God comes with blessings and responsibilities. Although we experience His transforming power and grace, we also confront daily choices about the depth of our commitment. Trusting God is often about both seizing the opportunities to do His work and acting faithfully even when those around us do not.

Further Reading

The Historical Books

Ezra, Book of CLBD

Ezra, Leader of the Exiles, Son of Seraiah CLBD