been. These requests were granted because the hand of the Lord was upon Ezra and the Lord influenced the king to be favorable toward Ezra, Prov. 21:1; Dan. 4:35. 6. The return of a second contingent of exiles (7:7) Seventy-eight years earlier, a remnant of Jews had returned from Babylon to the Jewish homeland (a majority of the Jews had remained in Babylon). Now, as He had done seventy eight years earlier, God stirred up the hearts of a remnant to renew their faithfulness to Him and His covenant.