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Home , Book of Ezra, Book of Nehemiah, Ezra 1

THE BOOK OF —

AN INTRODUCTION

he Books of Ezra and are “Prophets.”) The books in the “Writings” cat- T valuable because they complete the Old egory may have been so classified because they Testament historical record of God’s were not written or collected until after the covenant people. Without them, we would “Prophets” section was already considered a know little about what happened to the completed unit. after the seventy years they spent in . ITS RELATIONSHIP However, the two books do more than pro- TO OTHER BOOKS vide historical information. Together, they help Early manuscripts indicate that Ezra and us to understand how God worked through Nehemiah were regarded as one book in the Ezra, Nehemiah, and other Jewish leaders to Hebrew .1 Together, they form a unit with preserve a nation cured of idolatry. They depict Chronicles (1 and 2 Chronicles being treated as the Jews of Ezra’s day as a people joined by a single book). However, Ezra/Nehemiah comes covenant to the Lord, a people whose religious before Chronicles in the , perhaps life centered on the Law and the temple—a because these books cover an historical period people through whom God could ultimately that follows the history recorded in Samuel and bring the Messiah. These books describe how Kings.2 God brought about a revival of His people, The history related in Chronicles is contin- which involved (1) returning to the land, (2) re- ued in Ezra and Nehemiah. In fact, the last two building the temple, and (3) repenting of sins. verses of 2 Chronicles are identical to the first This study will present lessons we can learn two verses of Ezra. These books, in a sense, from the . Let us first consider some provide an alternative historical account to that introductory information about the book. found in the books from Genesis through Kings. This alternative history begins, as does Genesis, ITS CLASSIFICATION with Adam (through the genealogies with which The book is named for its main character, 1 Ezra, who was a priest and a scribe (7:11). Long They are “treated as one by the Hebrew scribes” in that “there is no gap in the [Hebrew Bible] between the end after the first return of the Jews after the of and the commencement of Neh. 1, and the verse Babylonian Captivity, he went to statistics are given for both at the end of Nehemiah”; from with a contingent of Jews for the furthermore such Jewish authorities as regarded the two “as a single book” (Gleason Archer, A Survey of Old purpose of teaching God’s law and requiring Testament Introduction, rev. ed. [Chicago: Moody Press, the Jews to obey it (7:7–26). 1964, 1994], 456). However, there is internal evidence in the Ezra and Nehemiah are classified as “His- two books to indicate that they were originally separate compositions that were later combined (Edwin M. tory” in the English Bible. In the Hebrew Bible, Yamauchi, “Ezra-Nehemiah,” in Frank E. Gaebelein, gen. they are found among the “Writings” (Kethubim ed., The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, vol. 4 [Grand Rapids, or Hagiographa). “Writings” is a miscellaneous Mich.: Zondervan, 1988], 572–73). 2Thus a person reading through the Hebrew Bible classification. (The other two divisions of the would not read directly from 2 Chronicles to Ezra as one Hebrew Bible are the “Law, or “,” and the does in the English Bible.

1 Chronicles begins), continues through the be- of the book were written in Aramaic7 (:7— ginning of the Babylonian Exile (:18; 7:12–26). Almost all of the rest of the Old 36), as does 2 Kings, and then continues beyond Testament was written in Hebrew. Kings by telling of the Jews’ return from cap- tivity and the period that followed (Ezra/ ITS CHRONOLOGY Nehemiah). The events in the Book of Ezra can be dated by two references in the book. :1 dates the ITS AUTHOR, SOURCES, beginning of the first return of the Jews from & LANGUAGE captivity as occurring “in the first year of Cyrus.” Cyrus began ruling Babylon in 539 B.C.; thus Because of the close relationship between the return began within one year after that, or Ezra/Nehemiah and Chronicles, it is often as- 538 B.C. :7 dates the Jews’ return with sumed that the author of Chronicles also wrote Ezra in “the seventh year of King Artaxerxes,” Ezra and Nehemiah.3 In fact, the author of all of or 458 B.C. Nehemiah is then said to have gone these books is sometimes thought to be Ezra to Jerusalem in “the twentieth year of King himself.4 If Ezra was the author, then all the Artaxerxes” (:1–7), about thirteen books were written around the same time, about years later (445 B.C.). These key events can be 450 to 425 B.C. However, some scholars doubt tied to known Babylonian and Persian history8: that Ezra is the author of Chronicles and date 586 B.C.—the destruction of the temple, the Chronicles earlier or later than Ezra.5 destruction of Jerusalem, and the begin- If Chronicles was not written by Ezra, that ning of the Babylonian Captivity would not affect the question of the authorship 538 B.C.—the first return (under Zerub- of the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Ezra cer- babel) from captivity; the rebuilding of tainly was the author of the memoirs attributed the begun to him in the Book of Ezra and may have also 520–515 B.C.—the rebuilding of the temple written the narrative sections of the book.6 continued and completed Numerous documents are used in these two c. 480 B.C.—the events of the books—including the memoirs of Ezra (see the 458 B.C.—the second return under Ezra chapters in Ezra in which Ezra speaks in the first 445 B.C.—the third return under Nehemiah person), the memoirs of Nehemiah (see the chap- c. 433 B.C.—Nehemiah’s second journey to ters in which Nehemiah speaks in the first per- Jerusalem (:6, 7). son), lists, and official letters and documents (Ezra 7:11–26, for example). Thus the writer— ITS EMPHASIS whether he was Ezra or someone else—was both The Book of Ezra, in general, could be said to an author and a compiler. be about the re-establishment of Israel’s religion. The Book of Ezra is unusual in that portions During the Babylonian Captivity, the Jews had not deserted their God or their religion, but they 3Among the similarities cited are common verses, had been deprived of the outward symbols and common words and themes (a “fondness for lists . . . for the supports of that religion. With the Jews’ return, description of religious festivals” and for certain phrases, as well as “the prominence of the and . . . temple personnel”), and a common theology (Yamauchi, 575–76). 7Aramaic is “a northwest Semitic language closely 4Henry H. Halley, Halley’s Bible Handbook, 24th ed. related to Hebrew.” It was the “international language of (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1965), 235. communication and diplomacy in the ancient Near East” 5R. K. Harrison, for example, concluded that the for most of the second half of the first millennium before chronicler was someone other than Ezra, that “Ezra and Christ and was “a major spoken language” during New Nehemiah were primarily responsible for the writings Testament times (F. W. Dobbs-Allsopp, “,” in attributed to them,” that these writings should be dated Eerdmans Dictionary of , ed. Noel Freedman about 440 and 430, and that Chronicles should be dated [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., “about 400 B.C. or slightly later” (R. K. Harrison, Introduc- 2000], 84). tion to the [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. 8Most dates given here are from John H. Walton, Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1969], 1150). Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament, 6“We regard Nehemiah as the author of the Nehemiah rev. and exp. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1978, memoirs and Ezra as the author of both the Ezra memoirs 1994), 35–36, 70. Other sources give different dates, usu- and the Ezra narrative, with a later follower of Ezra’s circle ally not varying more than a year or two from those listed. as ” (Yamauchi, 579). (See the chart in “Why Is the House of God Forsaken?”)

2 some of those symbols were restored. opposition from others in the land proved effec- Specifically, the book indicates that religion tive, and the work of rebuilding was halted for was re-established by (1) their return to the fifteen or sixteen years (Ezra 4). Promised Land, (2) their rebuilding of the temple, In 520 B.C. there arose the prophets and (3) their repentance. Underlying the re- and Zechariah to encourage the completion of forms was an emphasis on God’s law (Ezra 7:10). the temple (). Work was begun again, and That law undergirded the religious revival of the temple was finally completed and dedicated Israel,9 and keeping the Law became the object of in 515 B.C. (). that revival. Almost sixty years later, Ezra was commis- sioned by the Persian ruler to go to Jerusalem, ITS HISTORICAL SETTING make sacrifices, and teach and enforce the Law God had caused the kingdom of to be (Ezra 7). He went in 458 B.C., with several hun- destroyed and its people to be taken captive by dred other Jews (). Upon his arrival in the the Babylonians because of their sins. The de- land, Ezra discovered that the Jews had not kept struction of Jerusalem and the temple occurred the Law. Consequently, he instituted reforms, in 586 B.C., with the people being deported especially involving the dissolution of mixed from 605 B.C. to 586 B.C. marriages (; 10).10 The Jews were in captivity for seven de- Nehemiah arrived about thirteen years later, cades. Although it was a difficult time, during to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. After an inter- the Exile significant changes occurred, having a val of several years, he dealt with the problem of profound impact on their religion from that time mixed marriages and with other reforms needed. on. Among them, apparently, were the begin- ning of the synagogue and synagogue worship ITS OUTLINE and their becoming a people associated more The Book of Ezra is divided into two parts, with a written law than a place. each part having its own emphasis: While the Jews were in captivity, Babylon I. Ezra 1—6: the first return to the land fell to the Persians. The Persian Empire became by the Jews in 538 B.C. and its results the greatest empire in existence up to that time. II. Ezra 7—10: the return under Ezra (458 Cyrus (who was unknowingly doing God’s bid- B.C.) with additional people and the ding) allowed the Jews to return to their home- reforms he instituted. land about 538 B.C. This was in keeping with Persian policy, just as the Jews’ deportation had ITS PURPOSE been in keeping with Babylonian policy. This The Book of Ezra serves at least two pur- first return of the Jews is described in Ezra 1; 2. poses. First, it describes how Israel—although In Palestine, the Jews were few, poor, and small, poor, and almost helpless, without mon- weak. They remained under their Persian over- archy or independence—survived as the people lords. Furthermore, they were opposed by the of God. They became a religious community people who were already living in the land— centered on a law, rather than a nation revolving descendants of those whom the Assyrians had around a king and a territory. Second, this book, settled there and those who had remained in the along with the , relates how land when the northern and southern kingdoms God reversed the curse He had placed upon the had been deported. nation when He caused Judah to be destroyed Nevertheless, the Jews began their first ma- by the Babylonians. jor project: the rebuilding of the temple. The The two books together deal with four top- foundation of the temple was laid (), but ics: (1) the return to the land (Ezra), (2) the

9After Solomon’s death, the kingdom was divided. 10“Mixed” marriages were unions between God’s The ten northern tribes were designated “Israel”; and the people and pagans, a practice forbidden by God before two southern tribes, “Judah.” After the Babylonian Exile, the Israelites entered the Promised Land. He had warned the terms “Israel” and “Judah” are used interchangeably them that intermarrying with pagans would turn their for God’s people who returned from Babylon, even though hearts away from Him and lead them to serve other gods they were from the southern . (Deuteronomy 7:3, 4).

3 restoration of the religion (Ezra), (3) the revival of the city (Nehemiah), and (4) the renewal of the THE TIME OF EZRA covenant (Nehemiah). Some scholars question the view of Jew- The books show how God reversed the ef- ish tradition that Ezra went to Jerusalem fects of the Babylonian Captivity and destruc- before Nehemiah. Their basic claim is that tion. The Babylonians destroyed the city, tear- the “clear and unmistakable implications ing down its walls; Nehemiah rebuilt them. The of the biblical presentation of events . . . Babylonians destroyed the temple; that Ezra preceded Nehemiah” is mistaken. rebuilt it. The Babylonians deported the Jews to The following reasoning is given to support Babylon; Zerubbabel brought them back. The their position: (1) Ezra read the Law to the destruction came upon Judah because the people congregation in . Since this had broken God’s covenant with them; under was the work he came to do, he did it soon Nehemiah, they renewed that covenant. God after his arrival (instead of waiting thirteen had punished His people; now He was restoring years as the text says). Thus Nehemiah all that He had taken from them.11 came first, Ezra second. (2) Ezra’s reforms ITS VALUE included the breaking up of mixed mar- Besides its obvious historical value, the Book riages (Ezra 9; 10); so did Nehemiah’s re- of Ezra teaches us the importance of learning form (Nehemiah 13:23–29). Ezra could not and living by the Law and the fact that God is have instituted such reforms since, a de- the “God of the second chance.” Just as He gave cade later, Nehemiah had to deal with the the people of Judah a second chance to be same problem. Either the two occasions are blessed in their homeland, He offers us a “sec- one and Nehemiah preceded Ezra, or else ond chance” as long as time and life remain. ■ one of the occasions did not actually hap- pen. (3) The simplest explanation given for the confusion is the assertion that the time 11As in Exodus, after Israel had sinned by worshiping the golden calf, God punished Israel and then did what when Ezra went to Jerusalem was not the was necessary to restore them to their former state. seventh year of King Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:7), or 458 B.C., but the thirty-seventh year, or A “SECOND MOSES”? 428 B.C. Answers to these statements include Jewish tradition views Ezra as far more the following: (1) The public reading of the than just a priest and a scribe. He is re- Law in Nehemiah 8 does not prove that garded almost as a “second Moses,” per- Ezra had not been teaching the Law during sonally responsible for the written Law. In the thirteen years he had already spent in uninspired writings he is credited with dic- Jerusalem. (2) The fact that Nehemiah had tating “ninety-four books, to replace what to undertake the same reforms as Ezra had been lost in Exile,” including twenty- should not be surprising to anyone who four books of the Old Testament. Thus he knows the history of Israel, a people who became “the preserver of the religious tra- were constantly . (3) There is no dition from its earlier stages through to the textual evidence for the reading “thirty- forerunners of the great ” and occu- seventh year” in Ezra 7:7. In short, there is pying “a place in some respects similar to no reason to doubt that Ezra returned to that of Moses.”1 While this tradition cannot Jerusalem before Nehemiah.1 be accepted, it is possible that Ezra helped in collecting the sacred writings which be- came the Old Testament. 1See William Sanford LaSor, David Allan Hubbard, and Frederic Wm. Bush, Old Testament Survey (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans 1Peter R. Ackroyd, “Ezra,” in Harper’s Bible Dic- Publishing Co., 1982), 649–51. Additional informa- tionary, ed. Paul J. Achtemeier (New York: Harper- tion is given in Yamauchi, 583–86, and Archer, 457– SanFrancisco, 1985), 296. 59.

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