EZRA
The Name
Josephus (Against Apion 1.8), Jerome (Preface to The Commentary on Galatians), and The Talmud (Baba Bartha 15a) consider The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah in The Hebrew Bible have them as a single work. However, there is evidence that the two books were originally separate. The lists in Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 are basically the same. This would militate against the idea that the two books were originally one, for it would be strange to repeat the same list in one volume.
The Canonicity
The Book of Ezra has been accepted as canonical since before the time of The Septuagint (200 B.C.), which may have been only about 250 years after the book was written.
The Authorship
Through Ezra is not referred to in the book as have written it, he has long been supposed to be the book’s author. Internal evidence points to this fact for in Ezra 7:27 – 9:15 the author refers to himself in the first person.
The Date
The Book of Ezra covers two distinct time periods.
Chapters 1 – 6 cover the 24 years from the edict of Cyrus to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, 539 – 515 B.C.
Chapters 7 – 10 deal with the events after Ezra returned from Babylon, 458 B.C. Possibly written between 539 – 450 B.C.
Chapters 1 – 6 cover the 24 years from the edict of Cyrus to the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem, 539 – 515 B.C.
Chapters 7 – 10 deal with the events after Ezra returned from Babylon, 458 B.C. Possibly written between 539 – 450 B.C.
The Historical Setting
The setting of the book is the post-exilic era when the faithful Israelites were returning from Babylon to Judah so that they could re-establish their temple worship.
The Text
Nearly a fourth of The Book of Ezra was written in Aramaic; the rest was written in Hebrew. The Aramaic sections (67 of 280 verses) are 4:8 – 6:18 and 7:12 – 26. The material in these verses was mainly copied from official correspondence for which Aramaic was the standard language (lingua franca) of the day.
The Purpose
The Book of Ezra was written not simply to record miscellaneous historical facts in the history of Israel during The Jew’s return to the land. This book, like all books in The Bible, had a theological purpose. The purpose of Ezra’s book can be seen by reflecting on the audience for which it was written.
The Outline (Bible Knowledge Commentary on The Old Testament - Walvoord, Zuck, Cook)
Pt 1: The 1st Return and Rebuilding under Zerubbabel (Ezra 1 – 6)
A) The Proclamation of Cyrus (1:1 – 4)
B) The Reaction of The Israelites (1:5 – 11)
C) The List of People who returned (2)
D) The Rebuilding of The Temple (3 – 6:15)
E) The Dedication of The Temple and The Celebration of The Passover (6:16 – 22)
Pt 2: The 2nd Return and Reform under Ezra (Ezra 7 – 10)
A) The Return to the land (7 – 8)
B) The Reform in the land (9 – 10)
A) The Proclamation of Cyrus (1:1 – 4)
B) The Reaction of The Israelites (1:5 – 11)
C) The List of People who returned (2)
D) The Rebuilding of The Temple (3 – 6:15)
E) The Dedication of The Temple and The Celebration of The Passover (6:16 – 22)
Pt 2: The 2nd Return and Reform under Ezra (Ezra 7 – 10)
A) The Return to the land (7 – 8)
B) The Reform in the land (9 – 10)