Introduction to the book Ezra

The 15th Book of the Bible: Return from the Babylonian Exile

To this day, the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah form a single scroll in the Jewish Tanakh. They are found among the three prophetic-historical books of the Writings (Ketuvim), placed between Daniel and Chronicles.

Jerome, one of the Church Fathers, divided the book into a First and Second Book of Ezra in his translation of the Latin Vulgate.
In later translations of the Bible, the Second Book of Ezra was named after its main character, Nehemiah. Both are found in Christian Bibles among the historical books.

Ezra immediately follows the end of Chronicles. The book first recounts the return of 49,897 people under Zerubbabel from the Babylonian exile, following the edict of Cyrus around 537 B.C.

Zerubbabel, whose Babylonian name was Sesbazar, was a descendant of King David and governor for the Persian king in Jerusalem.
He began the reconstruction of the Temple and the restoration of religious practices, but this was interrupted by internal and external resistance that led to a political struggle.

During this period, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah were also active in Judah; with their support, the construction of the Temple was completed around 515 B.C.

The story of Queen Esther at the Persian court—in which a plot aimed to annihilate the entire Jewish people—takes place between this period and a second return from Babylon led by the scribe Ezra around 458 B.C.

In Jerusalem, the people had in the meantime strayed from God’s laws in many areas and had introduced idolatry into the land through numerous intermarriages.
The priest Ezra (his name means “help”) repents on behalf of the people, teaches them God’s commandments, and restores religious life according to the Law of Moses.

At that time, there was no longer a country or a nation of Israel; the people existed only as a linguistic and religious community, which from then on was called the Jews, after the former Kingdom of Judah.

Outline of the Book of Ezra:

Content of the book of Ezra:

Ezra chapter 1
Ezra chapter 2
Ezra chapter 3
Ezra chapter 4
Ezra chapter 5
Ezra chapter 6
Ezra chapter 7
Ezra chapter 8
Ezra chapter 9
Ezra chapter 10