EZRA-NEHEMIAH
God’s People Return
to the Land
EZRA - GENERAL INTRODUCTION
 Ezra continues the OT narrative of 2
Chronicles by showing how God
fulfills his promise to return His
people to the Land of Promise after
70 years of exile.
 The return is viewed as a “second
exodus,” but, this time, from Babylon.
EZRA
Ezra relates the story of two returns from
Babylon:
1) The first led by Zerubbabel to rebuild
the Temple (chaps. 1-6)
2) The second under the leadership of
Ezra to rebuild the spiritual condition of
the people (chaps. 7-10)
EZRA
 Ezra and Nehemiah were treated as a
unit in the original Hebrew as and in
the Septuagint.
 The two were separated in the Latin
translation, and English translations
have likewise treated them as
separate works.
AUTHORSHIP
 Although not specifically mentioned as
the author, Ezra is the best candidate.
 The Talmud attributes the book to Ezra,
and portions of the book (7:28-9:15) are
written in the first person, from Ezra’s
point of view.
 There is a strong priestly emphasis, and
Ezra was a direct priestly descendant of
Aaron through Eleazar, Phineas, and
Zadok.
DATE
Just as the Israelites were taken into
exile in three stages (605,597,586 B.C.),
they returned in three stages.
1) The first occurred under the
leadership of Zerubbabel (c. 538
B.C.). After a long delay, the Temple
was rebuilt (c. 520-516 B.C.),
encouraged by the prophets Haggai
and Zechariah.
DATE
2) Ezra led the second return in the year
of Artaxerxes I (c. 458 B.C.)
3) Nehemiah led the final return in the
twentieth year of Artexerxes I (c. 444
B.C.)
Ezra probably wrote this book between
457 B.C. (The events of chapters 7-10)
and 444 B.C. (Nehemiah’s arrival in
Jerusalem).
THEME AND LITERARY STRUCTURE
Ezra divides his book into two sections:
1) The Restoration of the Temple
(Chaps. 1-6)
2) The Reformation of the People
(Chaps. 7-10)
THEME
 The basic theme of Ezra is restoration.
 This theme is played out in the
restoration of the temple and the
spiritual, moral and social restoration of
the returned remnant in Jerusalem
under the leadership of Zerubbabel
and Ezra.
 Both are undertaken despite opposition
and difficulty.
CONTEXT
 The restoration of temple and people
required a reassertion of the distinctive
identity of Israel and her faith, together
with separation from other peoples and
pagan beliefs.
 This restoration was taking place in the
context of the Persian empire, in which
the dominant religious tendency was
the merging of religious beliefs into
one.
CONTEXT
 In this context, the reestablishment
of a temple worship purified of pagan
religious influences and the
purification of the people from
intermarriage with other peoples
were both necessary.
EZRA’S REFORMS
1) The problem of foreign wives (9-10)
Discovering that many of the Jews
had married non-Jewish women, Ezra
tore his clothes, pulled his hair, and
went into a state of mourning. Those
who had married non-Jewish women
divorced them and sent them away
with any children born to them.
EZRA’S REFORMS
2) The Renewing of the Covenant
(Neh. 8-9)
Ezra called the people together for a
covenant renewal ceremony.
First, there was the reading of the Torah (in
Hebrew)
Second, the Scriptures were translated into
Aramaic (the language of the people). This
is the first recorded attempt to paraphrase
the Scriptures into Aramaic.
NEHEMIAH
 Nehemiah was a contemporary of Ezra,
and cupbearer to the king of Persia. He
led the third return to Jerusalem from
exile.
 He gained the king’s permission to
return to Jerusalem and lead his people
in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem.
 The task was completed in 52 days,
while the task of reviving and reforming
the people of God demanded years.
AUTHORSHIP
 Because of the close connection
between Ezra and Nehemiah, many
scholars believe that the same person
compiled both books, probably Ezra.
 Neh. 1:1 describes the contents as
being “the words of Nehemiah.”
 The narrative is also in first person, so
Ezra, as compiler, was apparently
quoting from the writings of Nehemiah.
AUTHORSHIP
 Nehemiah was the cupbearer to King
Artexerxes. This was more like an
advisor than a butler.
 That the king made Nehemiah the
governor of Judah bears witness to
his administrative abilities.
DATE
 The book of Nehemiah focuses on the
events surrounding the third return from
Exile, in 444 B.C.
 Nehemiah served twice as governor of
Judah. His first term lasted 12 years.
 His second term began prior to 424 B.C.
(The death of the king).
 Thus the book was probably written
between 430 and 420 B.C.
THEMES AND STRUCTURE
 The book of Nehemiah completes the
historical account of God's people in
the OT. This is about 400 years before
the birth of the promised Messiah.
 The book is divided in two sections:
 The reconstruction of the wall (1-7)
 The restoration of the people (8-13)
CONTENTS
o While Ezra deals with the religious
restoration of Judah, Nehemiah is
primarily concerned with Judah's
political and geographical restoration.
o Great attention is devoted to the
rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, for
the city was the spiritual and political
center of Judah.
CONTENTS
o Prominent in the book of Nehemiah is
the concept of God's covenant with
his people.
o Neh. 9:1-10:39 records a covenant
renewal ceremony in which the
people commit themselves to
separate from the Gentiles in
marriage and to obey God's
commands.
NEHEMIAH THE LEADER
Nehemiah’s leadership skills are seen in
how he organized the rebuilding of the
walls.
1) He prayed (1:4-5).
2) He was committed to the project
(2:4-5)
3) He conducted a careful survey to see
what resources were needed, then he
formed a plan. (2:12-16)
NEHEMIAH THE LEADER
4) He enlisted others to help him
(2:17-18)
5) He faced opposition and dealt with it
(2:19- 20).
6) He faced ridicule (4:6), yet he
continued.
Therefore, Nehemiah persevered.
Post-exilic
Jerusalem