Ezra 1
AOSNAbout Ezra.
The Book of Ezra
Purpose
To demonstrate God’s continued provision for his people
To show how to live when faced with foreign control, opposition, and pagan influence
Author
Ezra, according to tradition
Date
Records events that occurred around 538–457 BC
Setting
Jerusalem, beginning with the initial return of Jews from exile in Babylon and ending with Ezra’s arrival there
Ezra tells how God brought many Israelites back to Jerusalem after 70 years of exile in Babylon. The people had to resist false worship, rebuild the temple, and turn away from sin. Some had chosen to follow the values of the world instead of God’s ways. In Ezra, we see that God provides for and protects those who trust him and obey his word.
Setting
About 130 years before Ezra came to Jerusalem in 458 BC, God punished Judah because the people continued to do evil. He sent the Babylonians to destroy Jerusalem, tear down the temple, and take thousands of people into exile (see 2 Kings 25:1–30).
While the Israelites lived in exile in Babylon, they could build homes, plant gardens, and live fairly well. They also had some freedom to worship God (Jeremiah 29:4–5). Some Israelites even received places of power and honor (Daniel 3 and 6).
God had promised to bring his people back to the holy land after 70 years (2 Chronicles 36:21; Jeremiah 25:12; 29:10). Around 559 BC, the Persian prince Cyrus II defeated the Medes and joined their kingdom to his own. This became the Persian Empire. Then, in 539 BC, the Persians defeated the Babylonians. This made the way for God’s promise to be fulfilled. In 538 BC, Cyrus began to let the Jewish people leave Babylon. Sheshbazzar led the first group of exiles back to their homeland (Ezra 1:1–8).
When the people of Israel and Judah were taken to foreign lands, the Assyrians and Babylonians moved other conquered peoples into the land of Israel. When the Jewish exiles returned, they found these peoples living in the land they wanted to rebuild.
These people said they worshiped the same God as the Jews. But their religion mixed Jewish beliefs and practices with pagan worship. They wanted to worship with the returning Jews. The Jews saw that this would weaken their faithfulness to God (4:3). So they refused to let these people take part in their community.
Because of this, the Jewish community faced strong opposition from the people living in the land. This choice led to many years of conflict. It also delayed the rebuilding of the temple. But the exile had taught the Jews an important lesson. If they mixed their faith with false worship, the result would be even worse.
Several decades later, Ezra came to Jerusalem. He found that some Israelites had weakened their faithfulness to God by marrying foreign women (9:1–2). God had clearly forbidden these marriages because they would lead the Israelites to follow pagan worship (Deuteronomy 7:3–4; Joshua 23:12–13). This sin would bring God’s judgment unless the people confessed it and corrected it (9:13–15; 10:14). Ezra led the people to separate themselves from pagan influence and renew their covenant (a binding agreement) with God (10:1–11).
Timeline of Events in Ezra
Ezra tells about events in Judah from 538 to about 450 BC.
538–536 BC
After Cyrus commanded that the Jews could return to their homeland, about 50,000 people left for Jerusalem (1:1–4). There they restored the Jewish community, built a new altar (1:5–3:6), and began to rebuild the temple (3:7–13). These Jews refused to weaken their faith by joining with local people who did not worship God faithfully. Soon, these local people opposed them and stopped the rebuilding work (4:1–5).
520–515 BC
Almost 20 years later, God used the prophets Haggai and Zechariah to call his people to continue rebuilding the temple (5:1–6:12). The Jews obeyed. With support from Persia, they finished the temple in 515 BC. No one stopped the work again (see also Haggai 1:2–6; Zechariah 4:9; 6:12–15; 8:9).
486–445 BC
The Jews encountered opposition when they first tried to rebuild the city and its walls (Ezra 4:6–23).
458 BC
Ezra traveled to Jerusalem to lead the people and oversee government matters (7:1–26). He learned that some Israelites were not obeying the law of Moses. They had married unbelievers and had made Israel unclean before God.
Ezra prayed and asked God for mercy. Then he led an official investigation. Many Israelites repented of their sins and divorced their pagan wives (9:1–10:44).
445 BC
Nehemiah came to Jerusalem and rebuilt the city walls. He completed the work even though many people opposed him and caused trouble (see Nehemiah 1–7).
Author
Traditionally, people treated Ezra and Nehemiah as one book written by Ezra. As a scribe, Ezra would have had access to many official documents included in the book.
Some people also believe Ezra wrote Chronicles. They point out that the last verses of 2 Chronicles are very similar to the first verses of Ezra (compare 2 Chronicles 36:22–23 and Ezra 1:1–3). They also note that the books use some of the same words and share similar ideas about God.
However, many scholars reject this view. They argue that Chronicles and Ezra–Nehemiah have greater differences in language and theology than similarities.
Language and Sources
Most of the Old Testament was written in Hebrew. But the book of Ezra includes two sections written in Aramaic, the common language of the Persian Empire (4:8–6:18 and 7:12–26). The six official documents in these sections are:
Rehum’s letter to King Artaxerxes (4:8–16),
Artaxerxes’s letter to Rehum (4:17–22),
Tattenai’s letter to King Darius (5:6–17),
Cyrus’s decree to build the temple in Jerusalem (6:3–5),
Darius’s letter to Tattenai (6:6–12), and
Artaxerxes’s letter to Ezra (7:12–26).
These documents appear to be authentic, or historically reliable. This helps support the historical truth of Ezra’s account.
Ezra also includes several documents written in Hebrew. These include:
the decree of Cyrus (1:2–4);
a list of temple objects (1:9–11);
a list of the Israelites who first returned to Jerusalem (2:1–69);
a list of those who returned with Ezra (8:1–14);
a list of treasures Ezra brought to Jerusalem (8:26–27); and
a list of the men who divorced pagan wives (10:18–44).
These lists helped assure the Jewish people that Ezra kept careful records. Only the original holy objects would be used in the temple. Only those on the official list of Israelites could worship at the temple. Only the men who divorced pagan wives would remain among God’s holy people.
By including these details, Ezra showed great care in separating what was holy from what was not holy.
Meaning and Message
God’s people felt helpless when they returned to Jerusalem after exile in Babylon. They faced danger from robbers on the long trip home. In Jerusalem, nearby people opposed them. They could not control the decisions of the Persian government. They also had the huge task of rebuilding a ruined nation. How could they follow God when so much was outside their control?
Ezra explains four key themes that show how God carries out his will in the lives of his people.
God rules over Israel’s history. Everything that happens in Ezra shows God’s sovereign control. This means God rules over all things and carries out his purposes.
God inspired Cyrus to let the Jews return to Jerusalem after 70 years of exile (Ezra 1:1–4). God also promised that treasures from other nations would come to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple (Haggai 2:7–8). This happened because God "turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them" (Ezra 6:6–12, 6:22).
Later, when Ezra came to Jerusalem, God inspired Artaxerxes to give Ezra everything he needed (Ezra 7:6). God also protected the Jews from attack as they traveled to Jerusalem (8:22, 31). Ezra knew that God controlled the future of the nation (9:6–15). Only a believer who is convinced that God is sovereign over this world will be able to remain faithful to God in the midst of conflict, difficulty, and discouragement.
God's people must remain pure and separate from sin in this world. Ezra was a priest from Aaron’s family line (Ezra 7:1–5). He strongly believed that God’s people must remain separate from sin and false worship. The first Jews who returned to Jerusalem believed this too. They refused to work with the local pagan people (4:1–5). This caused many years of trouble and conflict. But the people knew they could not weaken the purity of their faith and still remain faithful to God.
When Ezra later came to Jerusalem, he saw that many people were not living this way (9:1–2). Ezra understood that this was a serious crisis (9:3–15). He led the people to renew their covenant with God and to separate themselves from pagan influence (10:1–11).
Obeying God's word is very important. As a scribe, Ezra was committed to studying and obeying God’s law. He also taught it to others (7:10). Ezra often explained his decisions by pointing to God’s instructions in Scripture. The king of Persia had told Ezra to teach and enforce the law of Moses (7:14, 23–25). That is exactly what Ezra did (for example, 8:35; 9:1–10:17).
Prayer for others invites God’s compassion and power. Ezra’s prayer of confession shows humility as he asked God for grace (9:6–15). Ezra knew that a strong sermon against the people might not move them to repent. So he tore his clothes, wept, and mourned over the nation’s sin. God used Ezra’s confession to touch the people’s hearts. Many people repented and returned to God (9:6–10:17).
Earlier, Ezra had also fasted and prayed for safety on the journey to Jerusalem. He knew that only God could protect them from attack (8:21–23, 31–32).
Ezra 1:1-3
The first three verses of Ezra are nearly identical to 2 Chronicles 36:22–23. This suggests a connection between the books.
Ezra 1:1
King Cyrus II ruled Persia from 559 to 530 BC. In October 539 BC, Cyrus and his Persian forces conquered Babylon, as Daniel had predicted (Daniel 5).
the word...through Jeremiah: God promised to bring his people back after seventy years in exile (Jeremiah 25:11–12; 29:10).
God's influence over this non-believing king led him to issue the following decree (see also Isaiah 13:17; 41:2, 25; Jeremiah 50:9). God remains in control, even when rulers and nations do not acknowledge his authority (Isaiah 10:5, 12–14).
Ezra 1:2
Although Cyrus mentions the Lord, the God of heaven, he was actually a Zoroastrian. His proclamation, written in Hebrew, was likely political propaganda to gain Jewish support for his rule. In a similar statement to the Babylonians, Cyrus claimed to worship their chief god, Marduk. However, his words here show that God appointed him to build a temple in Jerusalem (see Isaiah 44:28; 45:1, 13). He might have learned about these prophecies from Daniel, who served in his court as a high government official (Cyrus is likely referred to by his Median name, Darius, in Daniel 6:1–28; 9:1). God had long planned to raise up Cyrus and give him a vision to restore worship in Jerusalem (Isaiah 44:28; 45:13; 48:14–15).
Ezra 1:3
Whoever among you belongs to His people...may he go: The Assyrians and Babylonians controlled their empires by moving people and spreading them across cities. In contrast, the Persians sent exiled people back to their homelands. They expected these people to be grateful, obey the Persians, and pay taxes.
Ezra 1:4
Cyrus likely did not urge Babylonian neighbors to help the Jewish remnant. Instead, he encouraged Jews staying in Babylon to assist their countrymen returning to Jerusalem.
Ezra 1:5-6
As with Cyrus's heart (Ezra 1:1), God inspired Israel’s leaders.
Few priests and Levites responded (see Ezra 2:36–42). Most responders were from the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Persian documents show many Jews stayed in Babylon, where they had homes, businesses, and relatives. A dangerous four-month journey back to Jerusalem, now a desolate city inhabited by foreigners, was not appealing compared to their comfortable life in Babylon. It was easier to give valuable gifts and voluntary offerings to those who returned.
Ezra 1:7
Many items from the Lord’s temple had been taken to Babylon (see 2 Chronicles 36:7; Daniel 1:2). By placing these items in his pagan temple, Nebuchadnezzar tried to show his god’s power over the Hebrew God. However, God promised the return of all the stolen items (see Jeremiah 27:16–22). The items from the temple were holy utensils, acceptable to God for worship and very valuable to the returning worshipers.
Ezra 1:8
Sheshbazzar was the Persian-appointed governor of Judah who laid the temple's foundation (Ezra 5:14–16). Some believe Zerubbabel (Ezra 3:2, 8) was the same person with a new name (see Daniel 1:7). However, since both names are Babylonian, it is more likely these two leaders worked together on the temple foundation. Zerubbabel probably became governor after Sheshbazzar died.
Ezra 1:9-11
5,400 gold and silver articles: The numbers listed only total 2,499 items. A similar account in the apocryphal book 1 Esdras 2:13–15 lists 5,469 items, while a list by the Jewish historian Josephus in Antiquities 11.15 lists 5,220 objects. Ezra’s shorter list shows the types of items included but does not list every item. Keeping track of consecrated utensils helped prevent confusion with pagan utensils used for worshiping other gods.
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