CIRCUMSTANCES OF WRITING

AUTHOR: Ezra and Nehemiah are anonymous. Ancient Jewish sources usually credit Ezra as the author of Ezra-Nehemiah. More likely Ezra-Nehemiah was written by the “Chronicler,” the person (or persons) responsible for 1 and 2 Chronicles. Not only is Ezra-Nehemiah linked to Chronicles at its introduction (Ezr 1:1-2 = 2Ch 36:22-23), it also shares many similarities in language, terminology, themes, and perspective.

BACKGROUND: It is probably safe to assume that Ezra-Nehemiah was written soon after the conclusion of Nehemiah’s ministry. Most likely the book was written no later than 400 BC.

In Ezra-Nehemiah it is clear that Ezra came to Jerusalem first, probably in 458 BC, and that Nehemiah followed him thirteen years later, probably in 445 BC. Nehemiah made no mention of Ezra, his ministry, or his reforms. Ezra and Nehemiah appear together in only two texts (Neh 8:9; 12:36). The two events in which Ezra and Nehemiah were together were significant. In Nehemiah 8, the context is the reading of the law to the people, while in Nehemiah 12 the two joyous processions walking around the city walls in the dedication ceremony include Ezra (Neh 12:36) and Nehemiah (Neh 12:38).

MESSAGE AND PURPOSE

Ezra continues where 2 Chronicles left off. While it provides us with key historical insights, it is rich in messages for God’s people.

THE CONTINUITY OF GOD’S PEOPLE: The events in Ezra-Nehemiah connect the Israelites with the preexilic community. The returning exiles experienced a new exodus and remained a part of God’s redemptive plan. God even used pagan leaders like Cyrus and Artaxerxes to restore his people.

HOLINESS: For the people to continue the covenant relationship with God, it was important for them to separate and remain pure in matters of doctrine, ethics, and customs. Prior to the exile, the people experienced judgment because of their inability to remain consistently faithful and single minded in their relationship to their covenant God. Ezra-Nehemiah shows us a renewed interest in remaining separated unto God.

SCRIPTURE: Ezra and Nehemiah reaffirm the centrality of the law to the life and practice of the Israelite community. They knew the authority of Scripture, but they were called back from their neglect of its teachings. Multiple times they showed that the people worked and behaved in accordance with what Moses had written (Ezr 3:2; 6:18; Neh 8:14-15; 13:1-3). Ezra and Nehemiah may give us the best example of the power of God at work through the written Word.

WORSHIP: The returning exiles built an altar to sacrifice to God before they rebuilt the temple. Only after the place of worship was finished did they rebuild the walls. They got the projects in proper order because worship and a proper relationship with God precede everything else.

PRAYER: Alongside worship is an abundance of prayer in these books. Two extensive prayers are recorded (Ezr 9; Neh 9). Prayer and fasting are mentioned multiple times as they set out on tasks, and the whole rebuilding of the wall was bathed in prayer. Prayer is combined with action throughout Nehemiah, and both books underscore the need to approach God in prayer constantly.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE BIBLE

The events which occurred in Ezra and Nehemiah, the rebuilt temple, the stabilizing of Jerusalem, and the Jewish community that developed, all played key roles in the life and ministry of Jesus recorded in the Gospels. The rebuilt temple may have paled in comparison to the temple that Solomon built, but it would serve the Jews for centuries until Christ removed the need for a physical temple.

STRUCTURE

Ezra-Nehemiah was written in two related but distinct languages—Hebrew and Aramaic. The Hebrew sections generally reflect the style of the postexilic era with some evidence of the impact of Aramaic on the language. Aramaic, a Semitic language similar to Hebrew, occurs in two sections in the book of Ezra (4:8-6:18; 7:12-26). During the Persian period (ca 540 to 330 BC), Aramaic was the official language of diplomacy and commerce.

Ezra-Nehemiah is similar to Samuel and Kings, and especially Chronicles, in that many sources were utilized in its composition. These include two major types of sources. Much of Ezra-Nehemiah consists of material from the Ezra Memoir and the Nehemiah Memoir. The Ezra Memoir, usually written in the first person, includes Ezra 7-10, along with Nehemiah 8 and probably chap. 9 as well; embedded in this memoir are lists and records from other sources used by Ezra. The composition of the Nehemiah Memoir is regarded as including Nehemiah 1-7 as well as 11-13. But here also Nehemiah incorporated lists and records in his memoir. Ezra-Nehemiah also contains many lists, genealogies, inventories, letters, and census records. For a community attempting to reestablish itself after the disaster of 586 BC and the subsequent exile to Babylon, this material was crucial in reordering their life as a community.

OUTLINE OF EZRA

I.Return from Exile (1:1-6:22)

A.The decree of Cyrus (1:1-11)

B.Exiles who returned (2:1-70)

C.Restoration of worship (3:1-13)

D.Opposition (4:1-24)

E.Rebuilding the temple (5:1-6:22)

II.Reform through Ezra (7:1-10:44)

A.Ezra’s arrival (7:1-10)

B.Artaxerxes’s letter (7:11-28)

C.Returnees with Ezra (8:1-14)

D.Search for Levites (8:15-20)

E.Preparing to return (8:21-30)

F.Arrival in Jerusalem (8:31-36)

G.Sin and confession (9:1-10:44)

615-590 BC

Neco II of Egypt commissions Phoenician sailors to be the first to sail around the continent of Africa. 615-595

Nebuchadnezzar’s three invasions of Judah 605, 597, 586

Events in Obadiah 605-586?

Daniel is among those taken from Jerusalem to Babylon. 605

Temple of Solomon is destroyed. 586

590-560 BC

Events in Ezekiel 593-571

Athens has two years with no archon (ruler), hence the term anarchy. 589

Cyrus, founder of the Persian Empire, is born. 581

Aesop, slave of Xanthus of Samos, is credited with collecting and creating fables. They were probably committed to writing at a later time. 570

Nebuchadnezzar II’s successor, Evil-merodach, releases Judah’s King Jehoiachin, who had been a prisoner for 36 years. 561

560-530 BC

Battle of Thymbra between Cyrus the Great and Croesus, commander of the Lydian army 546

Daniel interprets the handwriting on the wall for Belshazzar. Cyrus captures Babylon without resistance. 539

Cyrus’s decree allows return of Jews from exile. 538

Events in Ezra 538-457

Second temple construction under Zerubbabel’s and Joshua’s leadership 536-515

530-500 BC

Cambyses, son of Cyrus 530-522

Aeschylus, Greek tragedian (525-456) many of whose plays dealt with the Persian invasion of Greece, participated in the Greek victories at Marathon and Salamis.

Darius I or Darius the Great 521-486

Events in Haggai 520

Events in Zechariah 520-518

Second temple dedicated 515

500-480 BC

Greeks develop instruments for surveying. 500

Sugar cane cultivated in India 500

Greeks, outnumbered almost five to one, defeat Persians in Battle of Marathon through superior military intelligence and strategy, forestalling Persian expansion into Europe. 490

Events in Esther 486-465

Greek victory over Persians in Battle of Salamis, 480, and Plain of Plataea, 479, thwarted Persian expansion into Europe.

480-445 BC

Xerxes I, Ahasuerus, husband of Esther 486-465

Esther’s reign 479-465?

Esther saves the Jews within the Persian Empire. 474?

Ezra goes to Jerusalem. 458

Nehemiah, cupbearer to Artaxerxes, learns of the disrepair of Jerusalem’s walls and leads an effort that restores the walls. 445