Ezra

The Lord also stirred up some of the exiles of Judah to return. Cyrus returned the temple vessels stolen by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kgs. 25:13-15; 2 Chr. 36:18). Sheshbazzar, identified as the "prince of Judah" (1:8), received the inventory of temple articles and led the exiles to Jerusalem. Sheshbazzar may be the same as Shenazzar, a son of Jehoiachin (1 Chr. 3:18). If this identification is correct, the equation of Sheshbazzar with Zerubbabel on the basis of comparison of Ezra 5:14,16 with Zechariah 4:9 is questionable. Zerubbabel was the son of Shealtiel (3:8) or Pedaiah (1 Chr. 3:19), making him the nephew of Sheshbazzar. Zerubbabel was the grandson of King Jehoiachin (1 Chr. 3:19) and succeeded Sheshbazzar as governor of Judah (Hag. 1:1).

Register of Remnant (2:1-70). The author included the register of the remnant to honor those who trusted in the Lord and to show that the prophecy of Israel's return from exile was fulfilled. The registry includes the leaders, general populace, temple personnel, descendants of Solomon's servants, and those of uncertain genealogical claims. The listing is only representative since the total number exceeds those counted. The revised list is repeated with revisions in Nehemiah 7:6-73.

Worship and Rebuilding (3:1-13). The first concern of the community was the worship of the Lord. Sacrifice had not been offered for fifty years since Jerusalem's fall (586 b.c.). The seventh month (Tishri) was the most holy month of the calendar when the Feasts of Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles were celebrated (Lev. 23). Zerubbabel and Jeshua, the high priest, supervised the reconstruction of the altar and the offering of sacrifice. The Feast of Tabernacles was the first holy day celebrated.

In the second year of the return (536 b.c.), materials were imported from Lebanon. The temple foundation was laid under the supervision of priests and Levites appointed by Zerubbabel and Jeshua. The Levites led in praise through song and musical accompaniment. The response was a mixture of joy by the young and weeping by the old because they had seen the glory of Solomon's temple. Zechariah reminded the people not to despise a small work done for the Lord (Zech. 4:9-10). Haggai declared that the glory of this temple would exceed that of the former temple (Hag. 2:9).

Opposition (4:1-24). The residents of Samaria offered to assist the exiles because they claimed to worship the God of the Jews. Zerubbabel spurned their help because their religion was a mixed cult that included elements of paganism as a result of the Assyrian policies of intermingling foreign populations (see 2 Kgs. 17:24-41). The Assyrian kings from the time of Esarhaddon (681-669 b.c.) had exiled foreigners to the northern provinces of Israel. The Samaritans impeded the work by harassing the builders and hiring counselors. The work stopped for sixteen years (536-520 b.c.) until the reign of Darius.

In a parenthetical summary, illustrations of such ongoing opposition are taken from letters available to the author. The documents come from a later period during the reigns of Xerxes I (486-465 b.c.) and Artaxerxes I (464-424 b.c.). These letters, along with the other materials in Ezra are written in Aramaic, the official language of the court.

A letter from the time of Xerxes ("Ahasuerus"; Esth. 1:1) is only mentioned. But the second, from the period of Artaxerxes, is quoted at length. The authors of the second letter identified themselves as descendants of those deported by Ashurbanipal ("Osnapper"; 668-627 b.c.). They recalled Jerusalem's history of insurrection and charged the Jews with sedition. Artaxerxes ordered the work stopped.

Authority to Build (5:1-17). The prophets Haggai and Zechariah urged and helped the community to renew its labor (Hag. 1:1-4,14; 2:1-4; Zech. 4:9; 6:15). Haggai criticized the people for living in fine homes while the temple lay in ruins (Hag. 1:3-6). Zechariah unveiled the glorious future that awaited the temple in the days of the messiah (the "Branch"; Zech. 3:8; 6:12-15). Tattenai, governor of the provincial areas west of the Euphrates, questioned their authority to build. But their authority came from God, and it was He who watched over them.

Tattenai sent a letter to King Darius (522-486 b.c.) in which he reviewed the history of the Jewish city and the exiles. Tattenai requested a search in the royal archives for Cyrus's authorization for rebuilding, which the Jews claimed.

Finished Work (6:1-22). A search conducted first at Babylon and then Ecbatana (Media) recovered the decree in its official Aramaic version (see 1:1-4).

Darius ordered the governor not to stop them but to pay for their expenses out of the royal treasury and to carry out sanctions against anyone who opposed their work. What had jeopardized the work proved under God's care to expedite its completion.

The speedy response of Tattenai enabled the completion of the temple four years later in 515 b.c. (see 6:15 with 4:24). By providential plan, Jewish elders, Hebrew prophets, and pagan kings all contributed to complete the task. The dedicatory service was celebrated with joy and sacrifices. The Levites and priests were organized into their orders as Moses (Num. 3; 18) and David (1 Chr. 24) had ordained. Out of the four surviving orders (2:36-39), twenty-four were formed (see Luke 1:5).

The text reverts to Hebrew at Ezra 6:19 because it describes the reenactment of the Passover. It was the first Passover commemorated in the temple since the fall of Jerusalem. The exiles were careful to worship the Lord in ritual pureness. They rejoiced that the Lord had changed the heart of the Assyrian king for their good. "Assyria" is named rather than Persia because Persia ruled the former region of Assyria and it was Assyria which had begun the captivity of God's people.

This last section concerns Ezra's memoirs, and it warns the restored community not to follow the sins of their fathers. Ezra, a trained scholar in the law, was commissioned by Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem and teach the statutes of Jewish religious life. Ezra initiated religious reforms that led to repentance and a covenant commitment.

God's Hand on Ezra (7:1-28). Ezra's credentials to fulfill God's calling were his priestly genealogy (see 2:62), his knowledge of the law, and his commitment to the law as a practitioner and teacher. God's "gracious hand" of favor was upon Ezra's life. King Artaxerxes recognized Ezra's qualifications and issued a decree written in Aramaic. The decree said Ezra should lead a company of volunteers to supervise proper religious life in Jerusalem and establish a judicial system in accordance with the law of their God. Ezra praised God for the benevolence of the king and took courage from this sign of God's hand on him (7:27-28).

Spiritual Preparations (8:1-36). His companions on the journey are listed by family heads. Ezra specially recruited Levites to assist him in teaching the law in Jerusalem. Ezra attributed his success to the Lord. As spiritual leaders the Levites had to meet the qualification of proper genealogical heritage as the law required. Ezra showed his dependence on God by prayer and fasting in preparation for his journey. He recognized that God had answered his petitions.

Ezra's company, bearing an enormous treasure, arrived successfully without incident. Ezra acknowledged that God's protective hand had spared him from the threat of enemies. The treasure was deposited, and the exiles offered sacrifice for all Israel. The provincial governors were notified of Ezra's new administration.

Ezra's Prayer of Confession (9:1-15). When Ezra arrived in Jerusalem, the city leaders confronted him with the problem of intermarriage. Echoing the days of Moses, the sins of the people were likened to those of the Gentiles who had ensnared Israel in the past (Exod. 34:11-12; Deut. 7:1-6). The purpose of this segregation was not to create a pure race but to avoid marriages that would lead to spiritual unfaithfulness (see Judg. 3:5-6).

Ezra's distress over the people's sins moved him to pray for God's forgiveness. He recalled the sins of their ancestors who suffered exile for their guilt. He offered thanksgiving that the Lord had spared them as a remnant. Yet he feared that they had repeated their ancestors' sins and neglected their prophets' warnings. He confessed the inadequacy of the people and invoked the continued mercy of God.

Repentance of the Guilty (10:1-44). Ezra's prayer and example of contrition contributed to the people's conviction for their sins. They recommended a covenant renewal and urged Ezra to reform the community. Ezra called for a convocation of all the tribes under threat of confiscation of property and excommunication (see 7:26). Ezra chastened them and ordered them to separate from their pagan wives. Divorce was not God's will for His people (see Mal. 2:16; Matt. 19:4-6), but it was permitted in this situation in order to preserve the spiritual life of the nation (see Deut. 24:1-3). The practice was so widespread that it took three months for a tribunal to hear the cases.

A listing of the guilty ends the book. The religious leaders are listed first. No group escaped the sin nor the punishment. This somber conclusion contrasts with the register of those honored for their faith (Ezra 2). The conclusion indicates that the exiles still had further strides to make in doing God's work.

Theological and Ethical Significance. Before the exile, the national and religious hopes of God's people went hand in hand. After the return from Babylon, temple worship was restored, and the people recommitted themselves to the law of Moses. But a Davidic king no longer ruled over an independant Judah; Judah was a province of the Persian Empire and was ruled by an agent of the Persian king. The Jews survived because they found their identity as God's people not in nationalistic dreams but in renewed commitment to God's Word. Christians should be careful not to limit God to the national interest of any one people.

The Book of Ezra stresses Scripture as the governing principle for the life of God's people. Confronted with the demands of God's Word, we, like those of Ezra's generation, fail to measure up to God's standards. Our repentance, however, must move beyond remorse for moral failure to the reality of changed lives. Ezra's demand for the divorce of foreign wives demonstrates that the demands of true repentance and obedience to God's Word are sometimes painful.

Kidner, Derek. Ezra and Nehemiah. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1979.

Laney, J. Carl. Ezra and Nehemiah. Chicago: Moody, 1982.

McConville, J. G. Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1985.