A major theme of the book of Ezra is the building of the second temple, a reminder to the people of their link to the first temple of Solomon. It is the fifteenth book in the Bible and continues the story where II Chronicles left off which recounts the history of the Israelites after their return home from exile in Babylon.
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Ezra 2:64-65
"The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women." There were 42,360 citizens, 7,337 servants and maids and 200 choir members. A total of 49,897 people! |
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Ezra 4:23-24
"Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum, and Shimshai the scribe, and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power. Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia." Though the Jews had been given permission to return home, they were still under the rulership of the Persian kings. Zerubbabel was not a king of Judah, only its governor |
Darius found out about Cyrus' promise to the Jews to let them build a temple. Because of this Darius decreed that all help should be given to the Jews in their endeavours.
Ezra 6:8-9 "Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expences be given unto these men, that they be not hindered. And that which they have need of, both young bullocks, and rams, and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail" |
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Ezra 6:17
"and offered at the dedication of this house of God an hundred bullocks, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve he goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel" |
The Book of Ezra is named after him. He was chosen to reteach the Laws of God to his people.
Ezra 7:9-10 "For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him. For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments" |
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The king also said that Ezra should be given 100 talents of silver, 100 measures of wheat, 100 baths of oil and as much salt as he wished. Ezra was very grateful to God for the king's decree:
Ezra 7:27-28 "Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the king’s heart, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem: and hath extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me" |
Ezra had refused to ask the king for protection, saying that God would look after them.
Ezra 8:21-23 "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him. So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was intreated of us" |
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Ezra 8:35
"Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the Lord." The sacrifices were a necessary atonement for people's sin at the time, before the coming of Jesus |
Ezra feared that the foreign wives would lead their husbands astray and away from the Law of God.
Ezra 10:10-12 "And Ezra the priest stood up, and said unto them, Ye have transgressed, and have taken strange wives, to increase the trespass of Israel. Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers, and do his pleasure: and separate yourselves from the people of the land, and from the strange wives. Then all the congregation answered and said with a loud voice, As thou hast said, so must we do" |
Ezra 2:1-2
"Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah"