Background and History

The chapters above are the King James text. This essay is the setting of Ezra: who is said to have written it, when and where, what happens in it, and how the text has been copied.

At a Glance

Author	Ezra the scribe, in the Talmud. Part of the book is in Ezra’s first person. Critical scholars often assign it with Nehemiah to the Chronicler or a later editor.
Date	440–430 BC in one survey. Critical scholars date the combined Ezra and Nehemiah about 400–300 BC.
Place written	Not stated. Jerusalem, in the Persian province of Yehud, is the usual inference.
Genre	Narrative history with documents, partly in Aramaic.
Chapters	10
Verses	280 in the King James Version
Key verse	Ezra 7:10 Ezra 7:10 · King James VersionFor Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.Ezra 7:10 · King James VersionOpen the Source

Who Wrote It

Ezra and Nehemiah are one book in the Hebrew Bible. Ezra 7:27–9:15 are in Ezra’s first person, starting at Ezra 7:27–28 Ezra 7:27–28 · King James Version^7:27 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: ^7:28 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 7:27–28 · King James VersionOpen the Source (1). Ezra 7:1–6 Ezra 7:1–6 · King James Version^7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, ^7:2 The son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, ^7:3 The son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, ^7:4 The son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, ^7:5 The son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest: ^7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.Ezra 7:1–6 · King James VersionOpen the Source call him a ready scribe in the law of Moses. The Talmud says Ezra wrote his book. (2) Critical scholars debate whether the Ezra memoir is authentic and whether the same writer produced Chronicles. Portions of the book, Ezra 4:8–6:18 and Ezra 7:12–26 Ezra 7:12–26 · King James Version^7:12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, unto Ezra the priest, a scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace, and at such a time. ^7:13 I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with thee. ^7:14 Forasmuch as thou art sent of the king, and of his seven counsellors, to enquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of thy God which is in thine hand; ^7:15 And to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered unto the God of Israel, whose habitation is in Jerusalem, ^7:16 And all the silver and gold that thou canst find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem: ^7:17 That thou mayest buy speedily with this money bullocks, rams, lambs, with their meat offerings and their drink offerings, and offer them upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem. ^7:18 And whatsoever shall seem good to thee, and to thy brethren, to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, that do after the will of your God. ^7:19 The vessels also that are given thee for the service of the house of thy God, those deliver thou before the God of Jerusalem. ^7:20 And whatsoever more shall be needful for the house of thy God, which thou shalt have occasion to bestow, bestow it out of the king’s treasure house. ^7:21 And I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers which are beyond the river, that whatsoever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done speedily, ^7:22 Unto an hundred talents of silver, and to an hundred measures of wheat, and to an hundred baths of wine, and to an hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. ^7:23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons? ^7:24 Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. ^7:25 And thou, Ezra, after the wisdom of thy God, that is in thine hand, set magistrates and judges, which may judge all the people that are beyond the river, all such as know the laws of thy God; and teach ye them that know them not. ^7:26 And whosoever will not do the law of thy God, and the law of the king, let judgment be executed speedily upon him, whether it be unto death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.Ezra 7:12–26 · King James VersionOpen the Source, are in Aramaic and include official letters.

Who It Is Not

Zerubbabel and Jeshua lead the first return but are not authors.

When and Where

Bible Gateway gives 440–430 BC. (5) The events run from Cyrus’s decree in Ezra 1:1 Ezra 1:1 · King James VersionNow in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,Ezra 1:1 · King James VersionOpen the Source (1) to Ezra’s arrival in the seventh year of Artaxerxes in Ezra 7:7 Ezra 7:7 · King James VersionAnd there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.Ezra 7:7 · King James VersionOpen the Source. Scholars debate whether that is Artaxerxes I or II, and this page does not choose.

Audience and Setting

The returned community. The purpose is to show God restoring his people, rebuilding the temple, and reforming their life by the law.

Rulers at the Time

Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes of Persia are named. Josephus counts the prophets’ books down to Artaxerxes. (3) Reign dates were not checked for this essay and are omitted.

When	What
First return under Cyrus	Ezra 1–2
Temple rebuilt	Opposition and completion under Darius. Ezra 3–6
Ezra’s return	Ezra 7–8
Mixed marriages	Ezra 9–10
Composition	440–430 BC in one survey. (5)

Places in This Book

Ancient name	Modern-day location	References
Jerusalem	The Old City of Jerusalem.	Ezra 1:3 Ezra 1:3 · King James VersionWho is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.Ezra 1:3 · King James VersionOpen the Source
Babylon	Ruins near Hillah, Iraq.	Ezra 7:6 Ezra 7:6 · King James VersionThis Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.Ezra 7:6 · King James VersionOpen the Source

What Is Happening

Ezra 1–6 tell of the first return and the rebuilding of the temple. Ezra 7–10 tell of Ezra’s return and reforms.

Key Themes

God moving kings in Ezra 1:1 Ezra 1:1 · King James VersionNow in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,Ezra 1:1 · King James VersionOpen the Source. Devotion to the law in Ezra 7:10 Ezra 7:10 · King James VersionFor Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.Ezra 7:10 · King James VersionOpen the Source. Repentance in Ezra 9:6 Ezra 9:6 · King James VersionAnd said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.Ezra 9:6 · King James VersionOpen the Source.

Apologetics Questions

The dissolution of mixed marriages in Ezra 10 raises moral questions. The book frames it as a response to idolatry, not ethnicity, as the reference to the abominations of the peoples in Ezra 9:1 Ezra 9:1 · King James VersionNow when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel, and the priests, and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands, doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.Ezra 9:1 · King James VersionOpen the Source shows. The order of Ezra and Nehemiah is debated by historians.

How the Book Points to Christ

The rebuilt temple prepares for the one into which the Lord would come, in Malachi 3:1 Malachi 3:1 · King James VersionBehold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.Malachi 3:1 · King James VersionOpen the Source. Jesus is God.

Text and Manuscripts

Ezra is represented at Qumran by fragments. (6)

Canon Reception

Ezra was received. Athanasius counts the first and second books of Ezra, meaning Ezra and Nehemiah, as one. (4)