what are the two types of reform that take place in the book of ezra

What is the main idea of the Book of Ezra?

Restoration is central in the book and life of Ezra, both in a physical reality as the Jewish people return to the Land of Israel, and in a spiritual reality as they repent and turn back to God. Three key themes emerge from this central idea: restoration of the land, restoration of the people and restoration of the Bible.

What does restoration mean in the Book of Ezra?

The book of Ezra resounds with the crucial concept and powerful truth of restoration. The Hebrew word for “restore” is shuv, which means to return to a prior state, restore to a former condition or turn back. It may entail the actual physical action of turning or refer to spiritually turning from evil to God.

Who was Ezra in the Old Testament as a model?

The Jewish people hail Ezra as a model of biblical stewardship. The Talmud (rabbinic commentary on Jewish tradition and the Hebrew Scriptures) describes him “as worthy of having received the Torah, had not Moses preceded him.” Ezra was a scribe and an expert on Torah (Gen.–Deut.).

Is the Book of Ezra a double book in the Bible?

The Septuagint calls Esdras B to Ezra–Nehemiah and Esdras A to 1 Esdras respectively; and this usage is noted by the early Christian scholar Origen, who remarked that the Hebrew 'book of Ezra' might then be considered a 'double' book.

What are the two divisions of the book of Ezra?

However, from the 9th century onwards, Latin bibles are found that for the first time separate the Ezra and Nehemiah sections of Ezra-Nehemiah as two distinct books, then called the first and second books of Ezra; and this becomes standard in the Paris Bibles of the 13th century.

What is the key event in the book of Ezra?

One of the most notable events described in the book of Ezra is the completion of the temple in Jerusalem, which had been destroyed many years earlier by the Babylonians. Ezra 1–6 contains an account of the return of the first group of Jews to Jerusalem in approximately 537 B.C. and their efforts to rebuild the temple.

What is the book of Ezra about quizlet?

What is the book of Ezra about? Jews returning to Jerusalem after being released from exile. In the book of Ezra, what was the name of the Persian Emperor that ordered the Jews to return to Jerusalem?

When did the book of Ezra take place?

The uniformity of language, style, and ideas of the two books and Chronicles mark the entire work as the product of a single author, known as the Chronicler. He belongs to a period after the Babylonian Exile, probably about 350–300 bc.

What lessons can we learn from the book of Ezra?

Lessons from the Book of EzraLesson 1: People forget and recorded information gets misplaced. ... Lesson 2: Follow God's commands, no matter what you feel or what others say about you.Lesson 3: Do not believe you are too important to do “manual labor” – even the prophets and priests worked on the construction crew.More items...•

What is the key event in the book of Ezra aside from the Jews being released from exiled and returning to Jerusalem?

What is the key event in the book of Ezra, aside from the Jews being released from exile and returning to Jerusalem? Rebuilding the temple and walls in Jerusalem. There were two types of reform that are described in the book of Nehemiah: 1) physical reform; and 2) spiritual reform.

What were the names of Job's four friends that spoke to him throughout the book of Job?

Job's Three Friends - Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar | Shmoop.

How is God described in Psalms 23 In other words what title is given to him?

Psalm 23 is the 23rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "The Lord is my shepherd". In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "Dominus reget me"....Psalm 23Illustration from The Sunday at Home, 1880Other name"Dominus reget me"Writtenaround 1000 BCTextattributed to King David2 more rows

When studying the Book of Esther what is the main thing that Christians should observe?

When studying the book of Esther, what is the main thing that Christians should look for? Evidence of God's providence.

What is the summary of Ezra Chapter 1?

Ezra 1 contains a narrative of the Edict of Cyrus and the initial return of exiles to Judah led by Sheshbazzar as well as the restoration of the sacred temple vessels. It also introduces the section comprising chapters 1 to 6 describing the history before the arrival of Ezra in the land of Judah in 468 BCE.

What is the meaning of Ezra?

helpOrigin: Ezra comes from the Hebrew word azar meaning “help,” “aid,” or “protect.” The original long form of the name may have been Azaryahu, meaning “God helps” or “God protects.” Gender: Ezra is traditionally a masculine name. Ezri has been used as a feminine variant. Pronunciation: EZ-rah.

Why did Ezra read the law?

Ezra reads the law (8:1–12) The commission given to Ezra was to 'restructure the Jewish community' under God's laws, so he read and instructed the people who gathered around in 'the commands and intentions of God's revelation'.

Why did Ezra read the law?

Ezra reads the law (8:1–12) The commission given to Ezra was to 'restructure the Jewish community' under God's laws, so he read and instructed the people who gathered around in 'the commands and intentions of God's revelation'.

Why did Ezra return to Jerusalem?

He prays to God, recalling the sins of Israel and God's promise of restoration in the land. Artaxerxes commissions him to return to Jerusalem as governor, where he defies the opposition of Judah's enemies on all sides—Samaritans, Ammonites, Arabs and Philistines—to rebuild the walls.

Why did Ezra go to Jerusalem?

Ezra was living in Babylon when in the seventh year of Artaxerxes I, king of Persia (c. 457 BCE), the king sent him to Jerusalem to teach the laws of God to any who did not know them. Ezra led a large body of exiles back to Jerusalem, where he discovered that Jewish men had been marrying non-Jewish women.

What does name Ezra mean?

Ezra is primarily a boy's name that means "help" or "helper" in Hebrew. The name may derive from the longer Hebrew name "Azaryahu," which means "God helps." The most famous Ezra was a Hebrew prophet, scribe, and priest who wrote the book of Ezra in the Bible.

What is the purpose of the beginning of Ezra Nehemiah?

The beginning of Ezra-Nehemiah seeks to show how the Medo-Persian emperors approved of the Jews returning to their homeland and supported the rebuilding of the Jerusalem’s temple. [3] But these opening chapters also seek to teach a political theology, which extends throughout all of Ezra-Nehemiah, that sees Israel’s God, the Creator god, working through the emperors to bless God’s people. [4] There is a parenthetical section in 4:1-23 which explains that the surrounding peoples sought to disrupt Jerusalem’s rebuilding in the days of Artaxerxes because in the beginning of the Return the Jews would not allow those other peoples to contribute to the rebuilding of the new temple in Jerusalem. The thrust of these opening chapters, and this parenthetical chapter, is show that God as Creator uses his created empires in the world to bless his people, and the other peoples in the land cause trouble for the Jews because they do not understand the Jews’ singular devotion to the holy living.

When did Ezra and Nehemiah take place?

[1] The events of Ezra-Nehemiah take place primarily in the mid-400’s BCE. There are a few introductory chapters, chapters one through six, covering the beginning of the return of exiles to the land during the time of King Cyrus through the building of the 2 nd Temple under King Darius. The text then moves to when Ezra was sent to Jerusalem by King Artaxerxes in 459 BCE to be governor in Jerusalem, and then even later, 446 BCE, when Artaxerxes would send Nehemiah to be governor in order to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, which would begin to revitalize the Jerusalem as a livable and important city in the region again. It only takes Nehemiah some fifty-two days to finish rebuilding the wall, possible since Jerusalem was much smaller at this time than what it would become in later centuries. Nehemiah continues to be governor through 430’s BCE. A number of portions of Ezra-Nehemiah read as first person accounts by Ezra and Nehemiah, but these are mixed with sections that are about Ezra and Nehemiah. [2] While it is possible the Ezra-Nehemiah text could have been compiled by the end of 400’s, it would be safer to assume its completion took more time than less. Because of the dates provided in the text, assuming a few decades after the governorship of Nehemiah before this historical accounts were written in their separate sections and then compiled together, it is safest to say that the Ezra-Nehemiah text was written sometime in the 4 th century BCE, more likely in the earlier decades than in the later ones.

Why do the old men weep in Ezra 3:12?

Somewhere in my past I was taught these old men sat and wept for the ugliness of this new temple compared to the old while the rest of the Jews, who were too young to remember the splendor of Solomon’s temple, wildly praised God. This scene is beautifully intimated by Peter Jackson in his movie rendition of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit as the dwarves enter the Lonely Mountain. But reading the text, it does not seem that they are weeping out of dislike for the new temple or dismayed by its comparative splendor. It seems more likely their weeping is an expression of worship, a fully consuming gratefulness to God that he has been faithful in protecting his people through the Exile and is bringing them home again.

What is the book of Ezra?

Broader canon. Bible portal. v. t. e. The Book of Ezra is a book of the Hebrew Bible ; which formerly included the Book of Nehemiah in a single book, commonly distinguished in scholarship as Ezra–Nehemiah.

How many chapters are there in the Book of Ezra?

The Book of Ezra consists of ten chapters: chapters 1 –6, covering the period from the Cyrus the Great to the dedication of the Second Temple, are told in the third person; chapters 7–10, dealing with the mission of Ezra, are told largely in the first person.

What happened in the 6th century?

In the early 6th century BC, the Kingdom of Judah rebelled against the Neo-Babylonian Empire and was destroyed. As a result, the royal court, the priests, the prophets and scribes were taken into captivity in the city of Babylon. There a profound intellectual revolution took place, the exiles blaming their fate on disobedience to their God and looking forward to a future when he would allow a purified people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. The same period saw the rapid rise of Persia, previously an unimportant kingdom in present-day southern Iran, to a position of great power, and in 539 BC Cyrus II, the Persian ruler, conquered Babylon.

What are the three tasks of the three leaders?

The tasks of the three leaders are progressive: first the Temple is restored (Zerubabbel), then the community of Israel (Ezra), and finally the walls which will separate the purified community and Temple from the outside world (Nehemiah). The pattern is completed with a final coda in which Nehemiah restores the belief of Yahweh.

What is the structure of Ezra Nehemiah?

Structure. The contents of Ezra–Nehemiah are structured in a theological rather than chronological order: "The Temple must come first, then the purifying of the community, then the building of the outer walls of the city, and so finally all could reach a grand climax in the reading of the law.".

What is the first esdras?

First Esdras. 1 Esdras, also known as "Esdras α ", is an alternate Greek-language version of Ezra. This text has one additional section, the ' Tale of the Three Guardsmen ' in the middle of Ezra 4. 1 Esdras (3 Esdras in the Vulgate) was considered apocryphal by Jerome.

How many decrees are there in Ezra?

Seven purported Persian decrees of kings or letters to and from high officials are quoted in Ezra. Their authenticity has been contentious; while some scholars accept them in their current form, most accept only part of them as genuine, while still others reject them entirely. L.L. Grabbe surveys six tests against which the documents can be measured (comparative known Persian material, linguistic details, contents, presence of Jewish theology, the Persian attitude to local religions, and Persian letter-writing formulas) and concludes that all the documents are late post-Persian works and probable forgeries, but that some features suggest a genuine Persian correspondence behind some of them.

What can students learn from the book of Ezra?

As students study the book of Ezra, they can learn about how the Lord enables His people to overcome opposition and accomplish His will. Students can also learn about the importance of not repeating the sins of previous generations.

What is the most important event in the Book of Ezra?

One of the most notable events described in the book of Ezra is the completion of the temple in Jerusalem, which had been destroyed many years earlier by the Babylonians. Ezra 1–6 contains an account of the return of the first group of Jews to Jerusalem in approximately 537 B.C. and their efforts to rebuild the temple.

What did Ezra 7-10 discover?

He discovers that many Jews, including leaders, have disobeyed the Lord by intermarrying with non-Israelites who practice idolatry. Those who are guilty confess their sin and separate from their foreign wives.

What are the lessons in the Bible?

Lesson 1: Introduction to the Old Testament. Lesson 2: The Plan of Salvation. Lesson 3: The Role of the Learner. Lesson 4: Studying the Scriptures. Lesson 5: The Bible. Home-Study Lesson: Introduction to the Old Testament–Studying the Scriptures (Unit 1) Introduction to the Book of Moses. Lesson 6: Moses 1:1–23.

Who rebuilt the Temple in Ezra 5-6?

Darius, the king of Persia at the time, reconfirms the Jews’ commission from King Cyrus to rebuild the temple. The temple is completed and dedicated.

Who led efforts to rebuild the Temple?

Ezra 5–6 After many years of not working on the temple, Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the prophets Haggai and Zechariah lead efforts to resume rebuilding the temple. Darius, the king of Persia at the time, reconfirms the Jews’ commission from King Cyrus to rebuild the temple. The temple is completed and dedicated.

When was the book of Ezra written?

Estimates regarding when the book of Ezra was written generally range from 440 to 300 B.C. Although most of the book was written in Hebrew, portions of it (see Ezra 4:8–6:18; 7:12–26) were written in Aramaic, the language of the Persian Empire.

What does the book of Ezra mean?

The Hebrew word for “restore” is shuv, which means to return to a prior state, restore to a former condition or turn back. It may entail the actual physical action of turning or refer to spiritually turning from evil to God. ...

What did Ezra do to the Temple?

After giving some background on their many troubles, Ezra diverts from his account of the Temple and moves forward in time to focus on threats during the reconstruction period of the city walls as outlined in the book of Nehemiah. Ezra records that these enemies of Israel spread lies about the nature of the reconstruction and sent letters to discredit the Jews to the Persian kings. Israel’s enemies during Nehemiah’s time had a simple plan: make the Jews look like rebels of Persia, undermining the earlier wishes of Cyrus the Great and halting the rebuilding of the walls. While the efforts by Israel’s enemies were eventually proven false, the interruptions meant that building only resumed by the second year of King Darius I’s reign.

What happened to the Jewish people in 586 BC?

That faithfulness is clearly seen as we trace the history of the Jewish people through very difficult times. The Bible records the devastation wrought upon the kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem by the armies of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (2 Kings 24–25, 2 Chron. 36) in 586 BC. The Babylonians destroyed Solomon’s Temple and slaughtered a great multitude. After the destruction, hundreds of thousands of people—the cream of the crop of Jewish society—were taken into exile to Babylon, over 750 miles (1,207 km) to the east. Only poor Jewish peasants remained in the Land and were barely able to survive.

What does Ezra 1:1 mean?

Ezra 1:1 takes a backward look at history and recalls the time when Cyrus first issued his decree that the Jews could return to Israel. Seventy years had gone by since the proclamation that would open the door for nearly 43,000 exiles to return to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel.

Why did God choose Ezra?

Ezra knew the people would have to be willing to humble themselves and dedicate themselves to the Lord in order for true restoration to occur. God chose him, a man described as a “ priest, ” “ scribe, ” “ expert in the words of the commandments of the Lord, and of His statutes to Israel ” (Ezra 7:11) because he would lead ...

What is the restoration of the land?

Restoration is central in the book and life of Ezra, both in a physical reality as the Jewish people return to the Land of Israel, and in a spiritual reality as they repent and turn back to God. Three key themes emerge from this central idea: restoration of the land, restoration of the people and restoration of the Bible.

Who taught the people to not mourn nor weep?

Nehemiah 8:9 gives us another glimpse: “ And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn nor weep.’. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.”.

What is the book of Ezra divided into?

The Book of Ezra is divided as follows: The Return from Exile ( 1:1 – 6:22) The Work of Ezra ( 7:1 – 10:44) The following list of the kings of Persia, with the dates of their reigns, will be useful for dating the events mentioned in Ezra-Nehemiah: Cyrus.

What is Ezra's scribe?

This was the accepted way of establishing the legality of one’s priestly office. He is also called a scribe, well-versed in the law of Moses ( 7:6 ), indicating Ezra’s dedication to the study of the Torah, which he sought to make the basic rule of life in the restored community.

Why is Ezra Nehemiah considered a single book?

The treatment of Ezra-Nehemiah as a single book by the earliest editors was undoubtedly due to the fact that in ancient times the two books were put under the one name, Ezra. The combined work Ezra-Nehemiah is our most important literary source for the formation of the Jewish religious community in the province of Judah after the Babylonian exile. ...

What are the last four books of the Hebrew canon?

The last four books of the Hebrew canon are Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles, in that order. At one time, however, Ezra and Nehemiah followed 1 and 2 Chronicles and were generally considered to be the work of one and the same author known as “the Chronicler.”.

Who were the two men responsible for the restoration of Jewish life?

This is known as the period of the Restoration, and the two men most responsible for the reorganization of Jewish life at this time were Ezra and Nehemiah. In the present state of the Ezra-Nehemiah text, there are several dislocations of large sections so that the chronological or logical sequence is disrupted.

Was Ezra a second Moses?

The Talmud regards him as a second Moses, claiming that the Torah would have been given to Israel through Ezra had not Moses preceded him. Ezra is sometimes accused of having been a legalist who gave excessive attention to the letter of the law.

What is Ezra's example?

Ezra is an example of a person who sought to obey God and thereby please Him. As we put into practice the principles and laws contained in the Word of God, we, too, need to have our “senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14), producing greater spiritual depth and maturity in our lives.

What is the book of Ezra about?

Ezra. Ezra is more than a collection of facts about the Jewish exiles returning to Jerusalem. It also shows how God is true to His Word and fulfills His promises. The book of Ezra does not name its author, but Jewish tradition says Ezra wrote it as well as the books of Nehemiah and Chronicles.

What chapter does Ezra go to Jerusalem?

Ezra and his party fast and pray for protection, and God does protect them (8:21-23). The journey takes about three and a half months; but with God’s protection ( 8:31 ), they arrive safely in Jerusalem.

What did Ezra do to teach God's laws?

Put the law into practice in his life. Became a “skilled scribe” ( Ezra 7:6 ), which enabled him to teach God’s laws. Old Testament Survey states: “Ezra’s imperial commission authorized him to appoint magistrates and judges, to teach ‘the law of your God,’ and to punish those who failed to obey it ( Ezra 7:25 f.).

How long did it take Ezra to get to Jerusalem?

Ezra and his party fast and pray for protection, and God does protect them (8:21-23). The journey takes about three and a half months; but with God’s protection ( 8:31 ), they arrive safely in Jerusalem. A list of those who accompanied Ezra is recorded in chapter 8. Chapters 9 and 10: The problem of mixed marriages.

What language is Ezra in?

It is interesting to note that two languages are used in the book of Ezra: Hebrew and Aramaic. The Aramaic section is from chapter 4:8 to 6:18 and 7:12-26. The rest of the book is in Hebrew.

When was the Temple of Ezra completed?

The temple was completed in about 516 B.C., during the reign of Darius. The latter portion, starting in 7:1, contains the personal history of Ezra’s journey to Jerusalem with a group of exiles in 457 B.C. and his religious reformation. The chronology of Ezra 4 through 6 can be confusing since it is not in order.

Overview

Summary

Historical background

Texts

Date, structure and composition

Persian documents

See also