© David Staume 2007
Ezra continues the history of the Jewish people. The author is the chronicler of Chronicles 1 and 2.
Ezra is probably a fictitious character created to act out certain happenings which were known vaguely to have taken place.
1-6.
Cyrus, king of Persia sends fifty thousand exiles back to Jerusalem with five thousand articles of gold and silver, and instructs
them to rebuild the temple. He is succeeded by King Artaxerxes who stops the rebuilding when neighbours complain that if the city
is rebuilt it will again pose a threat. He is succeeded by King Darius who orders the rebuilding to continue, and anyone who interferes
with this is to be impaled. The temple is completed, dedicated to God, and lambs are slaughtered at Passover.
7-9. Ezra, a 'man
of God', comes to Jerusalem with many returning families, with instructions to appoint magistrates and administer justice. Anyone
who does not obey the law of God is to be put to death or banished. City leaders come to Ezra complaining that the people are intermarrying
with detestable people from surrounding areas. Ezra prays to God, ashamed and guilty because of the people's sin.
10.
Ezra lectures the people of Jerusalem on their unfaithfulness (to God), the sin of intermarriage, and how this adds to Israel's guilt.
Men who have intermarried are instructed to dismiss their wives and children, and sacrifice a ram as a guilt offering.