At a glance
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authorship | Ezra (traditional) for some portions |
| Date | ~440 BC |
| Audience | Post-exilic returnees |
| Genre | Historical narrative |
| Purpose | Return from Babylonian exile and temple rebuilding and covenant renewal |
| Chapters | 10 |
Outline
| Section | Chapters | Content |
|---|---|---|
| First return under Zerubbabel | 1-6 | Cyrus's edict; temple rebuilt and dedicated |
| Ezra's return and reform | 7-10 | Ezra's mission; intermarriage problem; covenant renewal |
Main themes
| Theme | Description |
|---|---|
| Restoration | God brings his people back |
| Temple rebuilding | Worship center restored |
| Covenant renewal | Re-commitment to Mosaic Law |
| Holiness of community | Intermarriage with idolatrous spouses addressed |
| God's sovereign use of pagan kings | Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes |
Key passages
- Ezra 1:1-4, Cyrus's edict
- Ezra 3, altar and temple foundation
- Ezra 6, temple completed and dedicated
- Ezra 7, Ezra's mission
- Ezra 9-10, intermarriage crisis and response