Ezra: Bible Book Breakdown

Ezra: Bible Book Breakdown

Chapter 1

• God moved the heart of Cyrus, King of Persia, to make a decree permitting the Jews to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple
  
• The tribes of Judah and Benjamin received various gifts and goods from their neighbors to bring to Jerusalem
  
• Cyrus had all the temple items (5,400) taken by Nebuchadnezzar returned
  
• Sheshbazzar (Zerubbabel), Prince of Judah, brought the items and exiles to Jerusalem

Chapter 2

• A list of exiles returning from Babylon led by Zerubbabel to Jerusalem and Judah begins chapter two.

• Group by men of the people, men of Bethlehem, priests, Levites, musicians, gatekeepers of the temple, temple servants, descendants of the Solomon’s servants, and families unable to prove Israelite ancestry (excluded from priesthood and considered unclean)

• 42,360 exiles, 7,337 slaves, 200 singers, 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys returned

• When they got to the temple some of the family heads gave a freewill offering toward the rebuilding of the temple

• Everyone settled in their own towns

Chapter 3

• After everyone was settled, they came together in Jerusalem; Joshua son of Jozadak and the other priests, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and his associates began to build the altar of God to sacrifice burnt offerings according to the Law of Moses

• They sacrificed all the offerings instructed in the Law of Moses despite their fear of the nations around them (foundation of temple was not built at this time)

• Money and food were given to the masons and carpenters. The people of Tyre and Sidon brought cedar logs by sea from Lebanon to Joppa, ordered by King Cyrus

• 2 years later after settling in Judah, the rebuilding of the temple began

• Levites 20 years and older supervised the building of the temple

• The priest put on their garments and played the trumpets and cymbals, praising God with a song of David along with the exiles because the foundation was laid

• The older priests and Levites who saw the former temple cried aloud because the former temple was more grand and beautiful

• No one could distinguish the difference between the cries of joy from sorrow because it was so loud

Chapter 4

• Those who opposed the rebuilding of the temple went to Zerubbabel and the family heads to “offer” help because they’ve been seeking and sacrificing to God since Esarhaddon, king of Assyria brought them there

• Zerubbabel, Joshua and the family heads refused their help

• They then tried to discourage, intimidate and bribe the Israelites to prevent the completion of the temple

• They did this from the reign of Cyrus to Darius, kings of Persia

• When Artaxerxes (Ahasuerus) became king, the Jewish opposers (Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, Rehum, Shimsai and other governing bodies in Trans-Euphrates of the Persian empire) sent a letter to accuse the Jews

• They accused them of not paying tax or tribute when the temple is finished and for the king to search the records for the rebellious history of Israel (to prove their point)

• King Artaxerxes responded by having all the work stopped in Jerusalem

• Once the letter was read, Rehum (commanding officer) and Shimshai (secretary) went to Jerusalem immediately and stopped the rebuilding of the temple until the 2^nd year of King Darius

Chapter 5

• Haggai and Zechariah prophesied in Judah and Jerusalem

• Zerrubbabel and Joshua went back to rebuilding the temple with the support of the prophets

• Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, Shethar-Bozenai and his associates went to them and asked who authorized the rebuilding and to give the names of all those rebuilding

• Due to God’s protection, the work was not stopped

• Tattenai and Shethar-Bozenai sent a letter to Darius stating the Jews are making rapid progress in rebuilding the temple, the Jews’ response to their questions concerning the history of the temple, and a request to search the archives to confirm King Cyrus’ decree to rebuild the temple and King Darius’ decision on the matter.

Chapter 6

• King Darius issues order to search archives in Babylon

• Scroll from King Cyrus was found in Media concerning Jerusalem

• King Darius ordered the rebuilding of the temple with no interference, the return of everything Nebuchadnezzar took and anything needed should be provided by the Persian empire

• Tattenai governor of Trans-Euphrates and Shethar-Bozenai carried out the Darius’ orders

• The Jews prospered under the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah and finished the temple on the 3^rd day of Adar, in the 6^th year of Darius according to God’s command and the decree of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes

• Everyone celebrated the dedication of the temple and offered sacrifices for the sins of Israel

• The priests and Levites were assigned their role according to the Book of Moses

• On the 14^th day of Adar, the exiles celebrated Passover

Chapter 7

• In the 7^th year of King Artaxerxes, Ezra (son of Seraiah, a descendant of Aaron and teacher of the Law of Moses) and other exiles left Babylon and went to Jerusalem

• The journey took 5 months and Ezra received all that he wanted from the king

• Ezra dedicated his life to studying, observing and teaching the Law of God
• King Artaxerxes gave him a letter concerning money to buy whatever the Jews needed for the temple, assistance from the Trans-Euphrates treasury, return of the temple items, and Ezra needing to appoint leaders throughout Israel to judge and teach the law of God

Chapter 8

• List of family heads who came with Ezra from Babylon (over 1,700)

• Ezra gathered everyone at Ahava and camped there for 3 days but there were no Levites there

• Ezra sent 9 men to Iddo (leader of Kasiphia) to request for some Levites to go to the temple

• 38 Levites were sent and 220 temple servants

• They went back to Ahava Canal and fasted, asking God for a safe journey to Jerusalem

• Ezra was embarrassed because he refused the king’s protection because he told him that God would protect them on their journey

• The Israelites prayed and God answered their prayer

• Ezra consecrated Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and 10 of their brothers (leading priests) as well as the articles for the temple

• They left Ahava Canal on the 12^th day of Adar to go to Jerusalem and God protected them on their journey

• They stayed for 3 days in Jerusalem — on the 4^th day they measured and recorded all the articles for the temple by Meredith son of Uriah, Eleazar son of Phinehas, Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui

• The exiles sacrificed burnt offerings and delivered all the king’s orders to the leaders of the Trans-Euphrates

Chapter 9

• Jewish leaders came to Ezra complaining about the Jews intermarrying with foreign nations and being led astray

• Ezra tore his tunic, cloak and pulled his hair and beard; he and the others who were faithful were appalled and he sat down until the evening sacrifice

• During the evening sacrifice, Ezra prayed to God recapping the sins and consequences of Israel, he thanked God for His mercy in the present day and made a plea for God not to destroy them for their sins

Chapter 10

• While praying, a large crowd of men, women and children came to Ezra and wept bitterly

• Shekaniah son of Jehiel came to Ezra and admitted to being unfaithful by marrying foreign women. He proposed that all of Israel make a covenant to send away all these women and their children. Israel was in full support of Ezra’s leadership

• Ezra put all the leaders under oath and went to Jehohanan’s house where he ate no food or drink due to his mourning over Israel’s sins

• A proclamation was issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for everyone to appear. If they didn’t appear, they would lose all their property and be expelled from the country

• Everyone gathered within 3 days — on the 20^th day of the 9^th month everyone gathered and were distressed because of the occasion and the rain

• Ezra told them to separate themselves from the nations around them and their foreign wives

• Everyone agreed but proposed to have each town with foreign wives assemble before the leaders

• Only Jonathan son of Asahel, Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite opposed the proposal

• On the 1^st day of the 10^th month, they began investigating the cases and by the 1^st day of 1^st month all cases were settled

• Everyone guilty sent away their foreign wives (and children) and gave a guilt offering

Want to keep studying?? Click here to find more Bullet point Bible studies!