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You are here: Home / 101Study Help / Resources by Book / Ezra Bible Study Resources

Ezra Bible Study Resources

August 4, 2020 By Krisan Marotta

Ezra Bible Study Resources | WednesdayintheWord.com

Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study the Old Testament book of Ezra.

Jump to: Background; ** Maps; ** Key Words; ** Encyclopedias; ** Commentaries; ** History; ** Articles; ** GotQuestions ** Next **


Structure

  • Ezra 1-6 – First return of the Jews from exile 538-515 BC (22 years)
  • Ezra 1 – edict of return
  • Ezra 2 – list of returnees; leading role for Zerubbabel (2:2); approx. 50,000 return
  • Ezra 3:1-6 – rebuilding and rededicating the altar; Mosaic worship restored
  • Ezra 3:7-13 – laying the temple foundation about 6 months after altar dedication
  • Ezra 4:1-23 – opposition to rebuilding; work stops for approximately 10 years
  • Ezra 5:1-6:15 – Encouragement to rebuild from Haggai & Zechariah; work resumes in 530 BC
  • Ezra 6:16-22 – Completed temple is dedicated and Passover celebrated
  • Ezra 7:1-8:36 – Second return of the Jews to Jerusalem; 458-457 BC (1 year)
  • Ezra 9:1-10:44 – Restoration of the people

Genre: Understanding Narrative

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Section 1: Background

Background & Outlines

  • Introduction to the Exile & Return
  • Chart: Bible History at a glance
  • Chronology Ezra-Nehemiah
  • Introduction to Exile & Return
  • Blue Letter Bible: Old Testament Timeline
  • Biblehub: Ezra Chronology
  • BibleHistory.com: List of the Kings of Persia
  • Bible Atlas: Persia
  • Bible Atlas: Babylon
  • Bible Atlas: Jerusalem
  • Ray C Stedman: Overview of the Book
  • Ray Stedman: Ezra: The Way Back
  • John MacArthur: Author, Date, Background
  • ESV: Introduction to Ezra
  • ESV: The Global Message of Ezra
  • Biblehub: Chronology of Ezra
  • NIV Study Bible: Intro to Ezra
  • David Malick: An Introduction to the Books of Ezra-Nehemiah
  • James van Dine: Analysis of Ezra-Nehemiah
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Section 2: Maps

Maps from Bible-History.com

  • Persia 5th Century BC
  • Persia 6th Century BC
  • Nehemiah’s Jerusalem
  • Zerubbabel and Ezra’s Journey to Restore Jerusalem
  • Jerusalem Rebuilt by Nehemiah

ESV Study Bible

  • Chronology of Ezra
  • Adversaries Hinder Work in Ezra
  • Kings of Persia in Ezra–Nehemiah
  • Chronology of Nehemiah
  • Chronology in Esther

Maps from Studylight.org

  • Judah during the Exile
  • The Kingdom of Judah
  • Exile; Palestine in the Post-Exilic Period
  • Jewish Exiles in Babylon
  • Jewish Refugees in Egypt
  • World Powers of the 6th century BCE
  • The Conquests of Cyrus the Great  
  • The Persian Empire
  • The Return of the Jewish Exiles to Judah
  • Judah in the 5th century BCE
  • Palestine after the Exile
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Section 9: History

Israel in exile

  • By the Waters of Babylon (605-539 BC); humiliation (Psalm 137)
  • Generally pleasant conditions
  • Institutions (elders, prophets, priests) maintained (Jeremiah 29)
  • Exiles had freedom of movement
  • Exiles had freedom of correspondence
  • Possibility of government positions (Daniel) & other employment possibilities
  • Agricultural possibilities in a fertile prosperous land.
  • Too comfortable? Josephus (Antiquities 11.1.3) says some Jews given the opportunity to return to Jerusalem elected to stay.

Rise of Persia

  • Return predicted (Jeremiah 25:11)
  • Important role of Cyrus, King of Persia (reigns 559-530 BC)
  • Fall of Bablyon (539 BC)
  • Edict of release – Ezra 1:1-4; Ezra 6:3-5

Content of edict

  • Jerusalem temple rebuilt; costs defrayed from Cyrus’ treasury
  • building specifications (dimensions)
  • return of gold and silver items taken by Nebuchadnezzer
  • all Jews who wished could return to Judah
  • Jews who remain in Babylon may assist project with freewill offerings

Return from exile

First stage (Ezra 1-6)

  • Edict of return – Ezra 1
  • List of returnees – Ezra 2; leading role for Zerubbable (Ezra 2:2); aprox. 50,000
  • Rebuilding & rededicating the altar – Ezra 3:1-6; Mosaic worship restored
  • Laying the temple foundation – Ezra 3:7-13; about 6 months after altar dedication
  • Opposition to rebuilding – Ezra 4:1-23; work stops for approx. 10 years
  • Encouragement from Haggai & Zechariah – Ezra 5:1-6:15; work resumes in 520 BC
  • Completed temple is dedicated – Ezra 6:16-18 and Passover celebrated – Ezra 6:19-22

Second Stage (Ezra 7-10)

  • Ezra’s return 458 BC
  • Ezra’s commission – Ezra 7:1-28; enforcement of Mosaic law
  • Ezra’s journey – Ezra 8:1-36; divine protection; leads to worship
  • Ezra handles problems of intermarraige – Ezra 9:1-10:44

Third Stage (Nehemiah)

  • Nehemiah learns of Jerusalem’s plight (445 BC) – Nehemiah 1:1-11
  • Nehemiah’s commission to return to Jerusalem – Neh 2:1-20
  • Building Jerusalem’s walls amidst opposition – Nehemiah 3:1-6:19
  • Reading an exposition of the Law – Nehemiah 8:1-18
  • Covenant renewal – Nehemiah 9:1-10:30
  • Dedication of Jerusalem’s city wall – Nehemiah 12:27-47
  • Nehemiah’s second administration (returns in 432 BC to a bad situation) – Nehemiah 13
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Section 3: Key Words

Key Words

  • Jerusalem (48x)
  • house (44v) – Strong’s 1004 in Ezr 1:2; Ezr 1:3; Ezr 1:4; Ezr 1:5; Ezr 1:7; Ezr 2:36; Ezr 2:68; Ezr 3:8; Ezr 3:11; Ezr 3:12; Ezr 4:3; Ezr 4:24; Ezr 5:2; Ezr 5:8; Ezr 5:13; Ezr 5:14; Ezr 5:15; Ezr 5:16; Ezr 5:17; Ezr 6:3; Ezr 6:5; Ezr 6:7; Ezr 6:8; Ezr 6:11; Ezr 6:12; Ezr 6:16; Ezr 6:22; Ezr 7:16; Ezr 7:17; Ezr 7:19; Ezr 7:20; Ezr 7:23; Ezr 7:24; Ezr 7:27; Ezr 8:17; Ezr 8:25; Ezr 8:29; Ezr 8:30; Ezr 8:33; Ezr 8:36; Ezr 9:9; Ezr 10:1; Ezr 10:6; Ezr 10:9.
  • decree (16v) – Strong’s H2942 in Ezr 4:19; Ezr 4:21; Ezr 5:3; Ezr 5:9; Ezr 5:13; Ezr 5:17; Ezr 6:1; Ezr 6:3; Ezr 6:8; Ezr 6:11; Ezr 6:12; Ezr 6:13; Ezr 6:14; Ezr 7:11; Ezr 7:13; Ezr 7:21.
  • the law (of Moses, of the Lord, of your God) (8x) – Strong’s H8451 in Ezr 3:2; Ezr 7:6; Ezr 7:10; Ezr 7:12; Ezr 7:14; Ezr 7:21; Ezr 7:26; Ezr 10:3.
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Section 4: Encyclopedias

Dictionaries & Encyclopedias

Ezra, Book

  • Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary: Ezra -Theology of
  • Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible: Ezra
  • Easton’s Bible Dictionary Ezra, Book of
  • Fausset Bible Dictionary Ezra, the Book of
  • Holman Bible Dictionary Ezra, Book of
  • Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Ezra, Book of
  • Morrish Bible Dictionary Ezra, Book of
  • McClintock and Strong Ezra, Book Of
  • The Jewish Encyclopedia Ezra, Book of
  • Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Ezra book of Ezra
  • 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica Books of Ezra and Nehemiah

Ezra, the man

  • American Tract Society Ezra
  • Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Ezra
  • Easton’s Bible Dictionary Ezra
  • Fausset Bible Dictionary Ezra
  • Hitchcock Bible Names Ezra
  • Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible Ezra
  • Morrish Bible Dictionary Ezra
  • Whyte’s Bible Characters Ezra
  • Watson’s Theological Dictionary Ezra
  • International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Ezra
  • The Nuttall Encyclopedia Ezra

Alfred Edersheim

  • The Temple–It’s Ministry and Services – Chapter 4 (scroll down to section subtitled “The Courses After the Captivity” for mentions of Ezra)
  • Table of Contents of The Temple–Its Ministry and Services

BibleHistory.com

  • Chronology of the Prophets
  • Kings of the Assyrian Empire
  • Kings of the Babylonian Empire
  • Kings of the Persian Empire
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Section 5: Commentaries

Commentaries & Study Bibles

  • Ligionier.org Top 5 Commentaries: Ezra-Nehemiah
  • Tim Challies Best Commentaries: Ezra-Nehemiah
  • Commentary Reviews: Ezra-Nehemiah
  • Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible:
  • Matthew Henry: Ezra
  • Albert Barnes Notes: Ezra
  • Reformation Study Bible Notes: Ezra
  • Geneva Study Bible: Ezra
  • Precept Austin Commentaries & Sermons: Ezra

RC Sproul – devotionals

  • Ezra 7:10 Studying, Doing, and Teaching
  • Ezra 8:21–23 The Role of Fasting
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Section 6: Articles

Journal Articles

  • Russell T. Fuller, “Ezra: The Teacher of God’s Word and Agent of Revival,” Southern Baptist Journal of Theology 9.3 (Autumn 2005): 52-61.
  • Stephen Dray, “Ezra: an Applied Overview,” Evangel 24.2 (Summer 2006)
  • H. L. Ellison, From Babylon to Bethlehem. The People of God from the Exile to the Messiah. Exeter: The Paternoster Press, Ltd., 1976. Pbk. ISBN: 0853641900. pp.41-54
  • P. Richard Choi, “The Intra-Jewish dialogue in 4 Ezra 3:1-9:25,” Andrews University Seminary Studies 41.2 (Autumn 2003): 237-254
  • Leslie McFall, “Was Nehemiah contemporary with Ezra in 458 BC,” Westminster Theological Journal 53.2 (Fall 1991): 263-293
  • Ezra’s Ethics on Intermarriage and Divorce — By: William R. Eichhorst
  • A Philip Brown II – Temporal Ordering In Ezra- Part II – Bible.org
  • A Chronological and Literary Harmony of Ezra & Nehemiah – Time Chart:
  • H. G. M. Williamson, “Ezra and Nehemiah in the Light of the Texts from Persepolis,” Bulletin for Biblical Research 1 (1991): 41-61
  • J. Stafford Wright, The Date of Ezra’s Coming to Jerusalem, 1947. London: The Tyndale Press, 1958. pp.32.
  • J. Stafford Wright, The Building of the Second Temple. London: The Tyndale Press, 1958. pp.20.
  • Edwin M. Yamauchi, “The reverse order of Ezra/Nehemiah Reconsidered,” Themelios 5.3 (1980): 7-13

**Many thanks to PreceptAustin.org for compiling this list of articles.

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Section 7: Got Questions

GotQuestions.org

  • Book of Ezra – Bible Survey
  • Who was Ezra in the Bible?
  • Who was Sheshbazzar in the Bible?
  • Who was Nehemiah in the Bible?
  • Why didn’t all the Jews want to return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:5-6)?
  • Why did the Israelites have to abandon their foreign wives and children?
  • Who were the Nethinim?
  • Why are the numbers in Ezra so different from Nehemiah?
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Section 8: Next

Next: Nehemiah

Previous: 1&2 Chronicles

Series: Resources by Book

Photo by Pierre Bamin on Unsplash

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Related posts:

  1. Chronology of Ezra-Nehemiah
  2. Zechariah Bible Study Resources
  3. Nehemiah Bible Study Resources
  4. Esther Bible Study Resources
  5. Malachi Bible Study Resources

Filed Under: Resources by Book Tagged With: Ezra, resources

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