Introduction

The books of Samuel and Kings related five centuries of Israel’s history without interruption, from David to the Babylonian exile.

Then came the seventy years of “Captivity,” or Exile. Not all the people were de ported. Most of the people who remained on the land were small farmers. They had neither political nor spiritual leaders and did little to put the nation back on its feet.

In the year 538 B.C. a decree of Cyrus, conqueror of the Chaldeans, authorized the return to their homeland of all the Jews deported to Babylon. This gesture of Cyrus was above all political, but the Bible sees in it the fulfillment of God’s promises to the prophets (especially to Jeremiah and Ezekiel). The decree of Cyrus marked the beginning of the return of the deportees: they were to revive the nation. The first came back with Zorobabel, a descendant of the kings. After a difficult start, they re organized themselves under the direction of Ezra and Nehemiah in the following century.

Ezra’s Reform

The decree of Cyrus did not modify the political situation of Palestine which had become a province of the Empire. Jerusalem remained under the authority of Samaria with regard to administration and the aristocracy of Samaria had no desire to be surpassed by the notables of Judah returning to their homeland after fifty years of exile. This accounts for the conflict between Jews and Samaritans which was to remain irreconcilable.

Not all the Jews returned to their land. Many of them had emigrated abroad before the exile and remained in the countries where they were living: Egypt, Assyria, Persia. Others, who had been deported, did not come back from Babylon, for they had succeeded in overcoming their miserable situation with one another’s help, and now held good positions there. Those who returned arrived as families and organized groups; they were the Jews who had best assimilated the prophets’ message, urging them to rebuild a purified and holy Israel.

For them a first danger was that, by settling in their homeland among foreigners and Jews not too attuned to their mission, they might lose their enthusiasm. That is why the work of Ezra and Nehemiah was very important in keeping the Jews united among themselves and apart from everyone else. See especially the problem of mixed marriages (Ezra 9-10; Ne 9:2 and 13:10-30).

Later, in his biblical work, Ezra played a decisive role by collecting the books and putting them together for the first time, and making the Sacred Book the basis of their religion. Until that time, the existing books of the Bible were kept only in the hands of the priests, and it was enough for the people to attend the traditional Temple ceremonies. It was Ezra who started a new form of worship through which the communal reading of the Bible would become the basis of the people’s religious life, bringing them to a more grounded and responsible faith. See Nehemiah 8. Ezra’s role in the formation of the Bible is remembered in 2 Maccabees 2:13-14.

Ezra’s reform gave the Jewish community of the post-Babylonian exile its unique features. the people of God became a holy people, consecrated to God and separated from others by the many barriers of their Law. Their reason for being was to maintain the worship of the only God and, since they did not have national independence, their priests held both civil and religious power, in the name of God.

The Books of Ezra and Nehemia

At first, these two books formed only one book. They provide us with some information concerning the work accomplished by these two men. The following steps toward the restoration of the Jewish community can be seen:

– Beginning with the decree of Cyrus in 538 B.C., several groups of exiles come back to Jerusalem and Zerubbabel rebuilds THE TEMPLE: see Ezra 1:1 to 4:5 and 4:24 to 6:2.

– Then, the enemies of the Jews try to prevent the reconstruction of THE CITY (see Ezra 4:7-23).

– In 458 perhaps, Ezra comes to organize the community, imposing the Law of Moses as a rule (see Ezra 7 to 10).

– In 445 Nehemiah comes from Persia and he rebuilds THE WALLS. Then he administers Jerusalem for twelve years (see Ne 1 to 7).

– Finally, there is Nehemiah’s second mission in 425 (see Ne 13).

Cyrus helps the Jews return to Jerusalem  

1 In the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia, Yahweh wil led to ful fill the word he had said through the prophet Jere miah, so he moved the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia, to issue the following command and send it out in writing to be read aloud everywhere in his kingdom,

2 “Thus speaks Cyrus, king of Persia: Yah weh, the God of heavens, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has ordered me to build him a Temple in Jerusalem, in the land of Judah.

3 To everyone belonging to his people, may his God be with him! Let them go up to Jerusalem with the help of their God and there build the House of Yahweh, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem.

4 In every place where the rest of the people of Yahweh live, let the people of those places help them for their journey with silver, gold and all kinds of goods and livestock. Let them also give them voluntary offerings for the House of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem.”

5 Then they rose up – the heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and the Levites, and all those whose spirit God had stirred up – and they decided to go and build the House of Yahweh.

6 And all their neighbors gave them all kinds of help: gold, silver, livestock and precious ob jects in great quantity, besides every kind of voluntary offering.

7 King Cyrus also brought out the vessels of the House of Yahweh which Nebuchad nezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods.

8 Cyrus, the king, gave them into the hands of Mithredath, the treasurer, who counted them and turned them over to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

9 This is the list: golden cups for the offering, 30; silver cups for offering,1000; knives, 29;

10 other cups of gold, 30; of silver, 410; other vessels, 1,000.

11 Total number of golden and silver vessels: 5,400. All this was brought out by Sheshbazzar when the exiles were allowed to return to Jerusalem from Baby lon.

The list of the returning exiles  

1 These were the people of the province who returned from captivity and exile. After being deported to Baby lon by Ne buchadnezzar, king of Babylon, they returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his own town.

2 They arrived with Zerub babel, Jeshua, Nehe miah, Seraiah, Ree laiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Big vai, Rehum and Baanah. The list of the clans of the people of Is rael:

3 the clan of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;

4 the clan of Seh pha tiah, three hundred and seventy-two;

5 the clan of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five;

6 the clan of Pahath moab, that is to say the sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve;

7 the clan of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;

8 the clan of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five;

9 the clan of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty;

10 the clan of Bani, six hundred and forty-two;

11 the clan of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three;

12 the clan of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two;

13 the clan of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six;

14 the clan of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six;

15 the clan of Adin, four hundred and fifty -four;

16 the clan of Ater, that is to say of Heze kiah, ninety-eight;

17 the clan of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three;

18 the clan of Jorah, one hundred and twelve;

19 the clan of Ha shum, two hundred and twenty-three;

20 the clan of Gibbar, ninety-five;

21 people of Beth lehem, one hun dred and twenty-three;

22 peo ple of Netophah, fifty-six;

23 people of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight;

24 the clan of Azmaveth, forty-two;

25 people of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three;

26 people of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one;

27 peo ple of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two;

28 peo ple of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty-three;

29 peo ple of Nebo, fifty-two;

30 people of Mag bish, one hundred and fifty-six;

31 people of another Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;

32 people of Harim, three hundred and twenty;

33 peo ple of Lod, Hadid and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five;

34 people of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five;

35 people of Se -naah, three thousand six hundred and thirty.

36 The priests: the clan of Jedaiah, that is to say the House of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three;

37 the clan of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two;

38 the clan of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven;

39 the clan of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

40 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the descendants of Hoda viah, seventy-four.

41 The Temple musicians: the clan of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight.

42 The gatekeepers: the clan of Shal lum, the clan of Ater, the clan of Talmon, the clan of Akkub, the clan of Hatita, the clan of Shobai: in all, one hundred and thirty-nine.

43 The helpers: the clans of Ziha, Ha supha, Tabbaoth,

44 Keros, Siaha, Pa don,

45 Leba nah, Hagabah, Akkub,

46 Ha gab, Shamlai, Hanan,

47 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah,

48 Rezin, Nekoda, Gaz zam,

49 Uzza, Pa seah, Besai,

50 Asnah, the Meunites, the Nephisites,

51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

52 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,

53 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

54 Ne ziah, Hatipha.

55 The clans of Solomon’s slaves: So tai, Has so phereth, Peruda,

56 Jaalah, Dar kon, Giddel,

57 Shephatiah, Hattil, Poc hereth-hazzebaim, Ami.

58 The total of the helpers and the sons of Solomon’s slaves: three hundred and ninety-two.

59 The following who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan and Immer, could not prove that their families and ancestry were of Israelite origin:

60 the clans of Delaiah, Tobiah, Nekoda: six hundred and fifty-two.

61 And among the priests: the clans of Habaiah, Hak koz, Barzillai, who had married one of the daughters of Bar zillai, the Gileadite, whose name he adopted.

62 These people searched in their ancestral registers but could not be located in them, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean

63 and His Excellency fo rbade them to eat the sacred foods until a priest could be found for the Urim and Thummim.

64 The whole assembly numbered forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty people,

65 not counting their slaves and maidservants to the number of seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. They also had two hundred male and female singers.

66 Their horses numbered seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five,

67 their camels four hun dred and thirty-five and their donkeys six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

68 When they arrived at the Temple of Yahweh in Jerusalem, some of the leaders of the clans made voluntary offerings for the Temple of God, for its rebuilding on its old site.

69 In accordance with their means they gave to the building fund sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly robes.

70 The priests, Levites and part of the people settled in Jerusalem; the gate keepers, Temple musicians, workmen and all the other Israelites, in their own towns.

Rebuilding the altar

1 By the seventh month, the Israelites were already settled in their cities. Then all the people gathered in Jerusalem.


2 Joshua, son of Jozadak, with his fellow-priests, and Zerubbabel, son of She altiel, with his brothers, began rebuilding the altar of the God of Israel, to offer the sacrifices upon it, as it is written in the Law of Moses, the man of God.

3 They built the altar in the same place, in spite of the fear they had of the people of the land, and they offered burnt offerings upon it, and the morning and evening sacrifice.

4 They celebrated the Feast of the Tabernacles as it is written, and offered burnt offerings daily according to the established ritual.

5 Then they continued offering the perpetual sacrifice and the sacrifices on the sabbaths, the new moon and all the solemnities of Yahweh, besides what everyone would offer voluntarily to Yahweh.

6 They began offering burnt offerings on the first day of the seventh month, although the foundation of the House of Yahweh had not yet been laid.

7 They gave money to the masons and the carpenters. They also gave food, wine and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar lumber from Lebanon to Joppa by sea, according to the authorization of Cyrus, king of Persia.

8 In the second year, after their arrival at the House of God in Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, son of Jozadak, with the rest of their brothers, the priests, the Levites and all who had returned to Jerusalem from exile, began the work: they appointed the Levites who were twenty years old and upward to supervise the work in the House of Yahweh.

9 Joshua, his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, and the sons of Henadad, all to gether agreed to supervise those who worked in the House of God.

10 When the workers had laid the foundation for the sanctuary of Yahweh, the priests, clothed in fine linen, came forward with trumpets, and the Levites, sons of Asaph, with cymbals, and they sang to Yahweh accord ing to the ordinance of David, king of Israel.

11 They gave thanks to Yahweh, singing and praising: “For he is good, for his love for Israel is eternal.”
All the people shouted aloud the praises of Yahweh for the foundation of the House of Yah weh had now been laid. Many of the priests, Le vites and older heads of the families who have seen the first house wept with great lamentation as the foundation was laid.

12 But others raised their voices with shouts of joy,

13 and the people could not distinguish the shouts of rejoicing from the cries of weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the noise was heard afar.

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Comments Ezra, Chapter 3

• 3.1 For the Jews, the restoration of the Temple became an opportunity to rediscover how different they were from all the other nations in that they served the only God. It also allowed them to affirm their identity as Jews among the people of the country, since working together strengthens unity.

We will also note that, when they first arrived from exile, they generously offered to provide all that was needed to build the Temple (2:68). Yet, twenty years go by and the intervention of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah was needed to implement the projects agreed upon in the enthusiasm of their return.

The rebuilding is interrupted

1 When the enemies of Judah and Ben jamin learned that those who had returned from exile were building the sanctuary of Yahweh, the God of Israel,

2 they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of the families, and said to them, “Allow us to help you in the work of reconstruction for we are also concerned about your God. We have offered him sacrifices from the time of Esar Haddon, king of Assyria, who brought us here.”

3 Zerubbabel, Joshua and the heads of the Israelite families answered them, “We can not let you join us, for we alone must rebuild it, as Cyrus, king of Persia, has commanded.”

4 Then the people of the land set about discouraging the workers of Judah and frightening them to keep them from building.

5 They hired some counselors of the royal court to make the project fail, and they did this all during the time of Cyrus, king of Persia, until the reign of Da rius, king of Persia.


An unrelated document

6 In the beginning of the reign of Xerxes, they lodged a complaint against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

7 Again in the time of King Artaxerxes, king of Persia, Bishlam, Mit hredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their colleagues wrote to Artaxerxes. The letter was written in Aramaic and translated. So it be gan this way:

8 “From Rehum, the governor, and Shimshai, the secretary,

9 and from the rest of their colleagues, the judges and the legates, and all Persian officials, the people of Erech, Babylon and Susa, that is, the Elamites,

10 and from the rest of the nations whom the great Assurbanipal deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province at the other side of the River…”

11 This is a copy of the letter they sent to King Artaxerxes: “Your servants, the people beyond the River, send greetings.

12 It should be made known to the king that the Jews who came up from your side to ours and have gone to Jerusalem are now building this rebellious and wicked city. They are now rebuilding the walls and have laid the foundation.

13 Be it known, then, to the king, that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, they will no longer pay taxes, tributes or toll duties, and in the end, this city shall bring harm to the kings.

14 Now, as we eat the salt of the palace and we do not wish to see the king dishonored, we are sending this information to the king.

15 If you look into the records of your fathers, you will find that this city is a rebellious city. It has disturbed the kings and the provinces, and has fostered sedition from of old. It is precisely be cause of this that it was destroyed.

16 We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls restored, you will soon lose your ter ritories on that side of the River.”

17 The king wrote this in reply: “To Rehum, the governor; to Shim shai, the secretary; and to the rest of their colleagues who are in Samaria and in the other places at the other side of the River: greetings.

18 The letter you sent to me has been read word for word in my presence.

19 I gave orders to inquire into these things, and it has been found that from ancient times that city has rebelled against the kings, and that sedition and rebellions have happened there.

20 There were powerful kings in Jeru salem, masters of all the land at the other side of the River, to whom tribute taxes and toll duties were paid.

21 Therefore, order the people to stop work; they shall not rebuild that city without my auth orization.

22 Do not neglect this grave concern, lest further harm be done to the kingdom.”

23 When the copy of this letter of King Arta xerxes was read before Re hum, the governor, Shimshai, the secretary, and their colleagues, they went hurriedly to Jerusalem and they used force and violence to make the Jews suspend their work.

24 So the work on the House of God in Jerusalem was interrupted and not begun until the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia.

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Comments Ezra, Chapter 4

• 4.1 With the support of the prophet Haggai (see Hg 2:10) the Jews refuse Sama ritan cooperation in rebuilding the Temple. They have no desire to mix anything unclean in this religious endeavor. To put it differently, they are determined to build a community based on the practice of the Law and cannot accept that un -converted people have any claim on the Temple.

The same thing happens now as well. Though we might wish to welcome everyone, we cannot surrender holy things nor leadership of the communities to unconverted people. Neither can the Church accept political support which would compromise its freedom.

The story begun in 4:1-5 continues in chapters 5 and 6. The Jews remain steadfast, and Providence helps them. They are assisted by Tattenai, the Persian governor of the province West-of-Euphrates, including all of Palestine with Samaria as the capital.

• 6. The letter found in 4:6-23 corresponds to a later intervention on the part of the Samaritan notables when, a few years later, the Jews try to build the Jerusalem walls.

Work resumes  

1 The prophets Haggai and Zecha riah, son of Iddo, addressed the Jews who lived in Judea and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was with them.

2 Upon hearing them, Zeru bbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Joshua, son of Jo za dak, began to rebuild the House of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

3 Then Tattenai, the governor of the province at the other side of the River, and Shethar Bozenai came with their counselors and said to them, “Who has ordered you to build this House and its walls?”

4 And they also asked, “Who are the men working on the construction of this building?”

5 But the favor of God was with the lead ers of the Jews, for these people did not oblige the Jews to stop the work while the matter was being referred to King Darius and they were waiting for his answer.

6 This is a copy of the joint letter to King Darius from Tattenai, governor of the province of the other side of the River, Shethar Bozenai and his counselors, the Persians at the other bank of the River:

7 “To King Darius, peace.

8 We wish to inform the king that we went to the province of Judea, to the House of the Great God. They are now building the Temple with hewn stones and timber to reinforce the walls; the work is being done with great care and progresses quickly at their hands.

9 We questioned the Elders, and asked them: Who has ordered you to build this House and finish this Sanc tuary?

10 We also asked them their names and wrote down the names of their leaders for your information.

11 They gave us this answer: We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the House that was built many years ago. A great king of Israel built and finished it.

12 But then, our ancestors angered the God of heav en, so he gave the children into the hands of the king of Babylon, Nebu chad nezzar, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia.

13 However, in the first year of his reign Cyrus, king of Babylon, issued a decree that the House of God should be rebuilt.

14 The gold and silver vessels of the House of God, which Nebu chadnezzar had taken from the temple of Jeru salem, and placed in the temple of Babylon, were taken from there by Cyrus and turned over to Sheshbazzar, whom he had appointed gov ernor.

15 He said to him: Take these vessels, and bring them to the temple of Jerusalem, and let the House of God be rebuilt in the same place.

16 Then Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem. From that time until now, it is gradually being rebuilt but is still not finished.

17 Now, if it seems good to the king that inquiries be made into the royal archives there in Babylon, to verify whether a decree was indeed issued by King Cyrus for the rebuilding of the House of God in Jerusalem, then may the king inform us of his will in this matter.”

Darius helps build the Temple

1 Then King Darius commanded that inquiries be made in the house of the archives in Babylon, where the re cords were kept.

2 And in Ecba tana, a fortress in the province of Media, a scroll was found on which the following was written:

3 “In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus has issued this decree concerning the House of God in Jerusalem: Let the foundation of that House be laid and the House be rebuilt in order that sacrifices be offered in it. The said House shall be thirty meters high and thirty meters wide,

4 with three layers of hewn stones and one of wood. The expenses shall be paid for by the house of the king.

5 Moreover, the vessels of gold and silver which Ne bu chadnezzar took out of the temple of Jerusalem are to be returned to the place where these used to be kept in the House of God.

6 Now therefore, I say this to you: Tattenai, governor of the province at the other side of the River, Shethar, Bozenai, and their Persian coun selors living at the other side of the River, do not interfere in this matter.

7 Let the governor of the Jews together with their leaders build the House of God on its former site.

8 This is the command I give as to what you should do to help those Jewish leaders rebuild the House of God: pay the expenses in full and without delay, with the income from taxes of the province at the other side of the River which is allotted to the king.

9 Then, upon the request of the priests of Jerusalem, give them daily and without fail what is needed for the sacri fices to the God of Heaven: young bulls, rams, lambs, wheat, salt, wine and oil.

10 With these, they shall offer sacrifices acceptable to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his sons.

11 Moreover, I command the following: if anyone opposes these ordinances, a beam shall be pulled out of his house and he shall be hung on it, and his house reduced to a heap of ruin as punishment for his rebellion.

12 And may the God who makes his Name dwell there crush every rebel, king or people, who goes against this and tries to destroy the House of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, give this command. Let it be carried out at once.”

13 Tattenai, governor of the region beyond the River, Shethar Bozenai, and his counselors acted in conformity with the order of King Dar ius.

14 And the leaders of the Jews continued to make pro gress in building, encouraged by what Hag gai, the prophet, and Zecha riah, the son of Iddo, had said; and they finished the work ac cording to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus and Darius.

15 The House was finished on the third day of the month of Adar in the sixth year of the reign of Darius.

16 The children of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of those who had returned from exile celebrated the consecration of this House of God with rejoicing,

17 offering on this solemnity one hundred young bulls, two hun dred rams and four hundred lambs; and twelve he-goats as a sin-offering for all Israel, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.

18 Then they installed the priests according to their ranks, and the Levites according to their classes, for the service of the house of God in Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

19 Those who had returned from exile celebrated the Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month,

20 for the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together, and all of them were clean. So, they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all who had returned from exile, for their fellow-priests and for themselves.

21 The Israelites who had returned from exile ate the Passover lamb with all those who had separated themselves from the people of the land and joined the returned exiles to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel.

22 They celebrated the Feast of Unlea vened Bread joyfully for seven days; the reason for their joy was that Yahweh had turned the king of Assyria to look favorably on them so that they had been allowed to continue the work of rebuilding the House of the God of Israel.

Ezra comes to Jerusalem

1 After this, in the reign of Arta xer xes, king of Persia, Ezra, the son of Seraiah, came from Babylon. He was a descendant of Azariah, Hilkiah,

2 Sha llum, Zadik, Ahi tub,

3 Amariah, Aza riah, Meraioth,

4 Zerahiah, Uzzi, Bukki,

5 Abi shua, Phinehas, Eleazar, and Aaron, the high priest.

6 This Ezra, well-educated in the law given to Moses by Yahweh, the God of Israel, went up from Babylon, and as the hand of Yah weh, his God, was upon him, the king granted him all he asked.

7 Many children of Israel, priests, Levi tes, singers, gatekeepers, and tem ple servants, also came to Jerusalem in the sev enth year of King Artaxerxes.

8 Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month of the seventh year of the king.

9 He had left Baby lon on the first day of the first month, and arrived in Jerusalem on the first day of the fifth month, for the good hand of his God was upon him.

10 Ezra had indeed dedicated himself with all his heart in putting into action the Law of Yahweh and teaching his commandments and precepts to Israel.

11 Here is the copy of the letter given by King Artaxerxes to Ezra, priest and scribe, learned in the commandments and laws Yahweh has given to Israel.

12 “Artaxerxes, King of kings, to Ezra, priest and teacher, learned in the Law of the God of heaven, peace.

13 I have given orders so that all the Israelites who are in my kingdom and are ready to go with you to Jerusalem may leave with their priests and Levites.

14 As for you, you shall go as the representative of the king and of his seven counselors to see to it that the Law of God which is in your hands is observed in Judah and Jerusalem,

15 and to bring there the gold and silver which the king and his counselors have generously offered to the God of Israel, whose House is in Jerusalem.

16 You shall also bring all the silver and gold you can gather in Babylon with the voluntary offerings of the people and the priests for the House of God in Jeru sa lem.

17 With this money, take care to buy young bulls, rams, lambs, and everything needed for the grain offerings and the libations, which you shall offer upon the al tar of the House of your God in Jeru salem.

18 Do whatever seems best to you and your brothers with the rest of the silver and gold, according to the will of your God.

19 Place before God in Jerusalem the vessels given to you for the service of the House of your God,

20 and take from the treasuries of the king whatever is needed to pay for other expenses for the House of your God.

21 I, King Artaxerxes, command all the trea surers in the region at the other side of the River to do exactly all that Ezra, priest and scribe, learned in the Law of the God of heaven, may ask of them,

22 giving him up to a hundred talents of silver, a hundred sacks of wheat, a hun dred measures of wine and a hundred measures of oil; salt shall be given him without measure.

23 Everything commanded by the God of heaven should be done with great care for the House of the God of heaven in order that his wrath may not come upon the kingdom, the king and his sons.

24 We also make it known that taxes, con tributions or toll duties cannot be collected from any of the priests, Levi tes, singers, gatekeepers, ministers and servants of this House of God.

25 And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God, appoint judges and magistrates to administer justice to all the people at the other side of the River, to all who know the Law of your God; and teach it to those who do not know it.

26 Whoever will not fulfill the Law of your God and the law of the king shall be severely punished with death, banishment, fine or imprisonment.”

27 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our ancestors, who inspired the king with this will to exalt and glorify the House of Yahweh in Jeru sa lem,

28 and who let me win the favor of the king, of his counselors and of all his important officers. For my part, I took courage, since the hand of Yahweh my God was with me, and I gathered together the leaders of Israel to go up with me.

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Comments Ezra, Chapter 7

• 7.1 Almost sixty years passed between what is related in chapter 6, the Passover of 515 and Ezra’s mission. Ezra may have come in 458 or he may also have come in 427 after Ne hemiah’s first mission. Then, these chapters 7-10 should be read after Chapter 6 of Nehe miah.

Ezra was in the Persian province of Babylon as the person in charge of Jewish religious affairs. He was a priest and belonged to the groups which had meditated on the Law of Moses under the in fluence of Ezekiel. They had gathered the different texts and may even have edited the biblical books forming “the Law” – from Genesis to Deuteronomy – into their final version. These priests understood that Israel was beginning a new phase of its history. The Jews who had returned from the Exile must be guided by God’s Law. This law, which separates Jews from non-Jews and regulates all the details of life will become the foundation of a religious community – and later also of a political community – making them a united people.

Upon coming to Jerusalem with an official mission, Ezra intends to impose the Mosaic Law edited in its final form; the Jewish people are reborn as the people of the Law.

The Law will transform the Jewish people into a more faithful and responsible people, serving God in every detail. This also entails the risk of confusing authentic faith with external practices. A people who equate serving God with Temple worship and religious practice only can become indifferent to what is most important in life.

List of the Jews returning with Ezra

1 These are the heads of clans who set out from Babylon with me in the reign of King Artaxerxes – their predecessors are named:

2 Of the clan of Phinehas: Gershom; of the clan of Ithamar: Daniel; of the clan of David: Hattush

3 son of Seca niah; of the clan of Parosh: Zechariah, with whom one hundred and fifty males were registered;

4 of the clan of Pahath-moab: Elie hoenai, son of Zera hiah, and with him two hundred males;

5 of the clan of Zattu: She caniah, son of Ja ha ziel, and with him three hundred males;

6 of the clan of Adin: Ebed, son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males;

7 of the clan of Elam: Je shaiah, son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males;

8 of the clan of She pha tiah: Ze badiah, son of Michael, and with him eighty males;

9 of the clan of Joab: Oba diah, son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males;

10 of the clan of Bani: Shelomith, son of Josiphiah, and with him a hundred and sixty males;

11 of the clan of Bebai: Ze chari ah, son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males;

12 of the clan of Azgad: Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him a hundred and ten males;

13 of the clan of Adonikam: the younger sons, whose names are: Eliphe let, Jeiel and She maiah, and with them sixty males;

14 and of the clan of Bigvai: Uthai, son of Zabud, and with him seventy males.

15 I gathered them by the river that runs to Ahava, and there we encamped for three days; and having searched among these people, I did not find anyone from the tribe of Levi.

16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, She maiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were wise.

17 I gave them orders con cerning Iddo, the leader who was in Casiphia; I gave them a message to relay to Iddo and his brothers, the helpers, in Casiphia, to send us ministers for the House of our God.

18 As the good hand of God was with us, they brought us Sherebiah, a very sensible man, of the sons of Mahli, son of Levi, son of Israel, and with him were his sons and his brothers, numbering eighteen;

19 Hashabiah and with him Isaiah of the sons of Merari, their brothers and their sons, twenty;

20 and of the helpers whom David and the leaders had placed at the service of the Levites, two hundred twenty-two men, all written down by name.

21 There at the banks of the river Ahava, I proclaimed a fast so we might humble ourselves before our God, to implore him for a safe journey for our selves, our children and our goods.

22 I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us against the enemy on the way, for we had said to the king, “The hand of our God is for good, upon all who seek him; and the power of his wrath upon all who abandon him.”

23 So we fasted and prayed to our God for this intention, and he listened to us.

24 I chose twelve of the leaders of the priests, besides Sherebiah and Hashabiah and ten of their brothers.

25 I weighed out before them the silver and gold, the consecrated vessels given by the king, his counselors and his leaders, and by all the Israelites who were there, for the House of our God.

26 And I entrusted into their hands six hundred and fifty talents of silver, silver vessels worth a hundred talents,

27 twenty bowls of gold worth a thousand darics, and two vessels of fine bright bronze as precious as vessels of gold.

28 Then I said to them, “You are consecrated to Yahweh, these vessels are sa cred objects, and the silver and gold are voluntary offerings made to Yahweh, the God of our ancestors.

29 Take care of them and keep them until you weigh them before the leaders of the priests, the Levites and the families of Israel in Jerusalem, in the chambers of the House of Yahweh.”

30 Then, the priests and the Levites received all that we had weighed: the silver and gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the House of our God.

31 We left the banks of the river Ahava to go to Jerusalem on the twelfth day of the first month. The hand of God was with us and he kept us from all attacks and ambushes from enemies throughout our journey.

32 We arrived in Jerusalem where we rested for three days.

33 On the fourth day, within the house of our God, the silver, the gold, and the vessels were weighed into the hands of the priest Meremoth, son of Uriah, and with him was Eleazar, son of Phinehas, and with them were the Levites, Jozabad, son of Jeshua, and Noadiah, son of Binnui.

34 After counting and weighing everything again, the total weight was written down.

35 The Jews who had returned from exile offered sacrifices to the God of Israel: twelve young bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin-offering, twelve he-goats. All these were burnt offerings to Yahweh.

36 And the decrees of the king were delivered to his governors and officials of the province beyond the River, who helped the people and the House of God.

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Comments Ezra, Chapter 8

• 8.21 Note this section where the strict master of the Law, Ezra, appears very human and likable.

About intermarriages  

1 After all this was finished, the leaders approached me and said, “The people of Israel, the priests and the Levites have not departed from the pagan peoples and are now serving the idols of the Canaanites, the Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moa bites, Egyp tians and Amorites.

2 For they took women from among these people for themselves and for their sons, and mixed their holy race with that of the pagans. The leaders and magistrates were the first in committing this sin.”

3 When I heard this, I tore my garments and my mantle, pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat down very much grieved.

4 All who remembered the words of the God of Israel gathered around me; they were afraid because of this sin committed by those who had re turned from exile.

5 I remained seated and dismayed until the evening sacrifice; and then, at the time for the evening offering, I rose from my fasting, and with my clothes and mantle torn, I knelt down, spreading out my hands to Yahweh, my God.

6 I said, “My God! I am ashamed and confused, my God, I do not dare raise my eyes to you for our sins have increased over our heads and our crimes reach up to the heavens.

7 From the days of our ancestors to this day, our guilt has been great. We, our kings and priests have been given into the hands of foreign kings because of our crimes; we have been delivered to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and put to shame as on this day.

8 However, for a brief moment, the mercy of Yahweh, our God, has been shown to us. He made a remnant of our people survive, and allowed the survivor to settle once again in his Holy Place; he has given us joy and life, though we are in bondage.

9 We are no more than slaves, but in the midst of our slavery, God has not abandoned us, he has extended a merciful hand over us to support us before the kings of Persia. He has revived our life, enabled us to rebuild the House of our God, and to have walls in Jerusalem and in the other cities of Judah.

10 But now, our God, what shall we say when, in spite of all this, we have abandoned your com mandments?

11 You have said through your servants, the prophets: The land you are entering to take possession of was defiled by the impurities of its inhabitants; they made it entirely unclean from one end to the other with their idolatry.

12 Therefore, do not give your daughters as wives for their sons, nor take their daughters as wives for your sons. Do not work with them for their prosperity and well-being forever. Be strong, eat the best fruits of the land, and leave it as an inheritance to your children forever.

13 After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and our sins, you, our God, have pardoned our wickedness, since you allowed all who are here to survive.

14 How could we despise your commandments once more and intermarry with these wretched peoples? Will you not be angry with us and destroy us without leaving any remnant or survivors?

15 Yahweh, God of Israel, you are just; see that we are a remnant of survivors. We are here in your presence with our sins, but we cannot remain so in your presence.”

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Comments Ezra, Chapter 9

• 9.1 The Jews were intermingled with peo ple who did not share their religion and thus they were in danger of losing their identity. Ezra is worrying about the future and thinks that the identity of Jewish people now living among not-Jewish must be strengthened by very strict laws. The prohibition of marrying with not Jewish persons is one of the key elements of this legislation: God’s people will never be confused with the others, even leaving in the same territory, and family will necessarily be Jewish.

The barriers built by Ezra proved very effective and we may see the will of God there. The Jewish people resisted very harsh persecutions (see Maccabees). Then, after the coming of Christ, they were dispersed and had to live for almost twenty centuries among officially Christian countries that usually persecuted them or tried to convert them to the Christian faith through every means. Possible yet, the Jewish people have remained unique in history – in part, thanks to their faithfulness to the Law. Christians can also draw a lesson from all of this. If we are called to be yeast for the masses, co-existing without prejudices with people of different creeds, we also need de mands and external practices, accepted by all who join our Christian community.

See what is said to this effect in Nehemiah 13.

The foreign wives are cast out  

1 While Ezra bowed before the House of God, weeping, praying and making this confession, a great crowd of men, women and children of Is rael were gathered around him; and these people wept bitterly.

2 Then Shecaniah, son of Jehiel, of the sons of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have treated our God badly, by marrying foreign women taken from the peoples of this land, but Israel is not without hope because of this.

3 Let us make a covenant with our God, and send these women away with their children according to the statement of my lord and all of us who respect the commandment of our God.

4 Let the Law be obeyed. You command and we are with you. Have courage and command.”

5 So Ezra arose and made the leaders of the priests, the Levites and of all Israel swear that they would do what had just been said, and so they swore.

6 Then, Ezra withdrew from where he stood, in front of the House of God and went to the chamber of Jehohanan, son of Eliashib, but he did not eat bread or drink water there, for he was much afflicted by the sin of those who had returned from exile.

7 A proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all who had returned from exile should assemble in Jerusalem,

8 and if anyone would not come within three days, according to the decision of the leaders and of the local elders, all his prop-erty would be confiscated and he himself banned from the assembly of those who had returned from exile.

9 All the men of Judah and Benjamin assem bled in Jerusalem within the three days. It was the twentieth day of the ninth month, and all the people were in the open square of the House of God, trembling because of this matter and because it was raining.

10 Then the priest Ezra stood up and said, “You have been rebels in marrying foreign women, and have increased the offense of Israel.

11 Now then, acknowledge your sin before Yahweh, the God of your ancestors, and carry out his will; separate yourselves from the peo ples of this land and from your foreign wives.”

12 The whole assembly answered with a loud voice, “Yes, we shall do as you say.

13 But the people are so numerous and we are now in the rainy season; we cannot endure the inclement weather, and besides, this matter cannot be settled in a day or two, for we are many who have committed this sin.

14 Our leaders can rep resent the whole assembly: those in our cities who have married foreign women shall come at appointed times, accompanied by the local leaders and judges of every city, until we have turned aside from us the anger of our God because of this matter.”

15 The only ones who opposed this option were Jonathan, son of Asahel, and Jahzeiah, son of Tikvah, who were supported by the Le vites Meshullam and Shabbethai.

16 But those who had re turned from exile complied. In accordance with what the priest Ezra ordered, they selected a family head for every family group, each of them designated in a personal way, and they sat down to resolve the matter on the first day of the tenth month.

17 On the first day of the first month, they finished attending to all the cases of Jews who had been married to foreign women.


The list of the guilty

18 In the clan of the priestly clans, these are the names of those who were found to have married foreign women: among the clan of Jeshua, son of Joza dak, and among his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah;

19 they pledged their word to put their wives away and, for their sin, offered a ram as a sacrifice of reparation;

20 In the clan of Immer: Hanani and Zeba diah;

21 In the clan of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah;

22 In the clan of Pashhur: Elioenia, Maa se iah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.

23 Among the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah – that is, Kelita – Pe tha h iah, Judah, and Eliezer.

24 Among the Temple musicians: Eliashib and Zaccur.
Among the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem and Uri.

25 And among the Israelites:
of the clan of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malchijah and Benaiah;

26 of the clan of Elam: Mattaniah, Zecha riah, Jehiel, Abdi, Meremoth and Elijah;

27 of the clan of Zattu: Elioenai, Elia shib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza;

28 of the clan of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, Athlai;

29 of the clan of Bigvai: Meshullam, Malluch, Jedaiah, Jashub, Sheal, Jere moth;

30 of the clan of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh;

31 of the clan of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shi meon,

32 Benjamin, Malluch, Shema riah;

33 of the clan of Hashum: Mattenai, Mat tattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, Shimei;

34 of the clan of Bani: Maadai, Am ran, Uel,

35 Benaiah, Bediah, Che luhi,

36 Va niah, Meremoth, Eliashib,

37 Mat taniah, Matenai and Ja a sau;

38 of the clan Binnui; Shimei;

39 She lemiah, Nathan and Adaiah.

40 of the clan Zac cai: Machna debai, Shashai, Sharai

41 Aza rel, Shele miah Shemariah,

42 Shallum, Amariah, Joseph;

43 of the clan of Nebo; Jeiel, Mattit hiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, Benaiah.

44 All these had married of foreign wives; they put them away, both women and children.