Keith Essex
Part XVI: Ezra / Nehemiah

Keith Essex's correlating video lecture(s) from The Master's Seminary:

• Lecture 28: Introduction and Themes of Ezra / Nehemiah; and
• Lecture 29: Purpose, Structure, and Interpretive Issues of Ezra / Nehemiah.

16. Ezra / Nehemiah [MSB, 627-9, 644-6; ESVSB, 799-803, 821-3; BTSB, 743-46, 764-67; NIVSB, 751-54, 775-77; HWSOT, 328-45; WOTA, 428-41; LDIOT, 202-12; DOTHB, 284-95]
    1. Introduction
       1. Title [W&W, 343]
          1. Hebrew: "Ezra and Nehemiah"
          2. LXX: "Esdras B"
          3. Vulgate: "I & II Esdrae"
       2. Texts and Versions of Ezra / Nehemiah [W&W, 351]
          Version

          1 & 2

          3

          4

          MT

          Ezra / Nehemiah

          (lacking)

          (lacking)

          LXX

          Esdras B

          Esdras A

          (lacking)

          Vulgate

          1 Esdras

          2 Esdras

          3 Esdras

          4 Esdras
          • 1 & 2: The canonical text of Ezra / Nehemiah
          • 3: A Greek work containing 2 Chronicles 35-36, Ezra, and Nehemiah 8:1-12, with some differences in order, plus an account not in the canonical text concerning Darius and Zerubbabel
          • 4: A composite apocalyptic work originally in Greek, but now extant only in a Latin text
       3. Date of Events:
          • From the Decree of Cyrus (538 BC)
          • to the second governorship of Nehemiah (c. 430 BC). [CBCOT, 35-6; see NIDOTTE, 4:493-5; 1137-40; DOTHB, 493-7]
          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          538 BC

          The Decree of Cyrus

          Ezra 1:1-4

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          537/6 BC

          The Return under Sheshbazzar
          The Altar Built
          The Celebration of Tabernacles

          Ezra 1:5–Ezra 3:6

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          536/5 BC

          The Laying of the Temple Foundation

          Ezra 3:7-13

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          536/5–520 BC

          The Work on the Temple Stopped

          Ezra 4:1-5, 24

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          520 BC

          The Work on the Temple Resumed

          Ezra 5:1–Ezra 6:13

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          515 BC

          The Temple Completed
          The Celebration of Passover

          Ezra 6:14-22

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          486 BC

          An Accusation concerning the Inhabitants of Judah

          Ezra 4:6

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          464 BC (?)

          A Letter of Accusation

          Ezra 4:7

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          464 BC (?) or ca. *446(5) BC (?)

          A Letter concerning the Rebuilding of the Walls of Jerusalem

          Ezra 4:8-23

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          458(7) BC

          The Decree of Artaxerxes
          The Return of Ezra
          The Problem of Mixed Marriages

          Ezra 7:1–Ezra 10:16

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          457(6) BC

          The Report concerning Those with Foreign Wives

          Ezra 10:17-44

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          446(5) BC

          The Report to Nehemiah concerning Jerusalem

          Nehemiah 1:1-11

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          445(4) BC

          The Decree of Artaxerxes
          The Return of Nehemiah
          The Rebuilding of the Wall
          The Repopulating of Jerusalem
          The Teaching of Ezra
          The Celebration of Tabernacles
          The Confession and Covenant of the People
          The Dedication of the Walls

          Nehemiah 2:1–Nehemiah 13:3

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          445(4)–433(2) BC

          The First Governorship of Nehemiah

          (Nehemiah 5:14-15)

          Year

          Event(s)

          Reference

          430–423 BC (?)

          The Second Governorship of Nehemiah

          Nehemiah 13:4-31
       4. Canonical Connection: After "Daniel" and before "Chronicles" (cf. Ezra 1:1-4 with 2 Chr 36:22-23)
          Daniel

          Ezra / Nehemiah

          Chronicles

          Persia

          Israel

          Babylon

          Babylon

          Persia
          Greece
          Rome
          God's Kingdom

          Cyrus
          Darius
          Ahasuerus
          Artaxerxes

          Artaxerxes
          
          

          Artaxerxes
          
          

          Artaxerxes
          
          

          Persia (under Cyrus)

          Ezr 1–Ezr 6

          Ezr 7–Ezr 10

          Neh 1–Neh 13:3

          Neh 13:4

          538–515 BC

          458–457 BC

          446–433 BC

          430?–425 BC

          Written
          ca. 535 BC

          Written
          ca. 420–400 BC

          Written
          ca. 400 BC
       5. Literary Observations
          1. First person sections in Ezr 7:27-8:34; 9:1-15; Neh 1:1-7:73a; 12:27-13:30 (cf. Ezr 5:4) [see DOTWPW, 27-31; DOTHB, 277-84, 718-24]
          2. Aramaic in Ezr 4:8-6:18; 7:12-26 [DOTHB, 50-60]
       6. The History of Interpretation [DTIB, 223-4, 535; ACCSOT, vol. V]
    2. Major Themes [see W&W, 351-3; NIDOTTE, 4:635-7, 977-82]
       1. God
          1. The "God of Heaven" (Ezr 1:2; 5:11, 12; 6:9, 10; 7:12, 21, 23; Neh 1:4, 5; 2:4, 20; cf. Dan. 2:18, 19, 37, 44)
          2. The Sovereign God (Ezr 1; 6; 7; 8; Neh 2; 4; 6; 7; 13)
             1. "The hand of God" (Ezr 7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31; N Neh 2:8, 18)
             2. "The Lord stirred the spirit (Ezr 1:1, 5)
             3. "The eye of God" (Ezr 5:5)
             4. "The Lord turned the heart" (Ezr 6:22)
             5. "God frustrated" (Neh 4:15)
             6. "From our God" (Neh 6:16)
             7. "God put into my heart" (Neh 7:5)
             8. "Remember me" (Neh 13:14, 22, 31)
       2. Prayer (Ezr 8:23; 9:5-15; 10:1, 11; Neh 1:4-11; 2:4; 4:4-5, 9; 5:13, 19; 6:9, 14; 9:5-38; 13:14, 22, 29, 31)
       3. The Temple / House of God (Ezr 1-10; Neh 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
       4. The Law (Ezr 3; 7; 10; Neh 8; 9; 10; 12; 13)
       5. Levites (Ezr 1; 2; 3; 6; 7; 8; 9; 10; Neh 3; 7; 8; 9; 10; 11; 12; 13)
       6. The Sin of the People (Ezr 9; 10; Neh 1; 5; 13)
       7. The Confession of the People (Ezr 10; Neh 9)
    3. Purpose:
       • Yahweh had been as loyal to the Abrahamic Covenant in the Restoration of Israel as He had previously been in Israel's history, yet post-exilic Israel had been as disobedient to the Mosaic Covenant as the previous generations of Israel; thus the full blessings promised in the Abrahamic Covenant had not come in Israel's immediate past but were still anticipated in the future.
    4. The Literary Structure (W&W, 344-8)
       1. The Chart of Ezra / Nehemiah
          The Return Under Shesh­bazzar / Zerub­babel

          The Return Under Ezra

          The Return Under Nehemiah

          The Renewed Community of Israel

          The Failure of the People

          Jeremiah
          Ezr 1:1

          Moses
          Neh 1:8

          Teaching
          Neh 8:1–Neh 10:39

          Remember Me
          Neh 13:14, 22, 31

          Support
          Ezr 1:4

          Request
          Ezr 7:6

          Request
          Neh 2:4

          Repopu­lation of Jerusalem
          Neh 11:1–Neh 12:26

          Tyrians
          Ezr 3:7

          King
          Ezr 7:6, 12

          King
          Neh 2:1ff

          Dedication of the Wall
          Neh 12:27–Neh 12:43

          Temple

          Teacher

          Wall Builder

          Temple Service
          Neh 12:44–Neh 13:3

          Ezr 1–Ezr 6

          Ezr 7–Ezr 10

          Neh 1–Neh 7:73

          Neh 8:1–Neh 13:3

          Neh 13:4–Neh 13:31

          538–515 BC

          458(7)–457(6)

          446(5)–445(4)

          445(4)–433(2)

          ca. 430-423 BC
       2. The Outline of Ezra / Nehemiah
          1. The Reestablishment of the Temple and Its Ministry (Ezra 1:1-Neh 13:3)
             1. The Rebuilding of the Temple (Ezra 1:1–Ezra 6:22)
             2. The Return of the Teacher of the People (Ezra 7:1–Ezra 10:44)
             3. The Repair of the Wall and the Security of Jerusalem (Neh 1:1–Neh 7:73)
             4. The Renewal of the Mosaic Covenant and the Renewal of Temple Ministry (Neh 8:1–Neh 13:3)
          2. The Failure of the People to Keep the Mosaic Covenant (Neh 13:3-31)
    5. Bibliography
       1. Exegetical:
          • *Steinmann, Ezra and Nehemiah (Concordia Commentary).
          • Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (WBC).
       2. English Interpretation:
          • Allen & Laniak, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (NIBCOT).
          • Brenemen, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (NAC).
          • *Goswell, Ezra-Nehemiah (EPSC).
          • Fensham, The Books of the Ezra & Nehemiah (NICOT).
          • *Kidner, Ezra & Nehemiah (TOTC).
       3. Expositional:
          • none.
    6. Selected Interpretive Problems
       1. The Unity of Ezra / Nehemiah
          1. One Book (reasons) [Williamson; Goswell]
             1. The Masoretic Tradition
                1. Book notations only at the end of Nehemiah
                2. Nehemiah 3:22/23 counted as the middle of the Book
             2. The earliest LXX MSS
             3. Josephus (ca. AD 90)
             4. Melito (ca. AD 175)
             5. The Talmud (ca. AD 500)
             6. Medieval Jewish Commentators
             7. Internal Thematic Continuity (see major themes above)
                1. The "twentieth year" (Neh 1:1 / Ezr 7:7)
                2. The destroyed walls of Jerusalem (Neh 1:3 / Ezr 4:12, 23)
                3. The Book of the Law (Neh 8:1 / Ezr 7:6, 10)
                4. "Ezra, the scribe," "Ezra, the priest" (Neh 8:1, 2 / Ezr 7:1-10)
                5. Separation from foreigners (Neh 9:2; 10:29 / Ezr 9:1-10:44)
                6. Temple issues (Neh 10:33-39 / Ezr 1:1-3:13; 6:13-22; 7:15-20; 8:24-36)
                7. Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Neh 7:7; 12:1 / Ezr 2:1-6:15)
          2. Two Books (reasons) [Steinmann]
             1. The Introduction to Nehemiah (Neh 1:1; cf. Amos 1:1; Eccl. 1:1)
             2. The first-person material in Nehemiah
             3. Distinct Language (ex. "king of Persia" {11x}, "the God of Israel" {13x} in Ezra, but not in Nehemiah)
             4. Distinct Ideology (religious concerns in Ezra; secular concerns in Nehemiah)
             5. The repetition of Ezra 2 in Nehemiah 7
       2. The Chronology of Ezra's Return in relationship to Nehemiah's Return (Ezr 7:8) [MKP, 514-8]
          1. Artaxexes I (458/7 BC) – before Nehemiah [Steinmann; Williamson; Allen; Brenemen; Fensham; Kidner; EBC1 & 2; BKC]
          2. Artaxerxes II (398 BC) – after Nehemiah (reasons)
             1. Existing Walls (cf. Ezr 9:9)
             2. Jehohanon, son of Eliashib (Ezr 10:6; Neh 3:1, 20-21; 13:28)
             3. The Problem of Intermarriage (Ezr 10:10-14; Neh 13:25)
          3. Artaxerxes I (428/7 BC) – after Nehemiah
       3. Sheshbazzar (Ezr 1:8, 11; 5:14-16) / Zerubbabel (Ezr 2:2; 3:2, 8; 4:2, 3; 5:2; Neh 7:7; 12:1) [MSB, 631; MKP, 504-5; NIDOTTE, 4:1312-4; DOTHB, 1016-9]
          1. Two Names of the Same Man [KD]
          2. Two Different Men [Steinmann; Williamson; Allen; Fensham; Brenemen; Kidner; EBC1 & 2; BKC]
             1. Sheshbazzar died shortly after arriving in Judea and was replaced by Zerubbabel
             2. Sheshbazzar was the Shenazzar in 1 Chronicles 3:17 and thus Zerubbabel's uncle
             3. Sheshbazzar was a Persian official recognized as governor by the Persians in 538/7 B.C.; Zerubbabel returned in 537 BC and was recognized as ‘leader' by the Israelites and later became the officially recognized governor by the Persians in 520-15 BC
       4. The Historical Setting of Ezra 3:1-4:5 [MSB, 632-4; ESVSB, 807]
          1. The Reign of Cyrus (538/7, *537/6, 536/5 BC, or 533/2 BC) [Steinmann; Allen (?); Brenneman (?); Fensham; Kidner; EBC1 & 2; BKC]
          2. The Reign of Darius (520/19 BC)
          3. The Reigns of Cyrus (Ezr 3:1-6) and Darius (Ezr 3:7-4:5) [Williamson; Allen (?)]
       5. The Historical Setting of Ezra 4:6-23 [MSB, 634-5; ESVSB,809; BTSB, 752]
          1. Chronologically Accurate
             1. Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes = Cambyses, son of Cyrus [Henry, Gill]
             2. Ahasuerus = Cambyses; Artaxerxes = Pseudo-Smerdis [JFB]
          2. Historically Confused
          3. A Parenthesis (cf. Ezr 6:14) Recording Continued Opposition [Steinmann; Williamson; Allen; Brenemen; Fensham; Kidner; EBC1 & 2; BKC]
       6. The Historical Setting of Nehemiah 7:73b-10:39 [MSB, 657; ESVSB, 836; BTSB, 778]
          1. In 458 (or, 428; or, 398) BC after Ezr 8:36 [Williamson; Allen]
          2. In 445 BC after Neh 6:15 [Steinmann; Breneman; Fensham; Kidner; BKC]
    7. Preaching Ezra / Nehemiah

Used with permission by Dr. Keith Essex. Redistribution without express permission from Dr. Keith Essex is prohibited.