The book of Ezra records the fulfillment of God's promise to Israel through Jeremiah to bring them back to their land after 70 yrs of captivity. Through the protection of three Persian kings, (Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes) the second temple was completed and true worship restored in Jerusalem.
The first six chapters cover events during the first two or three years of the reign of Cyrus and the first six years of the reign of Darius I. The last four chapters record events during the first part of the reign of Artaxerxes I. Virtually nothing of the 58 years of Esther is mentioned.
The people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel were never able to return from their exile to Assyria. There are many reasons why they did not continue as a national entity
I. The exiles' return from Babylon...............1:1-2:70 A. The decree of Cyrus........................................1:1-4 B. Preparations for the journey.........................1:5-11 C. Those who returned........................................2:1-70 II. Temple building begun....................................3:1-4:24 A. The altar and the foundation.........................3:1-13 B. Opposition to the work..................................4:1-24 III. The building completed..................................5:1-6:22 A. Work resumed..................................................5:1-5 B. Tatnai's letter to Darius...................................5:6-17 C. Decrees of Cyrus and Darius..........................6:1-12 D. The temple finished.........................................6:13-22 IV Ezra's journey to Jerusalem...........................7:1-8:36 A. Ezra introduced...............................................7:1-10 B. Letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra........................7:11-28 C. The journey to Jerusalem................................8:1-36 V. The great reformation......................................9:1-10:44 A. The tragic report and Ezra's prayer............9:1-15 B. The abandonment of mixed marriages......10:1-17 C. List of those with foreign wives..................10:18-44
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