Ezra

Cyrus, king of Persia, issued a proclamation allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple, as foretold by Jeremiah. He also returned the temple vessels that had been taken by Nebuchadnezzar and encouraged the Jews to contribute to the rebuilding effort. The leaders of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and Levites, prepared to return to Jerusalem to build the temple, and they were supported by those who remained behind. Cyrus returned a total of 5,400 gold and silver vessels to the Jews, which were brought back to Jerusalem by Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

The people of the province who returned from captivity in Babylon to Jerusalem and Judah are listed, along with their numbers, totaling 42,360. The list includes the children of Israel, priests, Levites, singers, porters, and Nethinims, as well as the servants and maids of the people. The total number of people, including servants and maids, is 49,697. The people also brought with them horses, mules, camels, and asses. Some of the chief fathers offered freely to the treasure of the work to set up the house of God, giving 61,000 drams of gold, 5,000 pounds of silver, and 100 priests' garments.

The Israelites gathered in Jerusalem and built the altar of the God of Israel, where they offered burnt offerings as prescribed in the law of Moses. They also kept the feast of tabernacles and offered daily burnt offerings. The foundation of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid, but preparations were made for its construction, including the procurement of materials and labor. When the foundation was finally laid, the priests and Levites praised the Lord with music and singing, and the people shouted with joy, while some of the older priests and Levites wept, remembering the first temple.

The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin, who were non-Jews living in the area, offered to help the Jews build the temple, but were rejected by Zerubbabel and the other leaders. The adversaries then tried to stop the construction by hiring counselors and writing letters to the Persian kings, including Ahasuerus and Artaxerxes, accusing the Jews of rebellion. Artaxerxes ordered the construction to cease, and the work on the temple was halted until the second year of the reign of Darius.

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and Zerubbabel and Jeshua began the construction with the prophets' help. However, Tatnai, the governor, and his companions questioned the Jews about their authority to build the temple, and the Jews explained that they were servants of the God of heaven and earth, rebuilding the house that was originally built by a great king of Israel. The Jews also mentioned that Cyrus, the king of Babylon, had made a decree to rebuild the temple and had returned the vessels of gold and silver that Nebuchadnezzar had taken. The Jews requested that the king search the treasure house in Babylon to confirm Cyrus' decree and send his response regarding the matter.

Darius the king issued a decree allowing the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, and ordered that the expenses be paid from the king's treasury. The decree also stated that the golden and silver vessels taken by Nebuchadnezzar be returned to the temple. The Jews were allowed to build the temple without interference, and the king's officials were ordered to provide them with the necessary materials and supplies. The temple was completed in the sixth year of Darius' reign, and the Jews celebrated its dedication with sacrifices and the Passover.

Ezra, a scribe and priest, was granted permission by King Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem from Babylon in the seventh year of the king's reign. The king gave Ezra a letter authorizing him to take silver and gold to Jerusalem to buy offerings for the temple and to appoint magistrates and judges to enforce the law of God. The king also exempted temple personnel from paying taxes and tributes. Ezra was tasked with teaching the law of God to those who did not know it and with punishing those who refused to obey it.

The leaders of the families who returned from Babylon with Ezra are listed, along with the number of males in each family. Ezra gathered the people at the river Ahava and discovered there were no Levites among them, so he sent for some to join them from Casiphia. The Levites brought ministers for the house of God, and Ezra proclaimed a fast to seek God's protection for their journey. After the fast, Ezra entrusted the priests with the silver, gold, and vessels offered to God, and they set out for Jerusalem, arriving safely after God's protection. Upon arrival, the offerings were weighed and recorded, and the people offered burnt offerings to God.

The princes informed Ezra that the Israelites, priests, and Levites had intermarried with the people of the surrounding lands, adopting their abominable practices. Ezra was deeply distressed by this news and prayed to God, acknowledging the Israelites' guilt and confessing their iniquities. He recognized that God had shown them mercy despite their transgressions and had allowed them to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the temple. Ezra asked God how they could justify continuing to disobey His commandments, particularly the one prohibiting intermarriage with the people of the surrounding lands.

Ezra prayed and confessed the people's sins, including taking foreign wives, and a large crowd gathered to weep and mourn. Shechaniah suggested making a covenant with God to put away the foreign wives and their children, and the people agreed. Ezra made the priests, Levites, and Israelites swear to do this, and a proclamation was made for all the exiles to gather in Jerusalem. Those who did not comply within three days would be separated from the congregation. The people gathered and Ezra told them to separate from their foreign wives, and the people agreed. However, due to the large number of people and the rain, they decided to have the leaders of each city deal with the issue at appointed times. The process of separating from foreign wives took three months to complete, and a list of those who had taken foreign wives was made, including priests, Levites, and Israelites.