The Bible Study Reading PlanSample

EZRA

AUTHOR:

Ezra and Nehemiah were originally compiled as the same book in the Hebrew Bible. They called it Ezra-Nehemiah. With that said, the author of both books is Ezra the priest, the leader of the second return to Jerusalem.

DATE:
Since we know that Ezra came back to Jerusalem in 458 BC and Nehemiah went back to Babylon in 433 BC, it is safe to say that Ezra wrote these two books sometime after 433 BC.

AUDIENCE:

Ezra and Nehemiah were written to the returning Jews of the Babylonian captivity. The temple was already built and they were finally getting to work on the city of Jerusalem. 

REASON:

Ezra wrote to show the history of their rebuilding after exile and to spark a fire in their lives.

THEME:
Rebuilding of the temple and restoring of their faith.

KEY VERSE:
"And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes, king of Persia; and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king." (6:14-15 ESV)

SPLIT:

First Return (1-2), The Rebuilding (3-6), Ezra's Return (7-8), Restoring Faith (9-10)

KEY WORDS/PHRASES:

Temple, Law of Moses, Decree, Restore