Although the book of esther appears after nehemiah in the canon, the events in esther occurred in the time period between ezra 6 and 7, between the first and second returns of the people to israel. As such, these books are fitting models for christians of the new covenant. The books in the bible devoted to those historical events are named for these brave and mighty men and women. Jerusalem had a temple but there was no protection for the city from further attack. Gods people had been in apostasy, which led to the babylonian captivity. The books of ezra and nehemiah provide our primary source of information about the 100 years following the babylonian captivity. Originally written together as a single book in the jewish scriptures, ezra and nehemiah document the fulfillment of gods promise that israel will return home after 70 years of exile in babylon and restore their ruined dwellings again.
Charles fensham the books of ezra and nehemiah new international commentary on the old testament, 1983. Key personalities include nehemiah, ezra, sanballat, and tobiah. This is because both jewish and christian tradition attribute authorship to this famous scribepriest. Ezra dedicated the temple but was not happy with the jews marrying pagan foreign wives. Haggai was the leading prophet in the day of ezra, and zechariah was the prophet in the day of nehemiah. The walls of the city were still broken down, and the burned gates had never been replaced.
The prophet malachi was a contemporary of nehemiah. The best commentaries for those seeking to understand these books are the commentaries by fensham and williamson below. The oldest manuscripts of the septuagint the prechristian greek translation of the ot also treat ezra and nehemiah as one book. The first 6 chapters that weve been studying in the. Nehemiah yahweh has comforted, is a famous cupbearer, who never appears in scripture outside of this book. Inspecting city, rebuilding wall of jerusalem, opposition, establishing temple service. Book of ezra overview insight for living ministries.
Some leaders had begun the work of restoring the people to gods service, but there were still many problems and the people continued to fall into sin. Hope this helps when you read the book, to understand the story etc. While some of the recorded events occur in faraway persia, the focus of the book is the realization of the yearning of the jewish exiles to return. Nehemiah chronicles gods covenant relationship with israel, and even provides a sweeping overview of the relationship in nehemiah chapter 9. Key personalities include cyrus, ezra, haggai, zechariah, darius i, artaxerxes i, and zerubbabel. Ezra and nehemiah introduction theyre baack as the second book of kings ended, you thought it was all over for god and israel. In many ways, the time of ezra and nehemiah was like our own. The book of esther described part of the jewish diaspora which stayed behind in persia and did not return to jerusalem during the restoration.
You can find the best commentary on ezra nehemiah for you using the tools on the right side. Ezra focuses on the rebuilding of the temple, while nehemiah focuses on the rebuilding of the walls of jerusalem. The combined book ezranehemiah of the earliest christian and jewish period was known as ezra and was probably attributed to ezra himself. Ezra and nehemiah are challenging books for contemporary readers. At one time, however, ezra and nehemiah followed 1 and 2 chronicles and were generally considered to be the work of one and the same author known as the chronicler. He fasts and prays to god, confesses sins on behalf of the jews, asks god for mercy and help. Israel has been disciplined, and is now being restored to her land and her god. Composed in hebrew and aramaic, its subject is the return to zion following the close of the babylonian captivity, and it is divided into two parts, the first telling the story of the. These all rested in the covenant mercies of the lord. In these books, many israelites return to jerusalem.
Ezra is believed to possibly be the author of the books of the chronicles. They tell us of the repopulation of palestine by the jews, the rebuilding of the temple, and the reconstruction of the wall of jerusalem. Feb 20, 2017 nehemiah also restores economic justice in the land, admonishing the wealthy for taking advantage of their less fortunate brothers neh 5. Nehemiah 7 kjv, meaning, commentary, explained, ezra 2. Book of ezra explained the book of ezra is a book of the hebrew bible. This is the 14 th week of our study of the books of ezra and nehemiah. The book of nehemiah is the last of the historical books of the bible, originally part of the book of ezra, but split off into its own volume by the church in 1448. Albert barnes barnes notes on the whole bible ezra. And this chapter begins the 2 nd of 2 main sections in the book of nehemiah.
Twelve years after the last events of the book of ezra, a jew named nehemiah received bad news about jerusalem. It would have been natural for the same author to continue the old testament narrative by showing how god fulfilled his promise by returning his people to the land after 70 years of captivity. Nehemiah, who was a contemporary or served around the same time as ezra, was a cupbearer to the king in the persian empire. The book is a first person account of the events from the perspective of nehemiah. Ezra and nehemiah tyndale old testament commentaries kidner, derek on. The jews are counted and are permitted to return to judah to rebuild the temple. It is fair to say that ezra is focused more exclusively on religious reform and nehemiah. Ezra 710 picks up the story more than sixty years later, when ezra led the second group of exiles to israel 458 bc.
Apr 06, 2019 the book of nehemiah also begins with an introductory statement that sets it apart as a distinctive work. Jul 17, 2016 watch our overview video on the prophetic books of ezra and nehemiah, which breaks down the literary design of each book s flow of thought. Top 5 commentaries on the books of ezra and nehemiah. The books of ezra and nehemiah tell a vital story of a community revived and restored by gods grace through gifted individualspreparing the way for the coming messiah. And gave the sense the meaning of the hebrew words, which they expounded in the common language and caused them to understand the reading or that which they read, namely, the holy scriptures.
Notably, though jews saw ezra and nehemiah as a single book, the gemera identified ezra and nehemiah as authors of their respective parts young 1977. In ezra and nehemiah we have godly men praying to god, invoking promises already given, and resting firmly upon what was already revealed. Nehemiah led the third 3rd exodus back to jerusalem, 94 years after zerubbabel 1st exodus of approx. This summary of the book of nehemiah provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of nehemiah. This summary of the book of ezra provides information about the title, authors, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of ezra. The book of nehemiah begins 15 years after the book of ezra ends. God had totally given up on his people after the babylonian conquest in circa 587 bce, allowing the babylonians destroy jerusalem and his temple, just like the prophets predicted. The return of the jews from captivity in babylon and the rebuilding of the temple. However, homecomings can be more difficult than expected, even disappointing in some ways. D uring the time of ezra and nehemiah in the bible and even the book of esther, we can find some very complex issues that were dealt with by the hebrew people. A free bible version and commentary on the old testament book of nehemiah in easy english.
The task of ezra and nehemiah was to provide leadership. The truth about the apocrypha and the lost books of the bible duration. James rosscup writes that barnes includes 16 volumes on the old testament, 11 on the new testament. As the curtain rises and the orchestra dramatically swells, king cyrus of persia has just defeated the babylonians. The two became separated with the first printed rabbinic bibles of the early 16th century, following late medieval latin christian tradition. The events in ezra are set in jerusalem and the surrounding area. Nehemiah bible study outlinecontents by chapter and verse. Book of nehemiah overview insight for living ministries. You know, like when you came home from summer camp to find. The babylonians had defeated the people from judah. The book of nehemiah, one of the history books of the bible, continues.
Nehemiah summary we hope that you find the nehemiah summary from the kjv bible chapters and verses helpful to your bible studies and for references as a guide to further reference to the book of nehemiah. Apr 09, 2018 the book of ezra in the bible explained given a quick overview. It contains some of his own records, but he is not the author of the entire book. Life after destruction goes on in ezra and nehemiah.
Watch our overview video on the prophetic books of ezra and nehemiah, which breaks down the literary design of each book s flow of thought. Ezra is a book of narrative history and genealogies. Though comprised of two smaller books, ezra and sefer nechemya were joined, as they concisely discuss the same general era, the final period included in the tanakh. In the hebrew bible the book of nehemiah comfort of jah forms a unity with the preceding book of ezra compare with the notes on ezra. The book of nehemiah jerusalem walls summary overview. Ezra is also responsible for leading the jews back to proper behavior and worship of the god of israel, though this is not really complete until the last chapter of nehemiah. Before that date, it had been included in the book of ezra. In the second section, nehemiah and ezra bring spiritual revival to jerusalem. The twin hebrew canonical works of ezra and nehemiah at various times considered as one work are critical as both historical sources and insight into jewish thought and practice in the several centuries after return from the babylonian captivity, initiated by the sympathetic king cyrus in 538 b.
This is based on the fact that the books of ezra and nehemiah were originally one. Thomas shows what this gripping narrative can teach us about kingdom life in our own time. In english bibles, they are usually split into two, with the book of nehemiah appearing as a separate book from ezra, but in the hebrew tradition, they are one book, entitled ezra, and nehemiah is simply the second part of ezra. The book of esther tells the story of one curious episode during the era depicted in ezra and nehemiah. Were in the 7 th chapter of the book of nehemiah this morning. In his practical and devotional expository commentary, pastortheologian derek w. Many jews had returned from the babylonian captivity. Ezra and nehemiah tell the story of israels return from babylonian exile and resettlement in the land.
The books of ezra and nehemiah were originally combined into a single book. A single book originally ezra nehemiah was considered a single unit in the hebrew canon just as we today view 1st and 2nd chronicles but were first treated separately by christians around the 3rd century. Chronicles, ezra, nehemiah, and esther were originally part of the writings of hebrew scripture, but were placed in the historical books in the greek septuagint old testament. The book of nehemiah was likely written between 445 and 420 b. The book could not have been completed earlier than about 450 bc the date of the events recorded in 10. Nehemiah is the last historical book of the old testament. Near 520 bc after the takeover by nebuchadnezzar, ultimately king cyrus of persia arose to power, and he decided to aid the jews to return to jerusalem. Bible summary by chapter tuesday, 22 february 2011. Inspired by gods spirit, he tells the israelites that they can head home and rebuild their temple. The book of nehemiah has been, since the 16th century, a separate book of the hebrew bible. It focuses, not on the restoration of jerusalem, but rather on events happening in persia when ahasuerus, better known to us by his greek name, xerxes, was king 485465 bc. Although the books bear different names they follow each other without paragraph and the numeration of the masorah is listed at the end of nehemiah for both books. The journey between babylonia and judah took about 4 months to walk.
The book of nehemiah does not specifically name its author, but both jewish and christian traditions recognize ezra as the author. But they did return, and in the days of ezra, they rebuilt the temple and laid a spiritual foundation for israel once again. The new testament part of this old work was first published in 18321851. Even though ezras name does not enter the account of judahs postexilic return to jerusalem until 7. Together ezra and nehemiah describe the complexity of the homecoming and the struggle to reestablish cultic. They tell us about the time when the jews returned from babylonia to their own country, judah. Nehemiah was one of the most underrated heroes in the bible, cupbearer to the powerful persian king artaxerxes i longimanus. There is no recorded response from god other than the. Like the books of ezra and esther, nehemiah tells us what happened after the jewish exile to babylon. The books of ezra and nehemiah are two parts of the same story.
Ezra reads the law of moses aloud to the people, and the nation rededicates to obeying god. The words of nehemiah the son of hacaliah steinmann 2010. Book of ezra and nehemiah covers the events of the jews returning from the babylonian captivity. Nehemiah with book summary versebyverse bible commentary. All the events described in ezra and nehemiah took place during the first half of the period of the persian empire, which lasted from 539 b. So they read in the book of the law to wit, ezra and his companions, successively.
Ezra, the high priest, is the one person who is notable in the books of ezra and nehemiah. T hough no author is claimed in the book of nehemiah it is believed that ezra or nehemiah wrote the book. The chequered story of the kings, a matter of nearly five centuries, had ended disastrously in 587 b. The last four books of the hebrew canon are ezra, nehemiah, and 1 and 2 chronicles, in that order. Information and translations of book of nehemiah in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Sefer ezra vnechemya is the penultimate book of the hebrew bible. The books of ezra and nehemiah are the only completely historical books in the third section of the hebrew bible, the ketuvim writings. Ezra in commentary on the holy bible 1909 a c gaebelein.