Ezra — Chapters

Cyrus the Persian king, under divine instruction, issued a decree permitting the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, and the people gathered resources to aid the restoration.

Ezra 2 records the return of the Israelites from Babylon to Jerusalem, detailing the census of leaders, priests, Levites, and various servants, and their communal offerings for rebuilding the temple.

The Jews in Jerusalem rebuild their worship by first erecting an altar, offering sacrifices, then laying the temple's foundation, leading to mixed joy and sorrow.

In Ezra 4, the Jews of Jerusalem face political and military opposition from neighboring peoples and Persian officials, leading to the halting of temple construction.

Ezra 5 describes the opposition of regional governors, the appeals to King Darius, and the subsequent decree of Cyrus to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.

The decree of King Darius confirms Cyrus’s earlier command, allowing the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem’s temple, which is completed and joyfully dedicated.

Ezra receives a royal decree from King Artaxerxes to lead a return to Jerusalem, bringing gifts and supplies for the temple and reestablishing Jewish law and order.

Ezra gathers the exiles from Babylon, organizes a priestly team, fasts, weighs their offerings, and leads them safely to Jerusalem where they conduct sacrifices.

Ezra, confronted with intermarriage and apostasy among Israel, laments the people’s sin, pleads for God’s mercy, and urges obedience to avoid future disobedience.

Ezra 10 records a communal repentance and covenant to remove foreign wives, culminating in a sweeping reform of Israelite families and a formal oath of purity.