1. OT Survey II Ezra/Nehemiah

2. Ezra/Nehemiah as Two Books Modern versions split them Modern versions split them First Hebrew MS to split them: 1448 AD First Hebrew MS to split them: 1448 AD Latin Vulgate split them: ~400 AD Latin Vulgate split them: ~400 AD Origen first split them: ~225 AD Origen first split them: ~225 AD

3. Ezra/Nehemiah as One Book All Hebrew MSS before 1448 AD All Hebrew MSS before 1448 AD Masoretes considered them one: >600 AD Masoretes considered them one: >600 AD Josephus considered them one? ~100 AD Josephus considered them one? ~100 AD Apocrypha considered them one? ~100 AD Apocrypha considered them one? ~100 AD

4. 4 Esdras 14:28-48 (RSV) “‘Hear these words, O Israel. At first our fathers dwelt as aliens in Egypt, and they were delivered from there, and received the law of life, which they did not keep, which you also have transgressed after them. The land was given to you for a possession in the land of Zion; but you and your fathers committed iniquity and did not keep the ways which the Most High commanded you. And because he is a righteous judge, in due time he took from you what he had given. And now you are here, and your brethren are farther in the interior. If you, then, will rule over your minds and discipline your hearts, you shall be kept alive, and after death you shall obtain mercy. For after death the judgment will come, when we …”

5. 4 Esdras 14:28-48 (RSV) “... shall live again; and then the names of the righteous will become manifest, and the deeds of the ungodly will be disclosed. But let no one come to me now, and let no one seek me for forty days.’ So I took the five men, as he commanded me, and we proceeded to the field, and remained there. And on the next day, behold, a voice called me, saying, ‘Ezra, open your mouth and drink what I give you to drink.’ Then I opened my mouth, and behold, a full cup was offered to me; it was full of something like water, but its color was like fire. And I took it and drank; and when I had drunk it, my heart poured forth understanding, and wisdom increased in my breast, for my spirit retained its memory; and...”

6. 4 Esdras 14:28-48 (RSV) “... my mouth was opened, and was no longer closed. And the Most High gave understanding to the five men, and by turns they wrote what was dictated, in characters which they did not know. They sat forty days, and wrote during the daytime, and ate their bread at night. As for me, I spoke in the daytime and was not silent at night. So during the forty days ninety-four books were written. And when the forty days were ended, the Most High spoke to me, saying, ‘Make public the twenty-four books that you wrote first and let the worthy and the unworthy read them; but keep the seventy that were written last, in order to give them to the wise among your people. For in them is the spring of understanding, the fountain of wisdom, and the river of knowledge.’ And I did so.

7. 24 Books of the Hebrew Canon 1 Genesis 2 Exodus 3 Leviticus 4 Numbers 5 Deuteronomy 6 Joshua 7 Judges 8 Ruth 9 Samuel (1) 10 Samuel (2) 11 Kings (1) 12 Kings (2) 13 Chronicles (1) 14 Chronicles (2) 15 Ezra 16 Nehemiah 17 Esther 18 Job 19 Psalms 20 Proverbs 21 Ecclesiastes 22 Song of Solomon 23 Isaiah 24 Jeremiah 25 Lamentations 26 Ezekiel 27 Daniel 28 Hosea 29 Joel 30 Amos 31 Obadiah 32 Jonah 33 Micah 34 Nahum 35 Habakkuk 36 Zephaniah 37 Haggai 38 Zechariah 39 Malachi 28 The Twelve

8. 24 Books of the Hebrew Canon 1 Genesis 2 Exodus 3 Leviticus 4 Numbers 5 Deuteronomy 6 Joshua 7 Judges 8 Ruth 9 Samuel 10 Kings 11 Chronicles 12 Ezra 13 Nehemiah 14 Esther 15 Job 16 Psalms 17 Proverbs 18 Ecclesiastes 19 Song of Solomon 20 Isaiah 21 Jeremiah 22 Lamentations 23 Ezekiel 24 Daniel 25 The Twelve

9. 24 Books of the Hebrew Canon 1 Genesis 2 Exodus 3 Leviticus 4 Numbers 5 Deuteronomy 6 Joshua 7 Judges 8 Ruth 9 Samuel 10 Kings 11 Chronicles 12 Ezra/Nehemiah 13 Esther 14 Job 15 Psalms 16 Proverbs 17 Ecclesiastes 18 Song of Solomon 19 Isaiah 20 Jeremiah 21 Lamentations 22 Ezekiel 23 Daniel 24 The Twelve

10. Ezra/Nehemiah as One Book All Hebrew MSS before 1448 AD All Hebrew MSS before 1448 AD Masoretes considered them one: >600 AD Masoretes considered them one: >600 AD Josephus considered them one? ~100 AD Josephus considered them one? ~100 AD Apocrypha considered them one? ~100 AD Apocrypha considered them one? ~100 AD Septuagint considered them one: ~250 BC Septuagint considered them one: ~250 BC

11. Time Period of Ezra/Nehemiah Jacob born: 2006 BC (Gen 47:9) Jacob born: 2006 BC (Gen 47:9) Jacob enters Egypt: 1876 BC (Exod 12:40-41) Jacob enters Egypt: 1876 BC (Exod 12:40-41) Exodus from Egypt: 1446 BC (1 Kings 6:1) Exodus from Egypt: 1446 BC (1 Kings 6:1) Solomon’s Temple Construction Begins: 966 BC Solomon’s Temple Construction Begins: 966 BC Northern Kingdom exiled: 722 BC (2 Kgs 17) Northern Kingdom exiled: 722 BC (2 Kgs 17) Southern Kingdom exiled: 586 BC (2 Kgs 25) Southern Kingdom exiled: 586 BC (2 Kgs 25) Decree of Cyrus: 539 BC (2 Chr 36 = Ezra 1) Decree of Cyrus: 539 BC (2 Chr 36 = Ezra 1) Temple Rebuilt: 516 BC (Ezra 6:15) Temple Rebuilt: 516 BC (Ezra 6:15) Ezra returns: 458 BC (Ezra 7:7) Ezra returns: 458 BC (Ezra 7:7) Wall Rebuilt: 445 BC (Neh 2:1; 6:15) Wall Rebuilt: 445 BC (Neh 2:1; 6:15) Nehemiah returns to Susa: 432 BC (Neh 13:6) Nehemiah returns to Susa: 432 BC (Neh 13:6) Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem: ??? BC (Neh 13) Nehemiah returns to Jerusalem: ??? BC (Neh 13)

12. Time Period of Ezra/Nehemiah (cont…) Before 1150 BC – Egypt controls Palestine Before 1150 BC – Egypt controls Palestine 1150 – 1010 BC – Philistines/Israel fight for Palestine 1150 – 1010 BC – Philistines/Israel fight for Palestine 1010 – 930 BC – Israel dominates Palestine 1010 – 930 BC – Israel dominates Palestine 930 – 850 BC – No major empire in Palestine 930 – 850 BC – No major empire in Palestine 850 – 612 BC – Assyria the premier power 850 – 612 BC – Assyria the premier power 612 – 539 BC – Bablyon the premier power 612 – 539 BC – Bablyon the premier power 539 – 333 BC – Persia the premier power 539 – 333 BC – Persia the premier power Alexander the Great, Maccabean revolt, Rome Alexander the Great, Maccabean revolt, Rome

13. Ninevah Babylon

14. Susa

15. Assyrian Empire

16. Babylonian Empire

17. Persian Empire

18. Kings of Persia Cyrus the Great (559-530) Cyrus the Great (559-530) Also possibly referred to as “Darius the Mede” (?) Also possibly referred to as “Darius the Mede” (?) Founder of the Persian Empire Founder of the Persian Empire God’s “Messiah” (Isa 45:1) God’s “Messiah” (Isa 45:1) King when Zerubbabel and company returned King when Zerubbabel and company returned Cambyses II (530-522) Cambyses II (530-522) Darius (521-486) Darius (521-486) King when temple was completed (Ezra 5-6) King when temple was completed (Ezra 5-6) Haggai 1:1, Zechariah 1:1 Haggai 1:1, Zechariah 1:1 Xerxes = (486-465) – Ezra 4:6 Xerxes = Ahasuerus (486-465) – Ezra 4:6 Esther’s husband Esther’s husband Artaxerxes (464-424) Artaxerxes (464-424) King served by Ezra and Nehemiah King served by Ezra and Nehemiah

19. English Location of Ezra/Nehemiah in Canon Hebrew [Historical Books] Joshua Joshua Judges Judges Ruth Ruth Samuel Samuel Kings Kings Chronicles Chronicles Ezra Ezra Nehemiah Nehemiah Esther Esther [Former Prophets] (Joshua through Kings) [Torah] [Writings] - Psalms/Job/Proverbs - Megilloth (The 5 Scrolls) - Daniel - Ezra-Nehemiah - Chronicles [Latter Prophets] (Isa, Jer, Ezek, 12)

20. Outline of Ezra/Nehemiah Ezra 1-2: Return of Zerubbabel Ezra 1-2: Return of Zerubbabel Ezra 3-6: Work of Zerubbabel (temple) Ezra 3-6: Work of Zerubbabel (temple) Ezra 7-8: Return of Ezra Ezra 7-8: Return of Ezra Ezra 9-10: Work of Ezra (law) Ezra 9-10: Work of Ezra (law) Nehemiah 1-2: Return of Nehemiah Nehemiah 1-2: Return of Nehemiah Nehemiah 3-7: Work of Nehemiah (wall) Nehemiah 3-7: Work of Nehemiah (wall) Nehemiah 8-13: Final Reforms and Lists Nehemiah 8-13: Final Reforms and Lists Modified from David Dorsey, Literary Structure of the OT

21. God God His absolute sovereignty (1:2, 5:11-12; 6:9-10; 7:12, 21- 23; Neh 1:4-5; 2:4, 20) His absolute sovereignty (1:2, 5:11-12; 6:9-10; 7:12, 21- 23; Neh 1:4-5; 2:4, 20) Major Themes

22. Eugene Merrill, “A Theology of Ezra-Nehemiah and Esther,” 191 “The phrase ‘God of heaven’ is typical of post exilic language. It occurs with reference to Yahweh in the decree of Darius (Ezra 6:9-10), as well as in that of Artaxerxes I (7:12, 21, 23). Nehemiah, in his famous prayer in the presence of this same Artaxerxes, addressed Yahweh in the same terms. The reason is obvious, for the setting of the accounts is no longer the narrow confines of Palestine and the chosen people but it is international. The miraculous return and restoration of the pitiful exile community against overwhelming odds certified that Israel’s God is no parochial deity; rather, He is god of heaven itself.”

23. God God His absolute sovereignty (1:2, 5:11-12; 6:9-10; 7:12, 21- 23; Neh 1:4-5; 2:4, 20) His absolute sovereignty (1:2, 5:11-12; 6:9-10; 7:12, 21- 23; Neh 1:4-5; 2:4, 20) His providential hand His providential hand Decree of Cyrus – “Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus” Decree of Cyrus – “Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus” Return of Jews – “Everyone whose spirit God had stirred up” Return of Jews – “Everyone whose spirit God had stirred up” Thwarting opposition – “But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them” Thwarting opposition – “But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them” Source of joy – “Yahweh had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them” Source of joy – “Yahweh had caused them to rejoice, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them” Foiling plots – “God had frustrated their plan” Foiling plots – “God had frustrated their plan” Nations observe – “They recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God” Nations observe – “They recognized that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God” Giving ideas – “My god put it into my heart to assemble the nobles” Giving ideas – “My god put it into my heart to assemble the nobles” Major Themes

24. Major Themes (continued…) His providential hand (continued) His providential hand (continued) “The king granted [Ezra] all he requested because the hand of Yahweh his God was upon him” “The king granted [Ezra] all he requested because the hand of Yahweh his God was upon him” “On the first of the fifth month [Ezra] came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him.” “On the first of the fifth month [Ezra] came to Jerusalem, because the good hand of his God was upon him.” “Thus I [=Ezra] was strengthened according to the hand of Yahweh, my God, upon me” “Thus I [=Ezra] was strengthened according to the hand of Yahweh, my God, upon me” “According to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of insight…” “According to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of insight…” “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him” “The hand of our God is favorably disposed to all those who seek Him” “The hand of our God was over us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy” “The hand of our God was over us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy” “The king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me” “The king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me” “I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me” “I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me”

25. Major Themes (continued…) The law of God The law of God Israel is in a strait because of disobedience to it (Neh 1:8; 9) Israel is in a strait because of disobedience to it (Neh 1:8; 9) Temple built in accordance with it (Ezra 3:2) Temple built in accordance with it (Ezra 3:2) Ezra comes to instruct them in it (Ezra 7; Neh 8) Ezra comes to instruct them in it (Ezra 7; Neh 8) Present commitment to it (Neh 10; 12:44; 13:3) Present commitment to it (Neh 10; 12:44; 13:3) Confronting present sin (Ezra 10; Neh 13) Confronting present sin (Ezra 10; Neh 13) Confrontation and confession of sin Confrontation and confession of sin Prayer Prayer Joy and sorrow Joy and sorrow The Priests, Levites, and the Temple The Priests, Levites, and the Temple

26. Purpose Statement of Ezra/Nehemiah On the one hand, Israel should recognize that God is working “behind the scenes” to bless them in accord with His promises. However, Israel must also recognize that it still lacks a circumcised heart and must therefore seek God in prayer and diligently pursue obedience before they can expect their final restoration. On the one hand, Israel should recognize that God is working “behind the scenes” to bless them in accord with His promises. However, Israel must also recognize that it still lacks a circumcised heart and must therefore seek God in prayer and diligently pursue obedience before they can expect their final restoration.

27. Historical confusion in Ezra 4? Who is Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah (Ezra 1:8, 11; 5:14, 16)? Interpretative Issues

28. Next Week Esther