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Bible #15
Ezra ESV
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This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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First published January 1, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
June 14, 2025
A good story...but, some of the lists of names were hard to get through.
August 22, 2017
در سال اول سلطنت کورش پادشاه پارس، خداوند آنچه را که توسط ارمیای نبی فرموده بود، به انجام رساند (و یهودیان از بابل آزاد شدند). خداوند کورش را بر آن داشت تا فرمانی صادر کند و آن را نوشته، به سراسر سرزمین پهناورش بفرستد. این است متن آن فرمان:
«من، کورش، پادشاه پارس، اعلام می دارم که خداوند، خدای آسمان ها، تمام ممالک جهان را به من بخشیده است و به من امر فرموده است که برای او در شهر اورشلیم که در یهوداست خانه ای بسازم. بنابراین از تمام یهودیانی که در سرزمین من هستند، کسانی که بخواهند می توانند به آنجا بازگردند و خانۀ خداوند، خدای اسرائیل را در اورشلیم بنا کنند. خدا همراه ایشان باشد»
کورش اشیاء قیمتی خانۀ خداوند را که نبوکدنصر (بخت النصر پادشاه بابل) آن ها را از اورشلیم آورده و در معبد خدایان خود گذاشته بود، به یهودیان پس داد. کورش به خزانه دار خود، میتراداد دستور داد که تمام این اشیاء قیمتی را از خزانه بیرون بیاورد و به شیشبصر، سرپرست یهودیانی که به سرزمین یهودا باز می گشتند تحویل بدهد.
اشاره های دیگه ای به پادشاه های دیگۀ هخامنشی، از خشایارشا تا داریوش و اردشیر میشه، به همراه متن فرمان های حکومتی شون، که بعضی مانع ساخته شدن اورشلیم میشن و بعضی منع رو بر می دارن و اجازۀ ادامۀ ساخت اورشلیم رو می دن.
از این جهت خیلی جالب بود.
«من، کورش، پادشاه پارس، اعلام می دارم که خداوند، خدای آسمان ها، تمام ممالک جهان را به من بخشیده است و به من امر فرموده است که برای او در شهر اورشلیم که در یهوداست خانه ای بسازم. بنابراین از تمام یهودیانی که در سرزمین من هستند، کسانی که بخواهند می توانند به آنجا بازگردند و خانۀ خداوند، خدای اسرائیل را در اورشلیم بنا کنند. خدا همراه ایشان باشد»
کورش اشیاء قیمتی خانۀ خداوند را که نبوکدنصر (بخت النصر پادشاه بابل) آن ها را از اورشلیم آورده و در معبد خدایان خود گذاشته بود، به یهودیان پس داد. کورش به خزانه دار خود، میتراداد دستور داد که تمام این اشیاء قیمتی را از خزانه بیرون بیاورد و به شیشبصر، سرپرست یهودیانی که به سرزمین یهودا باز می گشتند تحویل بدهد.
اشاره های دیگه ای به پادشاه های دیگۀ هخامنشی، از خشایارشا تا داریوش و اردشیر میشه، به همراه متن فرمان های حکومتی شون، که بعضی مانع ساخته شدن اورشلیم میشن و بعضی منع رو بر می دارن و اجازۀ ادامۀ ساخت اورشلیم رو می دن.
از این جهت خیلی جالب بود.
December 20, 2022
This is a most excellent book of The Bible. I highly recommend it to all.
February 26, 2018
This is a book of the Bible that I don't often read, but now I'm wondering why. There were so many things I learned from this ten-chapter book, and spending time in God's Word is always time well spent. I especially liked that Ezra found favor in a worldly king's eye, because of the grace of God. It was one of those surprise blessings that God bestowed upon a faithful, dedicated child of His, and reading about it inspired me to not only become more dedicated about my studying God's Word, but also to look more intently for those surprise blessings God pours into my life. He loves giving freely to His children, and I want to catch every one I can so I may thank Him promptly.
I was not compensated for my honest review.
I was not compensated for my honest review.
June 18, 2025
I admit this book taxes my patience, but the story is tells is truly amazing.
“And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat, and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.”
“And the children of Israel, which were come again out of captivity, and all such as had separated themselves unto them from the filthiness of the heathen of the land, to seek the LORD God of Israel, did eat, and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for the LORD had made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria unto them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.”
January 1, 2025
Es un libro distinto, algo raro en sus personajes, pero de una forma interesante y digna de analizar.
Claramente está incompleto y puedo asumir que su final está en el siguiente que es Nehemías.
Aún así se nota una propuesta clara y distinta.
Se habla del regreso del pueblo judío a sus tierras con dos protagonistas. Éstos, tienen una dualidad común: son guiados por Dios, apoyados por los reyes de Persia, pero que toman malas decisiones, que aunque no terribles, tienen consecuencias no deseadas.
Claramente está incompleto y puedo asumir que su final está en el siguiente que es Nehemías.
Aún así se nota una propuesta clara y distinta.
Se habla del regreso del pueblo judío a sus tierras con dos protagonistas. Éstos, tienen una dualidad común: son guiados por Dios, apoyados por los reyes de Persia, pero que toman malas decisiones, que aunque no terribles, tienen consecuencias no deseadas.
June 12, 2015
Part of my READ THE BIBLE WITHIN A YEAR challenge.
Wish me luck, as I've got a long way to go, and I’m really struggling at the moment.
The main thing that stood out to me in this book, was the focus on those guilty of intermarriage. They were required to leave their foreign wives and children as it was a sin against God.
Wish me luck, as I've got a long way to go, and I’m really struggling at the moment.
The main thing that stood out to me in this book, was the focus on those guilty of intermarriage. They were required to leave their foreign wives and children as it was a sin against God.
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January 12, 2023Although I was supposed to read this book over ten days, one chapter per day, I had to catch up and read it in one sitting -- which was a neat experience! The narrative arc is, of course, much clearer when read from beginning to end. It's a tidily crafted book that draws on and stitches together numerous historical documents: lists, genealogies, records, official letters, and proclamations.
Together the documents and the joining narratives tell the story of return from Babylon to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple by decree of Persian kings Cyrus and Darius. There is a sense of jubilation and excitement, but it's mingled with grief over the loss of the lands, the city, and the temple 70 years before. The construction must begin from scratch, and enemies who have been inhabiting the land won't leave the builders alone; they complain to the Persian officials governing the territory, who complain by letter to the king. At nearly the precise middle of the book, one such letter presents the backstory of the captivity, quoting the Israelites who ask Darius to consult his archives and verify that Cyrus had ordered the rebuilding of the temple. So many ups and downs to the narrative! It's quite a good story whose fineness as a whole seems the more remarkable for being a sort of patchwork of preexisting documents.
Especially at the end of the book, when Ezra calls out the Israelites for having taken foreign wives, and then in his long and eloquent prayer that forms the climax of the book, guilt and grief over the reason behind the deportation comes to the fore. By the end of the book, the temple is finished and dedicated, but the problem of the foreign wives must be dealt with; and the final chapter provides a list of all the men who had to send away their wives, so the book ends on a minor chord. It's not exactly a triumphal return, but more like Odysseus returning to Ithaca find his household and lands in disorder and revolt. There is hope in the homecoming, but also the grim imperative to purify the house, a heartwrenching mixture of joy and sorrow.
Together the documents and the joining narratives tell the story of return from Babylon to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple by decree of Persian kings Cyrus and Darius. There is a sense of jubilation and excitement, but it's mingled with grief over the loss of the lands, the city, and the temple 70 years before. The construction must begin from scratch, and enemies who have been inhabiting the land won't leave the builders alone; they complain to the Persian officials governing the territory, who complain by letter to the king. At nearly the precise middle of the book, one such letter presents the backstory of the captivity, quoting the Israelites who ask Darius to consult his archives and verify that Cyrus had ordered the rebuilding of the temple. So many ups and downs to the narrative! It's quite a good story whose fineness as a whole seems the more remarkable for being a sort of patchwork of preexisting documents.
Especially at the end of the book, when Ezra calls out the Israelites for having taken foreign wives, and then in his long and eloquent prayer that forms the climax of the book, guilt and grief over the reason behind the deportation comes to the fore. By the end of the book, the temple is finished and dedicated, but the problem of the foreign wives must be dealt with; and the final chapter provides a list of all the men who had to send away their wives, so the book ends on a minor chord. It's not exactly a triumphal return, but more like Odysseus returning to Ithaca find his household and lands in disorder and revolt. There is hope in the homecoming, but also the grim imperative to purify the house, a heartwrenching mixture of joy and sorrow.
July 25, 2018
I really enjoyed reading about how Israel moved forward after leaving the captivity of Babylon.
My favourite aspects was learning that when you are freed from captivity it’s not always straight forward. You will have opposition and you may have to go through a time of consecration to separate yourself to that which you joined to while in captivity. While the book of Ezra was speaking of natural captivity I could see as I read the parallel with being in bondage to anything for example in our thinking, addiction, circumstances, relationships, trauma, sickness, infirmities and much more. We must overcome the opposition to be completely free and we must allow ourselves to be separated from the sin habits we have developed to survive.
Ezra is a beautiful parallel of the process that we must go through in order to allow Christ to be built in us!
Recommended for those who want to learn about Israel after leaving the captivity Babylon.
My favourite aspects was learning that when you are freed from captivity it’s not always straight forward. You will have opposition and you may have to go through a time of consecration to separate yourself to that which you joined to while in captivity. While the book of Ezra was speaking of natural captivity I could see as I read the parallel with being in bondage to anything for example in our thinking, addiction, circumstances, relationships, trauma, sickness, infirmities and much more. We must overcome the opposition to be completely free and we must allow ourselves to be separated from the sin habits we have developed to survive.
Ezra is a beautiful parallel of the process that we must go through in order to allow Christ to be built in us!
Recommended for those who want to learn about Israel after leaving the captivity Babylon.
July 23, 2025
Ezra is a historical book of the Bible, covering the return of Judah to the promised land after Persia conquered Babylon and Cyrus issued the decree permitting Judah to return and build the temple.
Ezra was a scribe, knowledgeable in scripture, and likely the one who organized the Hebrew scriptures as we know them today. He wrote the book and told of Judah's return and the rebuilding of the temple. He also records Judah's sin in intermarrying with other peoples of the land and their repentance.
It's valuable to read Ezra with a history book in hand, understanding where it fits in the rise of Persia and the fall of Babylon.
I recommend this book for any historian of the Middle East or Bible student.
Ezra was a scribe, knowledgeable in scripture, and likely the one who organized the Hebrew scriptures as we know them today. He wrote the book and told of Judah's return and the rebuilding of the temple. He also records Judah's sin in intermarrying with other peoples of the land and their repentance.
It's valuable to read Ezra with a history book in hand, understanding where it fits in the rise of Persia and the fall of Babylon.
I recommend this book for any historian of the Middle East or Bible student.
March 16, 2016
"While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites - men, women, and children - gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. Then Shecaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, 'We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. Now let us make a covenant before our God ...' " Ezra 10:1-2 NIV
February 3, 2026
The return... to see Israel moved out of the land for their sins, for refusing to follow the God who gave them the land in the first place, was frustrating but to see them start to go back to the land and then take their sins with them is indicative of fallen human nature and the grace of God.
June 5, 2026
This book is a bit sad. It shows how we keep falling in the same sins again and again. God has so much patience and love for us and only his Son saves.
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July 24, 2024“im sorry ezra, do not quit your day job. be a scribe, don’t get into this whole ‘i’m gonna write a book of the bible’ thing - you’re not good at it.”
May 21, 2026
I've read this book but finally studied it! Ezra is such a neat book of the Bible, as it deals with spiritual renewal, repentance, and cleansing.
May 27, 2022
5/26/22: The book of Ezra begins with Cyrus, the king of Persia, declaring that the God of the Jews is the God that created heaven and earth and that any of the Jewish people who wish to return to Jerusalem and rebuild Solomon's temple are not only perfectly free to do so -- they're allowed to fund the rebuilding with donations from Cyrus's people and from the royal treasury itself.
To understand the context of this remarkable statement of faith and the financial generosity that accompanied it, it helps to draw on a few details from other books. First, there's the prophecy in Isaiah 45--allegedly made 150 years before Cyrus even lived--that calls him out by name and says, in effect, that he'll carry out the will of God for the people of Israel.
Then there's the book of Daniel, which describes the life of one of the most famous exiles carried off from Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion. Daniel was enrolled in a course of study at the Babylonian court, where he would learn multiple languages while absorbing the mythology of his captors. And yet, rather than lose touch with his faith, he rose in the ranks at court and somehow managed to have a tremendous influence on everyone around him.
Including all of the kings he served under. And yes, that included Cyrus.
We aren't given all the details, but there is circumstantial evidence to suppose that Daniel might have informed Cyrus of the prophecies Isaiah had made about him 150 years before.
Regardless, someone from the Jewish faith must have had an impact on Cyrus for him to go to such an extent in providing for the people of Israel's worship of God (funnily enough, it was another non-Israelite king who provided the land for Solomon's temple in the first place).
What does Bede the Venerable have to add?
"Indeed Cyrus confessed that [God] was in Jerusalem and in the temple, without doubting that he also ruled the kingdom of heaven at the same time. So he believed that he reigned in heaven but was nevertheless on earth with his faithful, in order to direct their minds and hands to make the good works of salvation."
~Bede, On Ezra and Nehemiah 1.1
The Old Testament . . . isn't just the origin story of the Jewish faith or the setup to the Gospels. It shows that faith in God can be for anyone, from any nation, who chooses it.
It is not exclusive to specific national or cultural borders, and I think it's important to recognize the signs of this, both subtle and not-so-subtle, hinted in the text.
4/17/19: A shorter book, but full of interesting details about the attempts to rebuild Solomon's temple. There are also hints about the foreign dynasties and cultures that ruled Israel and Judah during the exile.
This is probably my favorite passage in Ezra:
"King Darius gave the order, and they searched in the library of Babylon in the archives. But it was in the fortress of Ecbatana in the province of Media that a scroll was found with this record written on it." (6:1-2)
So basically . . . we're seeing something like an interlibrary loan taking place in the ancient world? Looking at where Babylon was located in relation to Ecbatana, it would appear Ecbatana was some distance away. In other words, the librarians and their couriers had to put in some overtime to find that scroll.
How many library "branches" did Babylon have? How many total scrolls did those libraries own? As someone who works in a library, I can't help but wonder at these things. Ha!
To understand the context of this remarkable statement of faith and the financial generosity that accompanied it, it helps to draw on a few details from other books. First, there's the prophecy in Isaiah 45--allegedly made 150 years before Cyrus even lived--that calls him out by name and says, in effect, that he'll carry out the will of God for the people of Israel.
Then there's the book of Daniel, which describes the life of one of the most famous exiles carried off from Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion. Daniel was enrolled in a course of study at the Babylonian court, where he would learn multiple languages while absorbing the mythology of his captors. And yet, rather than lose touch with his faith, he rose in the ranks at court and somehow managed to have a tremendous influence on everyone around him.
Including all of the kings he served under. And yes, that included Cyrus.
We aren't given all the details, but there is circumstantial evidence to suppose that Daniel might have informed Cyrus of the prophecies Isaiah had made about him 150 years before.
Regardless, someone from the Jewish faith must have had an impact on Cyrus for him to go to such an extent in providing for the people of Israel's worship of God (funnily enough, it was another non-Israelite king who provided the land for Solomon's temple in the first place).
What does Bede the Venerable have to add?
"Indeed Cyrus confessed that [God] was in Jerusalem and in the temple, without doubting that he also ruled the kingdom of heaven at the same time. So he believed that he reigned in heaven but was nevertheless on earth with his faithful, in order to direct their minds and hands to make the good works of salvation."
~Bede, On Ezra and Nehemiah 1.1
The Old Testament . . . isn't just the origin story of the Jewish faith or the setup to the Gospels. It shows that faith in God can be for anyone, from any nation, who chooses it.
It is not exclusive to specific national or cultural borders, and I think it's important to recognize the signs of this, both subtle and not-so-subtle, hinted in the text.
4/17/19: A shorter book, but full of interesting details about the attempts to rebuild Solomon's temple. There are also hints about the foreign dynasties and cultures that ruled Israel and Judah during the exile.
This is probably my favorite passage in Ezra:
"King Darius gave the order, and they searched in the library of Babylon in the archives. But it was in the fortress of Ecbatana in the province of Media that a scroll was found with this record written on it." (6:1-2)
So basically . . . we're seeing something like an interlibrary loan taking place in the ancient world? Looking at where Babylon was located in relation to Ecbatana, it would appear Ecbatana was some distance away. In other words, the librarians and their couriers had to put in some overtime to find that scroll.
How many library "branches" did Babylon have? How many total scrolls did those libraries own? As someone who works in a library, I can't help but wonder at these things. Ha!
January 30, 2024
I particularly thought the inclusion of the Aramaic letters and parts with first person from Ezra's POV were unique and interesting.
June 6, 2021
"And now for a little space grace hath been showed from the Lord our God." -Ezra 9:8a
December 29, 2025
I don’t think in my entire life I have ever actually read the book of Ezra. Outside of the obvious “hand of the Lord upon” the entire narrative, it’s such a fascinating look at the historical cultural details of the time. How Gods people interacted with the culture around them, both good and bad , is simply fascinating as a point of history. The survival of letters penned between the Jewish people and the Persian rulers adds authenticity or as our pastor calls it “ live body detail”. It closes with a sober reminder of how prone we are as Christians to sell out our convictions to the culture around us.
January 5, 2019
This is the first of two consecutive books about rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. Ezra focuses on rebuilding the city; Nehemiah is more about rebuilding the wall. I'm always inspired by the grit and determination of everyone involved in this enormous project. More than once, work was temporarily put on hold. If it hadn't been for the never-give-up mentality of the leaders, it may have been permanently stopped! I look forward to reading the book of Nehemiah.
April 16, 2019
A lot like Kings and Chronicles. The history of the Jews as they return to the Promised Land after a period of exhile in Persia. The secular Persian & Babylonian kings assist the Jews in their return to the homeland. Shows how God works for the Good of all people who are faithful to 'im.
May 3, 2013
Ezra is the fifteenth book in the bible, it is written by Ezra and inspired by God. Ezra tells the history of the people of Israel when they returned from their exile in Babylon. It starts by telling how God preserved certain families and kept his word by using the Persian policy of returning nations back to their original territory. It also points out the way that God used the Persian's to rebuild his temple which had been destroyed and looted by the Babylonians because of the unfaithfulness of his people. The last part of the book deals with Ezra the priest's journey back to the chosen land to lead the people in worship. Then it deals with his message about the danger of marriage to the pagan peoples around them. This is not to say that racial purity is what God wants as he is truly the Lord of all people but instead that we should not yoke ourselves with those who do not serve him willingly. God want's all people to worship him but he realizes that we are weak and if we have a close relationship with an unbeliever we are tempted to either not serve God or we will have a divided family. The Lords command is good and we must serve him first and then accept the blessings that he will provide. We must not let our pride to tell us that we can change someone's heart as only God can make someone into his worshiper, even if he may use our abilities to do this. Praise the Lord for his commands.
July 12, 2026
Somewhen along the way, mostly in the sixteenth century and associated with translation efforts, many of the books of the Old Testament apparently underwent a bit of mitosis. We saw this with Kings and
Chronicles
, and it stands to reason for books which are listed as one and two under the same title. I did not expect to find out during my reading that the book of Ezra was once unified with the subsequent book of Nehemiah. There is an argument to be made that the book should be further divided, so Ezra-Nehemiah would become three books, each one following a different prophet over the course of the three “quests” which form the core story arc being conveyed.
And yes, “story arc” is an appropriate term here. Significant portions are presented narratively, and even the portions which aren’t broadly follow a kind of plot arc through the return from Babylonian captivity. While there are still a few chapters which are essentially long lists of names, numbers, and genealogies, these are more like asides to the story being recited. Whether or not the story is contemporaneous with the described historical events, or retold and transcribed later, is a major subject of debate amongst biblical scholars and historians. Regardless, it’s generally believed that the order of events presented herein is not quite reflective of how things actually transpired, and there is doubt about the word-for-word authenticity of some of the cited Persian documents.
Personally, given the number of times the Old Testament books have gone through the translation process, the word-for-word authenticity seems somewhat irrelevant. What is far more relevant to me, and probably to many readers of this site, is the appearance of the Persian Empire and some familiar names: Darius, Xerxes, Artaxerxes, etc. Some of them appear under different names, but it’s not your imagination – these are the same Achymeneid Kings of Kings we encounter in Herodotus’ Histories, Xenophon’s Ten Thousand, and other works associated with the Greco-Persian wars, up to and including the eventual defeat of the Achymeneid kings by Alexander the Great. Unlike in Hellenic texts, though, here the Persians are not the enemy. In fact, the Persian kings are depicted as rescuers of the Jewish people from their Babylonian captivity, and Ezra-Nehemiah include multiple letters and other documents, supposedly based on actual writings, in which the Persian rulers support, encourage, and fund the restoration of the Jewish people and the rebuilding of the temple. This is the first time (other than Gilgamesh) I’ve read other works contemporary with this biblical text, and though there is certainly no crosstalk between them, it helps ground the books in history with which I am more familiar.
Not that anything about the Greeks and their conflicts with Persia appears in any allusion of any kind here, which is a good reminder of how large the Achymeneid Persian Empire really was, and how much influence it had in this, arguably its core region (as opposed to the Greek frontier). These books are internally focused on the return from captivity, the rebuilding of the temple, and the genealogical isolation of the Jewish people. If the characters and cultures of Greek texts can seem oddly familiar to us in our modern milieu, these Old Testament books consistently feature at least one major event or theme which comes across as distinctly “of the time,” as to make a modern reader uncomfortable. In this case, that’s what could provocatively be referred to as the genetic cleansing of the Jewish people. Essentially, the Jews decide they must only marry internally, and any extant foreign wives are exiled as part of the process. Not as gruesome or violent as the phrase “genetic cleansing” tends to connote (especially in the context of the Jews), and it’s largely in keeping with general attitudes and mores of the time, but the idea is certainly a bit disconcerting to read today.
The excerpts from the Old Testament which exist in common circulation often give the impression that these events took place in a vacuum, and the relative paucity of extant literature from the time and place help hide it, but this was in reality a confluence of human civilizations, with numerous tribes, peoples, nations, and societies existing in close proximity, bumping into each other and interacting through peace, war, trade, travel, and other exchanges. These books highlight the interactions between Israel/the Jews and their various neighbors, which is always interesting to read. These are much closer to what I expect for historical works of this period and type, closer in tone and approach to the early, Moses books than the recent Chronicles and Kings. I’m glad for the change, and I hope the next book will continue with the more narrative approach.
December 31, 2014
WORDS FROM THE BOOK OF EZRA:
In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom: “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:
“The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you! Wherever this Jewish remnant is found, let their neighbors contribute toward their expenses by giving them silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock, as well as a voluntary offering for the Temple of God in Jerusalem.”
BLESS THE NAME OF JESUS!
In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, the Lord fulfilled the prophecy he had given through Jeremiah. He stirred the heart of Cyrus to put this proclamation in writing and to send it throughout his kingdom: “This is what King Cyrus of Persia says:
“The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build him a Temple at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Any of you who are his people may go to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild this Temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives in Jerusalem. And may your God be with you! Wherever this Jewish remnant is found, let their neighbors contribute toward their expenses by giving them silver and gold, supplies for the journey, and livestock, as well as a voluntary offering for the Temple of God in Jerusalem.”
BLESS THE NAME OF JESUS!
September 17, 2020
Sidenote: The reason for such vague and short and "eh" words on each of these books, is because I wasn't challenging the study of the Bible when I read these. I was challenging myself to read the whole Bible in a year because I knew it would be discipline to keep at it daily. I do, however, plan to pick up a book and study what it is saying. Those will be longer reads and more notes.
So here is my review from my "Read the Bible in a Year" challenge. Usually just snippets of thoughts and random things I liked about the book itself. Nothing in-depth.
So here is my review on Ezra
A lot of Genealogies again. Not as interesting as you may believe..
There was talk of building the new temple and her there were two different sets of Israelites coming back and Ezra taking it on himself to lead them back to the Lord. That was pretty cool.
So here is my review from my "Read the Bible in a Year" challenge. Usually just snippets of thoughts and random things I liked about the book itself. Nothing in-depth.
So here is my review on Ezra
A lot of Genealogies again. Not as interesting as you may believe..
There was talk of building the new temple and her there were two different sets of Israelites coming back and Ezra taking it on himself to lead them back to the Lord. That was pretty cool.
October 28, 2019
I found this work of immense interest and importance.
The compilation of historical accounts, wisdom & proverbial insights, and thought provoking texts, along with descriptive and informative footnotes, are of great value.
Explanations, including varying scholarly views depicting the material related in this book, are available for each of the 66 individual books of the Bible.
This book is but one of the individual 66 books/letters which were written by forty different authors over at least 1500 years in three different languages on three different continents, which comprise the Bible.
Read for life-related reasons and personal research.
Overall, a great resource for the researcher, enthusiast, and devotee.
The compilation of historical accounts, wisdom & proverbial insights, and thought provoking texts, along with descriptive and informative footnotes, are of great value.
Explanations, including varying scholarly views depicting the material related in this book, are available for each of the 66 individual books of the Bible.
This book is but one of the individual 66 books/letters which were written by forty different authors over at least 1500 years in three different languages on three different continents, which comprise the Bible.
Read for life-related reasons and personal research.
Overall, a great resource for the researcher, enthusiast, and devotee.
May 28, 2026
Welcome to Hanna's Drunk History: Bible Edition
Just more people thinking they are "above the law" because "god said so".
Also, what happened to Leviticus:
“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."
Only for Ezra to say:
“You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”
Little hypocritical...
Just more people thinking they are "above the law" because "god said so".
Also, what happened to Leviticus:
“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God."
Only for Ezra to say:
“You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. Now honor the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”
Little hypocritical...
Read
July 22, 2021“For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.” Ezra 9:9 KJV
“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” Ezra 7:10 KJV
“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.” Ezra 7:10 KJV
July 16, 2018
The reading of God's Word is so remarkable that there is nothing that I can say to make it any better. Please, if you are a lost soul, turn to God! He can heal you and give you the greatest peace that you will ever know!
August 6, 2020
Lots of names
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