Commentary on Ezra-Nehemiah , livre ebook

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© 2012 by Baker Publishing Group
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Ebook short created 2019
Previously published in The Baker Illustrated Bible Commentary edited by Gary M. Burge and Andrew E. Hill in 2012
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ISBN 978-1-4934-2450-4
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Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Abbreviations
Time Lines
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Introduction
Commentary

1. The First Mission: The Return of the Jews to Judah (Ezra 1:1–6:22)
A. Cyrus’s Proclamation (1:1–4)
B. Preparations for the Return (1:5–11)
C. The List of Returnees (2:1–70)
D. The Work Begun (3:1–6)
E. Rebuilding the Temple (3:7–13)
F. Opposition to the Work (4:1–24)
G. Resolution: The Temple Building Continued and Finished (5:1–6:22)
2. The Second Mission: The Return under Ezra (7:1–10:44)
A. Introduction and Preparation (7:1–28)
B. The Return to Jerusalem (8:1–36)
C. Opposition from Within: The Crisis of Intermarriage (9:1–15)
D. Resolution: The Covenant to Change (10:1–44)
3. The Third Mission: Nehemiah Restores the Wall (Neh. 1:1–7:73a)
A. Preparation (1:1–2:10)
B. The Work Begun (2:11–3:32)
C. Opposition to Rebuilding the Wall (4:1–6:14)
D. Resolution: The Wall Completed; Community Consolidation Begun (6:15–7:73a)
4. The Consolidation of the Covenant Community (7:73b–13:31)
A. Spiritual Renewal according to the Torah (7:73b–12:26)
B. Celebration and Dedication (12:27–43)
C. Conservation of the Renewed Community (12:44–13:31)
Time Lines
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Abbreviations ANET Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament . Edited by J. B. Pritchard. 3rd ed. Princeton, 1969 BDAG Bauer, W., F. W. Danker, W. F. Arndt, and F. W. Gingrich. Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3rd ed. Chicago, 1999 ca. circa (about, approximately) cf. compare chap(s). chapter(s) COS The Context of Scripture . Edited by W. W. Hallo. 3 vols. Leiden, 1997– e.g. for example ESV English Standard Version HALOT Koehler, L., W. Baumgartner, and J. J. Stamm. The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament. Translated and edited under the supervision of M. E. J. Richardson. 5 vols. Leiden, 1994–2000 HCSB Holman Christian Standard Bible i.e. that is KJV King James Version NASB New American Standard Bible NEB New English Bible NET New English Translation NIV New International Version (2011 edition) NIV 1984 New International Version (1984 edition) NJB New Jerusalem Bible NJPS The Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures: The New JPS Translation according to the Traditional Hebrew Text NKJV New King James Version NLT New Living Translation NRSV New Revised Standard Version RSV Revised Standard Version TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament . Edited by G. J. Botterweck and H. Ringgren. Translated by J. T. Willis, G. W. Bromiley, and D. E. Green. 8 vols. Grand Rapids, 1974– TNIV Today’s New International Version
Ezra-Nehemiah
Mervin Breneman
Introduction
The combined book of Ezra-Nehemiah gives us a glimpse of the drama and struggles of the Israelites as they return to Judah from captivity in Babylon to reestablish their community centered on the worship of the one true God. But it is more than a simple chronicle of events; Ezra-Nehemiah uses narration to teach and guide the community in its faith and everyday life.
Many studies of the history of Israel give little attention to the postexilic community. However, in God’s redemptive plan, every period is important for the continuity and fulfillment of that plan. This small community of returned exiles was used by God to preserve and give to the world the inspired Scriptures of the Old Testament. These people kept alive the faith, worldview, and messianic hope that God had been progressively revealing for centuries. They prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah. Thus the work of Ezra, Nehemiah, and the people in restoring the temple worship (Ezra 1–6); in renewing emphasis on the Torah (Ezra 7–10); in the restoration of the wall and development of the community (Nehemiah 1–7); and in the cultural revitalization, the spiritual renewal, and the community consolidation (Nehemiah 8–13) all has strategic importance in God’s eternal redemptive plan.

[ Copyright © Baker Photo Archive. Musée du Louvre; Autorisation de photographer et de filmer—LOUVRE, Paris, France. ]
Historical Context
In regard to the historical setting, the narrative of both Ezra and Nehemiah concerns the small postexilic community of Jews in Judah. These Jewish people had a vital interest in their own history. They knew that they were descendants of Abraham and Jacob, with specific promises from God regarding his purpose for the Jewish people. At the same time, they were prone to discouragement because of their precarious position in the vast Persian Empire. They were also surrounded by hostile communities.
After the glorious reigns of David and Solomon, the Jewish kingdom was divided (931 BC) into the northern and southern kingdoms. Both 1–2 Kings and 1–2 Chronicles describe the struggle to maintain faith in Yahweh. God raised up prophets to warn the people of their sinful, rebellious ways and to prophesy that destruction and captivity would occur unless the people repented.
In 722–721 BC the Assyrian Empire conquered the northern kingdom, exiling much of the population to other parts of the empire. The southern kingdom, with the Davidic dynasty, continued until 587–586 BC, when it was conquered by the Babylonian Empire. Most of the surviving population was taken captive to Babylon.
Although the Babylonian conquerors were less brutal than the Assyrians, the Jews were still captives in a foreign land. They had not believed Jeremiah’s warnings about God’s judgment (e.g., Jer. 1:14–16; 4:15–18; 6:6–8), preferring to believe the false prophets who said God would never let Jerusalem fall.
The Jews faced a serious test of their faith during the captivity. Now they realized that Jeremiah was right since his prophecies were fulfilled (Jer. 29:10–14). This realization helped many to believe Jeremiah’s positive message that God still had a purpose for them and that they would return to Palestine. Largely through the messages of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, the faith of Israel survived the captivity.
However, after the people had waited nearly fifty years, the return seemed remote. Then, in 539 BC, the Persian king Cyrus I suddenly moved to capture Babylon. His army took the city practically without a struggle. Thus Cyrus controlled the whole Babylonian Empire, including Palestine.

Assyrian relief from Sennacherib’s palace at Nineveh (700–692 BC) showing captives from one of Sennacherib’s military campaigns. [ Copyright © Baker Photo Archive. Courtesy of the British Museum. ]
The Assyrians had been brutal, transporting captives to different parts of the empire and massacring whole populations. The Babylonians were somewhat less cruel but followed the same practice of taking whole populations captive and deporting them. Cyrus, however, encouraged conquered peoples to continue their own religions and cultures. When he took over Babylon he allowed the Jews and other captive peoples to return to their homelands.
The Persian Empire dominated the political scene of the ancient Near Eas