Ezra 1 Explained

Ezra 1 is the first chapter of the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, or the book of Ezra–Nehemiah in the Hebrew Bible, which treats the book of Ezra and book of Nehemiah as one book. Jewish tradition states that Ezra is the author of Ezra–Nehemiah as well as the Book of Chronicles,[1] but modern scholars generally believe that a compiler from the 5th century BCE (the so-called "Chronicler") is the final author of these books.

Ezra 1 contains a narrative of the Edict of Cyrus and the initial return of exiles to Judah led by Sheshbazzar as well as the restoration of the sacred temple vessels. It also introduces the section comprising chapters 1 to 6 describing the history before the arrival of Ezra in the land of Judah in 468 BCE.[2] The opening sentence of this chapter (and this book) is identical to the final sentence of 2 Chronicles.

Cyrus Cylinder

The Cyrus Cylinder contains a statement related to the Cyrus's edict which gives the historical background to the Book of Ezra:Cyrus's edict is significant to the return of the Jews, because it shows that they did not slip away from Babylon but were given official permission by the Persian king in the first year of his rule, and it is a specific fulfillment of the seventy years prophecy of Jeremiah (25:11–14 HE, 29:10–14 HE).

Text

The text is written in Biblical Hebrew and divided into 11 verses.

Textual witnesses

There is a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B;

ak{G}

B; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A;

ak{G}

A; 5th century).

An ancient Greek book called 1 Esdras (Greek: Ἔσδρας Αʹ) containing some parts of 2 Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah is included in most editions of the Septuagint and is placed before the single book of Ezra–Nehemiah (which is titled in Greek: Ἔσδρας Βʹ). 1 Esdras 2:1–14 is an equivalent of Ezra 1:1–11 (Cyrus's edict).[3] [4]

An early manuscript containing the text of this chapter in Biblical Hebrew is the Codex Leningradensis (1008 CE). Since the anti-Jewish riots in Aleppo in 1947, the whole book of Ezra–Nehemiah has been missing from the text of the Aleppo Codex.

Biblical narrative

Ezra 1 starts by providing historical context of a real event: "the first year of Cyrus king of Persia", but immediately follows with the statement about Yahweh, who has the real control and even already speaks about this event before the birth of Cyrus (; 45:13) and the fulfillment of his word through Jeremiah.

Verse 7

The Temple treasures that Nebuchadnezzar took away (36:18 KJV) are now to be returned to Jerusalem.

See also

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. [Babylonian Talmud]
  2. Davies, G. I., Introduction to the Pentateuch in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), The Oxford Bible Commentary, p. 19
  3. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05535a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Esdras: THE BOOKS OF ESDRAS: III Esdras
  4. http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=463&letter=E&search=Books%20of%20Esdras#1248 Jewish Encyclopedia: Esdras, Books of: I Esdras

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