Ezra, Book of

The Book of Ezra is a historical narrative covering the first two waves of Jewish return from Babylon to Jerusalem: the first return under Sheshbazzar and Zerubbabel (chapters 1–6, 538–516 B.C.), which resulted in the rebuilding of the temple, and the second return under Ezra himself (chapters 7–10, 458 B.C.). It was originally combined with Nehemiah as a single work and may have been composed by the same author who wrote Chronicles. The book is notable for its extensive use of Aramaic (Ezra 4:8–6:18; 7:12–26) in the official Persian correspondence, and for including authentic Persian royal decrees from Cyrus, Darius I, and Artaxerxes I. Its theological concern is the restoration of proper temple worship, Levitical order, and Torah obedience in a purified community — prefiguring the new covenant community of the New Testament. The book makes no explicit messianic claim but its entire orientation is toward the restoration of the covenant people for the fulfillment of God's promises.