The books of Ezra & Nehemiah in the Bible can be hard to follow, but here I break it down to relate it to the rest of the Old Testament.
THE BOOKS OF EZRA & NEHEMIAH: THE JEWS RETURN FROM EXILE
The Israelites (also referred to as the Hebrews or Jews) have been through a lot. After their rescue from Egypt, entering the Promised Land, receiving their own King, and going into civil war, neighboring countries attack and overthrow them.
The northern kingdom of Israel was exiled by the Assyrian nation and then the southern kingdom of Judah was exiled by Babylonians. Later, Babylon takes over Assyria and was eventually overthrown by the Persian Empire.
Fortunately, when the Persians enter the picture, it is good news for the Jews, as the Persian King Cyrus allows the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the temple (which the Babylonians destroyed) in Jerusalem.
It’s been 70 years of exile and a new generation has risen up. Accustomed to their new life, many people don’t want to leave. However, for those who do, they can return home. There are three waves (or return trips) to Jerusalem.
- 1st group led by Zerubbabel in 538 BC
- 2nd group led by Ezra in 457 BC
- 3rd group led by Nehemiah in 444 BC
The mission of these three groups upon return is:
- Rebuilding the Temple
- Restoring worship and repentance
- Rebuilding walls to fortify the city of Jerusalem
A KINGDOM WITHOUT A KING
While the Israelites never again receive a king of their own, they do receive back their land and freedom to worship their God. Met with opposition all throughout their efforts, three men (Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah), lead the rebuilding of the temple, restore worship, and repair the city walls.
During this time, they are still ruled by the Persian Empire. You can read more details of these times and stories in the books of Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, and Esther.
THE BOOKS OF EZRA & NEHEMIAH PRINTABLES
Open up your Bible, read through Ezra & Nehemiah, and print out these visual notes to guide you as you read. You can order these in my shop:
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So a few years ago, I made this Old and New Testament Summary Printable, and now I’m working my way through each book of the Bible! To get the rest of the printables, check out my Timeline Bundles for the best deal:
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For more Biblical history, check out these other posts:
- Genesis Study
- Bible Notes on 1 & 2 Samuel
- 1 & 2 Kings Notes
- 1 & 2 Chronicles Notes
- Understanding the Old Testament Timeline
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