Study notes

Ezra 5

Introducing EzraWho wrote it, when, why, and what to look for as you read

3:1–5:17 Section

Joshua and Zerubbabel led the Jews to build the altar for burnt offerings. This allowed them to again follow the worship practices of the Law of Moses. God had taught them these worship practices in the Mount Sinai covenant.

They included many kinds of offerings, sacrifices and feasts. The most important part was that God’s people were to worship only God. They weren’t to worship false gods. These worship practices showed that God’s people were set apart from other people groups. They showed that God’s people were a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

The Jews were afraid of the nations around them. Some of these were people groups that the king of Assyria had forced to live there. This had happened when Assyria took control of the northern kingdom. The Israelites had been forced to leave Samaria and the areas around it. The Assyrians had forced other people groups to live there instead. These people groups followed some of the Law of Moses. They worshipped God but they worshipped other gods as well.

Zerubbabel and Joshua didn’t trust that these groups were completely committed to the Lord. So these groups weren’t allowed to help build the temple. The Jews had started building the temple right after they built the altar. But these other people groups stopped the work. Officials of the government of Persia also stopped the work.

4:24–5:5

Ezra now continues the story of building the temple from 520 to 515 BC.

5:1

Haggai first delivered his prophecy on August 29, 520 BC (Haggai 1:1). Zechariah started prophesying about two months later (Zechariah 1:1). The books of Haggai and Zechariah contain their messages (see also Ezra 6:14).

5:2

  • The Jewish leaders had not led with faith (see Haggai 1:1, 12). Now God's spirit motivated them (Haggai 1:14), and they obeyed by starting their work.

  • Zerubbabel and Jeshua play important roles in the books of Haggai and Zechariah.

5:3

Who authorized you: Unlike the hostile opposition in Ezra 4, this seems to be a routine check to ensure everything follows official rules.

5:5

the eye of their God was on the elders: All credit goes to God's control of events, not to any human leader or prophet. God promised that the ruins would be rebuilt (Isaiah 44:26).

5:6

officials: A Persian term for inspectors or investigators.

5:6–17

Ezra includes a copy in Aramaic of Tattenai’s letter to King Darius. Unlike the letter in Ezra 4:11–16, this letter simply asks if the Jews' actions are valid.

5:8

  • The title the great God was a Persian way to refer to an important high deity. It does not mean the provincial authorities believed in Israel’s God.

  • Following the design of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6:36), builders placed a layer of timber in the walls after every three rows of prepared stones (see Ezra 6:4). This helped reduce potential earthquake damage.

5:11

  • the God of heaven: The Persians understood this title. It referred to the universal high God, not a minor local deity.

  • a great king of Israel: Solomon (see 1 Kings 5–8).

5:14–15

The Jews gave detailed information that the Persians could verify for accuracy (see Ezra 1:7–11).

Verse notes: Adapted by Mission Mutual (Aquifer Open Study Notes) from Tyndale Open Study Notes © 2023 Tyndale House Publishers. CC BY-SA 4.0. Section notes: Biblica Study Notes © 2023 Biblica, Inc. CC BY-SA 4.0, via BibleAquifer. About the sources