Ezra 1
| Ezra 1 | |
|---|---|
 The whole book of Ezra-Nehemiah in the Leningrad Codex (1008 C.E.) from an old fascimile edition. | |
| Book | Book of Ezra |
| Category | Ketuvim |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 15 |
Ezra 1 is the first chapter of the Book of Ezra in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible,[1] or the book of Ezra-Nehemiah in the Hebrew Bible, which treats the book of Ezra and book of Nehemiah as one book.[2] Jewish tradition states that Ezra is the author of Ezra-Nehemiah as well as the Book of Chronicles,[3] but modern scholars generally accept that a compiler from 5th century BCE (so-called “the Chronicler”) is the final author of these books.[4] This chapter contains the records of King Cyrus's edict and the initial return of exiles to Judah led by Sheshbazzar as well as the restoration of the sacred temple vessels.[5] It also introduces the section comprising chapter 1 to 6 describing the history before the arrival of Ezra to the land of Judah.[5][6] The opening sentence of this chapter (and this book) is identical to the final sentence of 2 Chronicles.[7]
Text
The original text is written in Hebrew language. This chapter is divided into 11 verses.
Textual witnesses
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text, which includes Codex Leningradensis (1008).[8][a]
There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BC. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; B; 4th century), and Codex Alexandrinus (A; A; 5th century).[10]
God is sovereign (1:1–4)
The book starts with a historical context of a real event: “the first year of Cyrus king of Persia”, but immediately follows with the statement about God who has the real control and even already speaks about this event before the birth of Cyrus (Isaiah 44:28; 45:13) and the fulfillment of his word through Jeremiah.[11]
Verse 1
- Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,[12]
- Cross reference: 2 Chronicles 36:22[13]
- "Now": translated from the Hebrew connecting word "waw". The use of this word to start a book is the same as in 1 Kings.[14]
- "Cyrus king of Persia": c. 600 – 530 BC),[15] commonly known as "Cyrus the Great"[16] He wrote a declaration in Akkadian cuneiform script in an ancient clay cylinder, now known as the "Cyrus Cylinder", which was used as a foundation deposit following the Persian conquest of Babylon in 539 BC, when the Neo-Babylonian Empire was invaded by Cyrus and incorporated into his Persian Empire.[15]
Verse 2
- "Thus says Cyrus king of Persia:
- “The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and He has charged me to build Him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah."[17]
- Cross reference: 2 Chronicles 36:23[13]
In the Cyrus Cylinder there is a statement related to the Cyrus's edict which gives the historical background to the book of Ezra:[18]
- I returned the images of the gods, who had resided there [i.e., in Babylon], to their places and I let them dwell in eternal abodes. I gathered all their inhabitants and returned to them their dwellings.[19]
The Cyrus's edict is significant to the return of the Jews, because they didn't slip away from Babylonia but was given an official permission by the Persian king on his first year of rule and it is a specific fulfillment of the seventy years prophecy of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 25:11–14; Jeremiah 29:10–14).[5]
Verse 3
- Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the Lord God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem.[20]
- Cross reference: 2 Chronicles 36:23[13]
Verse 4
- And whoever is left in any place where he dwells, let the men of his place help him with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, besides the freewill offerings for the house of God which is in Jerusalem.[21]
- "And whoever is left": or "and every survivor"[22] is translated from Template:Lang-he, wə-ḵāl ha-nish-’ār,[23] referring to the "Jews who stayed behind";[22] thus, the "Jews who are not returning to Judah", and these people must assist those who were going back to Judah.[24]
Cooperation (1:5–11)
In response to Cyrus's Decree, the family heads of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, the priests and the Levites rose up and went to Jerusalem, but the ten other tribes did not show any reactions.[25] The last three verses detail the inventory of captured temple articles (probably based on the official document authorizing the return[26]) that are counted out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah to be brought from Babylon to Jerusalem.[27]
Verse 7
- Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem, and had put them in the house of his gods;[28]
The Temple treasures that Nebuchadnezzar took away (2 Chronicles 36:18) are now to be returned to Jerusalem.[26]
See also
- Related Bible parts: 2 Chronicles 36, Isaiah 44, Isaiah 45, Jeremiah 25, Jeremiah 29, Jeremiah 51
Notes
- ^ Since 1947 the current text of Aleppo Codex is missing the whole book of Ezra-Nehemiah.[9]
References
- ^ Halley 1965, p. 232.
- ^ Grabbe 2003, p. 313.
- ^ Talmud Babylonia Baba Bathra 15a, apud Fensham 1982, p. 2
- ^ Fensham 1982, pp. 2–4.
- ^ a b c Grabbe 2003, p. 314.
- ^ Fensham 1982, p. 4.
- ^ Levering 2007, p. 39.
- ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 36–37.
- ^ P. W. Skehan (2003), "BIBLE (TEXTS)", New Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 2 (2nd ed.), Gale, pp. 355–362
- ^ Würthwein 1995, pp. 73–74.
- ^ Larson, Dahlen & Anders 2005, p. 6.
- ^ Ezra 1:1 KJV
- ^ a b c Fensham 1982, p. 3.
- ^ Fensham 1982, p. 42.
- ^ a b Dandamaev 1989, p. 71.
- ^ Xenophon, Anabasis I. IX; see also M. A. Dandamaev "Cyrus II", in Encyclopaedia Iranica.
- ^ Ezra 1:2 MEV
- ^ McConville 1985, p. 8.
- ^ Line 32 in * Lendering, Jona (5 February 2010). "Cyrus Cylinder (2)". Livius.org. Archived from the original on 11 March 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2007. Text adapted from Schaudig (2001). English translation adapted from Cogan's translation in Hallo & Younger (2003).
- ^ Ezra 1:3 KJV
- ^ Ezra 1:4 NKJV
- ^ a b Fensham 1982, p. 44.
- ^ Hebrew Text Analysis: Ezra 1:4. Biblehub
- ^ McConville 1985, p. 9.
- ^ Larson, Dahlen & Anders 2005, p. 8.
- ^ a b McConville 1985, p. 11.
- ^ Larson, Dahlen & Anders 2005, p. 9.
- ^ Ezra 1:7 KJV
Sources
- Dandamaev, M. A. (1989). A political history of the Achaemenid empire. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 90-04-09172-6.
- Fensham, F. Charles (1982). The Books of Ezra and Nehemiah. New international commentary on the Old Testament (illustrated ed.). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN 978-0802825278. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- Grabbe, Lester L. (2003). "Ezra". In Dunn, James D. G.; Rogerson, John William (eds.). Eerdmans Commentary on the Bible (illustrated ed.). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 313–319. ISBN 978-0802837110. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- Halley, Henry H. (1965). Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary (24th (revised) ed.). Zondervan Publishing House. ISBN 0-310-25720-4.
- Hallo, W.H.; Younger, K.L., eds. (2003). The Context of Scripture: Monumental Inscriptions from the Biblical World. Translated by Cogan, Mordechai. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-10619-2.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Brosius, Maria (ed.): The Persian Empire from Cyrus II to Artaxerxes I (2000, London Association of Classical Teachers (LACT) 16, London.
- Larson, Knute; Dahlen, Kathy; Anders, Max E. (2005). Anders, Max E. (ed.). Holman Old Testament Commentary - Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther. Holman Old Testament commentary. Vol. Volume 9 (illustrated ed.). B&H Publishing Group. ISBN 978-0805494693. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
{{cite book}}:|volume=has extra text (help) - Levering, Matthew (2007). Ezra & Nehemiah. Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible. Brazos Press. ISBN 978-1587431616. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- McConville, J. G. (1985). Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. The daily study Bible : Old Testament. Westminster John Knox Press. ISBN 978-0664245832. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
- Schaudig, Hanspeter (2001). Die Inschriften Nabonids von Babylon und Kyros' des Großen, samt den in ihrem Umfeld entstandenen Tendenzschriften. Textausgabe und Grammatik (in German). Münster: Ugarit-Verlag.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Smith-Christopher, Daniel L. (2007). "15. Ezra-Nehemiah". In Barton, John; Muddiman, John (eds.). The Oxford Bible Commentary (first (paperback) ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. 308–324. ISBN 978-0199277186. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
External links
- Jewish translations:
- Ezra - Chapter 1 (Judaica Press) translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
- Christian translations:
- Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
- Book of Ezra Chapter 1. Bible Gateway