Persian monarchs of the same name are not distinguished. The book of ezra never declares its author, and the books contents make it difficult to determine when it was written. It is interesting to note that two languages are used in the book of ezra. 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, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying. King xerxes was murdered shortly before king artaxerxes ascended the throne. Ahasuerus, the hebrew version of artachshashta aramaic in ezra 4 and nehemiah. The tombs of 4 biblical persian kings bible reading archeology. To postpone his visit to the history book artaxerxes 1 would make it 57 years later and help to create two extra kings to accommodate him.
Upon studying the angelic beings in the book of daniel earlier this year, i became engrossed with understanding the identity of the medo persian kings mentioned there and in the book of ezra versus the commonly accepted secular historical chronology. Indeed, ezras inspired words furnish clear proof that the word of god is alive and exerts power. Study guide for ezra 1 by david guzik blue letter bible. Strongs concordance calls this artaxerxes a persian king known as darius. His father was the former king xerxes and he ruled the persian empire from 465 b. Oct 01, 2018 the tombs of 4 biblical persian kings in modern iran there is a remarkable ancient site that has special significance for bible students. Other old testament books that mention cyrus include ezra and daniel. Slightly later a second, and very different greek translation was made, in the form of 1 esdras, and initially early christians reckoned this later translation as their biblical book of ezra. The book of ezra continues the story of the jews, following the story recorded in 1 and 2 kings and 1 and 2 chronicles. As if the spelling and pronunciation of ahasuerus and artaxerxes were not problematic enough for the average bible student, one must also consider these persian kings in light of the order in which they are mentioned in the book of ezra. Ezra protests against the intermarriage of jews with foreigners and insists that such guilty jews should obtain divorces from their spouses. Persian kings did not marry outside a restricted number of persian noble families and it is impossible that there was a jewish queen esther. In the first part of this book, nehemiah is presented as the cup bearer to artaxerxes, the persian king who granted.
Understanding the medopersian kings true vine life. Ezra gathered the people of jerusalem and read before the assembly the book of the law of moses which the. Inspired by gods spirit, he tells the israelites that they can head home and rebuild their temple. The proclamation of cyrus 23 this is what cyrus king of persia says. God also directs later persian kings such as darius and artaxerxes to ensure that the jews receive all that they need to revive their worship in jerusalem ezra 6. Nov 14, 2014 as indicated above, ezra begins our key passage with cyrus the great, the founder of the persian empire. According to history, the persian kings reigned in the following order. As the curtain rises and the orchestra dramatically swells, king cyrus of persia has just defeated the babylonians.
Ezra and nehemiah span the reigns of five persian kings david and pat alexander, p. The books of ezra and nehemiah describe the revival wrought by god of a small part of the jews who now returned into the land of promise and gathered again unto the place, which jehovah had chosen to put his name there deuteronomy 12. This name is apparently used to refer to two kings in the old testament, given here in chronological order. A snapper was perhaps the official employed by esarhaddon ezra 4.
Ezra was a devout servant of the lord who made it a point to study and do all that the lord has. Book of ezra overview insight for living ministries. In the book of ezra there is a span of thirtyseven years between ezra 6. The combined work ezra nehemiah is our most important literary source for the formation of the jewish religious community in the province of judah after the babylonian exile. All the kingdoms of the earth the lord god of heaven has given me. In two cases the name in the bible is completely different from the one found in extrabiblical sources, cambyses ii as ahasuerusxerxes in ezra 4. The book of ezra in the bible tells us that the king of persia allowed the jews to return to their own land. Ezra was a direct descendant of aaron the chief priest 7. In the history of the first persian empire, there are three kings called the great. The book of esther precedes the book of ezranehemiah, and neh.
Concerning artaxerxes, thucydides notes, themistoclessent a letter to king artaxerxes, xerxes son, who had just come to the throne. In written nomenclature our target is situated in ezra 4. Artaxerxes of persia amazing bible timeline with world. Next on ezras list is darius, who had both the good fortune of ruling a great empire. The king of babylon ordered most jews to live in babylon. This book also highlights the faith of godly foreigners and the humble attitude of repentant wrongdoers.
As we study the books of ezra and nehemiah, it is important to be aware of something. The king in persia formerly babylon at the time is cyrus of persia about 426 b. It is the glory of god to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. Though written in an idiomatic greek, greek ezra is probably a greek translation from an unknown hebrew and aramaic redaction of the materials. Ezras references to the persian kings put them in their accurate order. The bible book of ezra picks up where second chronicles leaves off. Summary of persian kings named in ezra 4 showing that darius in vs. In the first year of king cyrus 539538 bc, shortly after the persian defeat. Elder ezra taft benson spoke of the contributions of cyrus. Unlike nebuchadnezzar and the babylonian rulers, the persian emperor cyrus the great is a pretty reasonable guy who gives the house of israel the authorization to return to jerusalem and judah and. Nehemiahs appearance at jerusalem can be firmly dated at 445 b. This gives us our clue to the meaning of ezra, for it is a book which recounts the method of god in restoring a heart which has fallen into sin. One is obliged to ask why the writer of the book of ezra would have even bothered to introduce the name artaxerxes into the narrative at ezra 6.
The books of ezra and nehemiah are both set in judah while its ruled by the persian empire, the most powerful empire in the known world at the time. Ezra apparently had official status as a commissioner of the persian government, and his title, scribe of the law of the god of heaven, is best understood as royal secretary for jewish religious affairs, or the like. Min as if the spelling and pronunciation of ahasuerus and artaxerxes were not problematic enough for the average bible student, one must also consider these persian kings in light of the order in which they are mentioned in the book of ezra. The lord, the god of heaven, who has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, has appointed me to build a house for him at jerusalem in judah. This chart reveals the kings of the persian empire achaemenid. When you read the names of these kings you can look on this list which will help you to understand who the king was and when he lived. Ezra 1 cyrus allows the exiles to return enduring word. We know that darius reigned over the persian kingdom for 30 more years before he was succeeded by his son, khashayarshah, the husband of queen esther in 465 b. Modern commentators associate him with xerxes i who reigned from 486 bc until 465 bc.
List of the kings of the persian empire old testament charts bible. Ezra set out in the spring at the head of a sizable caravan and arrived four months later. Whoever among you belongs to his people, may the lord his god be with him, and may he go up. The persian empire was founded by cyrus the great who conquered babylon in 536 bc. In the septuagint, the book of esther refers to this king as artaxerxes ancient greek. This just adds to the evidence that artaxerxes, before it was a throne name chosen by xerxes son longimanus, may well have been used as part of the administrative vocabulary of the author of the book of ezra to describe the persian king darius i. Ezra the foundation of the temple laid pictures of silver. Ezra 16 recounts events that occurred long before ezras time. Carved into the face of a mountain near the ancient persian capital of persepolis the persians had 4 capitals, are the tombs of 4 ancient kings. The events in ezra occur during the book of nehemiah and after the events in the book of esther and near the end of the book of daniel. They recount the decree of cyrus, king of persia, to reestablish and restore the house of the lord at jerusalem.
First, god reigns supreme over all human powers, both cruel babylon and gentler persia ones. In addition to our key text, at the beginning of his book ezra quotes cyrus himself as saying, the lord, the god of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth ezra 1. In addition to our key text, at the beginning of his book ezra quotes cyrus himself as saying, the lord, the god of heaven, has given me all the. Ezra overview james burton coffman commentaries on the bible. Herodotus tells us the circumstances under which darius came to power with the help of his seven friends who became the seven noble men and were the closest advisors of the king. Summary of the books of ezra the story of the bible. Highlights from the book of ezra watchtower online library. Not much is known of the state of jewish affairs between the completion of the temple in 515 b. Ahasuerus is also given as the name of a king of persia in the book of ezra.
Apologetics press kingly chronology in the book of ezra. As indicated above, ezra begins our key passage with cyrus the great. Ezra 1 niv cyrus helps the exiles to return bible gateway. As quoted above, ezra also clearly refers to artaxerxes, but, for our biblical reference, here, too, a more indepth portrayal of our persian king can be found in another book, specifically, nehemiah. To do this the jews had to come out of babylon the territory of worldly religious power. The book of ezra begins with a decree from king cyrus of persia, allowing the jews to return to jerusalem to rebuild the temple that had been destroyed by the babylonians in 587 bc ezra 1. List of the kings of the persian empire old testament. His zeal for god and gods law spurred ezra to lead a group of jews back to israel during king artaxerxess reign over the persian empire which had since replaced the babylonian empire that originally exiled the people of judah. Ezra, bible prophet amazing bible timeline with world. Chartpicture on page 18 persian kings from 537 to 467 b.
Cyrus restored the temple treasures to jerusalem and allowed building expenses to be paid from the royal treasury ezra 1. Other identifications have been made for cambyses ii or with bardiya greek smerdis who reigned perhaps as an imposter for seven months between cambyses ii and darius i. God had blessed ezra and was with him, so the king of persia king artaxerxes gave ezra whatever he needed to make the journey and to rebuild the temple. This is the view of smith and various others, and fits the time frame of the events in 522, when he ruled. The book of ezra begins with the same words which close the book of 2 chronicles.
The two became separated with the first printed rabbinic bibles of the early 16th century, following late medieval latin christian tradition. This summary of the book of ezra provides information about the title, author s, date of writing, chronology, theme, theology, outline, a brief overview, and the chapters of the book of ezra. Kingly chronology in the book of ezra apologetics press. The books of ezra, nehemiah, esther, haggai, zachariah, and malachi were written during the time of the early persian kingdom. Ezra 1 new international version niv cyrus helps the exiles to return. Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the lord, and to do it, and to teach in israel statutes and judgments ezra 7. King cyrus actively assisted the jews in rebuilding the temple in jerusalem under zerubbabel and joshua the high priest. As you read the books of ezra, nehemiah and esther, you will come across the names of different kings. Darius of ezra 6 and artaxerxes of ezra 7 are the same king removing the need for an. King cyrus lived more than five hundred years before christ and figured in prophecies of the old testament mentioned in 2 chronicles and the book of ezra, and by the prophets ezekiel, isaiah, and daniel. It contains almost all that is known of jewish history between 538 b. In english bibles, they are usually split into two, with the book of nehemiah appearing as a separate book from ezra, but in the hebrew tradition, they are one book, entitled ezra, and nehemiah is simply the second part of ezra.
The single hebrew book ezranehemiah, with title ezra, was translated into greek around the middle of the 2nd century bc. The book of esther precedes chronologically the book of ezranehemiah. Ezra s references to the persian kings put them in their accurate order. Why didnt all the jews want to return to jerusalem ezra. The persian empire, the return of the jews, and the diaspora. The book of ezra mentions four names of persian kings. The treatment of ezra nehemiah as a single book by the earliest editors was undoubtedly due to the fact that in ancient times the two books were put under the one name, ezra.
Today the majority of scholars accept the accuracy of the book, the new westminster dictionary of the bible frankly saying that there is no doubt about the reliability of the historical contents. Each persian king mentioned in the book of ezra pays his respects to the god of heaven 1. The elyphantine papyri mention the high priest johanan, also mentioned in the book of ezra, as a contemporary of darius ii. Persian kings in the bible iran in the bible cyrus. So there you have it, we have lopped off 57 years, and removed the necessity of two of the persian kings. The persian kings and bible chronology the ensign message. The book of ezra begins with king cyrus of persia offering jews the freedom to return to jerusalem. Ezra was a knowledgeable leader of jewish law, and he was also a descendant of the high priest aaron, who was the brother of moses. Kingly chronology in the book of ezra by eric lyons, m. From genesis to deuteronomy, god calls out israel as a special nation and teaches them his laws from joshua to 2 chronicles, god gives israel a land and a king, but israel loses both when they consistently disobey god from ezra to esther, god restores israel from exile in their own land again. How long did it take ezra to rebuild the temple in jerusalem. Scholars are divided over the chronological sequence of the activities of ezra and nehemiah. The following are some of the early persian kings according to listed books of bible.
The content of the book is a history of the jews from the celebration of the passover in the time of king josiah 7th century bce to the reading of the law in the time of ezra 5th century bce. Persian kings in the bible iran in the bible cyrus charter of human rights cyrus the great iran in the bible history of persia and cambysses, darius the great, xerxes, artaxerxes i persian kings according to the bible. Wise men of the east, also called magi, or three kings of the orient. Its writer, ezra the priest, begins the account with the issuing of a decree by king cyrus of persia that allows a remnant of the jews exiled in babylon to return to their homeland. Artaxerxes i of persia was the fifth king of the achaemenid dynasty. Biblical literature persian and hellenistic influences. There is another clue that tells us that darius the persian is artaxerxes in ezra, nehemiah, and xerxes in the book of esther. Ezra in the picture study bible the book of ezra with maps. This detailed study shines new light on the medopersian kings in the book of daniel and serves as a helpful resource for understanding several chapters of isaiah, jeremiah, daniel, and ezra. Babylon was a long way from their own country, called judah.
Ezra is written to fit a schematic pattern in which the god of israel inspires a king of persia to commission a leader from the. Mar, 2020 the book of ezra mentions another king named darius, also known as darius i or darius the great. The events in ezra 4 occurred more than 60 years before the events in ezra 7, during the construction of the temple. God stirs cyrus to make a decreenow 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, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and also put it in writing, saying. Many years later, the army from persia defeated the army from babylon. The persian empire succeeded the babylonian empire and it was cyrus, who issued the famous decree for the jews to return to their homeland to rebuild their temple. The books of ezra and nehemiah are the only completely historical books in the third section of the hebrew bible, the ketuvim writings.