Ezra Returns to Jerusalem
Ezra is introduced as a scribe skilled in the law of Moses, and the line the book uses to sum him up sets its priorities in order: he had set his heart to study the law, to do it, and to teach it in Israel.
He travels from Babylon with royal backing and a substantial treasury, and declines a military escort — having told the king that God protects those who seek him, he is ashamed to ask for soldiers, and proclaims a fast at the river Ahava instead.
His most consequential act comes later, in Nehemiah's account. He reads the law aloud to the assembled people from daybreak until midday, standing on a wooden platform, with Levites moving through the crowd explaining the sense of it. The people weep as they listen, and are told not to — the day is holy, and they are to go and eat and share with those who have nothing prepared.
Where in scripture
[1] Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, [2] the son of Shallum, the son of Zadok, the son of Ahitub, [3] the son of Amariah, the son of Azariah, the son of Meraioth, [4] the son of Zerahiah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Bukki, [5] the son of Abishua, the son of Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the chief priest— [6] this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to Yahweh his God’s hand on him. …
Ezra 7:1–28 — opening verses
[1] All the people gathered themselves together as one man into the wide place that was in front of the water gate; and they spoke to Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses, which Yahweh had commanded to Israel. [2] Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, both men and women, and all who could hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. [3] He read from it before the wide place that was in front of the water gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women, and of those who could understand. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. …
Nehemiah 8:1–18 — opening verses
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, a public-domain translation.
