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EZRA

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CHAPTER 1: CYRUS BUILDS TEMPLE

  • In the first year of the rule of Cyrus the King of Persia, orders are given to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem.
  • The family heads of Judah and Benjamite return to Jerusalem as well the priests and the Levites.
  • Cyrus returns the articles that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple.

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CHAPTER 2: LIST OF EXILES THAT RETURN

  • A list.
  • After returning several heads of the families make offerings in order to fund the rebuild of the temple.

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CHAPTER 3: REBUILDING THE TEMPLE

  • Jeshua son of Jozadak and his fellow priests rebuild the altar. After its construction they celebrate the feast of tabernacles and make offerings.
  • Jeshua and his fellow priests then begin rebuild the temple.
  • After the foundation is complete the Israelites began to shout praise.

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CHAPTER 4: SAMARITANS PLOT AGAINST THE JEWS

  • The Samaritans who were relatives of the Jews who had not been exiled to Babylon offered to help the Jews rebuild the temple. The Jews turned there help down.
  • After this the Samaritans began conspiring against the Jews an attempted to stop the construction. In the time of Artaxerxes King of Persia, the Samaritans sent him a letter in attempts to convince him to stop the Jews from building the temple.
  • Artaxerxes was convinced and ordered the Jews to stop building the temple.

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CHAPTER 5: TATTENAI’S LETTER TO DARIUS

  • In the time of Darius the Prophets Haggai and Zechariah ordered the Jews to continue building the Temple.
  • Tattenai the Persian governor who ruled the area west of the Euphrates confronts the Jews and asks if they have permission. The Jews claim King Cyrus gave them permission.
  • Tattenai then writes King Darius and asks him if they have permission.

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CHAPTER 6: THE DECREE OF DARIUS

  • Darius issued an order to search the archives, and a scroll was found that gave Jews permission the rebuild temple.
  • Darius sends Tattenai an order to allow the Jews to rebuild the temple.
  • The temple is completed.
  • The Jews celebrate Passover.

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CHAPTER 7: EZRA COMES TO JERUSALEM

  • Ezra a teacher well versed in the Laws of Moses returns to Jerusalem.
  • King Artaxerxes sent a letter with Ezra giving him authority over the land west of the Euphrates river. Also granting a large amount of money to Ezra.

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CHAPTER 8: EZRA’S RETURN TO JERUSALEM

  • List of families returning to Jerusalem.
  • Ezra assembles the families at the Ahava Canal.
  • Ezra distributes gold and silver to the leading priests of the 12 families.

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CHAPTER 9: INTERMARRIAGE IN ISRAEL

  • Several leaders in Israel come to Ezra and report that the Israelites are intermarrying with surrounding nations.
  • Ezra prays to God about the problem.

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CHAPTER 10: THE PEOPLE CONFESS

  • The Israelites confess they have sinned, and they make a covenant that they will send away all the foreign women.
  • Ezra then went and fasted and the called all the Israelites to assemble. He then separated the Israelites who had intermarried.
  • Ezra then selected leaders from the families to judge the cases.