Answer
Ezra was written at a critical time in Israel’s history, following the nation’s years in exile. The wickedness of the kings in the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah resulted in devastating consequences. Their rebellion, along with the people’s widespread idolatry, led to God’s judgment on the nation. As a result, God permitted foreign armies to conquer them. The invaders took many Israelites into captivity, exiling them to distant lands. Approximately 70 years later, God allowed their descendants to return to Israel. The book of Ezra, likely written by Ezra the priest, tells an important part of this story. He wrote it between 457 BC, when he arrived in Israel, and 444 BC, when Nehemiah began governing Jerusalem.
Understanding the identity of the book’s author helps determine the time of its composition. Ezra was a Levitical priest in Israel. He returned to Judah to help reestablish the nation’s worship of God in Jerusalem. The book reflects priestly themes, suggesting that Ezra wrote it. Notably, it emphasizes Ezra’s lineage, tracing his ancestry to “Aaron the chief priest” (Ezra 7:5). Ezra’s priestly role aligns closely with the book’s primary focus on worship in Israel.
Ezra’s effort to reestablish worship in Israel stemmed from his deep devotion to Scripture. He is described as “a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses” (Ezra 7:6, ESV). In ancient Israel, a scribe did more than write—he also interpreted, taught, and applied the law. Furthermore, “the hand of the Lord his God was on him” (Ezra 7:6, ESV). This signifies that God blessed Ezra’s ministry in Israel. Ezra’s faithfulness to God equipped him to renew worship in the nation.
Most of the Israelites who returned from exile were descendants of the southern tribe of Judah. In 586 BC, the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar exiled many Judeans. Their descendants’ return from exile is traditionally dated to 538 BC. That year, King Cyrus of Persia issued a decree allowing the Jews to return home.
The opening passage of Ezra records Cyrus’ decree allowing the Jews to return to Jerusalem. Cyrus proclaimed that God “charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:2, ESV). The Jews’ return was meant to “rebuild the house of the Lord, the God of Israel” (verse 3, ESV). This fulfilled a prophecy from Jeremiah about the nation’s return (Jeremiah 29:10). Ezra himself returned during a later wave of freed exiles. The book tells of these foundational events as part of the nation’s restoration.
Finally, Ezra 7:27—9:15 includes first-person narration. The section begins with Ezra praising God. He acknowledges that God moved the king’s heart to beautify the temple in Jerusalem. Ezra also notes that God extended steadfast love to him and recognized that God’s hand was upon his ministry. This gave him courage to gather other men from Israel to return to Jerusalem. He reflected, “I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me” (Ezra 7:28, ESV). This first-person account suggests it was written during or shortly after Ezra’s arrival in Jerusalem. Combined with other evidence, this supports the conclusion that the book of Ezra was written between 457 and 444 BC.
