Book of EzraOverview, summary & 10 chapters

Ezra chronicles Israel's initial post-exilic restoration through two pivotal returns from Babylonian captivity—first under Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple (538-516 BC) and later under Ezra to restore spiritual and covenant fidelity (458 BC). Demonstrating remarkable continuity between pre-exilic and post-exilic Judaism, the narrative presents this restoration not as innovation but as covenant renewal, emphasizing how proper worship and Torah observance remained central to Israel's identity despite the loss of political autonomy. The book unfolds in two distinct sections separated by a nearly sixty-year gap: the first Jewish return and temple reconstruction under Persian authorization (chapters 1-6) and Ezra's subsequent return and religious reforms (chapters 7-10).