The Book of Esdras 1,2

1 Esdras.

1 Esdras (Ancient Greek: Ἔσδρας Αʹ), also Esdras A, Greek Esdras, Greek Ezra, or 3 Esdras, is the ancient Greek Septuagint version of the biblical Book of Ezra in use within the early church and among many modern Christians with varying degrees of canonicity. 1 Esdras is substantially similar to the standard Hebrew version of Ezra–Nehemiah, with the passages specific to the career of Nehemiah removed or re-attributed to Ezra, and some additional material.

As part of the Septuagint translation, it is now regarded as canonical in the churches of the East, but apocryphal in the West; either presented in a separate section or excluded altogether. For example, it is listed among the Apocrypha in Article VI of the Thirty-Nine Articles of the Church of England.[1] 1 Esdras is found in Origen's Hexapla. The Greek Septuagint, the Old Latin bible and related bible versions include both Esdras Αʹ (English title: 1 Esdras) and Esdras Βʹ (Ezra–Nehemiah) as separate books.

There is scope for considerable confusion with references to 1 Esdras. The name refers primarily to translations of the original Greek 'Esdras A'.[2] The Septuagint calls it Esdras A, and the Vetus Latina calls it 1 Esdras, while the Vulgate calls it 3 Esdras. It was considered apocryphal by Jerome.[3]

Contents

Further information: Book of Ezra

1 Esdras contains the whole of Ezra with the addition of one section; its verses are numbered differently. Just as Ezra begins with the last two verses of 2 Chronicles, 1 Esdras begins with the last two chapters, beginning with Josiah's celebration of the Passover;[4] this suggests that Chronicles and Esdras may have been read as one book at some time in the past.[citation needed]

Ezra 4:6 includes a reference to a King Ahasuerus. Etymologically, Ahasuerus is the same as Xerxes, who reigned between Darius I and Artaxerxes I. In 1 Esdras, the section is reorganized, leading up to the additional section, and the reference to Ahasuerus is removed.

The additional section begins with a story known variously as the "Darius contest", the "Tale of the Three Guardsmen", or the "Story of the Three Youths", which was interpolated into 1 Esdras at 3:1 to 4:42.[5] This section forms the core of 1 Esdras with Ezra 5, which together are arranged in a literary chiasm around the celebration in Jerusalem at the exiles' return. This chiastic core forms 1 Esdras into a complete literary unit, allowing it to stand independently from the Book of Nehemiah. Indeed, some scholars, such as W. F. Albright and Edwin M. Yamauchi, believe that Nehemiah came back to Jerusalem before Ezra.[6][7]

Author and criticism

The Septuagint: A column of uncial text from 1 Esdras in the Codex Vaticanus, the basis of Sir Lancelot Charles Lee Brenton's Greek edition and English translation.

The purpose of the book seems to be retelling the Return to Zion in a way that it revolved around the story of the dispute among the courtiers, the 'Tale of the Three Guardsmen'. Since there are various discrepancies in the account, most scholars hold that the work was written by more than one author. However, some scholars believe that this work may have been the original, or at least the more authoritative. Most scholars agree that the original language of the work was Aramaic and Hebrew, with a few arguing for the originality of the Greek.[9] The text contains similarities to the vocabulary in the Book of Daniel and II Maccabees, and it is presumed that the authors came either from Lower Egypt or Palestine and wrote during the Seleucid period. Assuming this theory is correct, many scholars consider the possibility that the book made use of an Aramaic chronicle.[10]

Josephus makes use of 1 Esdras, which he treats as Scripture, while generally disregarding the canonical text of Ezra–Nehemiah. Some scholars believe that the composition is likely to have taken place in the second century BC.[11] Many Protestant and Catholic scholars assign no historical value to the sections of the book not duplicated in Ezra–Nehemiah. The citations of the other books of the Bible, however, provide an early alternative to the Septuagint for those texts, which increases its value to scholars.

In the current Greek texts, the book breaks off in the middle of a sentence; that particular verse thus had to be reconstructed from an early Latin translation. However, it is generally presumed that the original work extended to the Feast of Tabernacles, as described in Nehemiah 8:13–18. An additional difficulty with the text appears to readers who are unfamiliar with chiastic structures common in Semitic literature. If the text is assumed to be a Western-style, purely linear narrative, then Artaxerxes seems to be mentioned before Darius, who is mentioned before Cyrus. (Such jumbling of the order of events, however, is also presumed by some readers to exist in the canonical Ezra and Nehemiah.) The Semitic chiasm is corrected in at least one manuscript of Josephus in the Antiquities of the Jews, Book 11, chapter 2 where we find that the name of the above-mentioned Artaxerxes is called Cambyses.

Some scholars, including Joseph Blenkinsopp in his 1988 commentary on Ezra–Nehemiah, hold that the book is a late 2nd/early 1st century BC revision of Esdras and Esdras β,[12] while others such as L. L. Grabbe believe it to be independent of the Hebrew-language Ezra–Nehemiah.[13]

Christian canonical status and use

The book was widely quoted by early Christian authors and it found a place in Origen's Hexapla.

In early Latin traditions, Ezra, Nehemiah, 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras were known, respectively, as 1 Esdras, 2 Esdras, 3 Esdras ('the Greek Esdras') and 4 Esdras.[14]

In the Vulgate, I Esdras is considered to be Ezra, II Esdras to be Nehemiah, III Esdras to be 1 Esdras, and IV Esdras to be 2 Esdras. For Jerome, III Esdras and IV Esdras were apocryphal.[3][15] As Jerome's Vulgate version of the Bible gradually achieved dominance in Western Christianity, III Esdras no longer circulated. From the 13th century onwards, Vulgate Bibles produced in Paris reintroduced a Latin text of 1 Esdras, in response to commercial demand. However, the use of the book continued in the Eastern Church, and it remains a part of the Eastern Orthodox canon.

At the Council of Trent, only 3 bishops voted for an explicit rejection of the books of Esdras; the overwhelming majority "withheld any explicit decision on these books": thus "the question of Esdras' canonical status was left theoretically open".[16] Catholic theologians and apologists disagree, but some argue that these books could theoretically be added as "tritiocanonical" books by the Roman Catholic Magisterium (or pope) at a later time, most likely related to union with one or more of the churches who already hold these books to be canonical.[17]

In the Roman rite liturgy, 1 Esdras is used in the Missal of 1962 in the offertory prayer of a Votive Mass for the election of a Pope.

Non participentur sancta, donec exsurgat póntifex in ostensiónem et veritátem
("Let them not take part in the holy things, until there arise a priest unto showing and truth.") (3 Esdras 5:40).[a][18][better source needed]

Nomenclature

The book normally called 1 Esdras is numbered differently among various versions of the Bible. In most editions of the Septuagint, the book is titled in Greek: Ἔσδρας Αʹ and is placed before the single book of Ezra–Nehemiah, which is titled in Greek: Ἔσδρας Βʹ.

1 Esdras is called 3 Esdras in the Latin Vulgate, which was translation from the Greek version of the Septuagint called Esdras A.[19]

The Vulgate denoted 1 Esdras (Ezra) and 2 Esdras (Nehemiah) respectively. Vulgate Bible editions of the 13th century, and in what later became the usage of the Clementine Vulgate and the Anglican Articles of Religion, the Book of Ezra is applied to '1 Esdras'; while the Book of Nehemiah corresponds to '2 Esdras'; Esdras 1 (Esdras A in the Septuagint) corresponds to 3 Esdras and finally 2 Esdras, an additional work associated with the name Ezra, is denoted '4 Esdras' (It is called '2 Esdras' in the King James Version and in most modern English bibles). 3 Esdras continues to be accepted as canonical by Eastern Orthodoxy and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, with 4 Esdras varying in canonicity between particular denominations within the Eastern churches.[20]

The Slavonic Bible refers to this book as 2 Esdras, the Romanian Synodal Version refers to it as III Ezdra,[21] and the Ethiopic Bible calls it "Ezra Kali", i.e. "2 Ezra".

Overwhelmingly, citations in early Christian writings claimed from the scriptural 'Book of Ezra' (without any qualification) are taken from 1 Esdras, and never from the 'Ezra' sections of Ezra–Nehemiah (Septuagint 'Esdras B'), the majority of early citations being taken from the 1 Esdras section containing the 'Tale of the Three Guardsmen', which is interpreted as Christological prophecy.[2]

The King James Version and many successive English translations, including the RSV, NRSV, NEB, REB, and GNB, refer to "1 Esdras". The Clementine Vulgate and its derivative translations refer to 3 Esdras.

References

1. Anglican Communion Office, Thirty Nine Articles of Religion: Article 6, accessed on 4 July 2025
2. Bogaert, Pierre-Maurice (2000). "Les livres d'Esdras et leur numérotation dans l'histoire du canon de la Bible latin". Revue Bénédictine. 110 (1–2): 5–26. doi:10.1484/J.RB.5.100750.
3. "St. Jerome, The Prologue on the Book of Ezra: English translation".
4. 2 Chronicles 35:1
5. Charles C. Torrey (1910). Ezra Studies. University of Chicago Press. p. 37.
6. W. F. Albright, "The Date and Personality of the Chronicler", JBL 40 (1921), 121. Full text.
7. Edwin Yamauchi, "The Reverse Order of Ezra/Nehemiah Reconsidered", Themelios 5.3 (1980), 7-13. Full text.
8. Ezra 4:6, which introduces a difficult "King Ahasuerus", is not found in I Esdras.
9. de Troyer, Kristin (2020). "1 Esdras: Structure, Composition, and Significance". In Kelle, Brad E.; Strawn, Brent A. (eds.). The Oxford Handbook of the Historical Books of the Hebrew Bible. Oxford University Press. p. 370. ISBN 978-0-19-007411-1.
10. Böhler, Dieter (2016). 1 Esdras. International Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament. Kohlhammer Verlag. pp. 14–16. ISBN 978-3-17-029801-9.
11. Böhler, Dieter (2016). 1 Esdras. International Exegetical Commentary on the Old Testament. Kohlhammer Verlag. p. 14. ISBN 978-3-17-029801-9.
12. Blenkinsopp, Joseph, "Ezra-Nehemiah: A Commentary" (Eerdmans, 1988) pp.70–71
13. Grabbe, L.L., A History of the Jews and Judaism in the Second Temple Period, Volume 1 (T&T Clark, 2004) p.83
14. Bogaert, Pierre-Maurice (2013), Paget, James Carleton; Schaper, Joachim (eds.), The New Cambridge History of the Bible; Volume 1; from the Beginnings to 600, CUP, pp. xxvi
15. Gallagher, Edmon L.; Meade, John D. (2017), The Biblical Canon Lists from Early Christianity, OUP, p. 201
16. Gary Michuta, Why Catholic Bibles are Bigger (Michigan: Grotto Press, 2007), pp. 240-241
17. "Tritiocanonicals? – Jimmy Akin". 8 August 2006.
18. "Actual Apocrypha in the Liturgy". Catholic News Live. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
19. The Latin Versions of First Esdras, Harry Clinton York, The American Journal of Semitic Languages and Literatures, Vol. 26, No. 4 (Jul., 1910), pp. 253–302
20. "Are 1 and 2 Esdras non-canonical books?". Catholic Answers. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
21. "Biblia sau Sfanta Scriptura".

-Wiki-

.....

1 Esdras

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Scholars claim that 1 Esdras is, perhaps, the least read book of the Apocrypha. The reason seems to be that most of its material can be found in either 2 Chronicles, Ezra, or those parts of Nehemiah that refer to Ezra (see list below). The book covers a period of time from the seventh century to the fifth (or possibly fourth) century BCE. This was a time of major upheaval for the Jewish nation. Josiah was king of Judah. The Assyrian Empire had dominated the region for over a century, but was on the decline and would soon break apart. It would be replaced by the Babylonians, who would conquer Judah, destroy the temple at Jerusalem, and take many of its citizens into captivity. These events are known to have occurred during the years 622-587 BCE.

It wasn't long, however, before the Persians replaced the Babylonians and became the dominant power in the region. Their policy was much different from the Babylonians. Cyrus encouraged the Jews to return to Jerusalem to rebuild their city and temple. Much of this work was brought to a climax by Ezra. It is unknown exactly when Ezra did this. Some scholars think a century or more might have passed between Cyrus and Ezra; others think the time was much shorter.

1 Esdras selectively reflects on some of the more important religious implications of these events. The book begins with Josiah's reforms and the re-institution of Passover and ends with the reading of the law by Ezra.

The following list indicates how these verses line up. This is not to suggest they are written word-for-word. 1 Esdras has only been found in Greek; the others were written in Hebrew, yet the gist is the same. Scholars believe that 1 Esdras was probably translated from the Septuagint, which would indicate it wasn't written until a much later date. Indeed, its vocabulary has a lot in common with documents from the second century. It clearly is more of a reflection on events, rather than a description of what is happening at the time it was written. Some scholars think it might have been written in Egypt, but that remains speculative.

Parallels between 1 Esdras, Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah

1:1-33
1:34-58
2:1-15
2:16-30
3:1-5:6
5:7-46
5:47-65
5:66-73
6:1-22
6:23-34
7:1-15
8:1-27
8:28-67
8:68-90
8:91-6
9:1-36
9:37-55 2 Chronicles 35
2 Chronicles 36
Ezra 1
Ezra 4: 7-24a
No Parallel
Ezra 2 (and Nehemiah 7:6-73a)
Ezra 3
Ezra 4:1-5
Ezra 4:24b-5:17
Ezra 6:1-12
Ezra 6:13-22
Ezra 7
Ezra 8
Ezra 9
Ezra 10:1-5
Ezra 10:6-44
Nehemiah 7:73b-8:13

It is obvious from this list that only a few verses are unique to this book. Interestingly, those verses describe an event that occurred in the court of King Darius. Apparently, one night after he had gone to bed, three of his bodyguards held a contest to determine "what one thing was the strongest." The winner of the contest would be richly rewarded by the king. Each one wrote his answer, sealed it, and placed it under the king's pillow. The king and some of his wisest advisers would decide which answer was the best (3:1-12).

The first bodyguard wrote "wine," the second said "the king," and the third said, "Women are the strongest, but above all things truth is the victor." In the morning each man was given an opportunity to explain his answer (3:13-17a). The first guard claimed that wine could lead minds astray and cause all sorts of problems (3:17b-24). The second man firmly believed that the king was stronger than wine because the king not only ruled over others, but he also could take what others earned or grew. Plus, his subjects had to obey him and do whatever he wanted (4:1-12). The third guard, who happened to be named Zerubbabel, mentioned that women give birth to kings – as well as to everyone else. Men will do whatever a woman wants, often risking their own lives (4:13-27).

And even though this third answer seemed to trump the others, the fact remains that even women are subject to truth. Truth is the only thing that endures, and it will prevail forever (4:28-41b). After this explanation, Zerubbabel was declared the victor and the king promised to give him whatever he asked. It is at this point that Zerubbabel asked to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple and to return the holy vessels that had been stolen by the Babylonians. The king granted him this request and promised safe passage for all those who accompanied him. Additionally, those who went would not have to pay tribute and Darius would provide wages for those who helped him. He ordered Judah's neighbors to help with the costs. Needless to say, Zerubbabel praised God and thanked the Lord for giving the king such wisdom (4:42-63). The king also provided a large escort, with the priest, Jeshua, and Zerubbabel at its head. The people marched in an orderly fashion, making this a religious procession (5:1-6).

But this leads to some historical difficulties. Extra biblical sources have determined the sequence of the Persian kings as follows: Cyrus (d. in 530 BCE), followed by his son, Cambyses (530-522), followed by Darius I (522-486), followed by Xerxes (486-465), followed by Artaxerxes I (465-424). 1 Esdras begins with the mention of Cyrus and ends with Darius. Nonetheless, other events in chapter 2 refer to the reign of Artaxerxes. The author talks about Cyrus in chapter 5 even though the reign of Darius had been established in the court tale previously discussed. Zerubbabel is given authority by Cyrus even though the events described earlier with the three bodyguards occurred during the reign of Darius. Rebuilding efforts are hindered twice in Darius' reign, when most scholars believe it happened once with each Cyrus and Darius. Obviously, the author was not interested in writing an accurate history.

What, then, was the purpose of this book? Most scholars think it was to reflect on the events leading up to the restoration of the temple. More importantly, however, it was to elevate the leadership of Zerubbabel (at the expense of Nehemiah). The use of a court tale to establish the success and authority of Zerubbabel echoes the story of Nehemiah and the king. Nehemiah, as cup bearer, had a close relationship with the king; so did Zerubbabel. Notably, Zerubbabel is also of the line of David and is commended in the writings of Haggai and Zechariah. Maybe the whole point of this book is to affirm that the Davidic dynasty had not ended. Zerubbabel, in leading the restoration of the temple, was, in a sense, the restoration of David's line as well. He, then, becomes another celebrated ancestor of Jesus, which would have been very attractive to early Christians.

1 Esdras also elevates Ezra to the office of high priest, a point that is not made in the books that bear his name. In 1 Esdras, Ezra alone fulfills this function. In the canonical books, he shares this moment with Nehemiah. Ultimately, it is the author's interest in the temple that sets this book apart. From the opening lines about Passover to the reading of the Law, this book highlights the holiness aspects of the cult. In 1 Esdras, readers glimpse the way in which Israel reconstituted itself after the destruction of the temple and the loss of its kingdom. The rebuilding of the temple was the cornerstone for reinventing its identity. The genealogical lists contribute to this sense of identity by determining the boundaries for the group. It comes as no surprise, then, that Ezra would prohibit any intermarrying with non-Jews. Since the idea was that the restored Israel would be contiguous with the pre-exilic Israel, bloodlines had to be purified; pedigrees were important. In this way, the Israelites could set themselves apart from the rest of the world and reassert their unique covenant with God.

There are roughly three sections to this letter: 1:1-2:30 – History of Judah; 3:1-5:6 – Court Tale of Three Bodyguards; 5:7-9:55 – The Return to Jerusalem

I – 1:1-2:30 – History of Judah

• 1:1-24
  • Celebration of Passover
  • Josiah institutes the celebration of Passover
  • (He reigned from 639-609 BCE)
  • This was the first celebration since the time of Samuel
  • It followed the manner prescribed by King David and Solomon
  • Levites are told to sanctify themselves so they can carry the ark
  • (Chronicles states the reason they were celebrating was because of Josiah's reforms. Without that explanation, it appears to focus on Josiah's piety.)
  • Lengthy description is given of extent of offerings – tens of thousands of sheep
  • This Passover occurred in the eighteenth year of Josiah's reign
• 1:25-33
  • Death of Josiah
  • The greatness of Josiah stands alongside the people's sins and rebellion
  • The Egyptians came north to fight against the Babylonians
  • The Egyptians claimed their fight was not with Judah, but at the Euphrates
  • The Pharaoh even claimed that God was with him, urging him on
  • The Pharaoh (Necho) asked Josiah to stand aside and not to oppose the Lord
  • The prophet Jeremiah also warned Josiah against joining in battle
  • Josiah, however, did not turn back and did not heed the words of the prophet
  • He joined battle in the plain of Megiddo, where he was wounded
  • The king was brought back to Jerusalem where he died and was buried
  • All of Judah mourned the loss of their king
• 1:34-58
  • Destruction of Jerusalem
  • This covers a period of time from 609-587 BCE
  • Judah made Josiah's son, Joachaz, king
  • He reigned for three months before the Egyptians had him deposed
  • The Egyptians put his brother, Joakim, on the throne
  • Joakim imprisoned the leading men of Judah and did what was "wrong in the eyes of the Lord"
  • The Babylonians then marched against him and took him to Babylon
  • In addition, they took some of the sacred vessels back to Babylon
  • Joakim's successor was his son by the same name, who was 18 years old
  • He also reigned for three months before he was deported to
  • Babylon (along with more sacred vessels)
  • Nebuchadnezzar installed Zedekiah to the throne
  • Zedekiah was only 21 at the time
  • He was to sign an oath of allegiance to the Lord, but he also "did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord"
  • This succession of evil kings was supposedly the reason Judah was delivered into the hands of the Babylonians
  • Also, the leaders of the people and the priests committed many wicked acts
  • Among them was defiling the temple
  • Ultimately, God sent the Babylonians to destroy them
  • The temple was set on fire; the walls of Jerusalem were destroyed; and the royal treasury was carried off to Babylon
  • The people were carried off to exile – for seventy years
• 2:1-15
  • Cyrus sends Jews back to Jerusalem
  • Cyrus came to power in approximately 539 BCE
  • During his first year, he decreed that the exiles should return to
  • Jerusalem and that the temple should be rebuilt
  • This was done in accord with God's command
  • Judah's neighbors were to help with contributions of gold and horses
  • The chiefs of the clans of Judah and the priests and Levites took him up on his offer
  • Their neighbors helped with everything, including offerings (Most likely these would have been Jews who were not making the trip)
  • Cyrus also sent along the sacred vessels that Nebuchadnezzar had taken
  • These were delivered to Sanabassar, the governor of Judah
  • (In Ezra, his name is Sheshbazzar, without the title of governor)
  • In all, over 5400 vessels were returned – mostly of gold and silver
• 2:15-30
  • Returnees meet Resistance
  • Story suddenly jumps to the time of Artaxerxes
  • Officials from Samaria and surrounding towns write to the king
  • They claim that the Jews are working to rebuild that "rebellious and wicked" city of Jerusalem
  • If the city gets rebuilt, these individuals know they will stop paying tribute and will rebel against the royal house
  • They beg the king to check on this matter since Jerusalem has a long history of being uncooperative since the earliest of times
  • (It's not clear who these people represented, other than they were rivals of Judah)
  • The king did some research and concurred with their concerns
  • He ordered that the men be prevented from rebuilding the city
  • They were authorized to use force, if necessary
  • The officials immediately set out for Jerusalem
  • Rebuilding was halted until the second year of Darius' reign
  • (See commentary above regarding the logistics of this timeframe. It is possible that the author of 1 Esdras thought Artaxerxes reigned between Cyrus and Darius.)

II – 3:1-5:6 – Court Tale of Three Bodyguards

• 3:1-3
  • Introduction to Story
  • King Darius held a great feast for all those under him
  • After the feast, he went to bed
• 3:4-12
  • Contest to determine what one thing is strongest
  • Three of his bodyguards proposed a contest to determine what "one thing is strongest"
  • They determine that the winner of the contest will be given gifts by the king
  • Each of them wrote the one thing he thought was strongest, sealed it, and placed it under the king's pillow
  • The first one wrote "wine is strongest"
  • The second wrote "the king is strongest"
  • The third wrote "women are strongest, but truth conquers all"
• 3:13-17
  • The contest
  • When the king woke up, he was presented with their answers
  • He summoned all the chief men from Persia and Media
  • The bodyguards were called to explain their answers
• 3:18-24
  • The first said, "Wine is the strongest"
  • Wine relieves anxiety but can also lead to dangers from over-indulgence
  • Wine can lead men to do things they would never do without it
• 4:1-12
  • The second said, "The king is the strongest"
  • The king, as lord and master, commands all
  • He is an absolute ruler whose word is law
  • People and armies obey him
  • They also stand in attendance around him, meeting his every need
• 4:13-33
  • The third said, "Women are the strongest"
  • The third bodyguard is none other than Zerubbabel
  • Women beget kings – and everyone else
  • Women raise the men that rule the land
  • Men desert their fathers and families to join with women
  • Men will do anything for the love of a woman
  • He gives an example of the king's behavior with his favorite concubine
• 4:34-42
  • Zerubbabel continued with, "Truth is stronger than all else"
  • There is no explanation why he had two answers
  • (Most scholars think this was added material)
  • Truth abides and is strong forever
  • Zerubbabel ends with giving praise to God
  • The king was delighted and persuaded by his answer
  • He offered to give him whatever he asked
  • He was rewarded with the title of Kinsman, and told to sit next to the king
• 4:43-46
  • Zerubbabel asks to return to Jerusalem
  • Zerubbabel reminded the king of his earlier vow to rebuild Jerusalem
  • He stated that he wanted to do that now
• 4:47-63
  • King Darius gives his blessing
  • He wrote to all the treasurers, governors, and commanders
  • He instructed them to provide safe conduct for their journey to Jerusalem
  • He ordered the governors of Lebanon to provide cedar-wood for the city
  • Specifically, he indicated that no one should interfere with their mission
  • All the land that they would acquire would be free from taxation
  • Plus, they would be given a yearly stipend as long as construction would last
  • Provision was made for the priests and their duties
  • Zerubbabel took the letters and set off for Babylon to gather the Jews
  • There, they feasted for a week and praised God
• 5:1-6
  • The return
  • Introduction to the list of returnees
  • Procession is headed up by the priests and Zerubbabel
  • The journey would cover approximately 600 miles
  • According to this author, it began in March of 520 BCE

III – 5:7-9:55 – The Return to Jerusalem

• 5:7-46
  • List of Returnees
  • Names of returnees are similar to those found in Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7
  • (In Ezra, this is happening during the reign of Cyrus, not Darius)
  • There are twelve leaders representing the twelve tribes of Israel
  • All told there were 42,360 men, 7,337 slaves, 245 singers and musicians, plus numerous animals
  • Upon arrival, they gave to the sacred treasury a large sum of gold and silver
  • The people settled in their villages
• 5:47-55
  • Rebuilding of the Altar and restoration of worship
  • Celebration of Festival of Booths
  • It would appear that one of the first things the returnees did was to build an altar
  • Neighboring people came to join them
• 5:56-63
  • Construction of Temple
  • Once again, Jeshua and Zerubbabel were leaders in this endeavor
  • This was in the second year after they returned
  • (In Ezra, this is all happening in the time of Cyrus)
  • While the builders worked, the priests sang songs and praised God
  • Those who remembered the original temple came with lamentations
  • Their weeping actually drowned out the songs of praise
• 5:64-73
  • Construction is stopped
  • Enemies heard the sound of trumpets and came to investigate
  • First, they offered to help with the work
  • Zerubbabel and Jeshua rebuffed their efforts
  • Then the people of the land harassed them, blockaded them, and interrupted their work
  • (The author states this happened during the reign of Cyrus, notwithstanding the fact that he's been describing events during the reign of Darius.)
  • Construction was halted for two years while they figured things out
• 6:1-6
  • Zerubbabel begins to work on temple again
  • In the second year of Darius, the prophets Haggai and Zechariah prophesied
  • Zerubbabel once again began to build on the temple
  • The enemies from Syria and Phoenicia came again to investigate
• 6:7-22
  • Letter sent to Darius
  • The enemies sent a letter to Darius complaining about the building project The enemies asked who had authorized them to do this
  • They dutifully wrote down all the leaders' names
  • The Israelites identified themselves as servants of the Lord
  • According to this author, the work continued while they sorted things out
  • The local officials were diligent about getting proper authorization
• 6:23-34
  • King Darius searches the archives
  • The search turned up a scroll going back to the first year of Cyrus
  • King Cyrus had indeed ordered that the temple in Jerusalem be rebuilt
  • In fact, building expenses were to be paid out of the royal treasury
  • Darius then told the governors not to interfere with any of the building
  • He instructed them to contribute to the expenses incurred
  • If people didn't obey the king's decree, they were to be hanged
  • His orders were to be obeyed to the letter
• 7:1-14
  • The temple is rebuilt; Passover is celebrated
  • Because of the king's decree, the governors supervised and cooperated with the work
  • The prophets continued to encourage the work
  • It progressed nicely and was finished, probably in 515 BCE
  • A huge dedication ceremony ensued
  • Then they prepared themselves for the Passover
  • All purification rites were followed
  • They kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days
• 8:1-7
  • Introduction of Ezra
  • The time sequence is simply adjusted for his appearance
  • (Most scholars think there was a long gap between Zerubbabel and Ezra. But exactly how long is unknown. 1 Esdras shortens it up considerably.)
  • Ezra was a descendant of Aaron, the high priest
  • He was a scholar of the Mosaic Law and held in high stature by the king
  • He joined the Israelites in the seventh year of Artaxerxes' reign
  • (Again, the dates don't line up with what is known about Persian royalty. It should have been at least 58 years later.)
• 8:8-27
  • A mandate from the king
  • Ezra is identified as "the priest, doctor of the Law of the Lord"
  • Once again, the king decreed that Ezra should go to Jerusalem
  • He was to be accompanied by a royal escort to ensure his safety
  • They should take with them all the gold and silver belonging to Judah
  • They should also take any remaining sacred vessels
  • Any travel expenses would be paid out of the royal treasury
  • Neighboring nations would be assessed a tax to help with expenses
  • Ezra was to have whatever he needed in order to fulfil the requirements of God's law
  • Under God's guidance he was to appoint judges and magistrates to administer justice
  • Any who transgress the Law of the Lord would be put to death
  • Ezra gave praise to the Lord
• 8:28-49
  • More people come to Jerusalem
  • Leaders are identified by name and ancestry
  • 220 more people accompanied Ezra
• 8:50-67
  • The procession
  • People prepare for the journey by fasting and prayer
  • The king sent an escort
  • The need for this embarrassed Ezra who claimed God would keep them safe
  • Nonetheless, they pressed onward
  • Ezra personally weighed out the gold and silver for the temple
  • The priests carried the gold and vessels safely to Jerusalem
  • Upon arrival, the gold was weighed again and it was handed over to the priest in Jerusalem
  • Many animals were killed for sacrifice
  • The king's orders were delivered to the royal treasury
• 8:68-96
  • Ezra's prayer
  • Afterwards, Ezra was approached by leaders of Israel
  • They complained that the nation, including the priests, had not kept themselves apart from alien pollution
  • There had been much inter-marrying from the top on down
  • This initiative came from the community, not from Ezra
  • Ezra tore his clothes upon hearing this
  • All day he sat in penitence
  • At the end of the day, he arose and praised God's mercy
  • Their offenses could have wiped them out again, but now they have a place and a temple
  • God is, indeed, merciful
  • While he was weeping, a great crowd gathered
  • The people acknowledge their sins
  • They wanted to take an oath to expel all foreign wives and their children
  • The whole point was to establish what it meant to be a people of God
• 9:1-36
  • The Expulsion of foreign wives
  • Ezra continued to fast and pray
  • A proclamation went out asking all the returnees to assemble in
  • Jerusalem in 2-3 days
  • Those who refused to come would forfeit their cattle for temple use
  • They would also be excluded from the group
  • When the people had gathered, Ezra proclaimed they had sinned with foreign wives
  • He also said they needed to separate themselves from the heathens
  • The men all agreed to do it
  • Several of them offered to evaluate each marriage
  • The process took three months
  • The names of all the offenders were listed
• 9:37-55
  • Ezra reads Torah
  • Six months later, the people assembled again
  • Ezra stood before the people from dawn till noon reading the Torah
  • And the whole body listened intently
  • They all gave praise to God
  • The book ends with the celebration of another feast

Bibliography

Coggins, R. J. and M.A. Knibb. "The First and Second Books of Esdras." The Cambridge Bible Commentary. London, Great Britain: Cambridge University Press. 1979.

deSilva, David. Introducing the Apocrypha. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. 2002.

Jones, Ivor. "The Apocrypha." Epworth Commentaries. London, Great Britain: Epworth Press. 2003.

Kee, Howard Clark. Cambridge Annotated Study Apocrypha. Cambridge, Great Britain: Cambridge University Press. 1989.

Kohlenberger, John, III. The Parallel Apocrypha. New York: Oxford University Press. 1997.

Meeks, Wayne, ed. The Harper Collins Study Bible. San Francisco, CA: HarperCollins Publishers. 1993.

-biblewise.com-

.....

1. The Book of 1 Esdras. Apocrypha. Alexander Scourby SYC. Audio & Text - 2025.

https://youtu.be/DgCV2Ko-co4?si=ky8J934IxUihtz8V

2. The Book of 1 Esdras. Christopher Glyn. Audio & Text - 2022.

https://youtu.be/rflfZEEA0TA?si=Fct3-IH9YXpmkZZb

.....

1. The Book of 2 Esdras. Apocrypha. Alexander Scourby SYC. Audio & Text - 2025.

https://youtu.be/JrdFB71q3lg?si=tU5Ll3AcfwXmXr00

2. The Book of 2 Esdras. Visions of Apocalypse. Christopher Glyn. Audio &  Text - 2022.

https://youtu.be/1CvprHJUNLQ?si=MaX-XgTdgYVocrY0

.....

2 Esdras.

2 Esdras, also called 4 Esdras, Latin Esdras, or Latin Ezra, is an apocalyptic book in some English versions of the Bible.[a][b][2] Tradition ascribes it to Ezra, a scribe and priest of the fifth century BC, whom the book identifies with the sixth-century figure Shealtiel.[3]: 37 

2 Esdras forms a part of the canon of Scripture in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (an Oriental Orthodoxy body), though it is reckoned among the apocrypha by Roman Catholics and Protestants.[4] Within Eastern Orthodoxy it forms a part of the canon[5] although its usage varies by different traditions. 2 Esdras was translated by Jerome as part of the Vulgate, though he placed it in an appendix.[6]

Naming conventions

Main article: Esdras § Naming conventions

As with 1 Esdras, some confusion exists about the numbering of this book. The Vulgate of Jerome includes only a single book of Ezra, but in the Clementine Vulgate, 1, 2, 3 and 4 Esdras are separate books. Protestant writers, after the Geneva Bible, called 1 and 2 Esdras of the Vulgate Ezra and Nehemiah, respectively, and called 3 and 4 Esdras of the Vulgate 1 Esdras and 2 Esdras, respectively. These then became the common names for these books in English Bibles.[7]

Medieval Latin manuscripts denoted it 4 Esdras, which to this day is the name used for chapters 3–14 in modern critical editions,[8][9] which are typically in Latin, the language of its most complete exemplars.[10]

It appears in the Appendix to the Old Testament in the Slavonic Bible, where it is called 3 Esdras, and the Georgian Orthodox Bible numbers it 3 Ezra. This text is sometimes also known as Apocalypse of Ezra — chapters 3–14 known as the Jewish Apocalypse of Ezra or 4 Ezra; in modern critical editions, chapters 1–2 are named as 5 Ezra, and chapters 15–16 as 6 Ezra.

Bogaert speculates that the "fourth book of Ezra" referred to by Jerome most likely corresponds to modern 5 Ezra and 6 Ezra combined, and notes a number of Latin manuscripts where these chapters are together in an appendix.[11]

Contents

5 Ezra

The first two chapters of 2 Esdras are found only in the Latin version of the book, and are called 5 Ezra by scholars.[12] They are considered by most scholars to be Christian in origin; they assert God's rejection of the Jews and describe a vision of the Son of God. These are generally considered to be late additions (possibly third century) to the work.

4 Ezra

Chapters 3–14, or the great bulk of 2 Esdras, is a Jewish apocalypse, also sometimes known as 4 Ezra[12] or the Jewish Apocalypse of Ezra.[13] The latter name should not be confused with a later work called the Greek Apocalypse of Ezra.

The Ethiopian Church considers 4 Ezra to be canonical, written during the Babylonian captivity, and calls it Izra Sutuel (ዕዝራ ሱቱኤል). It was also often cited by the Fathers of the Church. In the Eastern Armenian tradition, it is called 3 Ezra. It was written in the late first century CE following the destruction of the Second Temple.[13]

Among Greek Fathers of the Church, 4 Ezra is generally cited as Προφήτης Ἔσδρας Prophetes Esdras ("The Prophet Ezra") or Ἀποκάλυψις Ἔσδρα Apokalupsis Esdra ("Apocalypse of Ezra"). Most scholars agree that 4 Ezra was composed in Hebrew,[14] which was translated into Greek, and then to Latin, Armenian, Ethiopian, and Georgian, but the Hebrew and Greek editions have been lost.

Slightly differing Latin, Syriac, Arabic, Ethiopic, Georgian, and Armenian translations have survived in their entirety; the Greek version can be reconstructed, though without absolute certainty, from these different translations, while the Hebrew text remains more elusive. The modern Slavonic version is translated from the Latin.

4 Ezra consists of seven visions of Ezra the scribe. The first vision takes place as Ezra is still in Babylon. He asks God how Israel can be kept in misery if God is just. The archangel Uriel is sent to answer the question, responding that God's ways cannot be understood by the human mind. Soon, however, the end would come, and God's justice would be made manifest. Similarly, in the second vision, Ezra asks why Israel was delivered up to the Babylonians, and is again told that man cannot understand this and that the end is near. In the third vision, Ezra asks why Israel does not possess the world. Uriel responds that the current state is a period of transition. Here follows a description of the fate of evil-doers and the righteous. Ezra asks whether the righteous may intercede for the unrighteous on Judgment Day, but is told that "Judgment Day is final".[15]

The next three visions are more symbolic in nature. The fourth is of a woman mourning for her only son. She is transformed into a city when she hears of the desolation of Zion. Uriel says that the woman is a symbol of Zion. The fifth vision concerns an eagle with three heads and 20 wings (12 large wings and eight smaller wings "over against them"). The eagle is rebuked by a lion and then burned. The explanation of this vision is that the eagle refers to the fourth kingdom of the vision of Daniel, with the wings and heads as rulers. The final scene is the triumph of the Messiah over the empire. The sixth vision is of a man, representing the Messiah, who breathes fire on a crowd that is attacking him. This man then turns to another peaceful multitude, which accepts him.

Finally, a vision of the restoration of scripture is related. God appears to Ezra in a bush and commands him to restore the Law. Ezra gathers five scribes and begins to dictate. After 40 days, he has produced 204 books, including 70 works to be published last. 2 Esdras 14:44–48 KJV:

44 In forty days they wrote two hundred and four books.
45 And it came to pass, when the forty days were filled, that the Highest spake, saying, The first that thou hast written publish openly, that the worthy and unworthy may read it:
46 But keep the seventy last, that thou mayest deliver them only to such as be wise among the people:
47 For in them is the spring of understanding, the fountain of wisdom, and the stream of knowledge.
48 And I did so.

The "seventy" might refer to the Septuagint, most of the apocrypha, or the lost books that are described in the Bible. But it is more probable that the number is just symbolic.[16]

Almost all Latin editions of the text have a large lacuna[17] of 70 verses between 7:35 and 7:36 that is missing because they trace their common origin to one early manuscript, Codex Sangermanensis I, from which an entire page had been cut out very early in its history. In 1875 Robert Lubbock Bensly published the lost verses[18] and in 1895 M.R. James oversaw a critical edition from Bensly's notes[19] restoring the lost verses from the complete text found in the Codex Colbertinus; this edition is used in the Stuttgart edition of the Vulgate. The restored verses are numbered 7:35 to 7:105, with the former verses 7:36–7:70 renumbered to 7:106–7:140.[20] For more information, see the article Codex Sangermanensis I.

Second Esdras turns around a radical spiritual conversion of Ezra in a vision, where he stops to comfort a sobbing woman who turns instantly into a great city (2 Esd. 10:25–27). On this pivotal event, one scholar writes that Ezra:

is badly frightened, he loses consciousness and calls for his angelic guide. The experience described is unique, not just in 4 Ezra, but in the whole Jewish apocalyptic literature. Its intensity complements the pressure of unrelieved stress evident in the first part of the vision, and it resembles the major orientation of personality usually connected with religious conversion.[3]: 31 

The following verses (10:28–59) reveal that Ezra had a vision of the heavenly Jerusalem, the true city of Zion, which the angel of the Lord invites him to explore. As the angel tells Ezra at the end of Chapter 10 in the Authorised Version:

And therefore fear not,
let not thine heart be affrighted,
but go thy way in,
and see the beauty and greatness of the building,
as much as thine eyes be able to see;
and then shalt thou hear as much as thine ears may comprehend.
For thou art blessed above many other
and art called with the Highest and so are but few.

But tomorrow at night thou shalt remain here and so shall the Highest show thee visions of the high things which the Most High will do unto them that dwell upon earth in the last days. So I slept that night and another like as he commanded me (2 Esd. 10:55–59).

6 Ezra

The last two chapters, also called 6 Ezra by scholars,[12] and found in the Latin, but not in the Eastern texts, predict wars and rebuke sinners. Many assume that they probably date from a much later period (perhaps late third century) and may be Christian in origin; though not certain, they possibly were added at the same time as the first two chapters of the Latin version. They likely are Jewish in origin, however; 15:57–59 have been found in Greek, which most scholars agree was translated from a Hebrew original.

Author and criticism

The main body of the book appears to be written for consolation in a period of great distress (one scholarly hypothesis is that it dates to Titus' destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE).[21] The author seeks answers, similar to Job's quest for understanding the meaning of suffering, but the author does not like or desire only the answer that was given to Job.

Critics question whether even the main body of the book, not counting the chapters that exist only in the Latin version and in Greek fragments, has a single author. Kalisch, De Faye, and Charles hold that no fewer than five people worked on the text. However, Gunkel points to the unity in character and holds that the book is written by a single author; the author of 2 Esdras has also been suggested to have written the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch.[21] In any case, the two texts may date from about the same time, and one almost certainly depends on the other.[21]

Critics[who?] have widely debated the origin of the book. Hidden under two layers of translation, determining whether the author was Roman, Alexandrian, or Judean is impossible.

The scholarly interpretation of the eagle being the Roman Empire (the eagle in the fifth vision, whose heads might be Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian if such is the case) and the destruction of the temple would indicate that the probable date of composition lies toward the end of the first century, perhaps 90–96, though some suggest a date as late as 218.[21]

Usage

The book is found in the Orthodox Slavonic Bible (Ostrog Bible, Elizabeth Bible, and later consequently Russian Synodal Bible).[22] 2 Esdras is in the Apocrypha of the King James Version, and Pope Clement VIII placed it in an appendix to the Vulgate along with 3 Esdras and the Prayer of Manasseh "lest they perish entirely".[23] The chapters corresponding to 4 Ezra, i.e. 2 Esdras 3–14, make up the Book of II Izra, aka Izra Sutuel, canonical in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church; it was also widely cited by early Fathers of the Church, particularly Ambrose of Milan, as the 'third book of Esdras'. Jerome states that it is apocryphal.[24] It may also be found in many larger English Bibles included as part of the Biblical apocrypha, as they exist in the King James Version, the Revised Version, the Revised Standard Version, and the earliest editions of the Catholic Douay–Rheims Bible, among others.[a]

The introitus of the traditional Requiem Mass of the Extraordinary Form of the 1962 Missal in the Catholic Church is loosely based on 2:34–35: "Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them." Several other liturgical prayers are taken from the book. The same chapter, verses 36 and 37, is cited in the Introit of Pentecost Tuesday, "Accipite jucunditatem gloriae vestrae, alleluia: gratias agentes Deo, alleluia: qui vos ad caelestia regna vocavit, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Ps. 77 Attendite, popule meus, legem meam: inclinate aurem vestram in verba oris mei. Gloria Patri. Accipite. – Receive the delight of your glory, alleluia, giving thanks to God, alleluia, Who hath called ye to the heavenly kingdoms, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Psalm 77 Attend, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. Glory be. Receive."[25] The Alleluia verse Crastina die for the Vigil Mass of Christmas in the Roman Missal is taken from chapter 16, verse 52.

Christopher Columbus quoted verse 6:42, which describes the Earth as being created with six parts land and one part water, in his appeal to the Catholic Monarchs for financial support for his first voyage of exploration.[26]

The book is appointed as a scripture reading in the Ordinariate's Evensong service for All Hallows' Eve.[27]

The work is included in the NRSV-based Renovaré Spiritual Formation Bible.

References

Sources

1. ISBN 978-0-385-09630-0.
2. NETBible, Apocalyptic Esdras Archived September 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
3. Stone, Michael Edward (1990). Fourth Ezra: A Commentary on the Book of Fourth Ezra. Hermeneia. Fortress Press. ISBN 978-0-8006-6026-0.
4. For example, it is listed with the apocrypha in the Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion.
5. Coogan, Michael (March 2018). The New Oxford Annotated Bible: New Revised Standard Version: An Ecumenical Study Bible (5th ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 1839, 1841. ISBN 978-0-19-027605-8.
6. "4 Ezra: A Biblical Book You've Probably Never Read". 26 September 2018.
7. "Esdras." Catholic Encyclopedia.
8. Bensley, R. The Fourth Book of Ezra, the Latin Edition edited from the MSS Cambridge 1895
9. Metzger, B. M. "The Fourth Book of Ezra". In J. Charlesworth, ed., The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. vol 1, p. 517ss.
10. See for example Souvay, C. (1909). Esdras. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved January 10, 2020 from New Advent.
11. Bogaert, Pierre-Maurice (2000). "Les livres d'Esdras et leur numérotation dans l'histoire du canon de la Bible latin". Revue Bénédictine. 110 (1–2): 5–26. doi:10.1484/J.RB.5.100750.
12. See for example B. M. Metzger, "The Fourth Book of Ezra", in Charlesworth, James H. (ed.) The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Vol 1 (1983). Garden City, NY: Doubleday. p. 517. ISBN 978-0-385-09630-0
13. Theodore A. Bergren (2010). Michael D. Coogan (ed.). The New Oxford Annotated Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version. New York, USA: Oxford University Press. pp. 317–318. ISBN 9780195289619.
14. Wong, A. C. K.; Penner, K. M.; Miller, D. M. (2010). "4 Ezra". The Online Critical Pseudepigrapha. Atlanta: The Society of Biblical Literature. Retrieved April 12, 2019.
15. 2 Esd 7:102–104, GNB
16. Ossandón Widow, Juan Carlos (2018). The Origins of the Canon of the Hebrew Bible: An Analysis of Josephus and 4 Ezra. Brill. pp. 170–176. ISBN 9789004381612.
17. Article from Early Jewish Writings
18. The Missing Fragment of the Latin Translation of the Fourth Book of Ezra (Cambridge UP, 1875)
19. The Fourth Book of Ezra (Texts & Studies 3.2, ed by J.A. Robinson, Cambridge UP, 1895)
20. Biblia Sacra Vulgata, 4th edition, 1994, ISBN 3-438-05303-9.
21. Jewish Encyclopedia article
22. Monk, Anonymous (1986). These Truths We Hold - The Holy Orthodox Church: Her Life and Teachings. Pennsylvania: Saint Tikhons Seminary Press.
23. Clementine Vulgate, Note to the Appendix
24. "St. Jerome, The Prologue on the Book of Ezra: English translation".
25. "Actual Apocrypha in the Liturgy". Catholic News Live.
26. Longenecker, Bruce W. (1995). Two Esdras. A&C Black. p. 112. ISBN 9781850757269.
27. Ordinariates Established by Anglicanorum Coetibus (11 April 2022). "CTS Divine Worship Daily Office". Isuu. Catholic Truth Society. p. 66. Archived from the original on 24 February 2023. Retrieved 2 November 2023.

-Wiki-

.....

2 Esdras

Ezra asks questions about God's justice.

Name and connection with other Ezra writings

Esdras is the Greek and Latin version of the name of Ezra. Ezra is the central character in this book, which is the second book connected with Ezra in the Apocrypha of most English Bibles. So it is usually known as 2 Esdras in English, but there is no uniform usage: the term 2 Esdras is sometimes confusingly used of the LXX translation of Ezra–Nehemiah; if so, this writing is called 3 Esdras). The alternative name 4 Ezra is applied because there are two books in the Hebrew Bible associated with Ezra (Ezra and Nehemiah), and two more in the Apocrypha.

'2 Esdras' or '4 Ezra' is the name applied only to the core of the present book, chapters 3-14 (chapters 1-2 are often called Fifth Ezra and chapters 15-16, Sixth Ezra). The book of Ezra in the Jewish canon and the apocryphal 1 Esdras both tell the story of the rebuilding of the temple in the Persian period under Joshua and Zerubbabel and then the story of the scribe and priest Ezra who brings the law. In 2 Esdras the name of Ezra is used for the central character, but he is concerned about why the temple and the Jewish people are in such a low state. Little else matches Ezra and 1 Esdras.

Place in the canon

2 Esdras is unknown to either the Hebrew Bible or the Greek Bible (Septuagint), being known in ancient times only in Latin and Syriac. Since the Council of Trent (1546), the Catholic tradition has considered 2 Esdras to be non-canonical but places it as an appendix to the Vulgate.

Contents

2 Esdras, also known as 4 Ezra, is a compilation of three separate works: 5 Ezra (2 Esd1-2); 4 Ezra (2 Esd 3-14); and 6 Ezra (2 Esd 15-16).

The book is preserved in Latin and Syriac translation, though the original was probably in Hebrew. It asks the question, in the person of Ezra, as to why the temple lies in ruins and the Jewish people are in such a low state. This question, asked of God in prayer, is essentially one of theodicy: why does God allow his people to suffer and even his own temple to remain in a destroyed state? An answer is conveyed by means of a series of revelations, but the final answer—given by the Eagle Vision (4 Ezra 11-12)—seems to be that the messiah will take a hand and Rome will fall.

Date and authorship

There is no genuine connection with Ezra. The character has been picked up from the biblical book of Ezra, though most of the rest of 2 Esdras is currently unique in Jewish literature. Yet 4 Ezra 14 (in which Ezra restores the law by writing it out again by divine inspiration after it has been lost) may well represent an adoption, and perhaps adaptation, of an earlier Ezra tradition.

The book itself is generally associated with a group of writings that are thought to have arisen about 100 CE, including 2 Baruch, the NT book of Revelation, and the Apocalypse of Abraham. The statement in 3.1 that Ezra asks his question '30 years after the fall of Jerusalem' has been thought a significant chronological statement, since 30 years after the fall of the temple in 70 CE would be about 100 CE, which is also approximately the date of the Christian Apocalypse of John. Also, the Eagle Vision (chapters 11-12) seems to show the Roman emperors up to about Domitian (82-96 CE). The composer of the book is anonymous but thought to be a Jew who stood in an apocalyptic tradition and expected God to intervene in world affairs, destroy Rome, and exalt the faithful Jews in the near future. The writer was not of necessity a Jew living in Palestine, but to expect that he lived in Jerusalem is a reasonable guess.

Interpretation

4 Ezra/2 Esdras is closely related to 2 Baruch, though which is prior is debated. A number of themes are found in it, with most of them also shared with 2 Baruch, Revelation, and Apocalypse of Abraham. (1) A preoccupation with Roman rule and an expectation of the imminent end of the Roman empire (shown by the Eagle Vision of chapters 11-12). (2) The rise or coming of a messianic figure; 4 Ezra 7.26-32 posits an earthly messiah who will rule for 400 years, after which he and all mankind will die, but then the resurrection and judgment will follow after seven days. In 4 Ezra 13, however, the 'man from the sea' also appears to be a messianic figure, one coming from heaven. (3) The 'messianic woes' (the various problems, plagues, and unnatural events preceding the end time) have a prominent place in 4 Ezra (5.1-13; 6.18-28) but also in some of the other apocalypses. (4) The fate of the individual after death is also a major concern. The soul has some sort of existence continuing immediately after death, perhaps kept in a storage place or 'treasury' (4 Ezra 7.78-101). At the time of the end, there will be a resurrection and judgment, followed by reward for the righteous and punishment for the wicked (4 Ezra 7.28-44). (5) 4 Ezra apparently calculates history according to a 7000-year period or millennial week (cf. 14.48 Syriac; Grabbe 1981). (6) History culminates in new heavens and a new earth (4 Ezra 7.31-44) and a new stylized Jerusalem, to be preceded by a messianic age (4 Ezra 7.26-30).

Reception history

The book was taken up by Christians. Unlike some Jewish works preserved by Christians, it does not for the most part appear to suffer from Christian interpolations (with the exception of the words 'my son Jesus' in 7.28 in the Latin version, though other versions have 'messiah'). But later Christian writers wrote chapters 1-2 and 15-16, probably as supplements specifically created for the book.

Further reading

Box, George H. The Ezra-Apocalypse, Being Chapters 3–14 of the Book Commonly Known as 4 Ezra (or II Esdras). London: Pitman, 1912.
Myers, J. M. I and II Esdras. Anchor Bible 42. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1974.
Stone, Michael E. Fourth Ezra. Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1990.

Other references

Grabbe, Lester L. "Chronography in 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch." Pages 49-63 in Society of Biblical Literature Seminar Papers 1981. SBL Abstracts and Seminar Papers. Chico, CA: Scholars Press, 1981.
Grabbe, Lester L. "4 Ezra and 2 Baruch in Social and Historical Perspective." Pages 221-35 in Fourth Ezra and Second Baruch: Reconstruction after the Fall. Edited by Matthias Henze and Gabriele Boccaccini (with Janson M. Zurawski). Journal for the Study of Judaism Supplement Series 164. Leiden: Brill, 2013.
Hayman, A. Peter. "The 'Man from the Sea' in 4 Ezra 13." Journal of Jewish Studies 49 (1998): 1-16.
Henze, Matthias, and Gabriele Boccaccini (with Janson M. Zurawski), eds. Fourth Ezra and Second Baruch: Reconstruction after the Fall. Journal for the Study of Judaism Supplement Series 164. Leiden: Brill, 2013.
Schmid, Konrad. "Esras Begegnung mit Zion: Die Deutung der Zerstörung Jerusalems im 4. Esrabuch und das Problem des 'bösen Herzens'." Journal for the Study of Judaism 29 (1998): 261-77.
Stone, Michael E. Features of the Eschatology of IV Ezra. Harvard Semitic Studies 35. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1989.

-sots.ac.uk-

.....