The Book of Ezra – Outline

The Book  of Ezra Outline

I. The Return from Exile 

King Cyrus of Persia (Ezra 1:1-1:1)

The Edict of King Cyrus of Persia (Ezra 1:2-1:4)

The preparations for the return to Jerusalem (Ezra 1:5-1:6)

King Cyrus returns the vessels of the house of Yahweh (Ezra 1:7-1:11)

The leaders of the exiles (Ezra 2:1-2:2)

The list of the men returning by ancestral leaders (Ezra 2:3-2:19)

The list of the men returning by towns (Ezra 2:20-2:35)

The list of the priests returning (Ezra 2:36-2:39)

The list of the Levites returning (Ezra 2:40-2:42)

The list of the Temple servants returning (Ezra 2:43-2:54)

The list of the sons of Solomon returning (Ezra 2:55-2:58)

Those unable to find to prove their Israelite ancestry (Ezra 2:59-2:63)

The total of all those returning (Ezra 2:64-2:67)

The offerings from the ancestral heads (Ezra 2:68-2:69)

The people in Jerusalem (Ezra 2:70-2:70)

 

II. Rebuilding of the Temple

The renewal of worship (Ezra 3:1-3:7)

The planners for the foundation of the Temple (Ezra 3:8-3:9)

The celebration at the laying of the foundation (Ezra 3:10-3:13)

The meeting with their adversaries (Ezra 4:1-4:3)

The obstruction of the Samaritans under King Cyrus (Ezra 4:4-4:5)

An accusation of the Samaritans under King Xerxes I (Ezra 4:6-4:6)

Accusations of the Samaritans to King Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:7-4:10)

The letter to King Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:11-4:16)

The response of King Artaxerxes (Ezra 4:17-4:22)

The cessation of the construction of the wall in Jerusalem (Ezra 4:23-4:23)

The construction of the Temple (Ezra 4:24-4:24)

The prophets Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1-5:2)

The questions of Governor Tattenai (Ezra 5:3-5:5)

The letter of Governor Tattenai to King Darius (Ezra 5:6-5:10)

The reply of the elders at Jerusalem (Ezra 5:11-5:16)

Where is the decree of King Cyrus? (Ezra 5:17-5:17)

The search and finding of the lost scroll of King Cyrus (Ezra 6:1-6:2)

The original decree of King Cyrus (Ezra 6:3-6:5)

King Darius’ instructions to Governor Tattenai (Ezra 6:6-6:12)

The completion of the Temple (Ezra 6:13-6:15)

The celebration at the Temple (Ezra 6:16-6:18)

The Passover celebration (Ezra 6:19-6:22)

 

III. The Organization of the community

 The genealogy of Ezra (Ezra 7:1-7:5)

The travels of Ezra from Babylonia to Jerusalem (Ezra 7:6-7:10)

King Artaxerxes gives a letter to Ezra (Ezra 7:11-7:11)

The letter of King Artaxerxes outlining the mission of Ezra (Ezra 7:12-7:20)

The decree for the Province Beyond the River (Ezra 7:21-7:24)

The importance of Ezra (Ezra 7:25-7:26)

Ezra’s prayer to Yahweh (Ezra 7:27-7:28)

Those who came with Ezra (Ezra 8:1-8:14)

More people come with Ezra (Ezra 8:15-8:20)

The fast of Ezra (Ezra 8:21-8:23)

The twelve priests (Ezra 8:24-8:30)

The final stop in Jerusalem (Ezra 8:31-8:34)

The great offering at Jerusalem (Ezra 8:35-8:36)

Marriages with foreigners (Ezra 9:1-9:4)

The prayer of Ezra (Ezra 9:5-9:9)

Marriages with unclean strangers (Ezra 9:10-9:15)

Ezra is convinced to do something (Ezra 10:1-10:4)

The oath to put away foreign wives (Ezra 10:5-10:6)

The great assembly in Jerusalem about marriages (Ezra 10:7-10:9)

Ezra demands the separation from the foreign wives (Ezra 10:10-10:11)

The agreement and the dispute (Ezra 10:12-10:15)

The examination of the practical situation (Ezra 10:16-10:17)

The list of the guilty priests (Ezra 10:18-10:22)

The list of the guilty Levites (Ezra 10:23-10:24)

The list of the guilty Israelites by family (Ezra 10:25-10:44)