Ezra - Return and Rebuilding

 After years in exile the Israelites are finally allowed to return to Jerusalem.

Once there, they begin to rebuild God's temple, with the blessing of King Cyrus of Persia.  There is a bit of conflict and confusion over the construction as some people implied the Israelites were not authorized to do this.  But the issue is resolved through numerous letters and finally a research of the archives of King Cyrus.  Scrolls are located authorizing the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple.  The conflict is resolved and construction resumes.

Midway through the book, we finally meet Ezra.

Ezra was a descendent of Aaron (as in Moses and Aaron) and is a keeper of the laws of God.  Ezra was chosen to lead the rest of the exiles into Jerusalem, help complete the building of the temple and oversee the execution of the law.  When he arrives, Ezra discovers (of course) that the Israelites have already forsaken God's law by marrying foreigners from the lands surrounding Jerusalem.  Ezra pleads to God for forgiveness and all the people repent and join in.  The men who had married foreign women agree to send the women away.  

Ezra makes a list of the guilty and the book ends. 

On to Nehemiah!