The Book of Ezra is a book of the Hebrew Bible; which formerly included the

Book of Nehemiah in a single book, commonly distinguished in scholarship as Ezra–

Nehemiah.
Ezra and Nehemiah followed 1 and 2 Chronicles and were generally considered
to be the work of one and the same author known as “the Chronicler.” The combined
work Ezra-Nehemiah is our most important literary source for the formation of the
Jewish religious community in the province of Judah after the Babylonian exile.
The book of Ezra was divided into Two; I. The return from the exile (1-6) II. The
Deeds of Ezra (7-10).
These are the summary of every chapters.
1. Decree of Cyrus. Cyrus, inspired by God, returns the Temple vessels to
Sheshbazzar, "prince of Judah", and directs the Israelites to return to Jerusalem with
him and rebuild the Temple.
2. Census of the Province. 42,360 exiles, with men servants, women servants
and "singing men and women" (Cf. Ez. 2:64-66), return from Babylon to Jerusalem and
Judah under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua the High Priest.
3. Restoration of the Altar. Jeshua the High Priest and Zerubbabel build the
altar and celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. In the second year the foundations of the
Temple are laid and the dedication takes place with great rejoicing.
4. Samaritan Interference. Letter of the Samaritans to Artaxerxes, and reply of
Artaxerxes: The "enemies of Judah and Benjamin" offer to help with the rebuilding, but
are rebuffed; they then work to frustrate the builders "down to the reign of Darius." The
officials of Samaria write to king Artaxerxes warning him that Jerusalem is being rebuilt,
and the king orders the work to stop. "Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem
came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia."
5. Tattenai's letter to Darius: Through the exhortations of the prophets Haggai
and Zechariah, Zerubbabel and Joshua recommence the building of the Temple.
Tattenai, satrap over both Judah and Samaria, writes to Darius warning him that
Jerusalem is being rebuilt and advising that the archives be searched to discover the
decree of Cyrus.
6. Decree of Cyrus. Darius finds the decree, directs Tattenai not to disturb the
Jews in their work, and exempts them from tribute and supplies everything necessary
for the offerings. The Temple is finished in the month of Adar in the sixth year of Darius,
and the Israelites assemble to celebrate its completion.
7. Ezra the Scribe. King Artaxerxes is moved by God to commission Ezra "to
inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God" and to "appoint
magistrates and judges to administer justice to all the people of Trans-Euphrates—all
who know the laws of your God." Artaxerxes gives Ezra much gold and directs all
Persian officials to aid him.
8. The Journey to Jerusalem. Ezra gathers a large body of returnees and much
gold and silver and precious vessels for the Temple and camps by a canal outside
Babylon. There he discovers he has no Levites, and so sends messengers to gather
some. The exiles then return to Jerusalem, where they distribute the gold and silver and
offer sacrifices to God.
9. Denunciation of Mix Marriages. Ezra is informed that some of the Jews
already in Jerusalem have married non-Jewish women. Ezra is appalled at this proof of
sin, and prays to God: "O God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a
remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can
stand in your presence."
10. Despite the opposition of some of their number, the Israelites assemble and
send away their foreign wives and children.

The Book of Ezra and Nehemiah has a story about the Three persons that is
important in the History of Israel and it seemed to be Paralleled Design. Each begins
with (1) the Persian King moved by God to send a leader to Jerusalem. And then, (2)
the leaders face opposition and which (3) leads to a strange anti-climactic end. Let’s talk
about the story of Zerubbabel and Ezra for they were in the Book of Ezra.
First, Zerubbabel. It started with the decree of Cyrus; the return of Israelites to
Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. It was Zerubbabel, born in the Babylonian captivity,
who led the Israelites to Jerusalem and Rebuild the Altar and the Temple. And when
Samaritan interferes and wanted to help to rebuild the Temple, Zerubbabel and the rest
of the family heads of Israel refused and said “It is not your responsibility to build with
us…”(Ez. 4:1-5). The Bible scholar called it as the Anti-climactic moment.
Secondly, Ezra. Ezra is a religious leader of the Jews who returned from exile in
Babylon, reformer who reconstituted the Jewish community on the basis of the Torah.
(His work helped make Judaism a religion in which law was central, enabling the Jews
to survive as a community when they were dispersed all over the world.) He was sent
by Artaxerxes. Zerubbabel wanted to restore the temple, Ezra wanted to bring a social
and spiritual renewal to Jerusalem; he wanted to restore the Israel or the community of
Israel. (Ez. 7-8) But Ezra is informed that some of the Jews already in Jerusalem have
married non-Jewish women. Ezra believed that it was against the Torah and prayed
(Ez. 9) and it led to Anti-climactic moment that Ezra, together with the head of the
Families, makes a divorce decree that says all these marriages must be annulled and
the sent off their foreign wives; both women and their children (Ez. 10-44).
 Anti-Climax. In every end of the story, it was then ended with the anti-climactic
end, as what the scholar said. Anti-climax, they called it, because it seemed to be
conflicting the prophesies of the prophets.
For example, when Zerubbabel refuses others to help them, it contradicts the
prophesies that the tribes of Israel would all come together along with the all of the
nations to participate in the worship the God of Israel when the Kingdom finally come.
And when Ezra makes a divorce decree that says all these marriages must be
annulled and the sent off their foreign wives; both women and their children, it
contradicts the text that says “God opposes Divorce” (see also: Malachi 2:13-16).
The book of Ezra talks about, first, the Hope(about the temple, the Kingdom of
God, messiah) but then ends with Disappointment.