Bible Stories for Adults

Judah Returns from Captivity

Ezra & Nehemiah

Next Week - Between the Testaments
Bible Words to Remember:
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in sprit. A righteous man may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all. Psalm 34:18-19

Why had the Jews been exiled in Babylon? = Exiled, but not abandoned
Nehemiah 9:16, 29-31 = They rejected God's commands & His prophets,
What had God promised before the exile that comforted the Jews in Babylon?
Isaiah 13:1, 17, 19; 14:1 = God will stir Medes (Persians) against Babylon & return Israel

Did the Jews have any idea how long they would have to wait for this to happen?
Jeremiah 29:10-14 = They would return after repenting and 70 yrs of exile
What action did Daniel take when the 70 years were nearly complete?
Daniel 9:1-3 = He prayed & fasted for God to return the Jews

Who was responsible for sending the Jews back to Judah and why?
Ezra 1:1-2 = God appointed Cyrus to build a temple in Jerusalem
After being settled for 70 years, who gave up their homes and returned?
Ezra 1:3, 5 = everyone whose heart God had moved (a sifting to get the most faithful)
How could these people afford the move and living during the temple construction?
Ezra 1:6 = Neighbors gave money, livestock, etc. per Cyrus' edict

What important items did Cyrus send back with this first group of Jews?
Ezra 1:7 = Gold & silver articles taken from the temple by Nebuchadnezzar
How much wealth did the remnant bring?
Ezra 1:8, 11 = 5400 gold & silver items
Who was this Sheshbazzar that Cyrus appointed as governor over Judah?
1 Chronicles 3:17-18 (Ezra 5:14b) = Jehoiachin's grandson, also called Zerubbabel

How many Jews returned?
Ezra 2:1, 64-67 = Over 42,000 plus 7500 servants (537 BC)

What did the Jews begin to do after first settling in the towns?
Ezra 3:1-2 = Rebuilt the altar & began sacrifices (7 months)
What was their next step after building the altar and starting sacrifices?
Ezra 3:8 = They began rebuilding the temple
How did the Jews feel when they saw the temple foundations?
Ezra 3:10-13 = They wept aloud & shouted for joy in celebration

Who wanted to help rebuild the temple?
Ezra 4:1-2 = Samaritans: We've sacrificed to God since Assyrians brought us here
Were these really Israelites & did they follow Jehovah as the one true God?
2 Kings 17:24, 28, 33 = Assyrians settled others in Samaria, taught to worship God
Did the Jews accept this help & why or why not?
Ezra 4:3 = No, the Samaritans weren't pure Israelites - Besides, the king only said us
How did the Samaritans accept this rejection?
Ezra 4:4-5 = They worked to frustrate the reconstruction efforts through lawyers...
What happened as a result of this opposition?
Ezra 4:24 = Reconstruction of the temple was stopped

Why did God raise the prophets Haggai and Zechariah?
Haggai 1:3-4, 7-8 = To remind the people to build His temple
Did the people listen to these prophets?
Ezra 5:1-2 = Yes, the Jews began working on the temple again
Did they meet any opposition this second time around? = Wrote a letter to King Darius
Ezra 5:3, 5, 7, 17 = Yes, the Samaritans tried to stop them again &
How did King Darius respond?
Ezra 6:1-2 = He searched records & found Cyrus' Restoration edict
What extra touch did Darius add?
Ezra 6:7-8 = He ordered the Samaritans to stay away and to help financially
What did the Jews do after the temple was completed?
Ezra 6:15-16, 19 = They dedicated the temple & celebrated Passover in 515 BC

Was there any opposition when the Jews began to rebuild Jerusalem's city walls?
Ezra 4:6 = Under Xerxes, the Samaritans tried again to thwart the Jews' efforts
Note: King Xerxes married a Jew (Esther) who saved Jews from annihilation
What did the Samaritans do after not being able to get Xerxes to stop the construction?
Ezra 4:11-13 = Wrote to King Artaxerxes (Xerxes' son) warning of danger of revolt
Did King Artaxerxes agree with their concern?
Ezra 4:19, 21 = Yes, and he ordered the reconstruction to stop

Who was Nehemiah? = Cupbearer had to be a very trusted individual - threat of poisoning
Nehemiah 2:1 = He was a Jew serving as cupbearer to King Artaxerxes
For what did Nehemiah ask of King Artaxerxes? = He prayed before making request (v4)
Nehemiah 2:4-5 = He asked for permission & authority to rebuild Jerusalem's city walls
Besides letting him go and funding the effort, how else did Artaxerxes help Nehemiah?
Nehemiah 2:9 = He sent Nehemiah with letters and military protection

What did Nehemiah do as soon as he arrived in Jerusalem?
Nehemiah 2:15-16 = He secretly inspected the city walls
How did the Jews respond to Nehemiah's call to begin rebuilding the walls?
Nehemiah 2:17-18 = They agreed and immediately began the work
Nehemiah 3 = Various sections were assigned to different groups

Did they meet any opposition the second time around?
Nehemiah 2:19-20 = Others asked: Are you rebelling against the king?
How did the Samaritans respond when the walls started going up?
Nehemiah 4:1-3 = The Samaritans ridiculed the Jews & their efforts
How did the Samaritans respond when the wall reached half its height?
Nehemiah 4:6-8, 11 = They planned to attack Jerusalem & end the work
Did this threat stop the efforts?
Nehemiah 4:16-18 = The Jews kept working but were always ready to defend
What other opposition did Nehemiah resist? = Tried to draw Nehemiah out of town to harm him,
Nehemiah 6:2, 5-10, 13 = Charged treason, & tried to discredit him

How long did this reconstruction effort take?
Nehemiah 6:15-16 = 52 days, To God's glory
What did the Jews do after the city walls were completed?
Nehemiah 12:27, 31, 40, 43 = Dedicated wall in huge celebration & parade on the wall
How was Jerusalem populated?
Nehemiah 11:1-2 = Ten percent of the Jews were chosen by lot to live in Jerusalem

Who was Ezra?
Ezra 7:6 = Jewish scribe in Babylon, well versed in God's Law, descended from Aaron
Why was Ezra sent to Jerusalem?
Ezra 7:19-20, 25-26 = To outfit temple; teach & execute God's Law
Why did King Artaxerxes go out of his way for the Jews like this?
Ezra 7:23 = To win the favor of the Jews' god
What did Ezra do before setting out for Jerusalem with ~2000 men & riches?
Ezra 8:21 = Everyone fasted 3 days and asked God for a safe journey

What was the first problem Ezra was presented in Jerusalem?
Ezra 9:1-2 = Jews had not stayed separate & had intermarried
What did Ezra and the people agree to do?
Ezra 10:11-12 = Remove foreign wives & their children from the community

How did the people learn about God's Law?
Nehemiah 8:2-3 = Ezra read the Book of the Law to the large assembly
Did the people really want to learn God's Law or were they just watching a show?
Nehemiah 8:5-6 = The people shouted Amen! bowed down & worshipped
How did the people understand since they now spoke Aramaic?
Nehemiah 8:8 = Levites translated the Hebrew to Aramaic

How did the people respond when they realized how they had been sinning?
Nehemiah 8:9 = They cried & mourned
How did they respond later in the month after their situation sank in?
Nehemiah 9:1-3 (8:1-9:37) = They were greatly moved & confessed their sins
Nehemiah 9:38; 10:29 = Rededicated themselves & made an oath to keep God's Laws