Lexical Summary
Ezra: Ezra
Original Word:עֶזְרָא
Part of Speech:Proper Name Masculine
Transliteration:`Ezra'
Pronunciation:ez-rah
Phonetic Spelling:(ez-raw')
KJV: Ezra
NASB:Ezra
Word Origin:[a variation ofH5833 (עֶזרָה עֶזרָת - help)]
1. Ezra, an Israelite
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Ezra
A variation ofezrah; Ezra, an Israelite -- Ezra.
see HEBREWezrah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
azarDefinition"help," three Isr.
NASB TranslationEzra (22).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
, , ;
Ezra 7:1,10;Ezra 10:1,2,5,6;Nehemiah 8:6; calledEzra 7:6;Nehemiah 8:1,4,5,13;Nehemiah 12:36,Ezra 10:10,16;Nehemiah 8:2,9, bothEzra 7:11;Nehemiah 12:26.
Nehemiah 12:1,13.
Nehemiah 12:33.
(Biblical Hebrewid.); —Ezra 7:12,21,25.
Topical Lexicon
Meaning of the NameThe Hebrew name עֶזְרָא (Ezra) comes from a root meaning “help” or “helper,” fitting the man whose ministry helped re-establish covenant life after the Babylonian exile.
Historical Setting
Ezra ministered during the reign of Artaxerxes I (465–424 BC). His journey from Babylon to Jerusalem in 458 BC (Ezra 7:7–9) occurred about eighty years after the first return under Zerubbabel and roughly thirteen years before Nehemiah’s arrival (Nehemiah 2:1).
Priestly Lineage
Ezra traces his ancestry through sixteen generations back to “Aaron the chief priest” (Ezra 7:5). This pedigree legitimized his authority to teach, judge, and reform the post-exilic community.
Commission from Artaxerxes
Artaxerxes granted Ezra “all he requested, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him” (Ezra 7:6). The king’s decree (Ezra 7:11–26) authorized Ezra to:
• convey silver and gold for Temple worship;
• appoint magistrates and judges;
• teach “the laws of your God” (7:25);
• enforce obedience, even by banishment, confiscation, imprisonment, or death (7:26).
The royal favor underscoresProverbs 21:1 that “the king’s heart is a watercourse in the hand of the LORD.”
Devotion to Scripture
Ezra 7:10 summarizes his life program: “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.” Study, obedience, and instruction form the paradigm for every biblical teacher.
Restoration Journey
The caravan Ezra led included priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants (Ezra 7:7). Before departure they fasted at the river Ahava, seeking divine protection (8:21–23). The safe arrival proved “the hand of our God was upon us” (8:31).
Purification of the Community
Soon after settling in Jerusalem, Ezra confronted intermarriage with pagan women (Ezra 9:1–4). His heartfelt prayer (9:6–15) brought nationwide repentance. At a public assembly he charged: “You have been unfaithful… Now make confession to the LORD” (Ezra 10:10–11). The resulting covenant renewal safeguarded Israel’s distinct identity for Messiah’s lineage.
Public Reading of the Law
Years later, under Nehemiah, Ezra’s gifts resurfaced. On the first day of the seventh month, “Ezra the scribe brought the Law before the assembly” (Nehemiah 8:2). Standing on a wooden platform, he read “from daybreak till noon” while Levites “gave the sense” (8:3–8). The people’s response—hands lifted, faces bowed, tears shed—illustrates the power of expositional preaching.
Joint Leadership with Nehemiah
Though distinct offices—Ezra the priest-scribe, Nehemiah the governor—their collaboration produced comprehensive reform: spiritual (teaching and worship) and social (walls and governance). Together they led covenant renewal (Nehemiah 8–10) and dedication of the rebuilt wall with choirs “led by Ezra the scribe” (Nehemiah 12:36).
Liturgical and Canonical Contributions
Jewish tradition credits Ezra with organizing the Psalter’s final structure, initiating the Great Synagogue, and advancing the canonization of the Law and Prophets. While Scripture does not detail these tasks, his commitment to textual accuracy and public instruction laid groundwork for later synagogue worship and scribal transmission.
Occurrences outside Ezra–Nehemiah
All twenty-two occurrences of the name appear in Ezra and Nehemiah, reinforcing that the biblical focus rests on this single, epoch-shaping servant.
Theological Significance
1. Providence: The repeated phrase “the hand of the LORD was upon him” (Ezra 7:6, 9, 28; 8:18, 22, 31) highlights God’s sovereign direction.
2. Word-Centered Reform: Lasting revival arises from Scripture rightly handled and obeyed.
3. Holiness: Separation from idolatry remains essential for covenant faithfulness.
4. Leadership: Ezra embodies servant leadership grounded in personal piety and doctrinal depth.
Practical Lessons for Believers
• Commit to disciplined study of God’s Word.
• Apply truth personally before teaching others.
• Seek God’s help in every enterprise; fasting and prayer accompany ministry.
• Confront sin with humility and courage, knowing genuine repentance leads to restoration.
• Collaborate across gifts and callings for comprehensive kingdom work.
Legacy
Ezra’s ministry re-anchored post-exilic Israel in the Law, prepared the stage for later prophetic voices, and modeled a scholar-pastor pattern echoed in teachers from Timothy (2 Timothy 2:15) to the present. His name, “help,” aptly portrays a life through which the Lord helped His people rediscover covenant identity and hope.
Forms and Transliterations
וְעֶזְרָ֣א וְעֶזְרָ֥א ועזרא לְעֶזְרָ֔א לְעֶזְרָ֣א לְעֶזְרָ֥א לעזרא עֶזְרָ֔א עֶזְרָ֖א עֶזְרָ֗א עֶזְרָ֡א עֶזְרָ֣א עֶזְרָ֤א עֶזְרָ֨א עֶזְרָֽא׃ עֶזְרָא֙ עזרא עזרא׃ ‘ez·rā ‘ezrā ezRa lə‘ezrā lə·‘ez·rā leezRa veezRa wə‘ezrā wə·‘ez·rā
Links
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Englishman's Greek Concordance •
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