Hebrew Bible/OT Commentaries: Ezra & Nehemiah

"The books of Ezra and Nehemiah, treated here as one larger work, continue the story of Israel’s experience begun in the biblical books of I and II Chronicles. In the wake of Persia replacing Babylon as the ruling empire in the ancient Near East, the Judahites exiled in Babylon find reason to hope again. Their hope is rooted in the fulfillment of the prophetic promises that they would one day return to their homeland. Not only do the exiles return from Babylon with the support of the Persian ruler, but they renew their commitment to God. Two remarkable personalities – with strikingly different approaches to the same objective – are the architects of this rebuilding of a people so long without roots. Ezra, “the second Moses,” bases the renewal on the Torah and spiritual reform. Nehemiah, the accomplished politician and diplomat, keeps the renewal alive with his deft administrative hand. For all its usefulness in painting the historical picture, Ezra-Nehemiah presents an exceedingly complex textual jigsaw puzzle. The heart of the matter lies not in reconciling all the parallel lists, quotes, and different accounts of the same story, but in coming to a better understanding of how and when the Bible came to be written. The factors of spiritual renewal, national reconstruction, and biblical composition make Ezra-Nehemiah a key to biblical interpretation then and now." - Yale University Press

"For over one hundred years, the International Critical Commentary series has held a special place among works on the Bible. It has sought to bring together all the relevant aids to exegesis—linguistic and textual no less than archaeological, historical, literary and theological—with a level of comprehension and quality of scholarship unmatched by any other series." - T & T Clark

"As the only historical source available for the period of the Jewish return from the Babylonian exile and its aftermath, the books of Ezra and Nehemiah are crucial for those who would study not only the political, but also the religious and social history of the Old Testament. In this valuable addition to the Guides series, Williamson seeks to steer a clear path for the student, showing how an understanding of the way the books were put together from their constituent sources can elucidate both the historical problems of the period and the theological outlook of the writer." - T&T Clark

"In this volume of the Old Testament Library series, Blenkinsopp examines two of the most neglected books in the English Bible. He clarifies the historical and theological issues in Ezra & Nehemiah to give readers a clear picture of emergent Judaism, and attempts to reconstruct the editorial history of the books. In a section that will evoke scholarly discussion, Blenkinsopp refutes a recent trend that separates Ezra & Nehemiah from 1 & 2 Chronicles." - Accordance

"Based on years of intensive study and research, this commentary provides competent guidance to the complexities of Ezra and Nehemiah. The author gives special attention to the perplexing problems associated with their form, structure, and literary history. Supporting the view that much of this material is from the fifth century BC, just as it claims to be, he concludes that “there is good reason to approach Ezra and Nehemiah as two parts of single work and that this work is to be regarded as complete as it stands.” Williamson also focuses on sections of these books commonly referred to as the “Ezra Memoir” and the “Nehemiah Memoir.” He notes the specifically theological purpose of such sections, in which the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple are defended against the enemies, and the leaders of Israel plead for recognition of their faithfulness to the commission given them by God through the Persian kings." - Logos