The Book of Ezra in Fausset's Bible Dictionary

Hilary of Poitiers calls Ezra a continuation of Chronicles. The first part of Ezra (Ezra 1-6) describes the return from the captivity under Joshua and Zerubbabel, and the building of the temple; the enemy's obstructions; its advance through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah (Ezra 5:1-2; Ezra 6:14), and its completion in Darius Hystaspes' sixth year, 516 B.C. (Ezra 6:15.) A long interval follows; and the second part of the book (Ezra 7-10) passes to Ezra's journey from Persia to Jerusalem in Artaxerxes Longimanus' seventh year, 458-457 B.C. (Ezra 7:1; Ezra 7:7); the details are given in Ezra 7; 8. Ezra's numerous caravan bringing fresh strength to the weak colony (Ezra 8). And his work in Ezra 9-10, restoring the theocratic nationality and removing foreign wives. The book ends with the names of those who had married them. The second part combined with Nehemiah is a complete historical picture. But the distinct title to Nehemiah shows it is a separate book. ESTHER fills up the interval between Ezra 6 and Ezra 7. The first part (Ezra 1-6) period (536-516 B.C.) is the time of prince Zerubbabel and the high priest Joshua aided by Haggai and Zechariah. The second (Ezra 7-10) is that of the priest Ezra and the governor Nehemiah, aided by the prophet Malachi. In both royal, priestly, and prophetical men lead God's people. The first is the period of building the temple, a religious restoration; the second that of restoring the people and rebuilding the city, a political combined with a religious restoration. The things of God first, then the things of men. Only 50,000 settled with Joshua and Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:64, etc.); and these intermingled with the pagan, and were in "affliction and reproach" (Ezra 9:6-15; Nehemiah 1:3). Hence the need of restoring the holy nationality, as well as the temple, under Ezra and Nehemiah. Ezra the priest took charge of the inner restoration, by purging out paganism and bringing back the law; Nehemiah the governor did the outer work, restoring the city and its polity. Ezra is therefore rightly accounted by the Jews as a second Moses. Ezra received permission to go to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus (Ezra 7:6-26); Nehemiah in the 20th year (Nehemiah 2:1). Ezra is supposed by some to have used the Babylonian era, Nehemiah the Persian. The 70 weeks (490 years) of Daniel 9:24-25 probably date from this seventh year of Artaxerxes, when Ezra received leave to restore the temple and the people and the holy city (457 B.C.), because the re-establishment of the theocracy then began, though the actual rebuilding was not until 13 years later under Nehemiah...