These two books are often overlooked when it comes to Bible readings, but they are significant in different ways.
- Three sections of these books (Ezra 1-6, 7-10, Nehemiah 1-7) have the same pattern. Explain.
- How is the last section (Nehemiah 8-13) different from the previous three?
- How are Persian kings portrayed—good? bad? Explain why.
- How are immediate neighboring officials seen—good? bad? Give examples.
- Parts of the books seem harsh. See Ezra 9-10 and Nehemiah 13:23-28. Can you justify these attitudes, considering the people’s conditions at the time?
- Nehemiah is often studied for principles of leadership. Give some examples.
- Two walls are built here—Nehemiah focuses on a physical one. What type of wall does Ezra deal with?
- Why are so many in these stories clearly labeled as good or bad? What does that suggest about how the author sees the struggle here?
- The book of Nehemiah is told in first person, meaning the author is telling about what happened to him; he is part of the story. What would be the strengths and weaknesses of telling a story in this way? Do you remember reading other famous stories or novels told in this way?
- The people are seen as complex and ambiguous; they are sometimes good, sometimes bad. See Ezra 9:1/10:12, Nehemiah 5:1-5, 6:17-19, 13:15-22, 13:23-28, and compare Nehemiah 3:4,30 with 6:18. How are the people shown here?
- The story has two major themes—the importance of the reconstruction of the temple and the spiritual state of the people. You can see the first theme in Ezra 1:1-Nehemiah 6:19 and the second theme in Nehemiah 7:1-13:31. How does each section conclude? Before you answer, read Nehemiah 6:17-19 and Nehemiah 13:4-31 closely. What do these passages seem to suggest about the people and their future?
