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16 votes
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Is there a numerical contradiction between Ezra and Nehemiah?

As other answers have noted, there are a number of discrepancies between the lists of Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 which are, largely, duplicate passages. In the case of Ezra 2:65 and Nehemiah 7:67, there ...
Dɑvïd's user avatar
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6 votes

Is there a numerical contradiction between Ezra and Nehemiah?

"Obviously" this is contradiction. One contradiction that can be explained in different ways. Simple scribal error. Very unsatisfactory answer, but possible, however likely, or unlikely. From within ...
LаngLаngС's user avatar
5 votes
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Why did Daniel not return to Jerusalem according to the decree of Cyrus in Ezra 1?

The Rev. Joseph Benson notes in his commentary on Daniel 10:1, In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia — That is, the third after the death of Darius. Daniel must now have been above ninety years ...
enegue's user avatar
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4 votes

Who is the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7?

Introduction : In the history of the First Persian Empire, there are three kings called The Great : Cyrus, Xerxes, and Darius. Their almost consecutive rules spanned for 65 of the 75 years ranging ...
4 votes

Is there a numerical contradiction between Ezra and Nehemiah?

Background On the detail of the number of singers, all of the textual evidence is in agreement: Nehemiah has recorded 245 and Ezra 200. There is no textual evidence to support treating these numbers ...
Revelation Lad's user avatar
4 votes

In Luke, Was Jesus Dedicated in the Second Temple, or Third?

Excellent question. It was the second temple. More specifically it was King Herod's rebuilt second temple. He began the project in 19 BC and aspects of this rebuild lasted 75 years. This information ...
N.Ish's user avatar
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4 votes

Why do Bible commentators not regard the Darius (the Mede) in the book of Daniel and the Darius in the book of Ezra as same person?

Why do Bible commentators not regard the Darius (the Mede) in the book of Daniel and the Darius in the book of Ezra as same person? The dates of the period are: 605 (autumn) - Nebuchadnezzar takes ...
Andrew Shanks's user avatar
4 votes

Why do Bible commentators not regard the Darius (the Mede) in the book of Daniel and the Darius in the book of Ezra as same person?

It is almost certain that there are two different people named "Darius". One of these is well-known historically, and the other is highly debatable. King Darius of Persia, also known as &...
Dottard's user avatar
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4 votes

How did Ezra the Scribe prepare his heart to seek the law of the LORD?

In Ezra 1:5 we are told, “Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the ...
Anne's user avatar
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3 votes

What is meant by Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD?

What is meant by "Ezra prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD"? In context to Ezra 7:25, the main purpose of “Ezra prepared his heart to seek the Torah of YHVH” (עֶזְרָא֙ הֵכִ֣ין ...
חִידָה's user avatar
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Reason for old men weeping in Ezra 3

The account of weeping and joy is ambiguous and the narrative does not resolve the ambiguity. Were they weeping because the first temple was so much better than the second ? Or were they weeping with ...
Nigel J's user avatar
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3 votes
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To whom or to what does αὐτοῖς refer in Ezra 5,12?

In the Aramaic original Ezra 5:12 reads: לָהֵן מִן־דִּי הַרְגִּזוּ אֲבָהָתַנָא לֶאֱלָהּ שְׁמַיָּא ‏ “but since our fathers angered the God of Heaven”. In the Masoretic text the first word is vocalised ...
fdb's user avatar
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3 votes

Why were Artaxerxes and Nebuchadnezzar called "king of kings"?

It would be akin to any Jewish scholar acclaiming one renowned Rabbi as being "Rabbi of Rabbis". Or, of historians comparing the track-record of the most famous of conquerors and declaring ...
Anne's user avatar
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3 votes

Why were Artaxerxes and Nebuchadnezzar called "king of kings"?

They were emperors. They ruled over rulers of nations. Thus, they were the king of kings. However, this form is the superlative in Hebrew: (i) The absolute superlative, which manifests the ...
Perry Webb's user avatar
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3 votes
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What is the context of Ashurbanipal being mentioned in Ezra 4:10?

The actual name used in the text is ŏs năp’ ər (אָסְנַפַּר). This is normally presumed to be Ashurbanipal. The background is this: The initial settlement of Assyrians in Israel (Samaria) was followed ...
Dan Fefferman's user avatar
2 votes

How can we reconcile Ezra 3:2-3 & Nehemiah 8:17?

How can we reconcile Ezra 3:2-3 & Nehemiah 8:17 ? We can't. Reconciliation presupposes discord. But if no disagreement exists, then reconciliation is impossible. The two passages describe the ...
2 votes
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In Ezra 10:44 did they keep the children or send them away with their wives?

Ezra 10:3,5 [3]Let us now make a covenant with our God to divorce our pagan wives and to send them away with their children. We will follow the advice given by you and by the others who respect the ...
collen ndhlovu's user avatar
2 votes

Are there any Architectural Similarities between Herod's and Ezekiel's Temples?

Yes there is Talmudic evidence that - at least - some parts were modeled after Ezekiel's temple. There are few places in the Mishna in Middot (2:5; 3:1; 4:1; 4:2) where it is explicitly stated that ...
bach's user avatar
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2 votes

Who is the Artaxerxes of Ezra 7?

The answer, the Elephantine papyri: The Elephantine papyri (1) mention the high priest Johanan, also mentioned in Ezra 10:6, as a contemporary of Darius II !. Therefore the Darius in Ezra 6:1 = ...
Evert's user avatar
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2 votes

What is meant by Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD?

@Ctalorgraphics answer is a good one, so I will contribute a little extra to that answer. The important word in Ezra 7:10 is לֵבָב (lebab) which the OP's version translates as "heart". It ...
Dottard's user avatar
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2 votes

How much is a dram and talent during Medo-Persian period?

According to https://biblehub.com/topical/t/talent.htm (v. t.) Among the ancient Greeks, a weight and a denomination of money equal to 60 minae or 6,000 drachmae. The Attic talent, as a weight,...
Dottard's user avatar
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2 votes

Why did Daniel not return to Jerusalem according to the decree of Cyrus in Ezra 1?

Together Daniel being 90+ years old in the 3rd year of Cyrus (~535 BC) according Daniel 10:1, there are other reasons why Daniel didn't return to Jerusalem. Daniel was given high position In the ...
MATH777's user avatar
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2 votes

Were the אוּרִ֥ים Urim & תֻמִּֽים Thummim ever returned (after the Babylonian exile) to fulfill Ezra 2:63?

Ezra 2:63 (and its parallel in Neh 7:65) says: The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim. This can be understood in two ways: ...
Dottard's user avatar
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2 votes

Were the אוּרִ֥ים Urim & תֻמִּֽים Thummim ever returned (after the Babylonian exile) to fulfill Ezra 2:63?

By Pharisaical tradition[1], none of the holy articles from Solomon's Temple were recovered, which was why the Essenes considered the second temple illegitimate. There was no rod of Aaron, no Ark, etc....
Robert's user avatar
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2 votes

Is there a mathematical contradiction in Ezra 1:9-11?

I do not believe we need to be distracted by such mathematical matters in the Bible. The OP's question is based on the assumption that the list of articles is exhaustive. It probably does not ...
Dottard's user avatar
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2 votes

Why were the ancient men who had seen the 1st house weeping with a loud voice?

To begin, we need to be clear that the "house" here is the House of the Lord, the foundations of which have just been re-laid (vs. 11) after many decades of disuse. The older priests and ...
Dan Fefferman's user avatar
1 vote

How old was Ezra when he came to Jerusalem?

How old was Ezra when he came to Jerusalem? Good question. I could only find something in Coffman's Commentaries related to the span of time around Ezra. Maybe there's something here that can help? ...
Xeno's user avatar
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