ezra
Proper noun 1. A book of the Old Testament: The Book of Ezra is a text in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. It narrates the return of Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem in the 5th century BC and the efforts to rebuild the Temple and reestablish religious law and worship. 2. A historical and religious figure: Ezra was a Jewish priest, scribe, and religious leader. He is traditionally credited with leading a group of exiles back to Judah and playing a central role in reforming Jewish religious life and reestablishing the Mosaic law (the Torah) as the foundation of the community.
- Referring to the biblical book:
- The events described in Ezra take place after the Babylonian exile.
- We studied the books of Ezra and Nehemiah in our theology class.
- Referring to the person:
- The priest Ezra read the Book of the Law to the assembled people.
- According to tradition, Ezra helped compile and edit the Hebrew scriptures.
- Ezra's Law: Sometimes used informally to refer to the religious and legal reforms instituted by Ezra, which emphasized strict adherence to the Torah and separation from foreign influences.
- The community's strict practices were seen as a return to Ezra's Law.
- Ezran (adj): Pertaining to Ezra or the Book of Ezra. (Rare, scholarly use)
- The Ezran reforms shaped post-exilic Judaism.
- Book of Ezra: The full title of the biblical text.
- For the book: The Book of Ezra.
- For the person: Ezra the Scribe, Ezra the Priest.
The word "Ezra" almost exclusively refers to these two specific, interconnected religious and historical contexts. It is not used as a common noun. In modern times, "Ezra" is also used as a given name, derived from this biblical figure.
- an Old Testament book telling of a rabbi's efforts in the 5th century BC to reconstitute Jewish law and worship in Jerusalem after the Babylonian Captivity
- a Jewish priest and scribe sent by the Persian king to restore Jewish law and worship in Jerusalem