Ezra 1:1 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and put it also in writing saying, 

Ezra 1:2 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the Earth and he has charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem.(*), which is in Judah.

The city of Jerusalem is in the region called Judah.(map), where the tribe of Judah was.

2Chronicles 36:22,23.

Ezra 1:3 Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah and build the house of the Lord God of Israel. He is the God which is in Jerusalem.

Ezra 1:4-7 And whosoever remains in any place where he sojourns, let the men of his place help him with silver and with gold and with goods and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem. 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 Lord which is in Jerusalem. And all they that were about them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods and with beasts and with precious things, beside all that was willingly offered. Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of the Lord, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought forth out of Jerusalem and had put them in the house of his Gods.

Ezra 1:8 Even those did Cyrus king of Persia bring forth by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer and numbered them unto Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.

Ezra 1:11 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand and four hundred. All these did Sheshbazzar bring up with them of the captivity that were brought up from Babylon unto Jerusalem.

Ezra 2:1 Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar-II the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;

Ezra 2:25 The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.

Ezra 2:41 The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight.

Ezra 2:58 All the Nethinims and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

Ezra 2:63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.

Ezra 2:64 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore.

Ezra 2:65-67 Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women. Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five an their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

Ezra 2:70 So the priests and the Levites and some of the people and the singers and the porters and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities and all Israel in their cities.

The.Nethinims. The name means 'devoted ones' and 'those set apart'; these were the people called.Gershonites.who were designated to do the harder work of the temple, such as carrying wood and water, etc.:.Numbers 4:24.

Ezra 3:7 They gave money also unto the masons and to the carpenters and meat and drink and oil, unto them of Zidon and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

Ezra 3:8-13 Now in the second year of their coming unto the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, began Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and the remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to set forward the work of the house of the Lord. Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, to set forward the workmen in the house of God. The sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brethren the Levites. And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise the Lord, after the ordinance of David king of Israel. And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the Lord, because he is good, for his mercy endures for ever toward Israel.(who is Israel today?). And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the priests and Levites and chief of the fathers, who were ancient men, that had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice and many shouted aloud for joy, so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout and the noise was heard afar off.

Ezra 4:1 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin.(large tribes in ancient Israel).heard that the children of the captivity builded the temple unto the Lord God of Israel,

Ezra 4:2 Then they came to Zerubbabel and to the chief of the fathers and said unto them, Let us build with you, for we seek your God, as you do and we do sacrifice unto him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assur, which brought us up hither.

They were a group of deceitful persons having an alternate.agenda, as later in this chapter shows.

Ezra 4:3 But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel, said unto them, You have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God, but we ourselves together will build unto the Lord God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.

Ezra 4:4-6 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah and troubled them in building and hired counsellors against them.(a conspiracy), to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem. 

Ezra 4:7,8 And in the days of Artaxerxes.(same original word as Ahaseurus, both meaning 'king', same with the word 'pharaoh' and 'czar').wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of their companions, unto Artaxerxes king of Persia and the writing of the letter was written in the Syrian tongue and interpreted in the Syrian tongue. Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this sort.

Ezra 4:9 Then wrote Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites and the Elamites.

Ezra 4:10 And the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Asnappar brought over and set in the cities of Samaria and the rest that are on this side the river and at such a time.

Ezra 4:11 This is the copy of the letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king; Thy servants the men on this side the river and at such a time.

Ezra 4:12 Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from you to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city and have set up the walls thereof and joined the foundations.

Ezra 4:13-22 Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute and custom and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings. Now because we have maintenance from the king's palace.(this was their real agenda, to get more money).and it was not meet for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and certified the king; That search may be made in the book of the records of thy fathers, so shalt thou find in the book of the records and know that this city is a rebellious city and hurtful unto kings and provinces and that they have moved sedition within the same of old time, for which cause was this city destroyed. We certify the king that, if this city be built again and the walls thereof set up, by this means thou shalt have no portion on this side the river. Then sent the king an answer unto Rehum the chancellor and to Shimshai the scribe and to the rest of their companions that dwell in Samaria and unto the rest beyond the river, "Peace and at such a time; the letter which you sent unto us has been plainly read before me. And I commanded, and search has been made and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings and that rebellion and sedition have been made therein. There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, which have ruled over all countries beyond the river and toll, tribute and custom, was paid unto them. Give you now commandment to cause these men to cease and that this city be not builded, until another commandment shall be given from me. Take heed now that you fail not to do this, for why should damage grow to the hurt of the kings?

Ezra 4:23,24 Now when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their companions, they went up in haste to Jerusalem unto the Jews and made them to cease by force and power. Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Ezra 5:1 Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Judeans that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.

Ezra 5:2-5 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem and with them were the prophets of God helping them. At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river and Shetharboznai and their companions and said thus unto them, Who has commanded you to build this house and to make up this wall? Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?.(you should know from history the answer to your own question) But the eye of their God was upon the elders of those of Judah, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter. 

Ezra 5:6 This is the copy of the letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river and Shetharboznai and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king, wherein was written thus, 

'Unto Darius the king, all peace. Be it known unto the king, that we went into the province of Judea, to the house of the great God, which is builded with great stones and timber is laid in the walls and this work goes fast on and prospers in their hands." Then asked we those elders and said unto them thus, "Who commanded you to build this house and to make up these walls?" We asked their names also, to certify to you that we might write the names of the men that were the chief of them. And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and Earth and build the house that was builded these many years ago, which a great king of Israel builded and set up.

Ezra 5:12 'But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried the people away into Babylon.

Ezra 5:13 'But in the first year of Cyrus the king of Babylon the same king Cyrus made a decree to build this house of God.
Ezra 5:14-17 'And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought them into the temple of Babylon, those did Cyrus the king take out of the temple of Babylon and they were delivered unto one, whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor; And said unto him, Take these vessels, go, carry them into the temple that is in Jerusalem and let the house of God be built in his place. Then came the same Sheshbazzar and laid the foundation of the house of God which is in Jerusalem and since that time even until now has it been in building and yet it is not finished. Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.'

Ezra 6:1,2 Then Darius the king made a decree and search was made in the house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon. And there was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of the Medes, a roll and therein was a record thus written:

Ezra 6:3 In the first year of Cyrus the king the same Cyrus the king made a decree concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, Let the house be builded, the place where they offered sacrifices and let the foundations thereof be strongly laid, the height thereof threescore cubits and the breadth thereof threescore cubits.

Ezra 6:4-13 With three rows of great stone and a row of new timber and let the expenses be given out of the king's house. And also let the golden and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem and brought unto Babylon be restored and brought again unto the temple which is at Jerusalem, every one to his place and place them in the house of God. Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai and your companions the Apharsachites.(Barnes Notes: a company of colonists whom the Assyrian king planted in Samaria:.Ezra 5:6), which are beyond the river, be you far from thence.(let them alone and stop harassing them). Let the work of this house of God alone. Let the governor of those of Judah and their elders, build this house of God in his place. Moreover I make a decree what you shall do to the Judean elders for the building of this house of God, that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered. And that which they have need of, both young bullocks and rams and lambs, for the burnt offerings of the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine and oil, according to the appointment of the priests which are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail..(Darius made sure that these enemies of the plan those of Judah had to build their temple, were going to, in fact, help them build it) That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and of his sons. Also I have made a decree, that whosoever shall alter this word, let timber be pulled down from his house, and being set up, let him be hanged thereon and let his house be made a dunghill for this.(Darius threatens the enemies of this project). And the God that has caused his name to dwell there will destroy all kings and people that shall put to their hand to alter and to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree. Let it be done with speed. Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.

Ezra 6:14 And the elders of the tribe of Judah builded and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel and according to the commandment of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia.

Ezra 6:15,16 And this house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. And the children of Israel, the priests and the Levites and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy,

Ezra 7:1 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,

Ezra 7:6 This Ezra went up from Babylon.(where he and the nation of Judah were in captivity to king Nebuchadnezzar-II).and he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which the Lord God of Israel had given and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the Lord his God upon him.

Ezra 7:7 And there went up some of the children of Israel and of the priests and the Levites and the singers and the porters and the Nethinims.(those who gave help to the Levites), unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

Ezra 7:9 For upon the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God upon him.

Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord and to do it and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

Ezra 7:27,28 Blessed be the Lord God of our fathers, which hath put such a thing as this in the heart of king Artaxerxes, to beautify the house of the Lord which is in Jerusalem and hath extended mercy unto me before the king and his counsellors and before all the king's mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the Lord my God was upon me and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.

Ezra 8:20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims, all of them were specified by name.

Ezra 8:21,22 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava, that we might afflict.(fasting is a bit of an affliction that we can impose upon ourselves from time to time; it's about depriving ourselves of food and/or water until we feel weakened; fasting slays the ego, making one humble).ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us and for our little ones and for all our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

Ezra 8:28 And I said unto them, You are holy unto the Lord. The vessels are holy also and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the Lord God of your fathers.

Ezra 9:1 Now when these things were done, the princes came to me, saying, The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the people of the lands and are doing according to their abominations, even of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians and the Amorites.

Ezra 9:2 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons so that the holy seed.().have mingled themselves with the people of those lands, yea, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass.

Ezra 9:6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God, for our iniquities are increased over our head and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.

Ezra 9:7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day and for our iniquities have we, our kings and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity.(2Chronicles 36:10).and to a spoil and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

Ezra 9:8 And now for a little space grace has been showed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape and to give us a nail.(Matthew Poole's Commentary:."gave them some ground of hopes to continue in their land; some kind of settlement, whereas before we were tossed and removed from place to place").in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes and give us a little reviving in our bondage.

Adam Clarke's Commentary:."The ten tribes are gone into captivity, but a great part of Judah and Benjamin.{map}.had continued beyond the Euphrates, so that Ezra might well say, there was but a remnant which had escaped."

Ezra 9:9 For we were bondmen, yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God and to repair the desolations thereof and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. 

Ezra 9:10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken your commandments,

Ezra 9:11,12 Which you have commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, The land unto which you go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor ever seek their peace or their wealth, so that you stay strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.

Ezra 9:13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass, seeing that you our God has punished us less than our iniquities deserve and has given us such deliverance as this.

Ezra 9:13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great trespass.(our actions for which we are guilty which went against the multiversal law of love, which is part of the reap and sow law), seeing that you our God has punished.(original for word 'punished' is 'tolerant or patient in the face of provocation'; what were the translators thinking to translate the original word 'chasak' to the word 'punish' when it clearly doesn't mean that? Well, there were those highly influenced by satanic influences back then as there are today; besides the word 'punish', 'chasak' is also translated 'spare', 'hold back', 'keep back', 'withhold', 'refrain', 'assuage', 'reserve', 'variable', 'forbear', 'hinder', 'kept' and these tie in with God being kind even to the unthankful and evil, until it's time to stop the evil permanently and that time is right now {Romans 9:22} and what's your part?).us less than our iniquities deserve and has given us such deliverance as this.

Why.'less than they deserved'?

Also.Psalms 103:10. The Creator is kind to the evil. Why?.2Peter 3:9.

Ezra 9:14 Should we again break your commandments and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? Would not you be angry with us till you have consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?

God is merciful and kind (*), but don't be stupid and allow the kind mercy of God to absolve errors you still willingly desire to engage in. Take some effort (like what?) to improve your character before you get into more trouble and do support with prayers, those on the front lines against evil, such as the soldiers needing support.

Ezra 9:15 O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day. Behold, we are before you after having offended you and still standing in spite of all we have done.

They were amazed at God's mercy.

Ezra 10:1 Now when Ezra had prayed and when he had confessed, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, there assembled unto him out of Israel a very great congregation of men and women and children, for the people wept very sore. 

Ezra 10:2 And Shechaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered and said unto Ezra, We have trespassed against our God and have taken strange wives of the people of the land.
Yet now there is hope in Israel concerning this thing. 

Ezra 10:3 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord and of those that tremble at the commandment of our God and let it be done according to the law.

....next Old Testament book is Nehemiah