Ezra Quiz

Not So Easy

BACKGROUND NOTE: Ezra continues the Old Testament narrative of Second Chronicles by showing how God fulfills his promise to return his people to the Land of Promise after seventy years of exile. Two returns from Babylon are related--the first led by Zerubbabel and the second under the leadership of Ezra.

1. Cyrus issued a proclamation that any Jew who desired to return to Jerusalem from his exile in Babylon could. The reason behind this proclamation was that Yahweh had given Cyrus himself a command. What was that command?

2. When the priests needed guidance, what means did they use to know Yahweh's will?

3. When the Jews began work on the foundation for the temple, the governor of the region tried to halt the work. Who was this man?

4. How many Jews returned from the Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel?

   just under 50,000
   just under 40,000
   just under 30,000
   just under 20,000
   

5. How many Jews returned with Ezra?

   just under 1000
   between 1000 and 1500
   between 1500 and 2000
   just over 2000
   

6. The returning Jews met opposition from the people living in the land at that time. In consequence, the work on the temple stopped until the reign of what king?

7. Ezra returned to Jerusalem during the reign of which Persian king?

8. The gold and silver articles that Nebuchadnezzar had taken from Jerusalem when Judah fell were to be taken back to Jerusalem. Approximately how many gold and silver articles were there?

   4,500
   5,500
   6,500
   7,500
   

9. Who led the first group of Jews back to Jerusalem?

10. Once the first group of Jews were settled back in Jerusalem, they began to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh. How many months had passed since leaving Babylon, the land of their captivity?

    3 months
    5 months
    6 months
    8 months
    

11. Not long after arriving in Jerusalem, Ezra learns that the Jews have taken foreign wives, the leaders and rulers being foremost in this sin. How did Ezra respond to this news?

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