Rebuilding the Temple
(Ezra 1:1-2) This Persian king issued a decree allowing the captive Jews in Babylon to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of the Lord.
Cyrus the Great
(Nehemiah 1:11) Before traveling to Jerusalem to rebuild its broken-down walls, Nehemiah held this trusted, elite occupation in the Persian court.
Cupbearer to the king
(Ezra 7:11) Ezra held these two distinct religious and administrative roles within the community
Priest and scribe
(Ezra 3:2) This descendant of King Jehoiachin served as governor of Judah and oversaw the initial rebuilding of the temple altar and foundation.
Cyrus the Great
(Nehemiah 6:3) When enemies Sanballat and Geshem tried to trick Nehemiah into stopping his work for a meeting, he famously responded with this phrase.
"I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down"
(Nehemiah 8:3-4) To ensure everyone understood the scriptures, Ezra stood on a wooden pulpit and did this from morning until midday.
Read the Law of Moses / Scriptures out loud to the people
(Ezra 3:2) This descendant of King Jehoiachin served as governor of Judah and oversaw the initial rebuilding of the temple altar and foundation
Zerubbabel
(Nehemiah 6:15) Despite severe political opposition and threats, the Jews managed to finish rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem in this exact number of days.
52 days
(Nehemiah 8:9) When the people heard the words of the law and realized how far they had fallen from keeping God's commandments, they reacted by doing this.
Weeping
(Ezra 3:11-13) When the foundation of the new temple was laid, the older generation wept while others shouted for this reason.
Joy / Praise to the Lord (They remembered the grandeur of Solomon’s destroyed temple, yet rejoiced that a new one was finally starting)
(Nehemiah 1:3-4) This was the primary reason Nehemiah wept and fasted when he first heard reports from Jerusalem at the beginning of the book.
The walls of Jerusalem were broken down and the gates were burned with fire
(Nehemiah 8:8) Because many Jews had forgotten their native tongue during the 70-year Babylonian captivity, the Levites did this so the people could understand what was read.
Translated it / Gave the sense / Explained the meaning
(Ezra 4:4-5) Local adversaries, including the Samaritans, offered to help build the temple but were rejected, leading them to do this to the project.
Hire counselors against them / Delay and frustrate the construction
(Nehemiah 4:17) To protect themselves against armed opposition while rebuilding the wall, the builders worked with a tool in one hand and this in the other.
A weapon / sword
(Ezra 7:15-17) King Artaxerxes provided Ezra with a massive amount of silver, gold, and vessels to beautify the temple, telling him he could buy these items for the altar.
Bullocks, rams, and lambs for offerings