Ezra

The Israelites, led by the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple after King Cyrus issued a proclamation allowing them to do so. They were assisted by their neighbors and King Cyrus, who returned temple articles taken by Nebuchadnezzar. The foundation of the temple was laid, but the work was halted due to opposition from enemies and a letter to King Artaxerxes. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged the Israelites to continue rebuilding, and King Darius issued a decree allowing them to do so. The temple was completed, and the people celebrated its dedication. Later, Ezra, a priest and teacher, traveled from Babylon to Jerusalem with a group of Israelites, bringing silver and gold for the temple. Upon arrival, Ezra discovered that the people had intermarried with neighboring peoples and adopted their customs, leading him to pray for forgiveness and encourage the people to separate themselves from their foreign wives. The people agreed to do so, and the investigation and separation of the foreign wives took about three months to complete.