[2] Jewish tradition states that Ezra is the author of Ezra-Nehemiah as well as the Book of Chronicles,[3] but modern scholars generally accept that a compiler from the 5th century BCE (the so-called "Chronicler") is the final author of these books.

[19] One family accompanying Ezra, Hattush, is a descendant of David (so called "Davidide"), and he would be the fourth generation after Zerubbabel[20] (cf.

Ezra enlisted Levites to join his caravan, as well as 'called for a general fast to petition God's protection, and entrusted the money and valuable articles to consecrated priests'.

[19] In contrast to Nehemiah, who accepted an armed guard, Ezra chose to rely on God's protection (cf.

[25] This part records that Ezra meticulously transferred the articles and finances, performed the required rituals of sacrifices, and delivered the edict of the Persian king.

[23] After Ezra's group safely arrived in Jerusalem (verses 31–32), they offered sacrifice (verse 35), not because king Artaxerxes ordered them to do (7:17), nor as an "isolated act of thanksgiving", but because "they were reconstituted as the people of God and therefore must worship" God.