First Esdras (Apocrypha)

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Niemand
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First Esdras (Apocrypha)

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This is the first of my attempts to produce a thread on one of the larger books in the western Apocrypha, so this is going to be complicated and I will add to it more often than the smaller books. As with the others, feedback or alternative interpretations are welcome... especially if they relate to the Restored Gospel.

Although this book is mainly known from the Greek, the Jewish historian Josephus (c. 37 – c. 100) quoted from it. Some of it appears to have a Hebrew original as there is an overlap with Old Testament material, but also significant additions.

Name
The first problem with this book is that it has several names. "Esdras" is the Greek form of the name "Ezra".
* 1 Esdras (Greek: Ἔσδρας Αʹ) or Esdras A
* Greek Esdras or Greek Ezra - Because of the language it is known from.
* 3 Esdras, 3 Ezra (The name used in the Vulgate, the Roman Catholics' Latin Bible) - in this system, Ezra is 1 Ezra and Nehemiah is 2 Ezra etc.

Note that the Ezra's Eagle prophecy is taken from 2 Esdras (4 Ezra in the other system!) - the author is allegedly the same.

Issues
https://www.gotquestions.org/first-second-Esdras.html
There are some historical problems with 1 and 2 Esdras. In the narrative of 1 Esdras, the reign of the Persian King Artaxerxes incorrectly precedes those of Cyrus the Great (c. 559—529 BC) and Darius I (Darius the Great, 521—486 BC), although some believe this is simply a literary device called “prolepsis” in which a person or event is assigned to an earlier period or represented as if it had already occurred.
Content/Summary
LDS Bible dictionary take https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... a?lang=eng
Contains an account of Josiah’s religious reforms and the subsequent history down to the destruction of the Temple 588 B.C. It then describes the return under Zerubbabel and the events that followed, of which we have another account in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Esdras is another form of the name Ezra.

In Esdras 3:1–5:6 is a story that tells how Zerubbabel by his wisdom as page of Darius won the king’s favor and obtained permission to restore the captive Jews to their own country. This section is entirely independent of the canonical scriptures.
From https://www.abibleaday.com/bible-books/1-esdras/
The book of 1 Esdras is essentially a carefully selected compilation of text from 1 and 2 Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah. Interspersed within the condensed text from these other sources is the story of a contest between three of the king’s bodyguards.

The bodyguard Zerubbabel wins. As a reward Zerubbabel receives permission to return to Jerusalem, where he becomes its governor.
https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/ ... rst-Esdras
Content. The historical range extends from Josiah’s passover (1:1-24) to Ezra’s role as leader of the people in Jerusalem (9:37-55). An annotated structural outline follows:

(1) 1 Esdras 1:1-58 (cf. 2 Chron 35; 36). Josiah’s Passover; his battle with Pharaoh-Necho and resulting death; and the Babylonian invasion of Judah fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy.

(2) 2:1-15 (cf. Ezra 1:1-11). Cyrus’ decree allowing the Jewish captives to return to Jerusalem to rebuild their Temple.

(3) 2:16-30 (cf. 4:7-24). Letter from Pers. officials in Samaria to Artaxerxes asking that construction of the Jewish Temple be stopped, and the granting of the request.
(4) 3:1-5:6 (no OT parallel). Story of King Darius and three of his court guards. In answer to the question, “What thing is the strongest?” they reply, respectively, (a) wine, (b) the king, and (c) women, but truth above all. The third guard was Zerubbabel; his answer gained him permission to return and rebuild Jerusalem.

(5) 5:7-73 (cf. Ezra 2:1-4:6). The roster of returning Jews and the beginning of the restoration of the Temple in the days of Cyrus.

(6) 6:1-7:15 (cf. Ezra 5:1-6:22). Haggai and Zechariah urge the building to continue, in the second year of Darius, and after some delay, the temple was completed in the sixth year (515 b.c.).

(7) 8:1-67 (cf. Ezra 7:1-8:36). The return of Ezra and his companions to Jerusalem with a commission from the Pers. King Artaxerxes. He was to administer, rebuild and teach.
(8) 8:68-90 (cf. Ezra 9). Ezra’s prayer of confession.

(9) 8:91-9:36 (cf. Ezra 10). Repentance on the part of the people, and Ezra’s reforms, including judgment against mixed marriages.

(10) 9:37-55 (cf. Neh 7:73-8:12). Ezra reads the law to the people, and the Levites carry on the work of instruction.
Other posts by me about the Apocrypha
This is an ongoing series about the Roman and Orthodox Apocrypha/Deuterocanonical book.

2 Esdras (the most relevant book in the Apocrypha?)
viewtopic.php?p=1344302

1 Maccabees
viewtopic.php?t=69454

2 Maccabees
viewtopic.php?p=1347024

Additions to Esther
viewtopic.php?t=69333

Tobit
viewtopic.php?p=1341501#p1341501

Prayer of Azarias (Azariah) and Hymn of the Three Children
viewtopic.php?t=69264

Bel and the Dragon (quoted in full, KJV)
viewtopic.php?t=69261

Prayer of Mannases (aka Mannaseh; quoted in full KJV)
viewtopic.php?t=69263

Psalm 151 (Eastern Orthodox Apocrypha, quoted in full from NRSV)
viewtopic.php?t=63875

Epistle to the Laodiceans (NT, quoted in full Wycliffe's translation, )
viewtopic.php?t=64025&p=1208281
Last edited by Niemand on January 29th, 2023, 4:49 am, edited 5 times in total.

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Niemand
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Re: First Esdras (Apocrypha)

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https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/ ... rst-Esdras

4. Attitude toward the law.
Two assertions are indicated: (1) the law was written by Moses (1 Esd, RSV, 1 Esd 1:11; 5:49; 7:6, 9; 9:39). The expression “the book of Moses” occurs four times and “the law of Moses” once. Further, according to 9:39, the law of Moses “had been given by the Lord God of Israel”; (2) obedience to the law was an assumed practice. Offerings were made in accordance with its directions (1:10, 11; 5:49; 7:6-9). Its words were considered a reason for rejoicing and a directive for daily life (9:37-41, 46, 47, 49-55).

After a long period of neglect and disobedience, this prevailing attitude toward the law seems to have been due in great measure to the work and influence of Ezra. According to Albright, Ezra’s greatest importance “probably lay in the field of cultic reform than in that of political action.” The law was established as “the normative rule of Israel’s faith.”


5. The story of Darius and the youths.
While little background is supplied here for the story (3:1-3), Josephus (Antiq[uities], XI, iii, 1) adds a number of details which shed a different light on the incident. Among other things, the latter reveals that “there had been an old friendship between him (Zerubbabel) and the king (Darius).”

The three wise sayings concerning what is strongest—wine, the king, and women, but, above all, truth—supply interesting insights into differing views on life, a common theme in Jewish wisdom writings.

Wine, said the first guard, is strongest, for it distorts the mental processes of those who consume it, causing them to do foolish and harmful things. Often one will reverse his normal attitudes toward his friends and his obligations.

The king is the strongest, averred the second man. He is absolute, bearing rule over even the strongest men. Obedience to the king is described by a rare word (ἐνακούουσιν), meaning “to hear to obey” (4:3). Every subject’s life is at his disposal, an apt description of the oriental monarch.

Zerubbabel first named women as the strongest, yet concluded that “truth is great, and stronger than all things” (4:35). His argument for the former may be reduced to a simple syllogism: kings and wine are both great; but, women as mothers bear the men who conquer and who grow grapes; therefore, women are strongest.

Similarly, his praise of truth followed this approach: Women, along with wine and the king, are unrighteous; but, there is no unrighteousness in truth; therefore, truth is strong and prevails for ever.

The people responded to his analysis, “Great is truth, and the strongest of all!” Based on the Lat[in] Vul[gate] text of 1 Esdras this statement has become proverbial: magna est veritas et praevalet.

At this, Darius proclaimed Zerubbabel the wisest and promised him anything he wished, and that he would be called his “kinsman” (συγγενής, G5150, 4:42).


The three wise sayings are of interest to LDS:
* Wine, because it is frowned upon by the Word of Wisdom.
* Rulers, because it seems our current leadership is keen to bow the knee and the Articles of Faith demand obedience to them.
* Women, for various reasons including the whole polygamy debate.
Last edited by Niemand on January 22nd, 2023, 10:19 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Niemand
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Re: First Esdras (Apocrypha)

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Chapter 3 (KJV translation). I have omitted the section on wine, but here are the two men discussing the King, and Women as strength.

The King
Then the second, that had spoken of the strength of the king, began to say, O ye men, do not men excel in strength that bear rule over sea and land and all things in them? But yet the king is more mighty: for he is lord of all these things, and hath dominion over them; and whatsoever he commandeth them they do. If he bid them make war the one against the other, they do it: if he send them out against the enemies, they go, and break down mountains walls and towers. They slay and are slain, and transgress not the king's commandment: if they get the victory, they bring all to the king, as well the spoil, as all things else. Likewise for those that are no soldiers, and have not to do with wars, but use husbundry, when they have reaped again that which they had sown, they bring it to the king, and compel one another to pay tribute unto the king. And yet he is but one man: if he command to kill, they kill; if he command to spare, they spare; If he command to smite, they smite; if he command to make desolate, they make desolate; if he command to build, they build; If he command to cut down, they cut down; if he command to plant, they plant. So all his people and his armies obey him: furthermore he lieth down, he eateth and drinketh, and taketh his rest: And these keep watch round about him, neither may any one depart, and do his own business, neither disobey they him in any thing. O ye men, how should not the king be mightiest, when in such sort he is obeyed? And he held his tongue.
Women
In this first section, there are clear references to Adam and Eve
Then the third, who had spoken of women, and of the truth, (this was Zorobabel) began to speak.

O ye men, it is not the great king, nor the multitude of men, neither is it wine, that excelleth; who is it then that ruleth them, or hath the lordship over them? are they not women? Women have borne the king and all the people that bear rule by sea and land. Even of them came they: and they nourished them up that planted the vineyards, from whence the wine cometh. These also make garments for men; these bring glory unto men; and without women cannot men be. Yea, and if men have gathered together gold and silver, or any other goodly thing, do they not love a woman which is comely in favour and beauty? And letting all those things go, do they not gape, and even with open mouth fix their eyes fast on her; and have not all men more desire unto her than unto silver or gold, or any goodly thing whatsoever? A man leaveth his own father that brought him up, and his own country, and cleaveth unto his wife. He sticketh not to spend his life with his wife. and remembereth neither father, nor mother, nor country.
By this also ye must know that women have dominion over you: do ye not labour and toil, and give and bring all to the woman? Yea, a man taketh his sword, and goeth his way to rob and to steal, to sail upon the sea and upon rivers; And looketh upon a lion, and goeth in the darkness; and when he hath stolen, spoiled, and robbed, he bringeth it to his love. Wherefore a man loveth his wife better than father or mother. Yea, many there be that have run out of their wits for women, and become servants for their sakes. Many also have perished, have erred, and sinned, for women. And now do ye not believe me? is not the king great in his power? do not all regions fear to touch him? Yet did I see him and Apame the king's concubine, the daughter of the admirable Bartacus, sitting at the right hand of the king, And taking the crown from the king's head, and setting it upon her own head; she also struck the king with her left hand. And yet for all this the king gaped and gazed upon her with open mouth: if she laughed upon him, he laughed also: but if she took any displeasure at him, the king was fain to flatter, that she might be reconciled to him again. O ye men, how can it be but women should be strong, seeing they do thus?
Then the king and the princes looked one upon another: so he began to speak of the truth.

O ye men, are not women strong? great is the earth, high is the heaven, swift is the sun in his course, for he compasseth the heavens round about, and fetcheth his course again to his own place in one day.Is he not great that maketh these things? therefore great is the truth, and stronger than all things. All the earth crieth upon the truth, and the heaven blesseth it: all works shake and tremble at it, and with it is no unrighteous thing. Wine is wicked, the king is wicked, women are wicked, all the children of men are wicked, and such are all their wicked works; and there is no truth in them; in their unrighteousness also they shall perish. As for the truth, it endureth, and is always strong; it liveth and conquereth for evermore. With her there is no accepting of persons or rewards; but she doeth the things that are just, and refraineth from all unjust and wicked things; and all men do well like of her works. Neither in her judgment is any unrighteousness; and she is the strength, kingdom, power, and majesty, of all ages. Blessed be the God of truth. And with that he held his peace. And all the people then shouted, and said, Great is Truth, and mighty above all things.

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Re: First Esdras (Apocrypha)

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1 Esdras (KJV) audiobook - 1 hour 16 minutes
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The Book of Odes - this is an Eastern Orthodox work of limited interest, but included for the sake of completeness.
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Niemand
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Re: First Esdras (Apocrypha)

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4 Maccabees
viewtopic.php?p=1348046

Outside the Western and Eastern Orthodox Canon...

The Ethiopian canon. This includes brief info on the books of Sinodos, Ethiopian Clement, Ethiopian Covenant, and Didascalia as well as a list of other works in the canon.
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The Book of Enoch
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Niemand
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Re: First Esdras (Apocrypha)

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Re: First Esdras (Apocrypha)

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Alternative audiobook read by a Mormon 1 hour 26 mins approx.
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