עֶזְרָא (ez.ra)
ez.ra
Ezra
N:N-M-PQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 22 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- N:N-M-P
Word Overview
The name Ezra, meaning "help," identifies several post-exilic figures in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The most prominent is the priest and scribe who led a group of exiles back to Jerusalem during the reign of Artaxerxes I. His lineage traces back through Seraiah to Jehozadak, marking him as a key leader in restoring religious life after the Babylonian captivity.
Lexical sources distinguish this main Ezra from others sharing the name, such as a priest who served alongside Zerubbabel and another minor figure listed in Nehemiah’s genealogies. The primary Ezra is celebrated for his role in teaching the Law and implementing reforms among the returned community, working closely with Nehemiah to rebuild both the spiritual and physical foundations of Jerusalem.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The name Ezra means "help," a fitting title for the priest and scribe who guided Israel back to spiritual renewal after exile. His life shows us that true leadership begins with a personal commitment to God’s Word. He did not just teach others; he first set his own heart to seek, obey, and study the Law (Ezra 7:10). This pattern invites us to prioritize our own understanding of Scripture before trying to guide those around us.
Ezra also demonstrates the power of communal repentance. When the people realized they had strayed from God’s commands, he did not stand aloof in judgment but wept and mourned with them (Ezra 10:6). His example reminds us that faith is often strengthened in shared vulnerability rather than isolated perfection. By listening to the Law together and responding with humility, the community found hope and restoration.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 22 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Ezra15×
- to/ Ezra3×
- and/ Ezra3×
- of/ Ezra1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֶזְרָא֙4×
- עֶזְרָ֤א2×
- עֶזְרָ֣א2×
- עֶזְרָ֖א2×
- לְ/עֶזְרָ֣א2×
- וְ/עֶזְרָ֥א2×
- עֶזְרָֽא\׃1×
- עֶזְרָ֨א1×
- עֶזְרָ֡א1×
- עֶזְרָ֗א1×
- עֶזְרָ֔א1×
- לְ/עֶזְרָ֥א1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 7:10
For Ezra had set his heart to seek Yahweh’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
This verse defines Ezra’s character by showing his personal discipline in seeking, doing, and teaching God's law.
-
Nehemiah 8:5
Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people (for he was above all the people), and when he opened it, all the people stood up.
The people standing when Ezra opened the book highlights the deep reverence they held for the written Word of God.
-
Ezra 10:6
Then Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. When he came there, he didn’t eat bread or drink water, for he mourned because of the trespass of the exiles.
Ezra’s mourning and fasting show his deep identification with the spiritual failure of the exiles he led.
-
Nehemiah 8:9
Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “Today is holy to Yahweh your God. Don’t mourn, nor weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.
Here Ezra works alongside Nehemiah to turn the people’s grief over sin into holy celebration and obedience.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the name Ezra mean?
Who was Ezra in the Bible?
How is Ezra different from Nehemiah?
Why did Ezra mourn in Ezra 10?
Every Occurrence (22 verses across 2 books)
Ezra 10 verses
Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son…
Ezra 7:6this Ezra went up from Babylon. He was a skilled scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had…
Ezra 7:10For Ezra had set his heart to seek Yahweh’s law, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.
Ezra 7:11Now this is the copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the…
Ezra 10:1Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered…
Ezra 10:2Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, “We have trespassed against our God, and have…
Ezra 10:5Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel to swear that they would do according…
Ezra 10:6Then Ezra rose up from before God’s house, and went into the room of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib. When he came there,…
Ezra 10:10Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, increasing the guilt…
Ezra 10:16The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers’ households, after their fathers’…