as analyzed by Sheila Rangslinger

Ezra

• 2:5-60 The second chapter of Ezra provides a list of the Jewish people returning to Judah after their captivity in Babylon. It makes for rather dull reading: just a list of men's names and the number of offspring that accompanied each of them. The same list is given in the seventh chapter of Nehemiah (as though once were not enough), but the two lists contradict each other in 19 places. As an example, consider the very first of these contradictions: Ezra 2:5 says "the children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five," but Neh.7:10 contradicts this saying, "the children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two." There are 18 other similar contradictions between the two accounts. We'll dispense with the full list and just refer the reader here noting as well that SAB's bigoted value judgment ("dull reading," etc.) would not have been shared by Ezra's contemporaries, who thought such lists to be very important to establishing group identity and purpose.
• 3:2 Who was Zerubbabel's father? The word "son" can also mean any male descendant, i.e., a grandson, and on.
• 5:1, 6:14 Was Zechariah Iddo's son or grandson? Ditto.
• 8:18 Was Mahli the son of Levi? Double ditto.
• 9:2 The Israelites offend God by "taking" foreign wives and thereby corrupting "the holy seed." Once again get a more cultured understanding here. Plus see here.
• 9:3 When Ezra hears of the intermarriages, he tears up his clothes, plucks out his hair and beard, and sits down astonished. Yes, and what? These were normal expressions of grief and discontent in the ancient world; SAB's bigotry is appalling.
• 10:2-3, 10-12 Ezra tells the men that they must abandon their wives and children if they are to avoid God's wrath. See above; plus it's argument by outrage.