Describe the contents and literary history of the books of Ezra and
Nehemiah. 2. Their authorship. 3. The Chronicler's peculiar ideas
regarding the restoration. 4. Revolutions in the Persian Empire that
aroused the Jews to action. 5. Haggai's appeal to the Judean community.
6. Measures taken to stop the rebuilding of the temple. 7. Meaning of the
rebuilding of the temple to the Jewish race.
SUBJECTS FOR SPECIAL RESEARCH: 1. The historical value of Ezra
and Nehemiah. Torrey, _Composition and Historical Value of Ezra and
Nehemiah,_ or _Ezra Studies_, 62-251. 2. The first two decades of Persian
history. Goodspeed, _Hist. of Ancient World_, 60-2; Ragozin, _The Story
of Media_, II; Meyer, _Anc. Hist_., 88-93. 3. Evidence that there was
no general return of the Jews in 536 B.C. Kent, _Hist. J.P._, 126-36;
Torrey, _Ezra Studies_, 297-307.