The two books now known as Ezra and Nehemiah in the King James Version were originally compiled as a single volume of uncertain date, probably about 350 B.C.. or later. The author of First and Second Chronicles, often described as the Chronicler, may well have been instrumental in the editing of these two books.
Combined with the books of Chronicles, Ezra and Nehemiah form a comprehensive history of Israel and its traditions. In the opinion of scholars, the motive of the Chronicler is not so much to furnish an accurate detailed record of human history as to establish the importance of the continuity of the monotheistic religion and worship of the Hebrew people.
While Ezra and Nehemiah may have worked together to some extent (see Neh. 8), their individual training and background seem to have differed considerably. Ezra was essentially a priest, whose name was given to the first main section of this book, while Nehemiah was a layman, probably of the tribe of Judah. What little is known of Ezra himself comes from the writings attributed to him and to Nehemiah.
