ezra book of

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ezra book of - Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary :

  Ezra, Book of
  This book is the record of events occurring at the close of the
  Babylonian exile. It was at one time included in Nehemiah, the
  Jews regarding them as one volume. The two are still
  distinguished in the Vulgate version as I. and II. Esdras. It
  consists of two principal divisions:
  
    (1.) The history of the first return of exiles, in the first
  year of Cyrus (B.C. 536), till the completion and dedication of
  the new temple, in the sixth year of Darius Hystapes (B.C. 515),
  ch. 1-6. From the close of the sixth to the opening of the
  seventh chapter there is a blank in the history of about sixty
  years.
  
    (2.) The history of the second return under Ezra, in the
  seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, and of the events that
  took place at Jerusalem after Ezra's arrival there (7-10).
  
    The book thus contains memorabilia connected with the Jews,
  from the decree of Cyrus (B.C. 536) to the reformation by Ezra
  (B.C. 456), extending over a period of about eighty years.
  
    There is no quotation from this book in the New Testament, but
  there never has been any doubt about its being canonical. Ezra
  was probably the author of this book, at least of the greater
  part of it (comp. 7:27, 28; 8:1, etc.), as he was also of the
  Books of Chronicles, the close of which forms the opening
  passage of Ezra.