The Message Hits Home: The story continues so smoothly from chapter 9 that, although it switches to third-person references to Ezra, this must be an editorial change made to the Ezra memoirs. He is labeled Ezra the priest in verses 10 and 16, for he was engaging in priestly work as he instructed the people about their uncleanness and pointed to the remedy, along the lines of Leviticus 10:10–11. In this way he discharged the second half of his mission, teaching the Torah and making it the basis of communal life.

10:1–4  In his Gandhi-like campaign of social persuasion, Ezra had already won the allegiance of some of the provincial leaders and of a right-wing religious group (9:1, 4). Now his public stance attracted support from other people in Jerusalem. A man from the lay clan of Elam acted …