Ezra / Esdras A

Before we attend Dr Leuchter's talk, let's look at Ezra. Maybe Nehemiah.

Ezra-Nehemiah has something in common with the Book of Daniel: the Greek version is different. "Esdras A" is, in fact, very different. ("Esdras B" is just a translation of Ezra-Nehemiah; and there's some "Esdras II" in Latin which translates the "4 Ezra" and "6 Ezra" apocalypses, sort-of.) Josephus - mostly a MT bro, like Paul - for this side of his Bible used the Greek version. Wikipedia owns a helpful chart.

Over in Cave Four, 4Q117 is called "4QEzra" because its text parallels Ezra 4:2-6, 9-11; 5:17–6:5. Ezra 4:6 does not exist in Esdras A; Esdras also would sort them 4:9-11 then, after chapters 2 and 3, 4:2-5.

As these versions go, Esdras A spends more time over the return to Jerusalem. Anything after that is pretty-much an appendix. Qumran, perhaps, was ambivalent to the city herself; as was the Jewish diaspora. I am unaware of a consensus as to which was composed first, beyond the general prejudice toward the MT over alternatives.

For my part, that Esdras A limps along after its Jerusalem section implies that its final form depends upon Ezra's final form. Ezra as it exists finishes the Temple, exiles us Mischlings, and - in Nehemiah - builds the wall. It is, then, preoccupied with purity; Nehemiah is a natural conclusion, omitted in Esdras A.

That is however as far as I am willing to take the sources. It may be that Esdras A's 2:30-5:73 preceded both, to which a continuator lifted Ezra-Nehemiah. But as far as I know we lack witnesses to Esdras A before Qumran.

The enormity of variation in Ezra and in Daniel, both, implies a volatile text not quite canon as of the first century BC. We see the same in Esther - and even in Jeremiah, and in Exodus, and in Joshua and Judges. I don't find such variation in Isaiah or the minor-prophets (or Genesis really; and the Samaritan text is often secondary).