Ezra was a priest and scribe who played a key role in the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. Under the decree of King Cyrus of Persia, the exiled Jews were allowed to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE.

Ezra led a group of exiles back to Jerusalem and worked to restore the religious and social order of the Jewish people, ensuring that they followed the Law of Moses. His efforts, along with those of Nehemiah, helped to re-establish Jewish worship and governance in the post-exilic period.