Separation of the People, Separation of the Land

This book argues that the parallel narrative structures of Ezra 9-10 and Nehemiah 1:1--3:32 are intended to connect the two books and highlight theological connection of building the community through exclusive ownership of the land. This is developed by contrasting the return narrative in Nehemiah 1-3 with the two other return narratives in Ezra 1-2 and 7-8. Then the removal of foreign wives in Ezra 9-10 is contrasted with foreign wives crises in Nehemiah 9-10 and 13:23-29. In these comparisons