(III Esdras in the Vulgate). Book of the Apocrypha. The work is mainly a compilation in Greek of biblical passages (II Chr. 35-35, the Book of Ezra, and Neh. 7:73-8:13) concerning for the most part the Return to Zion after the Babylonion Exile. The introduction describes the period preceding the destruction of the First Temple, beginning with the Passover celebration of Josiah (1:1-55). The additional material includes the story of Zerubbabel (3:1-5:6), who wins a competition among the bodyguards of King Darius II by naming the strongest thing in the world. His answer is that "women are strongest but truth conquers all" (3:8-12). Darius rewards him by granting his request that the Jews be permitted to rebuild Jerusalem and restore the Temple vessels (4:43-46).
The book was used by Josephus as a source for his account of the Return to Zion (Antiq. XI, 1-158) and may have served a didactic purpose, reiterating the lesson of the Book of Ezra and Nehemiah that Truth is supreme and God rewards those who serve Him.
The New Encyclopedia of Judaism. Copyright © 1989, 2002 by G.G. The Jerusalem Publishing House, Ltd. All rights reserved.
