2. _Book of Ezra. Protestant View:_ "The Book of Ezra contains records of events occurring about the termination of the Babylonian exile. It comprises accounts of the favors bestowed upon the Jews by Persian kings; of the rebuilding of the temple; of the mission of Ezra to Jerusalem, and his regulations and reforms. Such records forming the subject of the Book of Ezra, we must not be surprised that its parts are not so intimately connected with each other as we might have expected if the author had set forth his intention to furnish a complete history of his times. * * * * The beginning of the book of Ezra agrees verbatum with the conclusion of the second book of Chronicles, and terminates abruptly with the statement of the divorces affected by his authority, by which the marriages of Israelites with foreign women were dissolved. Since the book of Ezra has no marked conclusion, it was, even in early times, considered to form part of the book of Nehemiah, the contents of which are of a similar description. As, however, the book of Ezra is a collection of records of remarkable events occurring at the conclusion of the exile and in the times immediately following it, attempting no display of the art of book-making, the mere want of an artificial conclusion cannot be considered a sufficient reason for regarding it as the first portion of Nehemiah. It is, however, likely that the similarity of the contents of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah was the cause of their being placed together in the Hebrew Bible." (Cyclopaedia of Biblical Literature, Kitto, p. 690.) 3. _Catholic View of the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah:_ (a) _Ezra_, called by Catholics "Esdras:" "This book taketh its name from the writer: who was a holy priest, and doctor of the law. He is called by the Hebrews Ezra." (b) _Nehemiah_--Catholic form of name, "Nehemias:" "This book takes its name from the writer, who was cup-bearer to Artaxerxes (surnamed Longimanus) king of Persia, and was sent by him with a commission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. It is also called the Second Book of Esdras; because it is a continuation of the history, begun by Esdras, of the state of the people of God after their return from captivity." (Introductions in Douay Bible to First and Second Book of Esdras.) 4. _Book of Esther:_ "Esther derives its name from the Jewish lady, who, having become wife of the king of Persia, employed her royal influence to effect a memorable deliverance for the persecuted Church of God. Various opinions are embraced and supported as to the authorship of this book, some ascribing it to Ezra, to Nehemiah, and to Mordecai. The preponderance of authorities is in favor of the last." (Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, p 8.)