Ezra's Social Drama Identity Formation, Marriage and Social Conflict in Ezra 9 and 10

Moffat aims to provide further insight into the mixedmarriage narrative by exposing the social and cultural factors on which it isbased. He also identifies historical traces in the narrative that cancontribute to a historical reconstruction of the post-exilic era.The socio-cultural analysis highlights previously unobservedaspects of the narrative as it understands that the narrative reflects acontext in which identity formation issues were prominent in Persian Yehud.Moffat argues that the rituals of mourning and penitential prayer are importantacts that shaped the mixed marriage controversy. The label 'foreign women' isidentified as a symbol which carried considerable freight and connected themixed marriages with wider social discourse on identity. Further, the Exodustraditions are shown to be significant for the conceptual foundationsunderlying the narrative and the society that produced it. The analysis alsogives reason to understand Ezra as the pivotal character in narrative plot. Thisnot only affects how the narrative is understood but has implications forhistorical reconstruction that utilises this narrative.