With Ezra, a new intellectual and religious class emerges in Jewish history: the scribe or expert in the Law. This role likely developed during the exile, when worship was scarce. A century later, with the prophetic class nearly extinct, the authority of the expert in the Law grew. The Law was mainly a set of rules, but also, by extension, a body of literature that scholars helped select, fix, preserve, and transmit. From this, the legend of Ezra creating the first canon of the Hebrew Scriptures may have arisen. In 7:10, we see a description of the “scholar” as someone who dedicates himself to studying to “practice and teach.” Observance is part of his job; he also leads by example. In Ecclesiasticus 39, this profession is described as the most honorable.