Ezra 2

Number of Those Returning

1 ¹Now these are the ^[a]people of the province who came up out of the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city.

2 ^[b]These came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, ^[c]Seraiah, ^[d]Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, ^[e]Mispar, Bigvai, ^[f]Rehum and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

3 the sons of Parosh, 2,172 * * *;

4 the sons of Shephatiah, 372 * * *;

5 the sons of ²Arah, 775 * * *;

6 the sons of ³Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812 * * * *;

7 the sons of Elam, 1,254 * * *;

8 the sons of Zattu, 945 * * *;

9 the sons of Zaccai, 760 * *;

10 the sons of ^[g]Bani, 642 * * *;

11 the sons of Bebai, 623 * * *;

12 the sons of Azgad, 1,222 * * *;

13 the sons of ⁴Adonikam, 666 * *;

14 the sons of Bigvai, 2,056 *;

15 the sons of Adin, 454 * * *;

16 the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, 98 *;

17 the sons of Bezai, 323 * * *;

18 the sons of ^[h]Jorah, 112 * *;

19 the sons of Hashum, 223 * *;

20 the sons of ^[i]Gibbar, 95 *;

21 the ^[j]men of ⁵Bethlehem, 123 * *;

22 the men of Netophah, 56;

23 the men of Anathoth, 128 * *;

24 the sons of ^[k]Azmaveth, 42 *;

25 the sons of ^[l]Kiriath-arim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743 * * *;

26 the sons of ⁶Ramah and Geba, 621 * * *;

27 the men of Michmas, 122 * *;

28 the men of Bethel and Ai, 223 * *;

29 the sons of Nebo, 52 *;

30 the sons of Magbish, 156 *;

31 the sons of the other Elam, 1,254 * * *;

32 the sons of Harim, 320 * *;

33 the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 725 * * *;

34 the ^[m]men of ⁷Jericho, 345 * * *;

35 the sons of Senaah, 3,630 * * *.

Priests Returning

36 ⁸The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973 * * *;

37 the sons of ⁹Immer, 1,052 * *;

38 ¹⁰the sons of Pashhur, 1,247 * * *;

39 the sons of ¹¹Harim, 1,017 * *.

Levites Returning

40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of ^[n]Hodaviah, 74 *.

41 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 128 * *.

42 The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, in all 139 * *.

43 The ¹²temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,

44 the sons of Keros, the sons of ^[o]Siaha, the sons of Padon,

45 the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub,

46 the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan,

47 the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah,

48 the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam,

49 the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai,

50 the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of ^[p]Nephisim,

51 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,

52 the sons of ^[q]Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,

53 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah,

54 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.

55 The sons of ¹³Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of ^[r]Hassophereth, the sons of ^[s]Peruda,

56 the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel,

57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of ^[t]Ami.

58 All the ¹⁴temple servants and the sons of ¹⁵Solomon's servants were 392 * * *.

59 Now these are those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, ^[u]Addan and Immer, but they were not able to ^[v]give evidence of their fathers' households and their ^[w]descendants, whether they were of Israel:

60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 652 * * *.

Priests Removed

61 Of the sons of the priests: the sons of ^[x]Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of ¹⁶Barzillai, who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and he was called by their name.

62 These searched among their ancestral registration *, but they could not be located; ¹⁷therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood.

63 The ^[y]governor said to them ¹⁸that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest stood up with ¹⁹Urim and Thummim.

64 The whole assembly numbered 42,360 * * * * *,

65 besides * their male and female servants * who numbered 7,337 * * * * *; and they had 200 ²⁰singing men and women.

66 Their horses were 736 * *; their mules, 245 * *;

67 their camels, 435 * * *; their donkeys, 6,720 * * * *.

68 Some of the heads of fathers' households, when they arrived at the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to restore it on its foundation.

69 According to their ability they gave ²¹to the treasury for the work 61,000 * * gold drachmas and 5,000 * silver minas and 100 priestly garments.

70 ²²Now the priests and the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

Ezra 2 Commentary

Chapter 2

The numbers that returned. (1-35) The numbers of the priests and Levites. (36-63) The offerings for the temple. (64-70)

Verses 1-35 An account was kept of the families that came up out of captivity. See how sin lowers a nation, which righteousness would exalt!

Verses 36-63 Those who undervalue their relation to the Lord in times of reproach, persecution, or distress, will have no benefit from it when it becomes honourable or profitable. Those who have no evidence that they are, by the new birth, spiritual priests unto God, through Jesus Christ, have no right to the comforts and privileges of Christians.

Verses 64-70 Let none complain of the needful expenses of their religion. Seek first the kingdom of God, his favour and his glory, then will all other things be added unto them. Their offerings were nothing, compared with the offerings of the princes in David's time; yet, being according to their ability, were as acceptable to God. The Lord will carry us through all undertakings entered on according to his will, with an aim to his glory, and dependence on his assistance. Those who, at the call of the gospel, renounce sin and return to the Lord, shall be guarded and guided through all perils of the way, and arrive safely at the mansions provided in the holy city of God.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 24:14-16; 2 Kings 25:11; 2 Chronicles 36:20; Nehemiah 7:6-73
• 2. Nehemiah 7:10
• 3. Nehemiah 7:11
• 4. Ezra 8:13
• 5. Genesis 35:19; Matthew 2:6
• 6. Joshua 18:25
• 7. 1 Kings 16:34; 2 Chronicles 28:15
• 8. 1 Chronicles 24:7-18
• 9. 1 Chronicles 24:14
• 10. 1 Chronicles 9:12
• 11. 1 Chronicles 24:8
• 12. 1 Chronicles 9:2
• 13. 1 Kings 9:21
• 14. 1 Chronicles 9:2
• 15. 1 Kings 9:21
• 16. 2 Samuel 17:27; 1 Kings 2:7
• 17. Numbers 16:39, 40
• 18. Leviticus 2:3, 10
• 19. Exodus 28:30; Numbers 27:21
• 20. 2 Chronicles 35:25
• 21. Ezra 8:25-34
• 22. 1 Chronicles 9:2; Nehemiah 11:3

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "sons"
• [b]. Lit "who"
• [c]. In Neh 7:7, "Azariah"
• [d]. In Neh 7:7, "Raamiah"
• [e]. In Neh 7:7, "Mispereth"
• [f]. In Neh 7:7, "Nehum"
• [g]. In Neh 7:15, "Binnui"
• [h]. In Neh 7:24, "Hariph"
• [i]. In Neh 7:25, "Gibeon"
• [j]. Lit "sons"
• [k]. In Neh 7:28, "Beth-azmaveth"
• [l]. In Neh 7:29, "Kiriath-jearim"
• [m]. Lit "sons"
• [n]. In Ezra 3:9, "Judah;" in Neh 7:43, "Hodevah"
• [o]. In Neh 7:47, "Sia"
• [p]. In Neh 7:52, "Nephushesim"
• [q]. In Neh 7:54, "Bazlith"
• [r]. In Neh 7:57, "Sophereth"
• [s]. In Neh 7:57, "Perida"
• [t]. In Neh 7:59, "Amon"
• [u]. In Neh 7:61, "Addon"
• [v]. Lit "tell"
• [w]. Lit "seed"
• [x]. In Neh 7:63, "Hobaiah"
• [y]. Heb "Tirshatha," a Persian title
• [z]. Lit "together was"
• [aa]. Lit "they were"
• [ab]. Lit "establish"
• [ac]. Or "tunics"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 2

This chapter contains a list of those that went up from Babylon to Jerusalem, of their leaders, their chief men, princes and priests, Ezr 2:1,2 of the people, described by their families, towns, and cities, and number of persons, Ezr 2:3-35, of the priests, Levites, and Nethinims, Ezr 2:36-58, and of those that could not make out their genealogy, people and priests, Ezr 2:59-63, and then the sum total of the whole congregation is given, Ezr 2:64, besides men and maidservants, singing men and women, and cattle of divers sorts, Ezr 2:65-67, and the chapter is closed with an account of the freewill offerings of the principal men towards the building of the temple, and of the settlement of the people in their respective cities, Ezr 2:68-70.