Ezra 2:59-63

Exclusions

59 The following came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they were unable to demonstrate that their family or their descent was from Israel:

60 the family of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, 652

61 and of the family of the priests: the family of Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).

62 They looked for their entries in the genealogical records, but they were not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

63 The governor ordered them not to eat of the most holy food until a priest arose who could consult Urim and Thummim.

Ezra 2:59-63 Meaning and Commentary

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.