Ezra 8:17

17 and I sent them to Iddo, that is the chief (man) in the place of Casiphia, and I put in the mouth of them the words, which they should speak to Iddo, and to his brethren, (the) Nethinims, in the place of Casiphia, for to bring to us the ministers of the house of our God. (and I sent them to Iddo, that is the chief man, or the leader, at the place of Casiphia, and I put the words in their mouths, which they should say to Iddo, and to his kinsmen, the Temple workers, at that place of Casiphia, yea, that they should bring us ministers for the House of our God.)

Ezra 8:17 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 8:17

And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief, at the
place Casiphia
Not a place by the Caspian sea, and near the Caspian mountains, as Munster, which was too far off to go and return in the time they must, see ( Ezra 7:9 ) ( Ezra 8:15 Ezra 8:31 ) , but, as Jarchi, a place in Babylon so called, a village near it, or a parish or street in it, where Ezra knew lived many of the Levites and Nethinims, and where Iddo was the chief of the Levites, and over them both:

and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the
Nethinims, at the place Casiphia;
but Iddo was not one of the Nethinims; for he was chief of the Levites, and by his authority many of them were sent as well as of the Nethinims; but none of the latter were over the Levites, for they were servants to them, ( Ezra 8:20 ) , but, according to Jarchi, the Nethinims are not at all intended in this clause, who reads the words,

to Iddo and Achim,
(the name of a man with him; perhaps it may be better rendered, "to Iddo and his brother",)

who were appointed, or settled, in the place Casiphia;
and with him De Dieu agrees, and so the Syriac version,

who dwelt in Casiphia: that they should bring unto us ministers for the
house of our God;
both Levites to be singers and porters there, and the Nethinims to wait on them.

Ezra 8:17 In-Context

15 And I gathered all these men at the flood, that runneth down to Ahava; and we dwelled there three days. And I sought among the people, and in the priests, of the sons of Levi, and I found not (any of them) there. (And I gathered all these men at the river, that runneth down to Ahava; and we stayed there three days. And I sought among the people, and among the priests, for the Levites, but I did not find any of them there.)

16 Therefore I sent (for) Eliezer, and Ariel, and Shemaiah, and Elnathan, and Jarib, and another Elnathan, and Nathan, and Zechariah, and Meshullam, princes (the leaders); and Joiarib, and Elnathan, (the) wise men;

17 and I sent them to Iddo, that is the chief (man) in the place of Casiphia, and I put in the mouth of them the words, which they should speak to Iddo, and to his brethren, (the) Nethinims, in the place of Casiphia, for to bring to us the ministers of the house of our God. (and I sent them to Iddo, that is the chief man, or the leader, at the place of Casiphia, and I put the words in their mouths, which they should say to Iddo, and to his kinsmen, the Temple workers, at that place of Casiphia, yea, that they should bring us ministers for the House of our God.)

18 And by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought (to us) a full wise man of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and they brought Sherebiah, and his sons, twenty, and his brethren, were eighteen; (And by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us Sherebiah, a very wise man of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and along with him, they brought his sons and his kinsmen, in all, eighteen men;)

19 and Hashabiah, and Jeshaiah came with him of the sons of Merari, (and) they brought his brethren, and his sons, twenty; (and Hashabiah, and along with him came Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, and his kinsmen, and their sons, in all, twenty men;)