Ezra 2:64

64 The entire assembly numbered 42,360 -

Ezra 2:64 Meaning and Commentary

Ezra 2:64

The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand
three hundred [and] threescore.
] But the sums before given make no more, with Zerubbabel, and the ten principal men, than 29,829, so that there are more than 12,000 wanting; wherefore, in answer to the question, where are the 12,000? the Jews say in their chronology ^F1 these are they of the other tribes, who set up the altar on its bases, and gave money to the masons ( Ezra 3:1 Ezra 3:3 Ezra 3:7 ) , this was a much larger number than were carried captive; see ( 2 Kings 24:14 2 Kings 24:15 ) ( Jeremiah 52:28 Jeremiah 52:29 Jeremiah 52:30 ) , but not to be compared with the number that came out of Egypt, ( Exodus 12:37 ) . An Arabic writer ^F2 makes them 50,000, but wrongly.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Seder Olam Rabba, c. 29. p. 86.
F2 Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. Dyn. 5. p. 82.

Ezra 2:64 In-Context

62 These tried to locate their genealogical records, but they weren't found. Therefore they were considered defiled and were not allowed to serve as cohanim.

63 The Tirshata told them not to eat any of the especially holy food until a cohen appeared who could consult the urim and tumim.

64 The entire assembly numbered 42,360 -

65 not including their male and female slaves, of whom there were 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers.

66 Their horses numbered 736; their mules, 245;