Ezra 2

The Exiles Who Returned

1 These[a] now are the people of the province[b] who came from those captive exiles King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon[c] had deported to Babylon. Each of them returned to his hometown Jerusalem and Judah.
2 They came with Zerubbabel,[d] Jeshua,[e] Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the Israelite men [included]:[f]
3 Parosh's descendants 2,172
4 Shephatiah's descendants 372
5 Arah's descendants 775
6 Pahath-moab's descendants: Jeshua's and Joab's descendants 2,812
7 Elam's descendants 1,254
8 Zattu's descendants 945
9 Zaccai's descendants 760
10 Bani's descendants 642
11 Bebai's descendants 623
12 Azgad's descendants 1,222
13 Adonikam's descendants 666
14 Bigvai's descendants 2,056
15 Adin's descendants 454
16 Ater's descendants: Hezekiah's 98
17 Bezai's descendants 323
18 Jorah's descendants 112
19 Hashum's descendants 223
20 Gibbar's descendants 95
21 Bethlehem's people 123
22 Netophah's men 56
23 Anathoth's men 128
24 Azmaveth's people 42
25 Kiriatharim's, Chephirah's, and Beeroth's people 743
26 Ramah's and Geba's people 621
27 Michmas's men 122
28 Bethel's and Ai's men 223
29 Nebo's people 52
30 Magbish's people 156
31 the other Elam's people 1,254
32 Harim's people 320
33 Lod's, Hadid's, and Ono's people 725
34 Jericho's people 345
35 Senaah's people 3,630
36 The priests [included]: Jedaiah's descendants of the house of Jeshua 973
37 Immer's descendants 1,052
38 Pashhur's descendants 1,247
39 and Harim's descendants 1,017
40 The Levites [included]: Jeshua's and Kadmiel's descendants from Hodaviah's descendants 74
41 The singers [included]: Asaph's descendants 128
42 The gatekeepers' descendants [included]: Shallum's descendants, Ater's descendants, Talmon's descendants, Akkub's descendants, Hatita's descendants, Shobai's descendants, in all 139
43 The temple servants [included]: Ziha's descendants, Hasupha's descendants, Tabbaoth's descendants,
44 Keros's descendants, Siaha's descendants, Padon's descendants,
45 Lebanah's descendants, Hagabah's descendants, Akkub's descendants,
46 Hagab's descendants, Shalmai's[g] descendants, Hanan's descendants,
47 Giddel's descendants, Gahar's descendants, Reaiah's descendants,
48 Rezin's descendants, Nekoda's descendants, Gazzam's descendants,
49 Uzza's descendants, Paseah's descendants, Besai's descendants,
50 Asnah's descendants, Meunim's[h] descendants, Nephusim's[i] descendants,
51 Bakbuk's descendants, Hakupha's descendants, Harhur's descendants,
52 Bazluth's descendants, Mehida's descendants, Harsha's descendants,
53 Barkos's descendants, Sisera's descendants, Temah's descendants,
54 Neziah's descendants, and Hatipha's descendants.
55 The descendants of Solomon's servants [included]: Sotai's descendants, Hassophereth's descendants, Peruda's descendants,
56 Jaalah's descendants, Darkon's descendants, Giddel's descendants,
57 Shephatiah's descendants, Hattil's descendants, Pochereth-hazzebaim's descendants, and Ami's descendants.
58 All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants 392
59 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer but were unable to prove that their families and ancestry were Israelite:
60 Delaiah's descendants, Tobiah's descendants, Nekoda's descendants 652
61 and from the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, the descendants of Barzillai- who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name.
62 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood.
63 The governor[j] ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.[k]
64 The whole combined assembly numbered 42,360
65 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves, and their 200 male and female singers.
66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,
67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

Gifts for the Work

68 After they arrived at the Lord's house in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders gave freewill offerings for the house of God in order to have it rebuilt on its [original] site.
69 Based on what they could give, they gave 61,000 gold coins,[l] 6,250 pounds[m] of silver, and 100 priestly garments to the treasury for the project.
70 The priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and some of the people settled in their towns, and [the rest of] Israel [settled] in their towns.[n]

Footnotes 14

  • [a]. Neh 7:6-73
  • [b]. Neh 11:3
  • [c]. Nebuchadnezzar reigned 605-562 b.c.
  • [d]. 1 Ch 3:19; Hg 1:1; Zch 4:6
  • [e]. Hg 1:1; Zch 3:1
  • [f]. Lit the men of the people of Israel
  • [g]. Alt Hb tradition reads Shamlai's or Salmai's
  • [h]. Alt Hb tradition reads Meinim's
  • [i]. Alt Hb tradition reads Nephisim's
  • [j]. Neh 7:65; 8:9-12
  • [k]. Two objects used to determine God's will; Ex 28:30
  • [l]. Lit drachmas
  • [m]. Lit 5,000 minas
  • [n]. Jos 21; 1 Ch 9:2

Ezra 2 Commentaries

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