Ezra 2:64

64 The whole congregation united as one man was forty-two thousand three hundred and seventy,

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 sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore, they were, as polluted, put from the priesthood.

63 And the Tirshatha said unto them that they should not eat of the most holy things until there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.

64 The whole congregation united as one man was forty-two thousand three hundred and seventy,

65 besides their slaves and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and there were among them two hundred men and women who were singers.

66 Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six; their mules, two hundred and forty-five;