Ezra 8:8-18

8 and of the sons of Shephatiah, Zebadiah the son of Michael and 80 males with him;

9 of the sons of Joab, Obadiah the son of Jehiel and 218 * * males with him;

10 and of the sons of Bani, Shelomith, the son of Josiphiah and 160 * males with him;

11 and of the sons of Bebai, Zechariah the son of Bebai and 28 * males with him;

12 and of the sons of Azgad, Johanan the son of Hakkatan and 110 * males with him;

13 and of the sons of Adonikam, the last ones, these being their names, Eliphelet, Jeuel and Shemaiah, and 60 males with them;

14 and of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud, and 70 males with them.

Ezra Sends for Levites

15 Now I assembled them at ¹the river that runs to Ahava, where we camped for three days; and when I observed the people and the priests, I ²did not find any Levites * there.

16 So I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, leading men, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, teachers.

17 I sent them to Iddo the leading man at the place Casiphia; and I told * * them what to say to Iddo and his brothers, ³the temple servants at the place Casiphia, that is, to bring ministers to us for the house of our God.

18 ⁴According to the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a ⁵man of insight of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, and his sons and brothers, 18 * men;

Ezra 8:8-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 8

In this chapter we are told who and how many went up with Ezra to Jerusalem, Ezr 8:1-14, the gathering of them together at a river, from whence he sent to Babylon for Levites to come to him, who did, Ezr 8:15-20, the proclaiming a fast for a safe and prosperous journey, Ezr 8:21-23, the delivery of the vessels and money given him into the hands of priests, to take the care and charge thereof, Ezr 8:24-30, their safe arrival at Jerusalem, where they deposited the gifts in the temple, offered sacrifices to God, and delivered the king's commissions to his lieutenants and governors, Ezr 8:31-36.

Cross References

• 1. Ezra 8:21, 31
• 2. Ezra 7:7; Ezra 8:2
• 3. Ezra 2:43
• 4. Ezra 7:6, 28
• 5. 2 Chronicles 30:22

Footnotes

• [a] Or "Zakkur"
• [b] Or "him"
• [c] Lit "heads"
• [d] Lit "head"
• [e] Lit "put words in their mouth to say"
• [f] So Gr; Heb "Iddo his brother"