Ezra 8:17

17 And I gave them a command for Iddo the chief man at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say to Iddo and his brethren the Nethinim at the place Casiphia--that they should bring us servants 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 Now I gathered them by the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I looked among the people and the priests, and found none of the sons of Levi there.

16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, leaders; also for Joiarib and Elnathan, men of understanding.

17 And I gave them a command for Iddo the chief man at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say to Iddo and his brethren the Nethinim at the place Casiphia--that they should bring us servants for the house of our God.

18 Then, by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi, the son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and brothers, eighteen men;

19 and Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brothers and their sons, twenty men;

Footnotes

• [a] Following Vulgate; Masoretic Text reads to Iddo his brother; Septuagint reads to their brethren.