Ezra 8:17

17 and sent them to Iddo, the leader at the place called Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his colleagues the temple servants at Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers 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 I gathered them by the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the descendants of Levi.

16 Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were wise,

17 and sent them to Iddo, the leader at the place called Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his colleagues the temple servants at Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers for the house of our God.

18 Since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the descendants of Mahli son of Levi son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and kin, eighteen;

19 also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah of the descendants of Merari, with his kin and their sons, twenty;