Ezra 8:1-20

Those Returning with Ezra

1 These are the family leaders and the genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:

2 Gershom, from Phinehas's descendants; Daniel, from Ithamar's descendants; Hattush, from David's descendants,

3 who was of Shecaniah's descendants;^[a] Zechariah, from Parosh's descendants, and 150 men with him who were registered by genealogy;

4 Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah from Pahath-moab's descendants, and 200 men with him;

5 Shecaniah^[b] son of Jahaziel from Zattu's descendants, and 300 men with him;

6 Ebed son of Jonathan from Adin's descendants, and 50 men with him;

7 Jeshaiah son of Athaliah from Elam's descendants, and 70 men with him;

8 Zebadiah son of Michael from Shephatiah's descendants, and 80 men with him;

9 Obadiah son of Jehiel from Joab's descendants, and 218 men with him;

10 Shelomith^[c] son of Josiphiah from Bani's descendants, and 160 men with him;

11 Zechariah son of Bebai from Bebai's descendants, and 28 men with him;

12 Johanan son of Hakkatan from Azgad's descendants, and 110 men with him;

13 these are the last ones, from Adonikam's descendants, and their names are: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and 60 men with them;

14 Uthai and Zaccur^[d] from Bigvai's descendants, and 70 men with them.

15 I gathered them at the river^[e] that flows to Ahava, and we camped there for three days. I searched among the people and priests, but found no Levites there.

16 Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan.

17 I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for^[f] him and his brothers, the temple servants at Casiphia, that they should bring us ministers for the house of our God.

18 Since the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah-a man of insight from the descendants of Mahli, a descendant of Levi son of Israel-along with his sons and brothers, 18 men,

19 plus Hashabiah, along with Jeshaiah, from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and their sons, 20 men.

20 There were also 220 of the temple servants, who had been appointed by David and the leaders for the work of the Levites. All were identified by name.

Ezra 8:1-20 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. 1 Ch 3:22
• [b]. LXX, 1 Esdras 8:32; MT reads the descendants of Shecaniah
• [c]. Some LXX, 1 Esdras 8:36; MT reads the descendants of Shelomith
• [d]. Alt Hb tradition, some LXX read Zabud
• [e]. Or canal
• [f]. Lit Casiphia, and I put in their mouth the words to speak to