Ezra Chapter 2
1 Now these are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city;
2 who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
3 The children of Parosh, two thousand and one hundred and seventy-two.
4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two.
5 The children of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five.
6 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and twelve.
7 The children of Elam, one thousand and two hundred and fifty-four.
8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five.
9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.
10 The children of Bani, six hundred and forty-two.
11 The children of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three.
12 The children of Azgad, one thousand and two hundred and twenty-two.
13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six.
14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six.
15 The children of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four.
16 The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight.
17 The children of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three.
18 The children of Jorah, one hundred and twelve.
19 The children of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three.
20 The children of Gibbar, ninety-five.
21 The children of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three.
22 The men of Netophah, fifty-six.
23 The men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight.
24 The children of Azmaveth, forty-two.
25 The children of Kiriath Arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three.
26 The children of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one.
27 The men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two.
28 The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three.
29 The children of Nebo, fifty-two.
30 The children of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six.
31 The children of the other Elam, one thousand and two hundred and fifty-four.
32 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
33 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five.
34 The children of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five.
35 The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
36 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three.
37 The children of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two.
38 The children of Pashhur, one thousand and two hundred and forty-seven.
39 The children of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.
40 The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy-four.
41 The singers: the children of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight.
42 The children of the gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all one hundred and thirty-nine.
43 The temple servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
44 the children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,
45 the children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
46 the children of Hagab, the children of Shamlai, the children of Hanan,
47 the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,
48 the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
49 the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,
50 the children of Asnah, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephisim,
51 the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
52 the children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
53 the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah,
54 the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
55 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of Peruda,
56 the children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
57 the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, the children of Ami.
58 All the temple servants, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred and ninety-two.
59 These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers' houses, and their offspring, whether they were of Israel:
60 the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two.
61 Of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, and the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.
62 These sought their place amongst those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they deemed disqualified and removed from the priesthood.
63 The governor told them that they should not eat of the most holy things until a priest stood up to serve with Urim and with Thummim.
64 The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand and three hundred and sixty,
65 in addition to their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand and three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred singing men and singing women.
66 Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six; their mules, two hundred and forty-five;
67 their camels, four hundred and thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand and seven hundred and twenty.
68 Some of the heads of fathers' households, when they came to the LORD's house which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for God's house to set it up in its place.
69 They gave according to their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.
70 So the priests and the Levites, with some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.
Footnotes
- Verse 59 (offspring)
- or, seed
- Verse 69 (Daric)
- a daric was a gold coin issued by a Persian king, weighing about 8.4 grams or about 0.27 troy ounces each.
- Verse 69 (Mina)
- A mina is about 600 grams or 1.3 U.S. pounds, so 5,000 minas is about 3 metric tonnes.
Version: World English Bible
- About World English Bible (WEB)
- WEB Glossary
- WEB Web Site (source documents)
- Bible on one web page
- Download WEB (for MS Word)
Audio
To Listen to this Chapter
The mp3 Audio File should start to play in a new Tab. Then return to this Tab to follow the text whilst listening.
Ezra Chapter 2 Guide
Chapter two contains the register of those who, taking advantage f Cyrus’s decree, turned their faces toward Jerusalem. The list proceeds in a definite order, from the leaders downward. First, the names of those immediately associated with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:1-2). Then follow the names of families, with the numbers in each case (Ezra 2:3-20) ; names of the members of the priesthood (Ezra 2:36-39) ; following these the list and numbers of the Levites (Ezra 2:40-42); after these the Nethinim (Ezra 2:43-54); next the children of Solomon's servants (Ezra 2:55-58) ; beside these, a number who had lost their genealogy (Ezra 2:59-63). Verses Ezra 2:64-65 give the totals of the people, and then come the lists of the cattle. The whole ends with the statement of the gifts of the people, and the declaration of their settlement in the cities of the land.
An examination of this list is remarkable principally from the small number of Levites who returned. Nearly ten times as many priests as Levites went back to the land. This, of course, was an inversion of the original order. Dr. Ryle says that perhaps this may be explained by the Levites having been especially concerned in the worship at the high places, and the idolatrous forms of worship which the reformation of Josiah had sought to abolish. Another point of interest is the Nethinim. They seem to be prominent in these books of the return, for they are mentioned only once elsewhere. Their origin it is almost impossible to determine. In all probability they were of foreign extraction, but had been admitted to some of the minor forms of service in connection with Levitical work.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Ezra Chapter 2 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The numbers that returned. -- (1-35)
- The numbers of the priests and Levites. -- (36-63)
- The offerings for the temple. -- (64-70)
Verses 1-35
An account was kept of the families that came up out of captivity. See how sin lowers a nation, which righteousness would exalt!
Verses 36-63
Those who undervalue their relation to the Lord in times of reproach, persecution, or distress, will have no benefit from it when it becomes honourable or profitable. Those who have no evidence that they are, by the new birth, spiritual priests unto God, through Jesus Christ, have no right to the comforts and privileges of Christians.
Verses 64-70
Let none complain of the needful expenses of their religion. Seek first the kingdom of God, his favour and his glory, then will all other things be added unto them. Their offerings were nothing, compared with the offerings of the princes in David's time; yet, being according to their ability, were as acceptable to God. The Lord will carry us through all undertakings entered on according to his will, with an aim to his glory, and dependence on his assistance. Those who, at the call of the gospel, renounce sin and return to the Lord, shall be guarded and guided through all perils of the way, and arrive safely at the mansions provided in the holy city of God.
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.