Ezra 2

Chapter context

What is happening in Ezra 2?

returntempleTorahrepentance

Ezra 2 belongs to the early movement of the book, especially the section often described as first return and altar-temple rebuilding. Ezra tells of the return under Persian decree, the rebuilding of the temple, and the ministry of Ezra as priestly scribe and reformer. Read this chapter with the wider themes of return, temple, and Torah in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.

¹ Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; ² Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: ³ The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two. ⁴ The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. ⁵ The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five. ⁶ The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. ⁷ The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. ⁸ The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five. ⁹ The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. ¹⁰ The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two. ¹¹ The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three. ¹² The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two. ¹³ The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six. ¹⁴ The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six. ¹⁵ The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four. ¹⁶ The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. ¹⁷ The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three. ¹⁸ The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve. ¹⁹ The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three. ²⁰ The children of Gibbar, ninety and five. ²¹ The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three. ²² The men of Netophah, fifty and six. ²³ The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight. ²⁴ The children of Azmaveth, forty and two. ²⁵ The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three. ²⁶ The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one. ²⁷ The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two. ²⁸ The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. ²⁹ The children of Nebo, fifty and two. ³⁰ The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six. ³¹ The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. ³² The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty. ³³ The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five. ³⁴ The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and 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 seventy and three. ³⁷ The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. ³⁸ The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven. ³⁹ The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. ⁴⁰ The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four. ⁴¹ The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight. ⁴² The children of the porters: 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 an hundred thirty and nine. ⁴³ The Nethinims: 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 Shalmai, 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 Mehunim, the children of Nephusim, 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 Thamah, ⁵⁴ The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. ⁵⁵ The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, 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 of Zebaim, the children of Ami. ⁵⁸ All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety and two. ⁵⁹ And these were they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father’s house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel: ⁶⁰ The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. ⁶¹ And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name: ⁶² These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. ⁶³ And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim. ⁶⁴ The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, ⁶⁵ Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women. ⁶⁶ Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five; ⁶⁷ Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. ⁶⁸ And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place: ⁶⁹ They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests’ garments. ⁷⁰ So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

Study helps

Glossary

Babylon Place v. 1: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Babylon.
Babylonia Place v. 1: Biblical region. Modern identification: Babylon.
City People v. 1: The earliest mention of city-building is that of Enoch, which was built by Cain ( Gen. 4:17 ). After the confusion of tongues, the descendants of Nimrod founded several cities (10:10-12).
Jerusalem Place v. 1, 68, 70: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jerusalem.
Baanah Person v. 2: Son of affliction. (1. ) One of the two sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, a captain in Saul’s army. He and his brother Rechab assassinated Ishbosheth.
Bilshan Person v. 2: Son of the tongue; i. e., “eloquent”, a man of some note who returned from the Captivity with Zerubbabel ( Ezra 2:2 ; Neh. 7:7 ).
Mordecai Tribe v. 2: The son of Jair, of the tribe of Benjamin.
Nehemiah Tribe v. 2: Comforted by Jehovah. (1. ) Ezra 2:2 ; Neh. 7:7 . (2. ) Neh. 3:16 . (3. ) The son of Hachaliah ( Neh. 1:1 ), and probably of the tribe of Judah. His family must have belonged to Jerusalem ( Neh. 2:3 ).
Seraiah Person v. 2: Soldier of Jehovah. (1. ) The father of Joab ( 1 Chr. 4:13 , 14). (2. ) The grandfather of Jehu ( 1 Chr. 4:35 ). (3. ) One of David’s scribes or secretaries ( 2 Sam. 8:17 ). (4. ) A Netophathite.
Zerubbabel Person v. 2: The seed of Babylon, the son of Salathiel or Shealtiel ( Hag. 1:1 ; Zorobabel, Matt. 1:12 ); called also the son of Pedaiah ( 1 Chr. 3:17-19 ), i. e.
Shephatiah Person v. 4, 57: Judged of the Lord. (1. ) A son of David by Abital ( 2 Sam. 3:4 ). (2. ) A Benjamite who joined David at Ziklag ( 1 Chr. 12:5 ). (3. ) A Simeonite prince in David’s time ( 1 Chr. 27:16 ).
Joab Person v. 6: Jehovah is his father. (1. ) One of the three sons of Zeruiah, David’s sister, and “captain of the host” during the whole of David’s reign ( 2 Sam. 2:13 ; 10:7 ; 11:1 ; 1 Kings 11:15 ).
Hezekiah Person v. 16: Whom Jehovah has strengthened. (1. ) Son of Ahaz ( 2 Kings 18:1 ; 2 Chr. 29:1 ), whom he succeeded on the throne of the kingdom of Judah. He reigned twenty-nine years (B. C. 726-697).
Gibbar Place v. 20: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: El Jib.
Bethlehem Place v. 21: House of bread. (1. ) A city in the “hill country” of Judah. It was originally called Ephrath ( Gen. 35:16 , 19; 48:7; Ruth 4:11 ). It was also called Beth-lehem Ephratah ( Micah 5:2 ), Beth-lehem-judah. Modern identification: Bethlehem.
Netophah Place v. 22: Distillation; dropping, a town in Judah, in the neighbourhood, probably, of Bethlehem ( Neh. 7:26 ; 1 Chr. 2:54 ). Two of David’s guards were Netophathites ( 1 Chr. 27:13 , 15). Modern identification: Khirbet Badd Faluh.
Anathoth Place v. 23: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Ras el Kharruba.
Azmaveth Place v. 24: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Hizma.
Beeroth Place v. 25: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Khirbet el Burj.
Chephirah Place v. 25: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Khirbet el Kefireh.
Kiriath-jearim Place v. 25: City, a city belonging to Benjamin ( Josh. 18:28 ), the modern Kuriet el-‘Enab, i. e., “city of grapes”, about 7 1/2 miles west-north-west of Jerusalem. Modern identification: Deir el Azar.
Geba Place v. 26: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Jaba.
Ramah Place v. 26: ( Matt. 2:18 ), the Greek form of Ramah. (1. ) A city first mentioned in Josh. 18:25 , near Gibeah of Benjamin. It was fortified by Baasha, king of Israel ( 1 Kings 15:17-22 ; 2 Chr. 16:1-6 ). Modern identification: Al Ram.
Michmash Place v. 27: Something hidden, a town of Benjamin ( Ezra 2:27 ), east of Bethel and south of Migron, on the road to Jerusalem ( Isa. 10:28 ). Modern identification: Mukhmas.
Ai Place v. 28: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Et Tell.
Bethel Place v. 28: House of God. (1. ) A place in Central Palestine, about 10 miles north of Jerusalem, at the head of the pass of Michmash and Ai. It was originally the royal Canaanite city of Luz ( Gen. 28:19 ). Modern identification: Beitin.
Nebo Place v. 29: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Nuba.
Magbish Place v. 30: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Khirbet el Makhbiyeh.
Harim Place v. 32, 39: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Al Haram.
Hadid Place v. 33: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Al Haditha.
Lod Place v. 33: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Lod.
Ono Place v. 33: A town of Benjamin, in the “plain of Ono” ( 1 Chr. 8:12 ; Ezra 2:33 ); now Kefr ‘Ana, 5 miles north of Lydda, and about 30 miles north-west of Jerusalem. Modern identification: Kafr Ana.
Jericho Place v. 34: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Tell es Sultan.
Senaah Place v. 35: Thorny, a place many of the inhabitants of which returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel ( Ezra 2:35 ; Neh. 7:38 ). Modern identification: Khirbet el Aujah el Foqa.
Jedaiah Person v. 36: (1. ) Invoker of Jehovah. The son of Shimri, a chief Simeonite ( 1 Chr. 4:37 ). (2. ) One of those who repaired the walls of Jerusalem after the return from Babylon ( Neh. 3:10 ). (3. ) Knowing Jehovah.
Pashur Person v. 38: Release. (1. ) The son of Immer (probably the same as Amariah, Neh. 10:3 ; 12:2 ), the head of one of the priestly courses, was “chief governor [Heb. paqid nagid, meaning “deputy governor”] of the temple” ( Jer. 20:1 , 2).
Asaph Person v. 41: Convener, or collector. (1. ) A Levite; one of the leaders of David’s choir ( 1 Chr. 6:39 ). Psalms 50 and 73-83 inclusive are attributed to him. He is mentioned along with David as skilled in music, and a “seer”.
Akkub Person v. 42, 45: (another form of Jacob). (1. ) The head of one of the families of Nethinim ( Ezra 2:45 ). (2. ) A Levite who kept the gate of the temple after the return from Babylon ( 1 Chr. 9:17 ; Ezra 2:42 ; Neh. 7:45 ).
Shallum Person v. 42: Retribution. (1. ) The son of Jabesh, otherwise unknown. He “conspired against Zachariah, and smote him before the people, and slew him, and reigned in his stead” ( 2 Kings 15:10 ).
Ziha Person v. 43: Drought. (1. ) The name of a family of Nethinim ( Ezra 2:43 ; Neh. 7:46 ). (2. ) A ruler among the Nethinim ( Neh. 11:21 ).
Hanan Person v. 46: Merciful. (1. ) A Benjamite ( 1 Chr. 8:23 ). (2. ) One of David’s heroes ( 1 Chr. 11:43 ). (3. ) Jer. 35:4 . (4. ) A descendant of Saul ( 1 Chr. 8:38 ). (5. ) One of the Nethinim ( Ezra 2:46 ).
Rezin Person v. 48: Firm; a prince, a king of Syria, who joined Pekah (q. v. ) in an invasion of the kingdom of Judah ( 2 Kings 15:37 ; 16:5-9 ; Isa. 7:1-8 ). Ahaz induced Tiglath-pileser III.
Sisera Person v. 53: (Egypt. Ses-Ra, “servant of Ra”). (1. ) The captain of Jabin’s army ( Judg. 4:2 ), which was routed and destroyed by the army of Barak on the plain of Esdraelon.
Addon Place v. 59: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Babylon.
Cherub Place v. 59: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Babylon.
Immer Place v. 59: Biblical settlement. Modern identification: Babylon.
Tel-harsha Place v. 59: Hill of the wood, a place in Babylon from which some captive Jews returned to Jerusalem ( Ezra 2:59 ; Neh. 7:61 ). Modern identification: Nippur.
Tel-melah Place v. 59: Hill of salt, a place in Babylon from which the Jews returned (id. ). Modern identification: Nippur.
Delaiah Person v. 60: Freed by Jehovah. (1. ) The head of the twenty-third division of the priestly order ( 1 Chr. 24:18 ). (2. ) A son of Shemaiah, and one of the courtiers to whom Jeremiah’s first roll of prophecy was read ( Jer. 36:12 ).
Tobiah Person v. 60: Pleasing to Jehovah, the “servant,” the “Ammonite,” who joined with those who opposed the rebuilding of Jerusalem after the Exile ( Neh. 2:10 ).
Barzillai Person v. 61: Of iron. (1. ) A Meholathite, the father of Adriel ( 2 Sam. 21:8 ). (2. ) A Gileadite of Rogelim who was distinguished for his loyalty to David. He liberally provided for the king’s followers ( 2 Sam. 17:27 ).
Gilead Place v. 61: Biblical region. Modern identification: Tell edh Dhahab esh Sherqiyeh.