This chapter will list the family names of the exiles who returned from Babylon. Remember that they were slaves in Babylon and after the war were taken to Persia and now are allowed to return to the land of their ancestors.
Three families had lost their genealogical records so until they had God’s approval was not allowed to officiate in priestly duties. A total of 49,897 people, including servants and singers return to their homeland of Israel. You are now invited to join with me in a verse by verse exposition.
Examining the Families Returning to the Promised Land
Ezra 2:1-2
Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah):
The list of the men of the people of Israel:
There are two registers compiled of the captives, one is by Ezra and the other by Nehemiah. There is a slight difference and probably the following explanation would account for the difference. I believe that the account by Era was the census taken when he led the contingent from Persia and other census by Nehemiah taken some years later in Jerusalem. Cf. Neh. 7:4-73 with the list provided by Ezra.
The eleven men mentioned in this verse 4 were leaders of the expedition. The fact that Israel is used shows that all twelve tribes were represented and not just the two tribes of Judah.
Ezra 2:3-20
the descendants of Parosh 2,172
of Shephatiah 372
of Arah 775
of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab) 2,812
of Elam 1,254
of Zattu 945
of Zaccai 760
of Bani 642
of Bebai 623
of Azgad 1,222
of Adonikam 666
of Bigvai 2,056
of Adin 454
of Ater (through Hezekiah) 98
of Bezai 323
of Jorah 112
of Hashum 223
of Gibbar 95
The census information collected will serve several sources:
- Military draft.
- Tax revenue.
- Property rights.
- To determine who was a priest or Levite.
- Collecting of monies for the temple.
- To determine who would live in Jerusalem and who would live in nearby cities.
Ezra 2:21-35
the men of Bethlehem 123
of Netophah 56
of Anathoth 128
of Azmaveth 42
of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth 743
of Ramah and Geba 621
of Micmash 122
of Bethel and Ai 223
of Nebo 52
of Magbish 156
of the other Elam 1,254
of Harim 320
of Lod, Hadid and Ono 725
of Jericho 345
of Senaah 3,630
Note that the registry is focused on Bethlehem because as previously stated Jerusalem was in the first registry.
Ezra 2:36-39
The priests:
the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua) 973
of Immer 1,052
of Pashhur 1,247
of Harim 1,017
The priest that return number 4,289 or about 10% of the total captives to return under Ezra.
Ezra 2:40
The Levites:
the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah)74
Levites number 74 and are the priest assistants. Nehemiah tells us what the Levites did in Nehemiah 8:7-9. The book of I Chr. 2:3,4 tells us that in David’s day there were 38,000 Levites and list a job classification as supervisors over the construction of the temple, government officials, judges, gatekeepers, and musicians. The Babylonians had nearly wiped out the Levites in an effort to destroy all the political and religious apparatus of the Jews.
Ezra 2:41
The singers:
the descendants of Asaph 128
This group of singers number 128 and are from the Asaph clan. More singers are mentioned in verse 65. A roster containing 288 sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthan for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied with harps, lyres and cymbals is listed in I Chron. 25
Ezra 2:42
The gatekeepers of the temple:
the descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon,
Akkub, Hatita and Shobai 139
Gatekeepers number 139 and they are responsible for security of the city gates. In I Chron. 23:5 we have 4,000 gatekeepers in the days of David and Solomon.
Ezra 2:43-58
The temple servants:
the descendants of
Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
Keros, Siaha, Padon,
Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub,
Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan,
Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah,
Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam,
Uzza, Paseah, Besai,
Asnah, Meunim, Nephussim,
Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
Neziah and Hatipha
The descendants of the servants of Solomon:
the descendants of
Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,
Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
Shephatiah, Hattil,
Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Ami
The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon 392
Nethinims and descendants of Solomon’s servants number 392. This group is called temple servants. I suppose their responsibilities were ground maintenance, cleaning and all menial tasks that servants normally perform.
Ezra 2:59-63
The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:
The descendants of
Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda 652
And from among the priests:
The descendants of
Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).
These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.
The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.
This group number 652 and returned from captivity but lacked a genealogy record. They were staking claim to the priesthood without proper identification. So Governor Zerubbabel orders an investigation that will be confirmed with Urim and Thummin.
Ezra 2:64-65
The whole company numbered 42,360,
The total here in Ezra is 42,360. Looking back at the various lists and adding up the numbers we come up with 29,818. I suppose this larger number would include women and children not named in the previous list.
besides their 7,337 menservants and maidservants; and they also had 200 men and women singers.
200 singers however verse 41 lists 128 singers. There is no discrepancy since verse 41 names the descendants of Asaph and this group would also include other singers not of that clan.
Ezra 2:66-67
They had 736 horses, 245 mules,
435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
736 Horses---used to pull wagons, plows, transportation and war.
245 Mules ---Used as pack animals and coronation ceremonies.
The camels were used in caravans as pack animals and for milk. 6720 Donkeys. These animals were used for beast of burden and riding.
Ezra 2:68-69
When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site.
According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas of gold, 5,000 minas of silver and 100 priestly garments.
The returnees were so grateful to get back to their homeland that they wanted to contribute to the rebuilding fund.
Nehemiah and Ezra have two different amounts of the offering. I suppose we could account for this as meaning that a contribution was taken up at two different times thus two different amounts. Compare Nehemiah 7:70-72
Ezra 2:70
The priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.
The re-settling was done according to family origin, that is, where their family had lived before the captivity.