Ezra 2

These are the people of the province who came back from exile. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried them away to Babylon. Now they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each one to his own town.

1Now 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;

Note"The province" is Judah as it now existed inside the Persian empire, no longer an independent kingdom but a small administrative district. Nebuchadnezzar had deported the population of Jerusalem in stages, ending with the destruction of the city and its temple in 587/586 BC. Persia conquered Babylon in 539 BC, and Cyrus then permitted deported peoples to return home; this list belongs to that first return.

2They came with Zerubbabel, along with Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the count of the men of the people of Israel:

2Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

NoteZerubbabel was a grandson of one of Judah's last kings and led the returning group as Persia's appointee; Jeshua was the leading priest. The Nehemiah and Mordecai named here are different men from the Nehemiah and the Mordecai who have books of their own, both were common names.

3the descendants of Parosh, 2,172;

3The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.

NoteFor the next thirty-odd verses people are counted in blocks. Down to verse 20 the blocks are family groups, each named for a distant ancestor: "the descendants of Parosh" means an extended clan that traced itself to a man called Parosh, not his literal children. From verse 21 the blocks switch to towns, people identified by where their families had lived before the exile. The numbers count adult men.

4the descendants of Shephatiah, 372;

4The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.

5the descendants of Arah, 775;

5The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.

6the descendants of Pahath-moab, through the family lines of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812;

6The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.

NotePahath-moab is not a personal name but a title that hardened into a family name: it means "governor of Moab," a post some ancestor of the clan presumably once held.

7the descendants of Elam, 1,254;

7The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

8the descendants of Zattu, 945;

8The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.

9the descendants of Zaccai, 760;

9The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.

10the descendants of Bani, 642;

10The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.

11the descendants of Bebai, 623;

11The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.

12the descendants of Azgad, 1,222;

12The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.

13the descendants of Adonikam, 666;

13The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

14the descendants of Bigvai, 2,056;

14The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.

15the descendants of Adin, 454;

15The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.

16the descendants of Ater, through the line of Hezekiah, 98;

16The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

17the descendants of Bezai, 323;

17The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.

18the descendants of Jorah, 112;

18The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.

19the descendants of Hashum, 223;

19The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.

20the descendants of Gibbar, 95;

20The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.

21the men from Bethlehem, 123;

21The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.

NoteFrom here the list stops naming ancestors and starts naming places. These are returning families identified by the town their line came from, a claim to the land there as much as a label.

22the men from Netophah, 56;

22The men of Netophah, fifty and six.

23the men from Anathoth, 128;

23The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.

24the men from Azmaveth, 42;

24The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.

25the men from Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743;

25The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.

NoteKirjath-arim is the same place elsewhere called Kiriath-jearim. These three towns lay west and north-west of Jerusalem.

26the men from Ramah and Gaba, 621;

26The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.

27the men from Michmas, 122;

27The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.

28the men from Bethel and Ai, 223;

28The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.

29the men from Nebo, 52;

29The children of Nebo, fifty and two.

30the men from Magbish, 156;

30The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.

31the descendants of the other Elam, 1,254;

31The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

NoteThis figure, 1,254, is identical to the one given for Elam in verse 7. Some take it as a second, distinct family that happened to be counted alike; others as a copyist's duplication. The text itself simply says "the other Elam."

32the descendants of Harim, 320;

32The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

33the men from Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725;

33The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.

34the men from Jericho, 345;

34The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

35the men from Senaah, 3,630.

35The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.

36The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, of the household of Jeshua, 973;

36The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.

NotePriests were descendants of Aaron, the only men permitted to serve at the altar and handle the offerings. Their families are counted separately, and by descent, because the office was inherited and could not be entered any other way.

37the descendants of Immer, 1,052;

37The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

38the descendants of Pashur, 1,247;

38The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

39the descendants of Harim, 1,017.

39The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

40The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel, through the line of Hodaviah, 74.

40The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.

NoteLevites were members of the tribe of Levi who were not of Aaron's priestly line. They did the supporting work of the sanctuary, carrying, cleaning, guarding, assisting at sacrifices. Only 74 came back, a strikingly small number beside the 4,289 priests just listed, and the shortage becomes a problem later in the book.

41The singers: the descendants of Asaph, 128.

41The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.

NoteThe singers were the temple's professional musicians, an inherited office like the priesthood. Asaph was a musician appointed in David's time, and the clan kept his name.

42The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, 139 in all.

42The 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.

NoteGatekeepers guarded the temple entrances, controlling who and what could come in, and had charge of the gates, storerooms and treasuries. This too was a hereditary post, not casual work.

43The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth,

43The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

NoteThe King James word is "Nethinims," from a Hebrew term meaning "the given ones", men assigned to the Levites to do the heavy manual work of the sanctuary: hauling water and wood, and similar labor. Many of the names in this list are foreign, and the group is generally understood to have descended from war captives or non-Israelite peoples dedicated to that service.

44the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon,

44The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,

45the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub,

45The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,

46the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai, the descendants of Hanan,

46The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,

47the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah,

47The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,

48the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam,

48The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,

49the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai,

49The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,

50the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Mehunim, the descendants of Nephusim,

50The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,

51the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur,

51The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,

52the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha,

52The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,

53the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Thamah,

53The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,

54the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.

54The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

55The descendants of Solomon's servants: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Peruda,

55The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,

NoteSolomon had conscripted a permanent labor force for his building projects. Their descendants still formed a recognized group centuries later, counted alongside the temple servants.

56the descendants of Jaalah, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel,

56The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,

57the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth of Zebaim, and the descendants of Ami.

57The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.

58All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants came to 392 in all.

58All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

59These people came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer. But they could not show which family they came from, or prove that their ancestors were Israelites:

59And 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:

NoteTel-melah, Tel-harsa and the rest were settlements in Babylonia where deportees had been placed. Proving descent mattered practically: it decided who could claim ancestral land in Judah and, for the families in the next verses, who could serve as a priest.

60the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, 652 in all.

60The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.

61Some of the priests also could not prove it: the descendants of Habaiah, the descendants of Koz, and the descendants of Barzillai. That last man had married one of the daughters of Barzillai from Gilead, and he was called by their family name.

61And 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:

NoteNormally a wife joined her husband's family line. Here the reverse happened, a man married into the family of Barzillai of Gilead, a wealthy supporter of David, and took their name. That is exactly what made his descendants' priestly claim hard to document.

62These men looked for their names in the official family records, but their names were not found. So they were treated as unclean and were not allowed to serve as priests.

62These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.

Note"Unclean" here is a ritual status, not a moral judgment: without documentary proof of descent they were disqualified from handling holy things. The "official family records" were genealogical registers kept as legal documents.

63The governor told them they must not eat any of the most holy food until a priest was serving who could use the Urim and the Thummim to settle the matter.

63And 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.

NoteThe King James "Tirshatha" is a Persian title for the provincial governor. The "most holy things" were the portions of the offerings reserved for priests to eat, a share of the food, and so a livelihood, not just a privilege. The Urim and Thummim were objects kept in the high priest's breastpiece and used to obtain a decision on a question that human judgment could not settle; how they worked is nowhere described. The ruling leaves these families in suspense rather than rejecting them outright.

64The whole assembly together numbered 42,360.

64The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,

NoteThe individual figures given above add up to roughly 30,000, not 42,360. The parallel list in Nehemiah 7 differs in many of its individual numbers yet reaches the same grand total. No explanation is offered in the text; the discrepancy has been noticed and debated since antiquity.

65That did not count their male and female servants, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 men and women who sang.

65Beside 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.

NoteThese singers are not the temple singers of verse 41. They were performers hired for feasts, funerals and public occasions, a mark of a household with money.

66They had 736 horses and 245 mules.

66Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;

67They had 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

67Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

68When they came to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the leading heads of families gave gifts of their own free choice, so that God's house could be rebuilt on its own site.

68And 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:

Note"The house of the LORD" is the temple, which Nebuchadnezzar's army had burned. "On its own site" matters: they intended to rebuild on the original foundations rather than start elsewhere. The gifts were voluntary, over and above any required contribution.

69They gave to the building fund as much as they were able: 61,000 gold darics, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 sets of priestly clothing.

69They 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.

NoteA daric was a Persian gold coin of about a quarter of an ounce, named after King Darius; the King James calls them "drams." A mina of silver weighed roughly a pound and a quarter. Priestly garments were specially made and costly, which is why a hundred sets count as a donation alongside precious metal.

70So the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants settled in their own towns, and all Israel settled in their towns.

70So 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.