Text -- Ezra 2:1-69 (NET)

The Names of the Returning Exiles

2:1 These are the people of the province who were going up, from the captives of the exile whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile in Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city. 2:2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of Israelites was as follows: 2:3 the descendants of Parosh: 2,172; 2:4 the descendants of Shephatiah: 372; 2:5 the descendants of Arah: 775; 2:6 the descendants of Pahath-Moab (from the line of Jeshua and Joab): 2,812; 2:7 the descendants of Elam: 1,254; 2:8 the descendants of Zattu: 945; 2:9 the descendants of Zaccai: 760; 2:10 the descendants of Bani: 642; 2:11 the descendants of Bebai: 623; 2:12 the descendants of Azgad: 1,222; 2:13 the descendants of Adonikam: 666; 2:14 the descendants of Bigvai: 2,056; 2:15 the descendants of Adin: 454; 2:16 the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah): 98; 2:17 the descendants of Bezai: 323; 2:18 the descendants of Jorah: 112; 2:19 the descendants of Hashum: 223; 2:20 the descendants of Gibbar: 95. 2:21 The men of Bethlehem: 123; 2:22 the men of Netophah: 56; 2:23 the men of Anathoth: 128; 2:24 the men of the family of Azmaveth: 42; 2:25 the men of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth: 743; 2:26 the men of Ramah and Geba: 621; 2:27 the men of Micmash: 122; 2:28 the men of Bethel and Ai: 223; 2:29 the descendants of Nebo: 52; 2:30 the descendants of Magbish: 156; 2:31 the descendants of the other Elam: 1,254; 2:32 the descendants of Harim: 320; 2:33 the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 725; 2:34 the men of Jericho: 345; 2:35 the descendants of Senaah: 3,630. 2:36 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua): 973; 2:37 the descendants of Immer: 1,052; 2:38 the descendants of Pashhur: 1,247; 2:39 the descendants of Harim: 1,017. 2:40 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah): 74. 2:41 The singers: the descendants of Asaph: 128. 2:42 The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai: 139. 2:43 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 2:44 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, 2:45 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, 2:46 the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai, the descendants of Hanan, 2:47 the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, 2:48 the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, 2:49 the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, 2:50 the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim, 2:51 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 2:52 the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, 2:53 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, 2:54 the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha. 2:55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, 2:56 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, 2:57 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Ami. 2:58 All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon: 392. 2:59 These are the ones that came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify their family connection or their ancestry, as to whether they really were from Israel): 2:60 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda: 652. 2:61 And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). 2:62 They searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but did not find them. They were therefore excluded from the priesthood. 2:63 The governor instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim. 2:64 The entire group numbered 42,360, 2:65 not counting their male and female female servants, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers 2:66 and 736 horses, 245 mules, 2:67 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 2:68 When they came to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders offered voluntary offerings for the temple of God in order to rebuild it on its site. 2:69 As they were able, they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priestly robes.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Ezr 2:1

¹ sn The list of names and numbers in this chapter of Ezra has a parallel account in Neh 7:6-73. The fact that the two lists do not always agree in specific details suggests that various textual errors have crept into the accounts during the transmission process.

² tn Heb “the sons of.”

³ tn The Hebrew term הָעֹלִים (ha’olim, “those who were going up” [Qal active participle]) refers to continual action in the past. Most translations render this as a simple past: “went up” (KJV), “came up” (RSV, ASV, NASV, NIV), “came” (NRSV). CEV paraphrases: “were on their way back.”

⁴ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

NET Notes: Ezr 2:2

¹ tn Heb “men of the people of Israel.”

² tn The words “was as follows” are not in the Hebrew text but are used in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: Ezr 2:3

¹ tn Heb “the sons of.”

NET Notes: Ezr 2:6

¹ tn Heb “to the sons of.” Cf. v. 40.

² tc The MT reads יוֹאָב (yo’av, “Joab”). However, syntax demands the reading וְיוֹאָב (vÿyo’av, “and Joab”) which is reflected in the LXX and Syriac.

NET Notes: Ezr 2:16

¹ tn Heb “to.” So also in vv. 36, 40.

NET Notes: Ezr 2:21

¹ tc The translation follows the suggestion in BHS and reads אַנְשֵׁי (’anshe, “the men of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT. So also in vv. 25, 26, 33, 34.

² map For location see Map5 B1; Map7 E2; Map8 E2; Map10 B4.

NET Notes: Ezr 2:24

¹ tc The translation follows the suggestion in BHS and reads אַשְׁנֵי בֵּית (’ashne bet, “men of the house of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT.

tn Heb “the men of the house of Azmaveth”; some regard בֵּית (bet, “house of”) as a part of the place name: NAB, NLT “Beth-azmaveth.”

NET Notes: Ezr 2:25

¹ tc The translation, with the support of many manuscripts, reads יְעָרִים (yÿ’arim) here rather than the reading עָרִים (’arim) of the MT.

NET Notes: Ezr 2:28

¹ map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.

NET Notes: Ezr 2:34

¹ map For location see Map5 B2; Map6 E1; Map7 E1; Map8 E3; Map10 A2; Map11 A1.

NET Notes: Ezr 2:36

¹ tn Heb “the house of.”

NET Notes: Ezr 2:42

¹ tc Here it is preferable to delete the reading בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) found in the MT.

NET Notes: Ezr 2:46

¹ tc The translation follows the Qere reading “Shalmai” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT) rather than the MT Kethib “Shamlai” (so ASV, NAB, NRSV).

NET Notes: Ezr 2:59

¹ tn Heb “relate.”

² tn Heb “the house of their fathers.”

³ tn Heb “their seed.”

NET Notes: Ezr 2:61

¹ tc The translation reads וּמִן (umin, “and from”) rather than the reading וּמִבּנֵי (umibbÿney, “and from the sons of”) found in the MT.

² tn Heb “their.”

NET Notes: Ezr 2:62

¹ tn Heb “these.”

² tn Heb “their records were searched for in the genealogical materials, but were not found.” This passive construction has been translated as active for stylistic reasons.

³ tn Heb “they were desecrated.”

NET Notes: Ezr 2:63

¹ tn The Hebrew word תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshata’) is an official title of the Persian governor in Judea, perhaps similar in meaning to “excellency” (BDB 1077 s.v.; HALOT 1798 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395).

² tn Heb “to stand.”

NET Notes: Ezr 2:64

¹ sn The same total is given in Neh 7:66, but it is difficult to understand how this number is reached, since the numbers of people listed in the constituent groups do not add up to 42,360. The list in vv. 3-60 apparently is not intended to be exhaustive, but the basis of the selectivity is unclear.

NET Notes: Ezr 2:65

¹ tn Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”

NET Notes: Ezr 2:68

¹ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”

² tn Heb “cause it to stand.”

NET Notes: Ezr 2:69

¹ tn Heb “according to their strength.”

² tn The meaning of the Hebrew word דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים (darkÿmonim, cf. Neh 7:69, 70, 71) is uncertain. It may be a Greek loanword meaning “drachmas” (the view adopted here and followed also by NAB, NASB, NIV) or a Persian loanword “daric,” referring to a Persian gold coin (BDB 204 s.v. דַּרְכְּמוֹן; HALOT 232 s.v. נִים(וֹ)דַּרְכְּמֹ; cf. ASV, NRSV). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 206-9.

³ sn The מָנִים (manim, cf. Neh 7:71, 72) is a measuring weight for valuable metals, equal to 1/60 of a talent or 60 shekels (BDB 584 s.v. מָנֶה; HALOT 599 s.v. מָנֶה). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 203-6.

⁴ tn Or “garments.”