Text -- Ezra 2:61-70 (NET)

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. 2:70 The priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel lived in their towns.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Ezr 2:62

The Jews were generally very exact in their genealogies from their own choice and interest, that they might preserve the distinctions of the several tribes and families, which was necessary both to make out their titles to offices or inheritances, and to govern themselves thereby in the matter of marriages, and from the special providence of God, that so it might be certainly known of what tribe and family the Messiah was born.

Wesley: Ezr 2:63

The governor, Zerubbabel.

Wesley: Ezr 2:63

That this point which could not be found out by human skill, might be determined by Divine direction. Hereby it appears that the Urim and Thummim were lost in the destruction of the city and temple, tho' the Jews fed themselves with hopes of recovering them, but in vain. And by the want of that oracle, they were taught to expect the great oracle, the Messiah.

Wesley: Ezr 2:64

_The particular sums here recited, come only to twenty and nine thousand eight hundred and eighteen. Unto whom are added in this total sum twelve thousand five hundred and forty two. Which, either were of the other tribes beside Judah and Benjamin: or were such as were supposed to be Israelites, but could not prove their pedigree by their genealogies.

Wesley: Ezr 2:65

For women as well as men were employed in this exercise in the temple - service.

Wesley: Ezr 2:68

That is, to the ruins of the house; or to the place were it stood.

Wesley: Ezr 2:69

Sixty one thousand drams of gold amount to something more than so many pounds of our money. So bishop Cumberland, who likewise supposes five thousand pounds of silver, to be about thirty seven thousand pounds sterling.

Wesley: Ezr 2:70

And they dwelt in peace, in perfect harmony, a blessed presage of their settlement, as their discord in the latter times of that state, was of their ruin.

JFB: Ezr 2:61-62

He preferred that name to that of his own family, deeming it a greater distinction to be connected with so noble a family, than to be of the house of Levi. But by this worldly ambition he forfeited the dignity and advantages of the priesthood.

JFB: Ezr 2:63

A title borne by the Persian governors of Judea (see also Neh 7:65-70; Neh 8:9; Neh 10:1). It is derived from the Persian torsh ("severe"), and is equivalent to "your severity," "your awfulness."

JFB: Ezr 2:64

This gross amount is twelve thousand more than the particular numbers given in the catalogue, when added together, come to. Reckoning up the smaller numbers, we shall find that they amount to 29,818 in this chapter, and to 31,089 in the parallel chapter of Nehemiah [see Neh 7:66-69]. Ezra also mentions four hundred ninety-four persons omitted by Nehemiah, and Nehemiah mentions 1765 not noticed by Ezra. If, therefore, Ezra's surplus be added to the sum in Nehemiah, and Nehemiah's surplus to the number in Ezra, they will both become 31,583. Subtracting this from 42,360, there will be a deficiency of 10,777. These are omitted because they did not belong to Judah and Benjamin, or to the priests, but to the other tribes. The servants and singers, male and female, are reckoned separately (Ezr 2:65), so that putting all these items together, the number of all who went with Zerubbabel amounted to fifty thousand, with eight thousand beasts of burden [ALTING, quoted in DAVIDSON'S Hermeneutics].

JFB: Ezr 2:68

The sight of a place hallowed by the most endearing and sacred associations, but now lying in desolation and ruins, made the wellsprings of their piety and patriotism gush out afresh. Before taking any active measures for providing accommodation to themselves and their families, the chief among them raised a large sum by voluntary contributions towards the restoration of the temple.

JFB: Ezr 2:69

Rather, "darics," a Persian coin (see on 1Ch 29:7).

JFB: Ezr 2:69

(compare Neh 7:70). This--in the circumstances--was a very appropriate gift. In general, it may be remarked that presents of garments, or of any other usable commodities, however singular it may seem to us, is in harmony with the established notions and customs of the East.

Clarke: Ezr 2:63

The Tirshatha - This is generally supposed to be Nehemiah, or the person who was the commandant; see Neh 8:9; Neh 10:1, for the word appears to be the name of an office. The Vulgate and Septuagint write it Atershatha, the Syriac and Arabic render it the princes of Judah. Some suppose the word to be Persian, but nothing like it of the same import occurs in that language at present. If, as Castel supposed, it signifies austerity, or that fear which is unpressed by the authority of a governor, it may come from ters , Fear, or tersh , Acid, the former from tarsidan , to Fear or Dread

Clarke: Ezr 2:63

Should not eat of the most holy things - There was a high priest then, but no Urim and Thummim, these having been lost in the captivity.

Clarke: Ezr 2:66

Their horses - seven hundred, etc. - They went into captivity, stripped of every thing; they now return from it, abounding in the most substantial riches, viz., horses 736, or, according to Esdras, 7036; mules, 245; camels, 435; asses, 6720; besides gold, and silver, and rich stuffs. See below.

Clarke: Ezr 2:69

Threescore and one thousand drams of gold - דרכמונים darkemonim , drakmons or darics; a Persian coin, always of gold, and worth about 1£. 5s., not less than £76,250 sterling in gold

Clarke: Ezr 2:69

Five thousand pounds of silver - מנים manim , manehs or minas. As a weight, the maneh was 100 shekels; as a coin, 60 shekels in value, or about 9£.; 5000 of these manehs therefore will amount to £45,000, making in the whole a sum of about £120,000; and in this are not included the 100 garments for priests

Thus we find that God, in the midst of judgment, remembered mercy, and gave them favor in the land of their captivity.

Clarke: Ezr 2:70

Dwelt in their cities - They all went to those cities which belonged originally to their respective families.

Defender: Ezr 2:63

The "Tirshatha" was the governor appointed by Cyrus, presumably Zerubbabel (Ezr 2:2).

Defender: Ezr 2:63

Evidently, since certain of the returning priests could not verify their right to the office through the remaining genealogies (Ezr 2:61, Ezr 2:62), they were not allowed to function as such until they could demonstrate their divine calling spiritually, though the prophetic gifts associated with the Urim and Thummim (see note on Exo 28:30)."

TSK: Ezr 2:61

the children : Neh 7:63, Neh 7:64

Barzillai : 2Sa 17:27, 2Sa 19:31-39; 1Ki 2:7

TSK: Ezr 2:62

therefore : Lev 21:21-23; Num 3:10, Num 16:40, Num 18:7

were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood : Heb. they were polluted from the priesthood, Eze 44:10-14

TSK: Ezr 2:63

Tirshatha : or, governor, The person who held this office at this time was probably Zerubbabel. The word Tirshatha is supposed to be Persian; and if, as Castel supposes, it signifies austerity, or that fear which is impressed by the authority of a governor, it may be derived from tars , ""ear,""or tursh , ""acid, austere.""Neh 7:65, Neh 8:9, Neh 10:1

should not : Lev 2:3, Lev 2:10, Lev 6:17, Lev 6:29, Lev 7:16, Lev 10:17, Lev 10:18, Lev 22:2, Lev 22:3, Lev 22:10, Lev 22:14-16; Num 18:9-11, Num 18:19; Num 18:32

Urim : Exo 28:30; Lev 8:8; Num 27:21; Deu 33:8; 1Sa 28:6

TSK: Ezr 2:64

forty : Though the sum total, both here and in Nehemiah, is equal, namely, 42,360, yet the particulars reckoned up only make 29,818 in Ezra, and 31,089 in Nehemiah; and we find that Nehemiah mentions 1,765 persons who are not in Ezra, and Ezra has 494 not mentioned in Nehemiah. This last circumstance, which seems to render all hope of reconciling them impossible, Mr. Alting thinks is the very point by which they can be reconciled; for, if we add Ezra’ s surplus to the sum in Nehemiah, and Nehemiah’ s surplus to the number in Ezra, they will both amount to 31,583; which subtracted from 42,360, leaves a deficiency of 10,777, which are not named because they did not belong to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, or to the priests, but to the other Israelitish tribes. Ezr 9:8; Neh 7:66-69; Isa 10:20-22; Jer 23:3

TSK: Ezr 2:65

servants : Isa 14:1, Isa 14:2

two hundred : Exo 15:20, Exo 15:21; 2Sa 19:35; Neh 7:67; Psa 68:25, Psa 148:12, Psa 148:13; Ecc 2:8; Jer 9:17, Jer 9:18; Mat 9:23

TSK: Ezr 2:68

offered freely : Exo 35:5-19, Exo 35:29, Exo 36:3; Num. 7:3-89; 1Ch 29:5-17; Neh 7:70-73; Psa 110:3; Luk 21:1-4; 2Co 8:3, 2Co 8:12, 2Co 9:7

in his place : Ezr 3:3; 1Ch 21:18, 1Ch 22:1; 2Ch 3:1

TSK: Ezr 2:69

the treasure : Ezr 8:25-34; 1Ki 7:51; 1Ch 22:14, 1Ch 26:20-28; Neh 7:71, Neh 7:72

TSK: Ezr 2:70

Ezr 6:16, Ezr 6:17; 1Ch 11:2; Neh 7:73, 11:3-36

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Ezr 2:63

The Tirshatha - i. e., Zerubbabel. See margin. The word is probably old Persian, though it does not occur in the cuneiform inscriptions. Some derive it from a root "to fear."See the introduction to the Book of Ezra, first note.

A priest with Urim and with Thummim - See Exo 28:30 note. According to the rabbinical writers, the second temple permanently lacked this glory of the first. Zerubbabel, it would seem by the present passage (compare Neh 7:65), expected that the loss would be only temporary.

Barnes: Ezr 2:64

The sum total is given without any variation by Ezra, by Nehemiah (see the marginal reference), and by Esdras (1 Esdras 5:41), who adds, that in this reckoning only those of twelve years of age and upward were counted.

It is curious that the total 42,360, is so greatly in excess of the items. Ezra’ s items make the number 29,818; Nehemiah’ s 31,089, Esdras, 33,950. The original document was probably illegible in places, and the writers were forced to make omissions.

Barnes: Ezr 2:69

The numbers here and in Nehemiah (see the marginal reference) vary.

Barnes: Ezr 2:70

All Israel - That the Israelites of the ten tribes returned to Palestine with Zerubbabel is apparent:

(1) from 1Ch 9:3;

(2) from the enumeration of twelve chiefs (Neh 7:7; 1 Esd. 5:8); and

(3) from various expressions in Ezra Ezr 2:2, Ezr 2:59; Ezr 3:1.

Poole: Ezr 2:61

To wit, Barzillai; which name he preferred before that of his own family, accounting it, as it seems, a greater honour to be allied to so noble a family, than to be a priest of the Lord. But by this ambition he deprived himself of the honour and advantage of the priesthood, as it is here noted, Ezr 2:62 .

Poole: Ezr 2:62

The Jews were generally very exact and careful in their genealogies, partly from their own choice and interest, that they might preserve the distinctions of the several tribes and families, which was necessary both to make out their claims or titles to offices or inheritances, which might belong to them by death, or otherwise, as here we see, and to govern themselves thereby in the matter of marriages, and some other things wherein the practice of some laws required the knowledge of these things; and partly by the special providence of God, that so it might be certainly known of what tribe and family the Messiah was born. For as they took care of all their families, so doubtless they took a more punctual and singular care about the royal family, upon which all their hopes depended.

Poole: Ezr 2:63

The Tirshatha i.e. the governor, to wit, Zerubbabel; whence Nehemiah also is so called, Neh 8:9 10:1 .

Till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim that this point, which could not be found out by any human skill or industry, might be determined by Divine direction. Hereby it appears that the Urim and Thummim were lost in the destruction of the city and temple, though the Jews fed themselves with hopes of recovering them, but in vain. Of the Urim and Thummim, see Exo 28:30 Num 27:21 1Sa 23:9 .

Poole: Ezr 2:64

The particular sums here recited come only 29,818; unto whom are added in this total sum, 12,542; which either were of the other tribes beside Judah and Benjamin, or were such as were supposed by themselves and others to be Israelites, but could not prove their pedigree by their genealogies, and therefore could not be so punctually and particularly described as the former.

Poole: Ezr 2:65

For women as well as men were devoted to and employed in this exercise in the temple service, as appears from 1Ch 25:5,6 . And the parents of these persons had taken care to instruct and exercise them as far as they could in this art, both for God’ s service, and for their own benefit, when Jerusalem and the temple should be rebuilt; which they knew would be done after Jeremiah’ s seventy years were expired.

Poole: Ezr 2:68

To the house of the Lord i.e. to the ruins of the house; or to the place where that house stood.

Poole: Ezr 2:69

A dram of gold is supposed to be of the weight of the fourth part of a shekel, and of the value of a French crown.

Haydock: Ezr 2:61

Their name. The priest, Berzellai, assumed the name of the family, from which he had chosen a wife. (Haydock) ---

It was that of the famous old man, who was so hospitable to David, 2 Kings xix. 31. (Calmet)

Haydock: Ezr 2:62

Priesthood. Those who cannot prove that they are priests, ought not to exercise the functions. (Worthington) ---

The Jews were particularly careful to preserve their genealogical tables, and transcribed them again after any very troublesome times. (Josephus, contra Apion 1, and in his own Life.) ---

The Rabbins falsely assert that only the mother's side was examined, and that the children followed her condition. (Calmet)

Haydock: Ezr 2:63

Athersatha. Protestants' marginal note, "the governor," (Haydock) in the Persian language. (Du Hamel) ---

Nehemias had this title, 2 Esdras viii. 9. (Haydock) ---

It means "a cup-bearer." (Calmet) (Menochius) ---

3 Esdras, "And Nehemias, who is also Atharias, said unto them, that they should not partake of the holy things, till a high priest, clothed with manifestation and truth, should arise." (Haydock) ---

Learned. Hebrew, "with Urim and Thummim." We do not find that God had been consulted, in this manner, since the time of David: and the Jews inform us that the ornament was not used after the captivity, (Calmet) as it had been, perhaps, concealed with the ark, by Jeremias, 2 Machabees ii. 4. (Tirinus) ---

Nehemias hoped that it would be soon recovered. In the mean time, he followed the spirit of the law, but with additional rigour, as it permitted such priests to eat consecrated meats, Leviticus xxi. 22. It seems that this decision is out of its proper place, since Nehemias came 80 years after Zorobabel. (Calmet) ---

But he might have been present on this occasion, (Haydock) though he returned afterwards to Babylon, where he officiated as cup-bearer to the king. (Tirinus)

Haydock: Ezr 2:64

Forty-two thousand, &c. Those who are reckoned up above of the tribes of Juda, Benjamin, and Levi, fall short of this number. The rest, who must be taken in to make up the whole sum, were of the other tribes. (Challoner) ---

This explanation is given by R. Solomon. (Worthington) ---

But we have seen that cities belonging to the ten tribes are specified. See ver. 1, and 29. (Haydock) ---

Some might not be able to make out their genealogies, (Calmet) ver. 62. Yet some of these also are counted, ver. 60. (Haydock) ---

The particular sums may therefore be incorrect. Josephus ([Antiquities?] xi. 1,) adds 102 to the number. (Calmet) ---

3 Esdras has, "But they were all of Israel from 12 years old and upwards, exclusive of boys and girls, (or male and female servants) 42,300." Grabe has in another character "sixty. The men and women servants of these, 7300." Then the Alexandrian Manuscript continues, "thirty-seven." So that without the addition it would give for the total, 42,337. Some copies (Haydock) have 40. (Calmet) ---

But the most correct (Haydock) read 60. (Kennicott) The small number of servants and cattle shew that the people were poor. (Du Hamel)

Haydock: Ezr 2:65

Servants. Probably strangers. (Calmet) ---

Yet the Hebrews might renounce their liberty, Exodus xxi. 6. (Haydock) ---

Hundred, comprised in the last number; (Calmet) or they belong to Israel, but were different from those mentioned [in] ver. 41. We find 45 more in 2 and 3 Esdras. (Haydock) ---

These might be inserted by Nehemias, after they had proved themselves to be of the tribe of Levi. (Tournemine) ---

There were in all 49,942. (Haydock) So much was the power of this kingdom now reduced! Sulp Severus says above 50,000 of every sex and rank could not be found. (Haydock)

Haydock: Ezr 2:69

Solids. Hebrew darcemonim. (Haydock) ---

"Darics," worth as much as a golden sicle. (Pelletier) (Calmet) (1 Paralipomenon xxix. 7.) ---

Pounds, (mnas) or 60 sicles. (Menochius) ---

3 Esdras has "mnas" in both places.

Haydock: Ezr 2:70

Some. The laics, mentioned from ver. 2., to 35. (Haydock)

Gill: Ezr 2:61

And of the children of the priests,.... Who could not make out their pedigree, for those that could are mentioned before:

the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; how the latter came by this name follows:

which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name; this man married a woman that descended from the famous Barzillai the Gileadite, in the times of David; and the priesthood being in disuse, and mean and despicable, in Babylon, he chose to take the name of his wife's family, and pass for a descendant from that, and perhaps destroyed, or at least neglected, to take care of the genealogy of his own family.

Gill: Ezr 2:62

These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy,.... To find their names written and registered there; for the Jews kept public registers of their priests, their descent, marriages, and offspring, that it might be known who were fit, and who not, to officiate as such:

but they were not found; their names were not there, nor any account taken of them:

therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood; were not suffered to attend at the altar, and offer sacrifice, and enjoy the privileges belonging to that office.

Gill: Ezr 2:63

And the Tirshatha said unto them,.... By whom Jarchi understands Nehemiah, and observes, that their rabbins say he was so called, because the wise men allowed him to drink the wine of the Gentiles, he being cupbearer to the king; but Aben Ezra, with greater probability, takes it to be a name of honour and grandeur in the Chaldee language, as a prince or governor; and no doubt Zerubbabel is meant, the prince of the Jews, the same with Sheshbazzar, Ezr 1:8 according to Gussetius ^w, this office was the same with that of the king's commissary in a province, delegated to carry his orders, make them known, and see them put in execution; and that this name Tirshatha is the same with Tithraustes in Aelian ^x; but that seems to be not the title of an office, but the personal name of a man that was a chiliarch:

that they should not eat of the most holy things; as of the shewbread, and those parts of the sin offerings, and of the peace offerings and meat offerings, which belonged to the priests, which the governor forbid these to eat of, who were rejected from the priesthood:

till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim; as yet there was not any priest that had them; they were not to be found at the return from Babylon; the governor might hope they would be found, and a priest appear clothed with them, when it might be inquired of the Lord by them, whether such priests, before described, might eat of the holy things or not; but since the Jews ^y acknowledge that these were one of the five things wanting in the second temple; it is all one, as the Talmudists ^z express it, as if it had been said, until the dead rise, or the Messiah comes; and who is come, the true High Priest, and with whom are the true Urim and Thummim, lights and perfections to the highest degree, being full of grace and truth; of the Urim and Thummim; see Gill on Exo 28:30.

Gill: Ezr 2:64

The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore. But the sums before given make no more, with Zerubbabel, and the ten principal men, than 29,829, so that there are more than 12,000 wanting; wherefore, in answer to the question, where are the 12,000? the Jews say in their chronology ^a these are they of the other tribes, who set up the altar on its bases, and gave money to the masons, &c. Ezr 3:1, this was a much larger number than were carried captive; see 2Ki 24:14, but not to be compared with the number that came out of Egypt, Exo 12:37. An Arabic writer ^b makes them 50,000, but wrongly.

Gill: Ezr 2:65

Besides their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven,.... This shows that the greater part of those that returned were of the poorer sort, since there were so few servants that belonged unto them; these came not into the above account:

and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women; among the servants, who were kept by persons of figure for their pleasure and recreation, see Ecc 2:8, for that these were such as were employed in sacred service is not so clear, especially the latter, though some conclude it from 1Ch 25:5, but rather they were such as were employed at marriages, festivals, and funerals; though Jarchi thinks they were employed by the returning captives, to make them cheerful as they travelled along; see Gill on Isa 55:12.

Gill: Ezr 2:66

So that the far greatest part of them must walk on foot, since these can be thought to be little more than sufficient to carry their goods or baggage; some copies of the Vulgate Latin read six hundred and thirty six horses ^c.

Gill: Ezr 2:68

And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord that is at Jerusalem,.... That is, when they came to the place where it formerly stood, and where were still the ruins of it:

offered freely for the house of God, to set it up in its place; to rebuild it upon the spot where it formerly stood; this they did besides the freewill offerings they brought with them from Babylon.

Gill: Ezr 2:69

They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the world threescore and one thousand drachms of gold,.... These "darcemons or darics" were a Persian coin; one of which, according to Brerewood ^k, was of the value of fifteen shillings of our money, and so this quantity of them amounted to 45,750 pounds; but according to Bishop Cumberland ^l they were of the value of twenty shillings and four pence of our money, and so came to upwards of 61,000 pounds; these everyone, according to his ability, put into the common stock or treasury for the work of building the temple; the Vulgate Latin ^m reads 40,000:

and five thousand pounds of silver; and an Hebrew "mina", or pound, being of our money seven pounds, ten shillings, according to Brerewood ⁿ, amounted to 31,250 pounds: but others ^o, reckoning a drachm of gold at ten shillings, and a mina or pound of silver at nine pounds, make the whole to amount only to 75,500 pounds of our money:

and one hundred priests' garments; which, as they were laid up among treasures, so were necessary for the service of the temple.

Gill: Ezr 2:70

So the priests and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities,.... Which were assigned to them out of the several tribes, and in which they or their forefathers had dwelt before the captivity:

and all Israel in their cities; as those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, so of the other ten, as many as returned and joined those who were left in the land.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

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.”

Geneva Bible: Ezr 2:61

And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of ^{( k )} Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:

^{( k )} He is mentioned in (2Sa 17:27, 2Sa 19:31) and because the priest's office was held in contempt these would have changed their estate by their name, and so by God's just judgment lost both the estimation of the world and the dignity of their office.

Geneva Bible: Ezr 2:63

And the ^{( l )} Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with ^{( m )} Urim and with Thummim.

^{( l )} This is a Chaldee name, and signifies him who has authority over others.

^{( m )} Read (Exo 28:30).

Geneva Bible: Ezr 2:69

They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand ^{( n )} drams of gold, and five thousand ^{( o )} pounds of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.

^{( n )} Which in our money amounts to 24,826 pounds, 13 shillings and 4 pence, valuing the french crown at 6 shillings and 4 pence for the dram is the eighth part of an ounce, and the ounce the eighth part of a mark.

^{( o )} Which are called "mina" and contain 2 marks apiece, so 50,000 minas make 55,000 franks which in our money amounts to 69,666 pounds, 13 shillings and 4 pence so that the whole sum was 94,493 pounds, 6 shillings, and 8 pence.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Ezr 2:1-70

1 The number that return of the people;

36 of the priests;

40 of the Levites;

43 of the Nethinims;

55 of Solomon's servants;

61 of the priests who could not shew their pedigree.

64 The whole number of them, with their substance.

68 Their oblations.

MHCC: Ezr 2:36-63

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.

MHCC: Ezr 2:64-70

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.

Matthew Henry: Ezr 2:36-63

Here is an account, I. Of the priests that returned, and they were a considerable number, about a tenth part of the whole company: for the whole were above 42,000 (Ezr 2:64), and four families of priests made up above 4200 (Ezr 2:36-39); thus was the tenth God's part - a blessed decimation. Three of the fathers of the priests here named were heads of courses, 1Ch 24:7, 1Ch 24:8, 1Ch 24:14. The fourth was Pashur, v. 38. If these were of the posterity of that Pashur that abused Jeremiah (Jer 20:1), it is strange that so bad a man should have so good a seed, and so numerous.

II. Of the Levites. I cannot but wonder at the small number of them, for, taking in both the singers and the porters (Ezr 2:40-42), they did not make 350. Time was when the Levites were more forward to their duty than the priests (2Ch 29:34), but they were not so now. If one place, one family, has the reputation for pious zeal now, another may have it another time. The wind blows where it listeth, and shifts its points.

III. Of the Nethinim, who, it is supposed, were the Gibeonites, given (so their name signifies) by Joshua first (Jos 9:27), and again by David (Ezr 8:20), when Saul had expelled them, to be employed by the Levites in the work of God's house as hewers of wood and drawers of water; and, with them, of the children of Solomon's servants, whom he gave for the like use (whether they were Jews or Gentiles does not appear) and who were here taken notice of among the retainers of the temple and numbered with the Nethinim, Ezr 2:55, Ezr 2:58. Note, It is an honour to belong to God's house, though in the meanest office there.

IV. Of some that were looked upon as Israelites by birth, and others as priests, and yet could not make out a clear title to the honour. 1. There were some that could not prove themselves Israelites (Ezr 2:59, Ezr 2:60), a considerable number, who presumed they were of the seed of Jacob, but could not produce their pedigrees, and yet would go up to Jerusalem, having an affection to the house and people of God. These shamed those who were true-born Israelites, and yet were not called Israelites indeed, who came out of the waters of Judah (Isa 48:1), but had lost the relish of those waters. 2. There were others that could not prove themselves priests, and yet were supposed to be of the seed of Aaron. What is not preserved in black and white will, in all likelihood, be forgotten in a little time. Now we are here told, (1.) How they lost their evidence. One of their ancestors married a daughter of Barzillai, that great man whom we read of in David's time; he gloried in an alliance to that honourable family, and, preferring that before the dignity of his priesthood, would have his children called after Barzillai's family, and their pedigree preserved in the registers of that house, not of the house of Aaron, and so they lost it. In Babylon there was nothing to be got by the priesthood, and therefore they cared not for being akin to it. Those who think their ministry, or their relation to ministers, a diminution or disparagement to them, forget who it was that said, I magnify my office. (2.) What they lost with it. It could not be taken for granted that they were priests when they could not produce their proofs, but they were, as polluted, put from the priesthood. Now that the priests had recovered their rights, and had the altar to live upon again, they would gladly be looked upon as priests. But they had sold their birthright for the honour of being gentlemen, and therefore were justly degraded, and forbidden to eat of the most holy things. Note, Christ will be ashamed of those that are ashamed of him and his service. It was the tirshatha, or governor, that put them under this sequestration, which some understand of Zerubbabel the present governor, others of Nehemiah (who is so called, Neh 8:9, Neh 10:1, and who gave this order when he came some years after); but the prohibition was not absolute, it was only a suspension, till there should be a high priest with Urim and Thummin, by whom they might know God's mind in this matter. This, it seems, was expected and desired, but it does not appear that ever they were blessed with it under the second temple. They had the canon of the Old Testament complete, which was better than Urim; and, by the want of that oracle, they were taught to expect the Messiah the great Oracle, which the Urim and Thummim was but a type of. Nor does it appear that the second temple had the ark in it, either the old one or a new one. Those shadows by degrees vanished, as the substance approached; and God, by the prophet, intimates to his people that they should sustain no damage by the want of the ark, Jer 3:16, Jer 3:17. In those days, when they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord, neither shall it come to mind, for they shall do very well without it.

Matthew Henry: Ezr 2:64-70

Here is, I. The sum total of the company that returned out of Babylon. The particular sums before mentioned amount not quite to 30,000 (29,818), so that there were above 12,000 that come out into any of those accounts, who, it is probable, were of the rest of the tribes of Israel, besides Judah and Benjamin, that could not tell of what particular family or city they were, but that they were Israelites, and of what tribe. Now, 1. This was more than double the number that were carried captive into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, so that, as in Egypt, the time of their affliction was the time of their increase. 2. These were but few to begin a nation with, and yet, by virtue of the old promise made to their fathers, they multiplied so as before their last destruction by the Romans, about 500 years after, to be a very numerous people. When God says, "Increase and multiply," a little one shall become a thousand.

II. Their retinue. They were themselves little better than servants, and therefore no wonder that their servants were comparatively but few (Ezr 2:65) and their beasts of burden about as many, Ezr 2:66, Ezr 2:67. It was not with them now as in days past. But notice is taken of 200 singing-men and women whom they had among them, who, we will suppose, were intended (as those 2Ch 35:25) to excite their mourning, for it was foretold that they should, upon this occasion, go weeping (Jer 50:4), with ditties of lamentation.

III. Their oblations. It is said (Ezr 2:68, Ezr 2:69), 1. That they came to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem; and yet that house, that holy and beautiful house, was now in ruins, a heap of rubbish. But, like their father Abraham, when the altar was gone they came with devotion to the place of the altar (Gen 13:4); and it is the character of the genuine sons of Zion that they favour even the dust thereof, Psa 102:14. 2. That they offered freely towards the setting of it up in its place. That, it seems, was the first house they talked of setting up; and though they came off a journey, and were beginning the world (two chargeable things), yet they offered, and offered freely, towards the building of the temple. Let none complain of the necessary expenses of their religion, but believe that when they come to balance the account they will find that it clears the cost. Their offering was nothing in comparison with the offerings of the princes in David's time; then they offered by talents (1Ch 29:7), now by drams, yet these drams, being after their ability, were as acceptable to God as those talents, like the widow's two mites. The 61,000 drams of gold amount, by Cumberland's calculation, to so many pounds of our money and so many groats. Every maneh, or pound of silver, he reckons to be sixty shekels (that is, thirty ounces), which we may reckon 7 l. 10 s. of our money, so that this 5000 pounds of silver will be above 37,000 l. of our money. It seems, God had blessed them with an increase of their wealth, as well as of their numbers, in Babylon; and, as God had prospered them, they gave cheerfully to the service of his house. 3. That they dwelt in their cities, Ezr 2:70. Though their cities were out of repair, yet, because they were their cities, such as God had assigned them, they were content to dwell in them, and were thankful for liberty and property, though they had little of pomp, plenty, or power. Their poverty was a bad cause, but their unity and unanimity were a good effect of it. Here was room enough for them all and all their substance, so that there was no strife among them, but perfect harmony, a blessed presage of their settlement, as their discords in the latter times of that state were of their ruin.

Keil-Delitzsch: Ezr 2:61-62

Priests who could not prove themselves members of the priesthood. Comp. Neh 7:63-65. - Three such families are named: the sons of Habaiah,the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai. These could not discover theirfamily registers, and were excluded from the exercise of priestly functions. Of these three names, that of Hakkoz occurs as the seventh order ofpriests; but the names alone did not suffice to prove their priesthood, thisbeing also borne by other persons. Comp. Neh 3:4. The sons of Barzillaiwere the descendants of a priest who had married a daughter, probably anheiress (Num), of Barzillai the Gileadite, so well known in the history ofDavid (2Sa 17:27; 2Sa 19:32-39; 1Ki 2:7), and had taken her name forthe sake of taking possession of her inheritance (the suffix שׁמם refers to בּנות ; see on Num 27:1-11). That by contracting thismarriage he had not renounced for himself and his descendants his priestlyprivileges, is evident from the fact, that when his posterity returned fromcaptivity, they laid claim to these privileges. The assumption, however, ofthe name of Barzillai might have cast such a doubt upon their priestlyorigin as to make it necessary that this should be proved from thegenealogical registers, and a search in these did not lead to the desireddiscovery. כּתבם is their ספר יחשׂ , Neh 7:5, the book orrecord in which their genealogy was registered. The title of this record was המּתיחשׁים , the Enregistered: the word is in apposition to כּתבם , and the plural נמצאוּ agrees with it, while inNeh 7:64 the singular נמצא agrees with כתבם . They weredeclared to be polluted from the priesthood, i.e., they were excluded fromthe priesthood as polluted or unclean. The construction of the Pual יגאלוּ with מן is significant.

Keil-Delitzsch: Ezr 2:63

The Tirshatha, the secular governor of the community, i.e., as is obviousfrom a comparison of Neh 7:65 with Neh 7:70, Zerubbabel, called Hag 1:1 יהוּדה פּחת . תּרשׁתא , always used withthe article, is undoubtedly the Persian designation of the governor orviceroy. Nehemiah is also so called in Neh 8:9 and Neh 10:2, and likewise הפּחה , Neh 12:26. The meaning of the word is still matter ofdispute. Some derive it from the Persian trsı̂dn , to fear, and trs , fear = thefeared or respected one (Meier, Wurzelb. p. 714); others from Persian trš ,acer, auster , the strict ruler; others, again (with Benfey, die Monatsnamen ,p. 196), from the Zend. thvôrestar (nom. thvôresta ), i.e., praefectus, penes quem est imperium : comp. Gesenius, thes . p. 1521. The Tirshatha decidedthat they were not to eat of the most holy things till there should arise apriest with Urim and Thummim, i.e., to give a final decision by means ofUrim and Thummim. עמד , according to the later usage of thelanguage, is equivalent to קוּם , comp. Dan 8:3; Dan 11:2, and other places. The prohibition to eat of the most holythings (comp. on Lev 2:3) involved the prohibition to approach the mostholy objects, e.g., the altar of burnt-offering (Exo 29:37; Exo 30:10), and to enterthe most holy place, and thus excludes from specific priestly acts:without, however, denying a general inclusion among the priestly order, orabolishing a claim to the priestly revenues, so far as these were notdirectly connected with priestly functions. On Urim and Thummim, seeon Exo 28:30. From the words, "till a priest shall arise,"etc., it is evidentthat the then high priest was not in a position to entreat, and topronounce, the divine decision by Urim and Thummim. The reason of this,however, need not be sought in the personality of Joshua (Ewald, Gesch . iv. 95), nor supposed to exist in such a fact as that he might not perhapshave been the eldest son of his father, and therefore not have had full rightto the priesthood. This conjecture rests upon utterly erroneous notions of the Urim andThummim, upon a subjectivistic view, which utterly evaporates theobjective reality of the grace with which the high priest was in virtue of hisoffice endowed. The obtainment of the divine decision by Urim andThummim presupposes the gracious presence of Jahve in the midst of Hispeople Israel. And this had been connected by the Lord Himself with theark of the covenant, and with its cherubim-overshadowed mercy-seat,from above which He communed with His people (Exo 25:22). The highpriest, bearing upon his breast the breastplate with the Urim andThummim, was to appear before Jahve, and, bringing before Him thejudgment of Israel, to entreat the divine decision (Exo 28:30; Num 27:21). The ark of the covenant with the mercy-seat was thus, in virtue of thedivine promise, the place of judgment, where the high priest was to inquireof the Lord by means of the Urim and Thummim. This ark, however, wasno longer in existence, having been destroyed when Solomon's temple wasburned by the Chaldeans. Those who returned with Zerubbabel werewithout the ark, and at first without a temple. In such a state of affairs the high priest could not appear before Jahve withthe breastplate and the Urim and Thummim to entreat His decision. Thebooks of Samuel, indeed, relate cases in which the divine will wasconsulted by Urim and Thummim, when the ark of the covenant was notpresent for the high priest to appear before (comp. 1Sa 23:4, 1Sa 23:6, 1Sa 23:9, etc.,1Sa 14:18); whence it appears that the external or local presence of the ark wasnot absolutely requisite for this purpose. Still these cases occurred at atime when the congregation of Israel as yet possessed the ark with theLord's cherubim-covered mercy-seat, though this was temporarilyseparated from the holy of holies of the tabernacle. Matters were in adifferent state at the return from the captivity. Then, not only were theywithout either ark or temple, but the Lord had not as yet re-manifestedHis gracious presence in the congregation; and till this should take place,the high priest could not inquire of the Lord by Urim and Thummim. Inthe hope that with the restoration of the altar and temple the Lord wouldagain vouchsafe His presence to the returned congregation, Zerubbabelexpected that a high priest would arise with Urim and Thummim topronounce a final decision with regard to those priests who could notprove their descent from Aaron's posterity. This expectation, however, was unfulfilled. Zerubbabel's temple remainedunconsecrated by any visible token of Jahve's presence, as the place whereHis name should dwell. The ark of the covenant with the cherubim, andthe Shechinah in the cloud over the cherubim, were wanting in the holy ofholies of this temple. Hence, too, we find no single notice of anydeclaration of the divine will or the divine decision by Urim and Thummimin the period subsequent to the captivity; but have, on the contrary, theunanimous testimony of the Rabbis, that after the Babylonian exile Godno longer manifested His will by Urim and Thummim, this kind of divinerevelation being reckoned by them among the five things which werewanting in the second temple. Comp. Buxtorf, exercitat. ad historiam Urimet Thummim , c. 5; and Vitringa, observat. ss. Lib. vi. c. 6, p. 324f.

Keil-Delitzsch: Ezr 2:64-67

The whole number of those who returned, their servants, maids, andbeasts of burden. Comp. Neh 7:66-69. - The sum-total of the congregation( כּאחד , as one, i.e., reckoned together; comp. Ezr 3:9; Ezr 6:20) isthe same in both texts, as also in 1 Esdras, viz., 42,360; the sums of theseparate statements being in all three different, and indeed amounting ineach to less than the given total. The separate statements are as follow: -

Men of Israel	24,144	25,406	26,390
Priests	4,289	4,289	2,388
Levites	341	360	341
Nethinim and servants of Solomon	392	392	372
Those who could not prove their Israelitish origin	652	642	652
Total	29,818	31,089	30,143

These differences are undoubtedly owing to mere clerical errors, andattempts to reconcile them in other ways cannot be justified. Many olderexpositors, both Jewish and Christian (Seder olam, Raschi, Ussher, J. H. Mich., and others), were of opinion that only Jews and Benjamites areenumerated in the separate statements, while the sum-total includes alsothose Israelites of the ten tribes who returned with them. In opposing thisnotion, it cannot, indeed, be alleged that no regard at all is had to membersof the other tribes (Bertheau); for the several families of the men of Israelare not designated according to their tribes, but merely as those whomNebuchadnezzar had taken away to Babylon; and among these wouldcertainly be included, as Ussher expressly affirms, many belonging to theother tribes who had settled in the kingdom of Judah. But the verycircumstances, that neither in the separate statements nor in the sum-totalis any allusion made to tribal relations, and that even in the case of thosefamilies who could not prove their Israelitish origin the only question wasas to whether they were of the houses and of the seed of Israel, exclude alldistinction of tribes, and the sum-total is evidently intended to be the jointsum of the separate numbers. Nor can it be inferred, as J. D. Mich. conjectures, that because the parallelverse to Ezr 2:64 of our present chapter, viz., 1 Esdr. 5:41, reads thus, "andall of Israel from twelve years old and upwards, besides the servants andmaids, were 42,360,"the separate statements are therefore the numbersonly of those of twenty years old and upwards, while the sum-totalincludes those also from twelve to twenty years of age. The addition"from twelve years and upwards"is devoid of critical value; because, if ithad been genuine, the particular "from twenty years old and upwards"must have been added to the separate statements. Hence it is not evenprobable that the author of the 1st book of Esdras contemplated areconciliation of the difference by this addition. In transcribing such amultitude of names and figures, errors could scarcely be avoided, whetherthrough false readings of numbers or the omission of single items. Thesum-total being alike in all three texts, we are obliged to assume itscorrectness.

Ezr 2:65

"Besides these, their servants and their maids, 7337." אלּה is, by the accent, connected with the preceding words. The furtherstatement, "And there were to them (i.e., they had) 200 singing men andsinging women,"is striking. The remark of Bertheau, that by להם the property of the community is intended to be expressed, isincorrect; להם denotes merely computation among, and does notnecessarily imply proprietorship. J. D. Mich., adopting the latter meaning,thought that oxen and cows originally stood in the text, and were changedby transcribers into singing men and singing women, "for both wordsclosely resemble each other in appearance in the Hebrew."Berth., on thecontrary, remarks that שׁורים , oxen, might easily be exchangedfor שׁררים or משׁררים , but that שׁור has no feminine form forthe plural, and that פּרות , cows, is very different from משׁררות ;that hence we are obliged to admit that in the original text שׁורים stood alone, and that after this word had been exchanged for משׁררים , משׁררות was added as its appropriate complement. Such fanciful notions can need no serious refutation. Had animals beenspoken of as property, להם would not have been used, but asuffix, as in the enumeration of the animals in Ezr 2:66. Besides, oxen andcows are not beasts of burden used in journeys, like the horses, mules,camels, and asses enumerated in Ezr 2:66, and hence are here out of place. וּמשׁררות משׁררים are singing men and singingwomen, in 1 Esdras ψάλται καὶ ψαλτῳδοί , who, as the Rabbis alreadysupposed, were found among the followers of the returning Jews, ut laetior esset Israelitarum reditus . The Israelites had from of old employedsinging men and singing women not merely for the purpose of enhancingthe cheerfulness of festivities, but also for the singing of lamentations onsorrowful occasions; comp. Ecc 2:8; 2Ch 35:25 : these, because theysang and played for hire, are named along with the servants and maids, anddistinguished from the Levitical singers and players. In stead of 200, wefind both in Nehemiah and 1 Esdras the number 245, which probably creptinto the text from the transcriber fixing his eye upon the 245 of thefollowing verse.

Ezr 2:66-67

The numbers of the beasts, whether for riding or baggage:horses, 736; mules, 245; camels, 435; and asses, 6720. The numbers areidentical in Neh 7:68. In 1 Esdr. 5:42 the camels are the first named, andthe numbers are partially different, viz., horses, 7036, and asses, 5525.

Keil-Delitzsch: Ezr 2:68-70

Contributions towards the rebuilding of the temple, and concludingremarks. Comp. Neh 7:70-73. - Some of the heads of houses, when theycame to the house of Jahve, i.e., arrived at the site of the temple, broughtfree-will offerings ( התנדּב ; comp. 1Ch 29:5) to set it up inits place ( העמיד , to set up, i.e., to rebuild; identical in meaningboth here and Ezr 9:9 with הקים ). After their ability( כּכוחם ; comp. 1Ch 29:2) they gave unto the treasure ofthe work, i.e., of restoring the temple and its services, 61,000 darics ofgold = £68,625, and 5000 mina of silver, above £30,000, and 100 priests'garments. The account of these contributions is more accurately given inNeh 7:70-72, according to which some of the heads of houses gave untothe work ( מקצת as Dan 1:2 and elsewhere); the Tirshatha gave to thetreasure 1000 darics of gold, 50 sacrificial vessels (see on Exo 27:3), 30priests' garments, and 500 ... This last statement is defective; for the twonumbers 30 and 500 must not be combined into 530, as in this case thehundreds would have stood first. The objects enumerated were named before 500, and are omitted through aclerical error, מנים וכסף "and silver (500) mina."And some of the heads of houses (others than the Tirshatha) gave of gold20,000 darics, of silver, 2200 mina; and that which the rest of the peoplegave was-gold, 20,000 darics, silver, 2000 mina, and 67 priests' garments. According to this statement, the Tirshatha, the heads of houses, and therest of the people, gave together 41,000 darics in gold, 4200 mina in silver,97 priests' garments, and 30 golden vessels. In Ezra the vessels areomitted; and instead of the 30 + 67 = 97 priests' garments, they are statedin round numbers to have been 100. The two other differences have arisenfrom textual errors. Instead of 61,000 darics, it is evident that we mustread with Nehemiah, 41,000 (1000 + 20,000 + 20,000); and in addition tothe 2200 and 2000 mina, reckon, according to Neh 7:70, 500 more, in all4700, for which in the text of Ezra we have the round sum of 5000. The account of the return of the first band of exiles concludes at Ezr 2:70, andthe narrative proceeds to the subsequent final statement: "So the priests,etc ... .dwelt in their cities." העם וּמן , those of thepeople, are the men of the people of Israel of Ezr 2:2, the laity asdistinguished from the priests, Levites, etc. In Nehemiah the words aretransposed, so that העם מן stand after the Levitical door-keepers and singers. Bertheau thinks this position more appropriate; butwe cannot but judge otherwise. The placing of the people, i.e., the laity ofIsrael, between the consecrated servants of the temple (the priests andtheir Levitical assistants in the sacrificial service) and the singers and door-keepers, seems to us quite consistent; while, on the other hand, the namingof the שׁוערים before the משׁררים in Nehemiah seemsinappropriate, because the performance of the choral service of the templewas a higher office than the guardianship of the doors. Neither can weregard Bertheau's view, that בּעריהם , which in the presentverse follows והנּתינים , should be erased, as a correct one. The word forms a perfectly appropriate close to the sentence beginningwith ויּשׁבוּ ; and the sentence following, "And all Israel werein their cities,"forms a well-rounded close to the account; while, on thecontrary, the summing up of the different divisions by the words כל־ישׂראל in Nehemiah, after the enumeration of those divisions, has a rather heavyeffect.

(Note: In 1 Esdr. 5:46, this verse, freely carrying out the texts ofEzra and Nehemiah, with regard also to Neh 12:27-30, runs thus:"And so dwelt the priests, and the Levites, and the people, inJerusalem and in the country, the singers also and the porters, and allIsrael in their villages.")

Constable: Ezr 1:1--6:22

I. THE FIRST RETURN UNDER SHESHBAZZAR chs. 1--6

"This whole section (Ezra 1-6) emphasizes God's sovereignty and his providence; God works in history to fulfill his will."¹⁵

Constable: Ezr 2:1-70

2. The exiles who returned ch. 2

This chapter contains a record of the people who responded to Cyrus' decree and returned to the Promised Land. It is a list of families rather than individuals and the towns in Babylon from which they came. Almost all of these people could demonstrate their Jewish ancestry (vv. 59-60). Nehemiah 7 contains a very similar list.

"The genealogies are a guarantee that Israel is not adrift in a vacuum of this present generation but has security and credentials. And as long as Israel can name names, utter their precious sounds, it has a belonging place which no hostile empire can deny."³⁷

Constable: Ezr 2:61-63

Priests of doubtful origin 2:61-63

These men returned but could not serve as priests until the high priest could determine that they were indeed descendants of Aaron (cf. Num. 16:40; 18:9-10). Perhaps the high priest did this using the Urim and Thummim if these were still in existence (Exod. 28:15-30; cf. 1 Sam. 23:9-12). Perhaps other records were available to him.

Constable: Ezr 2:64-67

The totals 2:64-67

There is a discrepancy between the total number of exiles the writer gave here (49,897) and the sum of the various groups he just mentioned (29,818). Perhaps the women and children made up the difference, though if this was the case there were many more men than women and children. This may have been the case in view of the rigors that the people would have had to experience migrating from Babylon to Jerusalem.

"More likely is the suggestion that since this is a composite list, some families simply were omitted; but the overall total remains correct."⁵²

Another explanation follows.

"There is general agreement that the divergences are copying errors, arising from the special difficulty of understanding or reproducing numerical lists."⁵³

Some of the Jews took their servants back to Judah with them (v. 65). The ratio was about one servant to every six Jews, which confirms the wealth of the Jews then (cf. v. 69). Twenty years later most of them were poor (cf. Hag. 1:6, 9; 2:17). These singers (v. 65) may have been entertainers since they are distinct from the temple singers (v. 41). If they were, their presence would illustrate further the returning exiles' prosperity.

"The [one-humped Arabian] camel [v. 67] can carry its rider and about four hundred pounds and can travel three or four days without drinking."⁵⁴

Constable: Ezr 2:68-70

Arrival in Jerusalem 2:68-70

The Israelites contributed to the rebuilding of the temple as they had to the construction of the Mosaic tabernacle (Exod. 25:4-7; 35:2-9). Probably the Greek gold drachma is in view and the Babylonian silver mina (v. 69).⁵⁵ If this is so, one Greek drachma was equivalent to one Roman denarius.⁵⁶ In the ancient world this was one day's wage for a workingman (cf. Matt. 20:1-16). Obviously the exiles made a substantial contribution to the rebuilding of the temple that supplemented what Cyrus and the friends of the immigrants had previously donated (1:4, 6-11; cf. Exod. 25:4-7; 35:2-9; 2 Cor. 8:3; 9:7).

When this group of Jews returned to the Promised Land in 537 B.C., they went first to Jerusalem (v. 68). Later they settled in the towns where their ancestors had lived and where some of them had property rights (v. 70; cf. vv. 21-35).

The record of those who returned that God preserved in this chapter shows His faithfulness in bringing a remnant of His people back to Palestine as He had promised.

"One of the chief objectives of Ezra-Nehemiah was to show the Jews that they constituted the continuation of the preexilic Jewish community, the Israelite community that God had chosen."⁵⁷

Guzik: Ezr 2:1-70

Ezra 2 - List of the Returning Exiles

A. Those returning from exile.

1. (1-2) Those immediately associated with Zerubbabel.

Now these are the people of the province who came back from 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 own city. Those who came with Zerubbabel were Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

a. Now these are the people of the province who came back from the captivity: Here begins the list of the families and individuals who made the return to Judah and Jerusalem, now that it was a province of the Persian Empire.

i. "The returning exiles were described as 'children of the province' (Ezra 2:1) - i.e., of the Persian province of Judea - and their leader bore the title of a Persian governor (Tirshatha, Ezra 2:63). Zerubbabel was no new Moses." (Adeney)

ii. The word province is medina. "That Medina, a city in Arabia, holdeth this Medina in hard subjection; making her children pay for the very heads they wear; and so grievously affecting them, that they have cause enough to take up anew Jeremiah's elegy over their doleful captivity." (Trapp)

b. Those who came with Zerubbabel: Here are eleven names mentioned, yet the list probably should contain twelve names (comparing with Nehemiah 7:7 and noting the twelve sacrificial bulls of Ezra 8:35).

i. "There are eleven names here, but Nehemiah's copy of the list preserves one more, that of Nahamani (Nehemiah 7:7), which has evidently dropped out of this verse in the course of copying. The choice of twelve, like that of the twelve apostles, was a tacit declaration that the community they led was no mere rump or fragment by the embodiment of the people of Israel." (Kidner)

ii. Nehemiah . . . Mordecai: "Not that famous Nehemiah nor that renowned Mordecai so much spoken of in the Book of Esther, but others of the same name." (Trapp)

c. Zerubbabel: Zerubbabel was the appointed governor over the province of Judah. He was also a descendent of the last reigning Judean king.

i. "He was the lineal descendant of the royal house, the heir to the throne of David. This is a most significant fact. It shows that the exiles had retained some latent national character to the return, although, as we have already observed, the main object of it was religious." (Adeney)

ii. He is probably the same person mentioned in Ezra 1:8 as Sheshbazzar. Ezra 5:16 says that Sheshbazzar laid the foundation of the temple; Ezra 3:8 seems to attribute that work to Zerubbabel. This strengthens the idea that they were in fact the same person.

d. Jeshua: Haggai 2:1-5 and several other passages among the post-exilic prophets mention this notable co-worker with Zerubbabel.

i. "Jeshua the High Priest (Zechariah 3:1), whose name (in Greek, 'Jesus') is spelt Joshua in Haggai and Zechariah, was Zerubbabel's fellow-leader."

2. (3-35) A listing of the families returning to Judah and Jerusalem.

The people of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two; the people of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two; the people of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five; the people of Pahath-Moab, of the people of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve; the people of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; the people of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five; the people of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty; the people of Bani, six hundred and forty-two; the people of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three; the people of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two; the people of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six; the people of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six; the people of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four; the people of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety-eight; the people of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three; the people of Jorah, one hundred and twelve; the people of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three; the people of Gibbar, ninety-five; the people of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three; the men of Netophah, fifty-six; the men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight; the people of Azmaveth, forty-two; the people of Kirjath Arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three; the people of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one; the men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two; the men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three; the people of Nebo, fifty-two; the people of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six; the people of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; the people of Harim, three hundred and twenty; the people of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five; the people of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five; the people of Senaah, three thousand six hundred and thirty.

a. The people of: This list names the heads of families, with the numbers of the men of those families. It means that the total number of people would be more, because they are listed and counted by heads of families.

i. "The thousands of homecomers are not lumped together, but (in characteristic biblical fashion) related to those local and family circles which humanize a society and orientate an individual. Such is God's way, who 'setteth the solitary in families' (Psalm 68:6)." (Kinder)

b. The people of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five: This differs with the record at Nehemiah 7:10, and points to the often difficult correlation of numbers between the two passages. It seems that perhaps copyist error is the fault, but others have suggested alternative solutions.

i. "In Nehemiah 7:10, they were only six hundred and fifty-two. It seems seven hundred and seventy-five marched out of Babylon, or gave in their names that they would go; but some of them died, others changed their minds, others were hindered by sickness, or other casualties, happening to themselves or their near relations; and so there came only six hundred and fifty-two to Jerusalem. . . . And the like is to be said in the like differences; which it suffices to hint once for all." (Poole)

ii. "There are many difficulties in this table of names; but as we have no less than three copies of it that contained here from Ezra 2:1-67, a second in Nehemiah 7:6-69, and a third in 1 Esdras 5:7-43, on a careful examination they will be found to correct each other." (Clarke)

c. Parosh . . . Shephatiah . . . Arah: These names reflect the variety of influences that came in and among the children of Israel during the exile. Many of the names are connected to Biblical ideas, and others have connections to their exilic culture.

i. "The practice of giving Babylonian or Persian names to Jews in captivity (Esther 2:7; Daniel 1:7) is richly illustrated by the archives of Murashu." (Yamauchi)

ii. The names themselves give a personal flavor.

· Parosh means flea.

· Shephatiah means Yahweh has judged.

· Arah means wild ox.

· Zaccai means either pure or is a shortened form of Zechariah.

· Bani is a shortened form of Benaiah, meaning Yahweh has built.

· Bebai means pupil of the eye.

· Azgad means Gad is strong.

· Adonikam means my Lord has arisen.

· Adin means voluptuous.

· Ater means lefty.

· Bezai is a shortened form of Bezaleel and means in the shadow of God.

· Jorah means autumn rain.

· Hashum means broad nose.

· Gibbar means strong man.

3. (36-57) A listing of the priests, Levites, and temple workers returning from exile.

The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; the sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two; the sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; the sons of Harim, one thousand and seventeen. The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, seventy-four. The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight. The sons of the gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-nine in all. The Nethinim: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, the sons of Keros, the sons of Siaha, the sons of Padon, the sons of Lebanah, the sons of Hagabah, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hagab, the sons of Shalmai, the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, the sons of Besai, the sons of Asnah, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephusim, the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, the sons of Bazluth, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Tamah, the sons of Neziah, and the sons of Hatipha. The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Peruda, the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, and the sons of Ami.

a. Jedaiah . . . Immer . . . Pashhur . . . Harim: These families represent only four of the twenty-four divisions of the priesthood established by King David in 1 Chronicles 24:8. Most of the priests stayed behind in Babylon.

b. The sons of Hanan: " 'Hanan' ('[God] is gracious') is derived from the verb hanan ('to be gracious'), and its derivatives are the components of numerous names borne by fifty-one persons in the Old Testament. These include Baalhanan, Elhanan, Hananel, Hanani, Hananiah, Hannah, Hanun, Henadad, Jehohanan, and Tehinnah. 'Johanan' ('Yahweh is gracious') has given us the name John. The woman's name Hannah gives us Anna, Ann, Nan, and Nancy." (Yamauchi)

i. Bakbuk means "bottle," referring to an earthenware container with a neck and a bulging body. Mr. Babkuk man have earned his nickname by his big belly; or because his constant chatter sounded like the bubbling sound of water poured out from a bottle.

c. The Levites: The total number of Levites was actually less than the number of priests that returned. This means that a remarkably small percentage of the Levites returned from Babylon.

i. "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." (Morgan)

ii. Some speculate that the Levites were particularly invested in worship at the high places, scattered on the hills all around pre-exilic Israel and Judah. The purifying fires of exile effectively burned out this idolatrous impulse, and therefore few Levites wanted to return to the Promised Land.

4. (58) Two special groups who came back from exile.

All the Nethinim and the children of Solomon's servants were three hundred and ninety-two.

b. All the Nethinim: These seem to be the descendants of the Gibeonites, who were made special servants of the Levites and the priests at the temple.

i. "These were those Gibeonites that, have saved their lives by a lie, were made drawers of water to the temple as a punishment . . . Their employment was to minister to the Levites." (Trapp)

ii. "It seems likely that the more menial tasks fell to these men; and the presence of some foreign-looking names in the list may indicate that some of these groups came into Israel from David's conquests, whether as immigrants or perhaps as prisoners of war." (Kidner)

b. The children of Solomon's servants: Most believe that these were those employed by Solomon who came from other people groups. They came into Israel as foreign proselytes.

i. "These also were strangers, that had been employed by Solomon, and becoming proselytes, were incorporated into the commonwealth of Israel. God is no respecter of persons." (Trapp)

5. (59-63) Those among the priests with uncertain genealogies who returned from exile.

And these were the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not identify their father's house or their genealogy, whether they were of Israel: the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, and the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two; and of the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, and the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name. These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found; therefore they were excluded from the priesthood as defiled. And the governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim.

a. These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found: This shows an admirable respect for God's law respecting the priesthood of Israel. These were those who had some claim to a priestly lineage, but could not prove their genealogy. They were therefore excluded from the priesthood as defiled.

i. "So shall all be at the last day that are not written among the living in Jerusalem, that are not registered in the Lamb's book of life." (Trapp)

ii. "Barzillai was a name that carried considerable weight; its bearer had been a staunch supporter of David, and a man of wealth (2 Samuel 19:32). It may be that in adopting this family's name (and becoming its heir?) the ancestor of these claimants had laid himself open to the charge that he had renounced his own birthright, the priesthood." (Kidner)

b. They should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim: Those with questionable genealogies were not permanently excluded; each case required more research and seeking God.

i. "The Urim and Thummim, together with the Ark and the Shekinah, are named by the rabbis among the precious things that were never recovered." (Adeney)

6. (64-67) The summary of the returning exiles.

The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, besides their male and female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred men and women singers. Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five, their camels four hundred and thirty-five, and their donkeys six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

a. The whole assembly together: The size of this entire group is here stated to be about 50,000. However, this was only the first wave of repatriation to Israel from the Babylonian captivity and includes only the heads of families. The approximate total of the returned exiles was probably somewhere between 100,000 and 150,000. This was only a small percentage of those who had been exiled and their descendants; the great majority stayed behind in Babylon.

i. As a whole, Israelites had some reason to feel comfortable in Babylon. The Murashu tablets were discovered in 1873 and are records from Murashu and his sons, wealthy bankers and brokers of the late period of exile, who seemed to loan out almost anything for a price. "Among their customers are listed about sixty Jewish names from the time of Artaxerxes I, and forty from the time of Darius II. These appear as contracting parties, agents, witnesses, collectors of taxes, and royal officials. There seems to have been no social or commercial barriers between the Jews and the Babylonians. Their prosperous situation may explain why some chose to remain in Mesopotamia." (Yamauchi)

ii. Indeed, Josephus wrote, "many remained in Babylon, being unwilling to leave their possessions" (Antiquities XI, 8).

iii. One should not think that there was no spiritual life among the Jewish exiles; Ezekiel (who went into exile after 597 or 586 B.C.) describes what we might call a "home Bible study" at his home with the elders of Judah (Ezekiel 8:1). "Deprived of the temple, the exiles laid great stress on the observation of the Sabbath, on the laws of purity, and on prayer and fasting. It has often been suggested that the development of synagogues began in Mesopotamia during the Exile." (Yamauchi) Indeed, "In the Talmud it is said that only the chaff returned, while the wheat remained behind." (Adeney)

iv. When the exiles came back to Judah, they found a much smaller state than their forefathers had before the Babylonians conquered Judah. One estimate cited in Yamauchi says that the post-exilic province of Judah was about 25 miles from north to south and about 32 miles from east to west. The total area was about 800 square miles, about one third of which was uncultivable desert.

v. "Depending on one's estimate of the numbers deported and the number of returning exiles, we have widely varying estimates for the population of postexilic Judah: 20,000 to 50,000 by W.F. Albright, 60,000 by H. Kreissig, 50,000 to 80,000 by J. de Fraine, 85,000 by R. Kittel, 100,000 by S. Mowinckel, 150,000 by J. Weinberg, and 235,000 by A. Schultz. An estimate of 150,000 is more probably correct than Albright's estimate." (Yamauchi)

vi. "The figure of 42,360 appears as the total also in Nehemiah 7:66 and 1 Esdras 5:41, yet the individual items add up to three different totals, as follows: Ezra 29,818; Nehemiah 31,089; 1 Esdras 30:143. There have been attempts to explain the missing thousands: as members of the northern tribes, or as women, or as adolescents. But the narrative is silent on such points." (Kidner)

b. Their horses . . . their mules . . . their camels . . . their donkeys: This group did not return with much, but they also did not return with nothing.

i. "They went into captivity, stripped of everything; they now return from it, abounding in the most substantial riches. . . . Thus we find that God, in the midst of judgment, remembered mercy, and gave them favour in the land of their captivity." (Clarke)

B. The returned exiles make their home in the Promised Land.

1. (68-69) The offerings made for the rebuilding of the temple.

Some of the heads of the fathers' houses, when they came to the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God, to erect it in its place: According to their ability, they gave to the treasury for the work sixty-one thousand gold drachmas, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly garments.

a. Offered freely for the house of God: Because of prominence of those who made this offering (the heads of the fathers' houses) and the priority in this record, we see how important it was for the leaders and the people to sacrificially give to the work of rebuilding the temple.

b. According to their ability: These people gave generously, as generously as they could according to their ability. This showed how highly valued the house of God was in their eyes.

i. "The phrase, according to their ability, does credit to these donors, and Paul may have had it in mid in his charge to the Corinthians to give in proportion to their gains (1 Corinthians 16:2)." (Kidner) Yet Paul also noted those who gave even beyond their ability (2 Corinthians 8:3).

2. (70) The restoration of a substantial Israeli presence in the Promised Land.

So the priests and the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Nethinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

a. The priests and the Levites . . . dwelt in their cities: This shows that Jerusalem was once again populated, even though it was a humble beginning.

i. "There would soon be daily sacrifices to offer, many worshippers to attend to, and much work to supervise." (Kidner)

ii. "Later Nehemiah would be compelled to move people by lot to reinforce the population of Jerusalem, as the capital city had suffered the severest loss of life at the time of the Babylonian attacks." (Yamauchi)

b. Dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities: After two generations in exile, there was again a substantial presence of Jewish people in the land that was promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This was a wonderful fulfillment of God's promise to bring Israel back from exile.

i. "For during their abode in Babylon Judaea law utterly waste and uninhabited. The land kept her Sabbaths, resting from tillage, and God, by a wonderful providence, kept the room empty till the return of the natives." (Trapp)

ii. "Almost the whole community of Babylonian exiles who stayed when Babylon was destroyed came to this country then years ago - and their number was nearly thrice the number of those who returned to Zion in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah." (David Ben-Gurion, cited in Yamauchi describing the modern emigration of Jews from Iraq to Israel)

© 2006 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Commentary -- Other

Contradiction: Ezr 2:64

22. Both Ezra 2:64 and Nehemiah 7:66 agree that the totals for the whole assembly was 42,360, yet when the totals are added, Ezra - 29,818 and Nehemiah - 31,089?

(Category: copyist error)

There are possibly two answers to this seeming dilemma. The first is that this is most likely a copyist's error. The original texts must have had the correct totals, but somewhere along the line of transmission, a scribe made an error in one of the lists, and changed the total in the other so that they would match, without first totaling up the numbers for the families in each list. There is the suggestion that a later scribe upon copying out these lists purposely put down the totals for the whole assembly who were in Jerusalem at his time, which because it was later would have been larger.

The other possibility is forwarded by the learned Old Testament scholar R.K. Harrison, who suggests that at any rate the figure of 42,000 may be metaphorical, following "...the pattern of the Exodus and similar traditions, where the large numbers were employed as symbols of the magnitude of God, and in this particular instance indicating the triumphant deliverance that God achieved for His captive people" (Harrison 1970:1142-1143).

Such errors do not change the historicity of the account, since in such cases another portion of Scripture usually corrects the mistake (the added totals in this instance). As the well-known commentator, Matthew Henry once wrote, "Few books are not printed without mistakes; yet, authors do not disown them on account of this, nor are the errors by the press imputed to the author. The candid reader amends them by the context or by comparing them with some other part of the work."

(Light of Life II 1992:201, 219)

Contradiction: Ezr 2:65

23. Did 200 singers (Ezra 2:65) or 245 singers (Nehemiah 7:67) accompany the assembly?

(Category: copyist error)

As in question number 7, this is a copyist error, where a scribe copying the numbers in the Ezra account simply rounded off the figure of 245 to 200.

Introduction / Outline

JFB: Ezra (Book Introduction)

EZRA was, along with Nehemiah, reckoned one book by the ancient Jews, who called them the First and Second Books of Ezra, and they are still designated by Roman Catholic writers the First and Second Books of Esdras. This book naturally divides itself into two parts or sections, the one contained in the first six chapters, and which relates the circumstances connected with the return of the first detachment of Babylonish exiles under Zerubbabel with the consequent rebuilding of the temple and the re-establishment of the divine service. The other part, embraced in the four concluding chapters, narrates the journey of a second caravan of returning captives under the conduct of Ezra himself, who was invested with powers to restore, in all its splendor, the entire system of the Jewish ritual. The general opinion of the Church in every succeeding age has been that Ezra was the author of this book. The chief objection is founded on Ezr 5:4, where the words, "Then said we unto them after this manner, What are the names of the men that make this building?" have occasioned a surmise that the first portion of the book was not written by Ezra, who did not go to Jerusalem for many years after. But a little attention will show the futility of this objection, as the words in question did not refer to the writer, but were used by Tatnai and his associates [Ezr 5:3]. The style and unity of object in the book clearly prove it to have been the production of but one author. The canonical authority of this book is well established; but another under the name of Ezra is rejected as apocryphal.

JFB: Ezra (Outline)

• PROCLAMATION OF CYRUS FOR BUILDING THE TEMPLE. (Ezr 1:1-6)
• CYRUS RESTORES THE VESSELS. (Ezr 1:7-11)
• NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE THAT TURNED. (Ezra 2:1-70)
• THE ALTAR SET UP. (Ezr 3:1-13)
• OFFERINGS RENEWED. (Ezr 3:4-7)
• THE FOUNDATION OF THE TEMPLE LAID. (Ezr 3:8-13)
• THE BUILDING HINDERED. (Ezr 4:1-6)
• LETTER TO ARTAXERXES. (Ezra 4:7-24)
• ZERUBBABEL AND JESHUA SET FORWARD THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE IN THE REIGN OF DARIUS. (Ezra 5:1-17)
• DARIUS' DECREE FOR ADVANCING THE BUILDING. (Ezr 6:1-12)
• THE TEMPLE FINISHED. (Ezr 6:13-15)
• FEASTS OF THE DEDICATION. (Ezr 6:16-18)
• AND OF THE PASSOVER. (Ezr 6:19-22)
• EZRA GOES UP TO JERUSALEM. (Ezr 7:1-10)
• GRACIOUS COMMISSION OF ARTAXERXES. (Ezra 7:11-26)
• EZRA BLESSES GOD FOR THIS FAVOR. (Ezr 7:27-28)
• EZRA'S COMPANIONS FROM BABYLON. (Ezr 8:1-14)
• HE SENDS TO IDDO FOR MINISTERS FOR THE TEMPLE SERVICE. (Ezr 8:15-20)
• A FAST PROCLAIMED. (Ezra 8:21-36)
• EZRA MOURNS FOR THE AFFINITY OF THE PEOPLE WITH STRANGERS. (Ezr 9:1-4)
• EZRA REFORMS THE STRANGE MARRIAGES. (Ezra 10:1-17)
• THOSE THAT HAD TAKEN STRANGE WIVES. (Ezra 10:18-44)

TSK: Ezra (Book Introduction)

This book details the events of a very interesting period of the Sacred History, when, according to the decree of Providence, the Jewish people were to be delivered from their captivity, at the expiration of seventy years, and restored to the land of their fathers. This book informs us how the Divine goodness accomplished this most gracious design, and the movers and agents He employed on the occasion. Ezra was undoubtedly the chief agent under God in effecting this arduous work; and his zeal, piety, knowledge, and discretion, appear here in a most conspicuous point of view, and claim our utmost admiration. Descended from Seraiah, in a direct line from Aaron, he seems to have united all the requisites of a profound statesmen with the functions of the sacerdotal character. He appears to have made the Sacred Scriptures, during the captivity, his peculiar study; and, perhaps assisted by Nehemiah and the great synagogue, he corrected the errors which had crept into the Sacred Writings, through the negligence or mistake of transcribers; he collected all the books of which the Sacred Scriptures then consisted, disposed them in their proper order, and settled the canon of Scriptures for his time; he occasionally added, under the dictation of the Holy Spirit, whatever appeared necessary for the purpose of illustrating, completing, or connecting them; he substituted the modern for the ancient names of some places, which had now become obsolete; and transcribed the whole of the Scriptures into the Chaldee character. He is said to have lived to the age of 120 years, and, according to Josephus, was buried in Jerusalem; but the Jews believe he died in Persia, in a second journey to Artaxerxes, where his tomb is shown in the city of Zamusa. Though not styled a prophet, he wrote under the Divine Spirit; and the canonical authority of his book has never been disputed. It is written with all the spirit and fidelity that could be displayed by a writer of contemporary times; and those parts which chiefly consist of letters, decrees, etc., are written in Chaldee, because it seemed more suitable to the fidelity of a sacred historian to give these official documents, as they may be termed, in the original language, especially as the people, recently returned from the captivity, were familiar, and perhaps more conversant with the Chaldee, than with the Hebrew.

TSK: Ezra 2 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

Ezr 2:1, The number that return of the people; Ezr 2:36, of the priests; Ezr 2:40, of the Levites; Ezr 2:43, of the Nethinims; Ezr 2:55, of Solomon’s servants; Ezr 2:61, of the priests who could not shew their pedigree; Ezr 2:64, The whole number of them, with their substance; Ezr 2:68, Their oblations.

Poole: Ezra (Book Introduction)

THE ARGUMENT

THAT this book of EZRA is part of the canonical Scripture is evident, partly from the testimony of the Jewish church, to which were committed the oracles of God , Rom 3:2 , who also did carefully keep them, and faithfully transmit them to us, and are not once charged either by Christ or his apostles with breach of that trust; and partly by the unanimous consent of all, both Jews and Christians, at this day. And that Ezra was thee writer of this book, is also, and ever was, the opinion of the Jews, who had thee best means of knowing this, and is most agreeable to his quality, for he was the son, or grandson , (as the word is elsewhere used,) of Seraiah , Ezr 7:1 , who was the high priest, 2Ki 25:18 1Ch 6:14 ; and he was a ready scribe of the law of Moses , Ezr 7:6 , and endowed with a more than ordinary measure of God’ s Spirit, as is evident from this book; and was himself an eye-witness of these transactions. In his time also there lived divers other holy men of God, as Daniel, and Nehemiah, and Mordecai, and Zorobabel, and Joshua; which makes that probable which the Jews report, that these prophets and other holy and learned men did review thee canonical books of the Old Testament, and added here and there some few passages in the historical books, and digested them into that order in which now we have them in our Hebrew Bibles; this being a work most suitable to the prudence, and piety, and sacred function of these persons, and to the present estate of the Jewish nation, who had been long in captivity in Babylon, where it was to be feared that many of them were ignorant or corrupt in the principles of religion, and who were yet in a broken condition, and likely to be exposed to further calamities and dispersions; which also might be signified to some of them; and it was suitable also to that care which the wise and gracious God hath ever used for the guidance of his church, according to their several occasions and necessities.

Poole: Ezra 2 (Chapter Introduction)

CHAPTER 2

The number of the people that returned, Ezr 2:1-35 ; and of the priests, Ezr 2:36-39 ; of the Levites, Ezr 2:40 ; of the singers, Ezr 2:41 ; of the porters, Ezr 2:42 ; of the Nethinims, Ezr 2:43-54 ; and of Solomon’ s servants, Ezr 2:55-60 . Concerning the priests that could not show their pedigree, Ezr 2:61-6:3 . The whole number of them and their substance, Ezr 2:64-67 . Their oblations, Ezr 2:68-70 .

MHCC: Ezra (Book Introduction)

The history of this book is the accomplishment of Jeremiah's prophecy concerning the return of the Jews out of Babylon. From its contents we especially learn, that every good work will meet with opposition from enemies, and be hurt by the misconduct of friends; but that God will make his cause to prevail, notwithstanding all obstacles and adversaries. The restoration of the Jews was an event of the highest consequence, tending to preserve religion in the world, and preparing the way for the appearance of the Great Deliverer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

MHCC: Ezra 2 (Chapter Introduction)

(v. 1-35) The numbers that returned.

(v. 36-63) The numbers of the priests and Levites.

(Ezr 2:64-70) The offerings for the temple.

Matthew Henry: Ezra (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of Ezra

The Jewish church puts on quite another face in this book from what it had appeared with; its state much better, and more pleasant, than it was of late in Babylon, and yet far inferior to what it had been formerly. The dry bones here live again, but in the form of a servant; the yoke of their captivity is taken off, but the marks of it in their galled necks remain. Kings we hear no more of; the crown has fallen from their heads. Prophets they are blessed with, to direct them in their re-establishment, but, after a while, prophecy ceases among them, till the great prophet appears, and his fore-runner. The history of this book is the accomplishment of Jeremiah's prophecy concerning the return of the Jews out of Babylon at the end of seventy years, and a type of the accomplishment of the prophecies of the Apocalypse concerning the deliverance of the gospel church out of the New Testament Babylon. Ezra preserved the records of that great revolution and transmitted them to the church in this book. His name signifies a helper; and so he was to that people. A particular account concerning him we shall meet with, ch. 7, where he himself enters upon the stage of action. The book gives us an account, I. Of the Jews' return out of their captivity, Ezr 1:1-11, 2. II. Of the building of the temple, the opposition it met with, and yet the perfecting of it at last, ch. 3-6. III. Of Ezra's coming to Jerusalem, ch. 7, 8. IV. Of the good service he did there, in obliging those that had married strange wives to put them away, Ezr 9:1-15, 10. This beginning again of the Jewish nation was small, yet its latter end greatly increased.

Matthew Henry: Ezra 2 (Chapter Introduction)

That many returned out of Babylon upon Cyrus's proclamation we were told in the foregoing chapter; we have here a catalogue of the several families that returned (Ezr 2:1). I. The leaders (Ezr 2:2). II. The people (v. 3-35). III. The priests, Levites, and retainers to the temple (v. 35-63). IV. The sum total, with an account of their retinue (Ezr 2:64-67). V. Their offerings to the service of the temple (Ezr 2:68-70).

Constable: Ezra (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Title

The title in the English text comes from the main character in the second part of the book (chapters 7-10). In the Septuagint translation this book also bore the name of Ezra or Esdras, the Greek transliteration of "Ezra." "Ezra" is a short form of Azariah, which means "Yahweh has helped." The Hebrew Bible has the same title.

Early Hebrew copyists placed Ezra together with Nehemiah because Nehemiah continues the history of Ezra.¹ Another reason they may have done this was to make the total number of canonical books agree with the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet.² Another view is that they were written originally as one book and than divided later.³ Even today the Hebrew Bible links Ezra and Nehemiah as did the Septuagint translators. However the repetition of Ezra 2 in Nehemiah 6:7-70 suggests that these two books were not originally one. Evidently Origen (third century A.D.) was the first to divide Ezra-Nehemiah into two books, and Jerome followed this precedent in his Latin (Vulgate) translation.⁴

Writer and Date

Due to the ancient tradition that the same writer composed both parts of the book (chapters 1-6 and 7-10), many scholars believe Ezra produced all of it.⁵ A passage in the Talmud credits Ezra with the authorship of Ezra-Nehemiah and Chronicles.⁶ Ezra speaks in the first person in Ezra 7:28-8:34 and in chapter 9. This may suggest that he drew from a source such as the so-called "Ezra Memoirs" that recorded Ezra's personal recollections in the first person.⁷

Another popular view is that Ezra and Nehemiah each wrote the books that bear their names.⁸ A third view is that the joint book was a compilation that a "chronicler" made long after the events recorded took place.⁹

As a scribe (7:21), Ezra had the qualifications needed to write this book. He was a general contemporary of Nehemiah (Neh. 8:1-9; 12:36). Another reference in the Talmud claimed that Ezra was a disciple of Baruch, Jeremiah's scribe.¹⁰

The last historical reference in the book is in 4:21-23. In view of other chronological references in the book this event must have occurred about 446 B.C. Therefore Ezra could have written the book about 446 B.C. or shortly after that.

"Regardless of one's view of the authorship of Ezra-Nehemiah and its relationship to Chronicles, the theological viewpoint of the whole collection is essentially the same. The message is addressed to the postexilic community of Jews who wonder if there is any hope of political and religious restoration. Its central thrust is that there indeed is hope but that hope must be incarnated in the rebuilding of the Temple, the cultus, and the priesthood. Only as the remnant people became the theocratic nation, founded on and faithful to the covenant Yahweh made with their fathers, could they revive the Davidic house and anticipate the resumption of their mediatorial role among the nations of the earth. Ezra and Nehemiah are therefore burdened to clarify (1) the Person and works of God, (2) Israel's own identity and function as a covenant people, and (3) the nature of that covenant in postexilic times."¹¹

Scope

The earliest historical reference in Ezra is to the decree of Cyrus that he issued in his first year on the throne (1:1), 538 B.C.¹² The latest historical reference was just prior to Nehemiah's first trip to Jerusalem (4:21-23; cf. Neh. 1:1-3), 446 B.C. Therefore this book spans a period of 92 years of history.¹³

However most of the events recorded took place in 538-515 B.C. (chapters 1-6) and 458 B.C. (chapters 7-10). Between these two separate series of events the Book of Ezra records nothing. The events in the Book of Esther transpired during those years (482-473 B.C.).

Message¹⁴

Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther have much in common. Among other things, they all deal with God's dealings with Israel following the captivity. Jeremiah had spoken of these years before the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem (Jer. 25:11-14; 29:10-14). Now 70 years had passed, Babylon had fallen, and Cyrus was on the throne of Medo-Persia. The books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther all reveal God overruling human failure. They show God remaking the vessel that had proven obstinate, Israel (cf. Jer. 18:1-6).

The Book of Ezra reveals four things about God's dealings with Israel that are of permanent value.

1. God's instruments are very diverse. In shaping Israel again God used instruments outside the nation as well as inside it.

His primary instruments outside were Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes. Each one issued a decree that God had inspired just as much as any message of Isaiah or any of the other prophets of Israel (e.g., 1:1-4). God turned the hearts of these kings in the direction He wanted them to go (cf. Prov. 21:1). God directed the marching of their armies as well as the praying of the captives to accomplish His will.

His primary instruments inside the nation of Israel were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and Ezra. Zerubbabel was a descendant of King Jehoiachin, and Jeshua was a descendant of Aaron. Thus God raised up a member of the kingly family and a member of the priestly family to resume His dealings with the nation as formerly. They began to inspire other Israelites, and the movement to return was under way. The third Israelite instrument was Ezra who was a scribe. We begin here to read of the scribes who are prominent in the Gospels. A scribe was a student, interpreter, teacher, and expositor of the Word of God. God uses both people who do not know Him and people who do know Him to carry out His plans.

2. God's might is awesome, another clear revelation in this book. We see this not only in the way God uses the two kinds of people just differentiated. We see it in the way He qualifies His workers to accomplish their tasks, as I have noted. We also see it in God's gathering His people from all over the ancient world to bring them back into Palestine. Most of the exiles did not return. Ezra's revelation provided the original readers with hope for the future.

3. God's people are changeable, another significant revelation. God gathered people from all the tribes, not just Judah, back to the land (2:70; 6:16-17). In exile the Israelites had renounced idolatry. They had returned to the worship of the one true God. The Lord's severe punishment of them for idolatry, as well as their own observation of idolatry for 70 years, took away their appetite for it. God had purged out this dross and could now fashion the nation anew.

4. God's work is proceeding, another important revelation. Note what God did to the nation. When the people returned to Palestine they had lost their national influence. They could not demonstrate how glorious it is to live under God's government as they had formerly. They also lost their independence. However they gained a place for themselves as a nation again. Furthermore God had saved them from racial extinction and absorption. The Pharisees (lit. separated ones) came into existence during the captivity. They wanted to prevent the Jews from intermixing with others. That attitude was good then, but it became bad later. In all these respects we can see God's work of reshaping the nation.

The message of the book arises from these observations on its emphases. I could state it this way. God does not discard what He has chosen but remakes it when it fails.

With people if one fails, he is out. With God if a person fails, he gets other opportunities. This is how God dealt with Jonah. It is how He dealt with Israel. Moreover it is how He deals with us. This is a great testimony to the eternal security of the believer. When the vessel is unyielding, God crushes it and begins to fashion it into a useful vessel again. That is a greater evidence of God's sovereignty than if He discarded it as hopeless. God's reason for doing this is His loyal love, compassion, and pity.

This revelation brings hope to everyone who fails. It gives hope when our good causes fall to pieces. It gives hope when God's servants fail. It also gives hope when we make a mess. God is still on His throne (cf. Hag. 2:4-5). No matter how you may have failed in the past God will use you if you renounce your sin, re-commit yourself to Him, and return to His Word.

Constable: Ezra (Outline)

Outline

I. The first return under Sheshbazzar chs. 1-6

A. The return from Babylon chs. 1-2

1. The edict of Cyrus and its consequences ch. 1

2. The exiles who returned ch. 2

B. The rebuilding of the temple chs. 3-6

1. The beginning of construction ch. 3

2. The opposition to construction ch. 4

3. The delay of construction ch. 5

4. The completion of construction ch. 6

II. The second return under Ezra chs. 7-10

A. The return to Jerusalem ch. 7-8

1. The decree of Artaxerxes and its consequences ch. 7

2. The journey itself ch. 8

B. The restoration of the people chs. 9-10

1. The problem of mixed marriages ch. 9

2. The solution to the problem ch. 10

Constable: Ezra

Ezra

Bibliography

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Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: Ezra (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST BOOK OF ESDRAS.

INTRODUCTION.

This Book taketh its name from the writer, who was a holy priest and doctor of the law. He is called by the Hebrews Ezra, (Challoner) and was son, (Tirinus) or rather, unless he lived above 150 years, a descendant of Saraias, 4 Kings xxv. 18. It is thought that he returned first with Zorobabel; and again, at the head of other captives, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, with ample authority. Esdras spent the latter part of his life in exhorting the people, and in explaining to them the law of God. He appeared with great dignity at the dedication of the walls of Jerusalem, 2 Esdras xii. 26, 35. We have four books which bear his name. (Calmet) --- This and the following book of Nehemias, originally made but one in Hebrew, (St. Jerome, &c.) as the transactions of both those great men are recorded. The third and fourth are not in Hebrew nor received into the canon of the Holy Scriptures, though the Greek Church hold the third as canonical, and place it first; (Worthington) and Genebrard would assert that both ought to be received, as they were by several Fathers. But they contain many thing which appear to be erroneous, and have been rejected by others of great authority, and particularly by St. Jerome. The third book seems to have been written very early, by some Hellenist Jew, who was desirous of embellishing the history of Zorobabel; and the fourth was probably composed by some person of the same nation, who had been converted to Christianity, before the end of the second century; and who injudiciously attempted to convert his brethren, by assuming the name of a man who was so much respected. Many things have been falsely attributed to Esdras, on the same account. It is said that he invented the Masora; restored the Scriptures, which had been lost; fixed the canon of twenty-two books; substituted the Chaldaic characters instead of the ancient Hebrew, Samaritan, or Phœnician. But though Esdras might sanction the latter, now become common, the characters might vary insensibly, (Bianconi; Kennicott, Dis. ii.) as those of other languages have done, (Haydock) and the sacred books never perished wholly; nor could the canon be determined in the time of Esdras. (Calmet) --- As for the Masoretic observations and points, they are too modern an invention. (Elias Levita; Capel.; Houbigant, &c.) --- What we know more positively of Esdras, is, (Worthington) that he was empowered by Artaxerxes to bring back the Jews, and that he acted with great zeal. (Haydock) --- This book contains the transactions of 82 years, till the year of the world 3550. The letter of Reum, and the king's answer, (chap. iv. 7., till chap. vi. 19., and well as chap. vii. 12, 27.) are in Chaldean; the rest of the work is in Hebrew. (Calmet) --- We may discover various mysteries concealed under the literal sense of this and the following book. (St. Jerome, ep. ad Paulin.) (Worthington) --- Esdras is supposed by this holy doctor, as well as by some of the Rabbins, &c., to have been the same person with the prophet Malachy[Malachias]; (Button) and several reasons seems to support this conjecture, though it must still remain very uncertain. (Calmet) --- Some think that (Haydock) Esdras wrote only the four last chapters, and the author of Paralipomenon the six preceding ones. (Du Hamel) --- But it is most probable that he compiled both from authentic documents. (Haydock) --- Some few additions may have been inserted since, by divine authority, 2 Esdras xii. 11, 22. (Tirinus)

Gill: Ezra (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA

This book, in the Vulgate Latin and Arabic versions, is called the "First" Book of Ezra, Nehemiah being reckoned the "second"; but with the Jews both were accounted but one book ^a; in the Syriac version, it is called the Writing or Book of Ezra the Prophet; and this title is given him, both by Jews ^b and Christians ^c; in the Arabic version, it is called the First Book of Ezra the Priest, skilful in the Law; and that he was a priest is clear, since he was the son of Seraiah the high priest, who was slain by Nebuchadnezzar, and the younger brother of Josedech, who succeeded his father as high priest, and uncle to Joshua that succeeded him; and he was also a ready scribe in the law of Moses, see Ezr 7:1. That Ezra was the writer of this book is believed by the Jews ^d, and by the generality of Christians; only Huetius ^e thinks that the six first chapters were written by another hand, but his reasons are not satisfactory; and it has been universally received as canonical by all; it agrees with the prophecies of Haggai and Zechariah, and serves to illustrate them; it is of use for the continuation of the sacred history, to point at the fulfilment of prophecies concerning the return of the Jews from captivity, and the rebuilding of the temple; and to give us an account of the state of the church in those times, the troubles and difficulties it met with, and what care was taken to keep the tribes and families distinct, that it might be known from whom the Messiah sprung; this book contains an history of seventy years, according to the calculation of Bishop Usher ^f, from A. M. 3468, to A. M. 3538.

Gill: Ezra 2 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 2

This chapter contains a list of those that went up from Babylon to Jerusalem, of their leaders, their chief men, princes and priests, Ezr 2:1 of the people, described by their families, towns, and cities, and number of persons, Ezr 2:3, of the priests, Levites, and Nethinims, Ezr 2:36, and of those that could not make out their genealogy, people and priests, Ezr 2:59, and then the sum total of the whole congregation is given, Ezr 2:64, besides men and maidservants, singing men and women, and cattle of divers sorts, Ezr 2:65, and the chapter is closed with an account of the freewill offerings of the principal men towards the building of the temple, and of the settlement of the people in their respective cities, Ezr 2:68.