An account of the people who returned to Jerusalem
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| .1 ¶ Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; | 1 - Children of the province Of the Persian Empire. They were not a satrapy under a governing satrap as was Babylon. This information is evidence that the writer was familiar with the situation. They were not poor people as we see in v64 and onward. |
| .2 Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: | Zerubbabel
The leader. He is also called the son of Shealtiel ezr0302.
However, he was also known as the son of Pedaiah, Shealtiel's brother 1ch0319.
Apparently Shealtiel died with no children and Pedaiah married her. The
first son of that marriage would be considered son of the deceased husband.
This "levirate" marriage is outlined in the laws of Moses de2505ff.
Zerubbabel was also a grandson of King Jehoiachin hg0101 – a logical choice for Cyrus. Jeshua The Aramaic form of "Joshua" was the spiritual leader. He is described as high priest in hg0101 and zc0301. Also see ezr0302, ne1201. Nehemiah Not the one we will meet in the next book. He and the others not already discussed were likely the elders ezr0505. Number Amazingly similar to Nehemiah's list of many years later ne07. |
| .3
The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.
4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. 5 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five. 6 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. 7 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. 8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five. 9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. 10 The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two. 11 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three. 12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two. .13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six. |
The number returning was
very small. Compare ne07.
3 - Parosh He had a very large family and heads the list here and in Nehemiah. The lists would include descendants. The name literally means "flea." Compare 1sa2414, 1sa2620. 4 - Shephatiah This family name appears often beginning with the time of David. The name means "YahWeh" has judged." 7 - Elam The name appears in 1ch0824, 1ch2603. 13 - [666] This popular number is also found in 1 Kings 10:14 as well as at the end of Rev. 13. I see no significant relationship among the verses. See on re1318. |
| 14 The children of Bigvai,
two thousand fifty and six.
15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four. 16 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. 17 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three. 18 The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve. 19 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three. .20 The children of Gibbar, ninety and five. .21 The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three. .22 The men of Netophah, fifty and six. .23 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight. 24 The children of Azmaveth, forty and two. 25 The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three. 26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one |
Perhaps city names were taken
by those unable to trace their genealogy v59.
21 -
Bethlehem
In Judah south of Jerusalem. See map.
There was also a Bethlehem in the north.
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| 27 The men of Michmas, an
hundred twenty and two.
28 The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. 29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two. 30 The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six. 31 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. 32 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty. .33 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five. 34 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five. 35 The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. |
35 - Senaah The feminine gender of the name and its place on the list, following family and city groups, leave us with questions. It may have been a low class of people similar to the mixed multitude that left Egypt with the children of Israel. See how the word in a different form is used in 1ch0907, ne1109. |
| 36 ¶ The priests: the
children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
37 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. 38 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven. 39 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. .40 The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four. 41 The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight. .42 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine. |
36-39 - Priests "Each of their families was ranged under its prince or head, like those of the other tribes. It will be remembered that the whole body was divided into twenty-four courses, one of which, in rotation, discharged the sacerdotal duties every week, and each division was called after the name of its first prince or chief. It appears from this passage that only four of the courses of the priests returned from the Babylonish captivity; but these four courses were afterwards, as the families increased, divided into twenty-four, which were distinguished by the names of the original courses appointed by David [1Ch 23:6-13]. Hence we find the course of Abijah or Abia (1Ch 24:10) subsisting at the commencement of the Christian era (Lu 1:5). |
| .43
The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children
of Tabbaoth,
44 The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, 45 The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub, 46 The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan, 47 The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah, 48 The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, 49 The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai, 50 The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim, 51 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 52 The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 53 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah, 54 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. |
43 - Nethinims The name is a form of nathan which means "to give." They could have been foreigners in Israel giving their service involuntarily or in acceptance of a low place in society. However the commentary takes the position that they worked with the Levites, perhaps as teachers ezr0820. Thirty-five families were in this group. Compare jos0927. |
| 55 The children of Solomon's
servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children
of Peruda,
56 The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, 57 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami. .58 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two. |
58 - Nethinims & Solomon's servants See on v43 above. |
| .59
And these were they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan,
and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed,
whether they were of Israel:
60 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. 61 And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name: .62 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. .63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim. |
63 - Tirshatha From the Persian word tarshta meaning "the feared one." He was apparently head of state. |
| .64
¶ The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three
hundred and threescore,
65 Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women. 66 Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five; 67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. 68 And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place: |
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| 69 They gave after their ability
unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold,
and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.
.70 So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. |
69 - Gave after their ability God judges this way. Jesus described a widow who gave very little mr1241. |
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