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.
14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
3 The children H1121 of Parosh, H6551 two thousand H505 an hundred H3967 seventy H7657 and two. H8147
4 The children H1121 of Shephatiah, H8203 three H7969 hundred H3967 seventy H7657 and two. H8147
5 The children H1121 of Arah, H733 seven H7651 hundred H3967 seventy H7657 and five. H2568
6 The children H1121 of Pahathmoab, H6355 of the children H1121 of Jeshua H3442 and Joab, H3097 two thousand H505 eight H8083 hundred H3967 and twelve. H8147 H6240
7 The children H1121 of Elam, H5867 a thousand H505 two hundred H3967 fifty H2572 and four. H702
8 The children H1121 of Zattu, H2240 nine H8672 hundred H3967 forty H705 and five. H2568
9 The children H1121 of Zaccai, H2140 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and threescore. H8346
10 The children H1121 of Bani, H1137 six H8337 hundred H3967 forty H705 and two. H8147
11 The children H1121 of Bebai, H893 six H8337 hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and three. H7969
12 The children H1121 of Azgad, H5803 a thousand H505 two H8147 hundred H3967 twenty H6242 and two. H8147
13 The children H1121 of Adonikam, H140 six H8337 hundred H3967 sixty H8346 and six. H8337
14 The children H1121 of Bigvai, H902 two thousand H505 fifty H2572 and six. H8337
15 The children H1121 of Adin, H5720 four H702 hundred H3967 fifty H2572 and four. H702
3 The children of Parosh, two thousand a 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 Pahath-moab, 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.
14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
3 Sons of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two.
4 Sons of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
5 Sons of Arah, seven hundred five and seventy.
6 Sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua, Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
7 Sons of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
8 Sons of Zattu, nine hundred and forty and five.
9 Sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.
10 Sons of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
11 Sons of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.
12 Sons of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
13 Sons of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.
14 Sons of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
15 Sons of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
3 The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two.
4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two.
5 The children of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five.
6 The children of Pahath-Moab, of the children of Jeshua [and] Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
7 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred and fifty-four.
8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five.
9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.
10 The children of Bani, six hundred and forty-two.
11 The children of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three.
12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred and twenty-two.
13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six.
14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six.
15 The children of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four.
3 The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two.
4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two.
5 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy-five.
6 The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua [and] Joab, two thousand eight hundred twelve.
7 The children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty-five.
9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty.
10 The children of Bani, six hundred forty-two.
11 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty-three.
12 The children of Azgad, one thousand two hundred twenty-two.
13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-six.
14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six.
15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty-four.
3 The children of Parosh, two thousand, one hundred and seventy-two.
4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two.
5 The children of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five.
6 The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand, eight hundred and twelve.
7 The children of Elam, a thousand, two hundred and fifty-four.
8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five.
9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.
10 The children of Bani, six hundred and forty-two.
11 The children of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three.
12 The children of Azgad, a thousand, two hundred and twenty-two.
13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six.
14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six.
15 The children of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezra 2
Commentary on Ezra 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 2
Ezr 2:1-70. Number of the People That Turned.
1. children of the province—that is, Judea (Ezr 5:8), so called as being now reduced from an illustrious, independent, and powerful kingdom to an obscure, servile, tributary province of the Persian empire. This name is applied by the sacred historian to intimate that the Jewish exiles, though now released from captivity and allowed to return into their own land, were still the subjects of Cyrus, inhabiting a province dependent upon Persia.
came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city—either the city that had been occupied by his ancestors, or, as most parts of Judea were then either desolate or possessed by others, the city that was rebuilt and allotted to him now.
2. Which came with Zerubbabel—He was the chief or leader of the first band of returning exiles. The names of other influential persons who were associated in the conducting of the caravans are also mentioned, being extracted probably from the Persian archives, in which the register was preserved: conspicuous in the number are Jeshua, the high priest, and Nehemiah.
3. The children—This word, as used throughout this catalogue, means "posterity" or "descendants."
5. children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five—The number is stated in Ne 7:10 to have been only six hundred fifty-two. It is probable that all mentioned as belonging to this family repaired to the general place of rendezvous, or had enrolled their names at first as intending to go; but in the interval of preparation, some died, others were prevented by sickness or insurmountable obstacles, so that ultimately no more than six hundred fifty-two came to Jerusalem.
23. The men of Anathoth—It is pleasant to see so many of this Jewish town returning. It was a city of the Levites; but the people spurned Jeremiah's warning and called forth against themselves one of his severest predictions (Jer 32:27-35). This prophecy was fulfilled in the Assyrian conquest. Anathoth was laid waste and continued a heap of ruins. But the people, having been brought during the captivity to a better state of mind, returned, and their city was rebuilt.
36-39. The 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).
55. The children of Solomon's servants—either the strangers that monarch enlisted in the building of the temple, or those who lived in his palace, which was deemed a high honor.
61, 62. the children of Barzillai—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.
63. Tirshatha—a title borne by the Persian governors of Judea (see also Ne 7:65-70; 8:9; 10:1). It is derived from the Persian torsh ("severe"), and is equivalent to "your severity," "your awfulness."
64. The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore—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 Ne 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].
68. some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord offered freely for the house of God, &c.—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.
69. drams of gold—rather, "darics," a Persian coin (see on 1Ch 29:7).
priests' garments—(compare Ne 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.