2 Of the sons H1121 of Phinehas; H6372 Gershom: H1647 of the sons H1121 of Ithamar; H385 Daniel: H1840 of the sons H1121 of David; H1732 Hattush. H2407
And the sons H1121 of Shechaniah; H7935 Shemaiah: H8098 and the sons H1121 of Shemaiah; H8098 Hattush, H2407 and Igeal, H3008 and Bariah, H1282 and Neariah, H5294 and Shaphat, H8202 six. H8337
Now these were the sons H1121 of David, H1732 which were born H3205 unto him in Hebron; H2275 the firstborn H1060 Amnon, H550 of Ahinoam H293 the Jezreelitess; H3159 the second H8145 Daniel, H1840 of Abigail H26 the Carmelitess: H3762
And the children H1121 of Amram; H6019 Aaron, H175 and Moses, H4872 and Miriam. H4813 The sons H1121 also of Aaron; H175 Nadab, H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar, H499 and Ithamar. H385 Eleazar H499 begat H3205 Phinehas, H6372 Phinehas H6372 begat H3205 Abishua, H50 And Abishua H50 begat H3205 Bukki, H1231 and Bukki H1231 begat H3205 Uzzi, H5813 And Uzzi H5813 begat H3205 Zerahiah, H2228 and Zerahiah H2228 begat H3205 Meraioth, H4812 Meraioth H4812 begat H3205 Amariah, H568 and Amariah H568 begat H3205 Ahitub, H285 And Ahitub H285 begat H3205 Zadok, H6659 and Zadok H6659 begat H3205 Ahimaaz, H290 And Ahimaaz H290 begat H3205 Azariah, H5838 and Azariah H5838 begat H3205 Johanan, H3110 And Johanan H3110 begat H3205 Azariah, H5838 (he it is that executed the priest's office H3547 in the temple H1004 that Solomon H8010 built H1129 in Jerusalem:) H3389 And Azariah H5838 begat H3205 Amariah, H568 and Amariah H568 begat H3205 Ahitub, H285 And Ahitub H285 begat H3205 Zadok, H6659 and Zadok H6659 begat H3205 Shallum, H7967 And Shallum H7967 begat H3205 Hilkiah, H2518 and Hilkiah H2518 begat H3205 Azariah, H5838 And Azariah H5838 begat H3205 Seraiah, H8304 and Seraiah H8304 begat H3205 Jehozadak, H3087 And Jehozadak H3087 went H1980 into captivity, when the LORD H3068 carried away H1540 Judah H3063 and Jerusalem H3389 by the hand H3027 of Nebuchadnezzar. H5019
Now these are the divisions H4256 of the sons H1121 of Aaron. H175 The sons H1121 of Aaron; H175 Nadab, H5070 and Abihu, H30 Eleazar, H499 and Ithamar. H385 But Nadab H5070 and Abihu H30 died H4191 before H6440 their father, H1 and had no children: H1121 therefore Eleazar H499 and Ithamar H385 executed the priest's office. H3547 And David H1732 distributed H2505 them, both Zadok H6659 of the sons H1121 of Eleazar, H499 and Ahimelech H288 of the sons H1121 of Ithamar, H385 according to their offices H6486 in their service. H5656 And there were more H7227 chief H7218 men H1397 found H4672 of the sons H1121 of Eleazar H499 than of the sons H1121 of Ithamar; H385 and thus were they divided. H2505 Among the sons H1121 of Eleazar H499 there were sixteen H8337 H6240 chief men H7218 of the house H1004 of their fathers, H1 and eight H8083 among the sons H1121 of Ithamar H385 according to the house H1004 of their fathers. H1 Thus were they divided H2505 by lot, H1486 one sort H428 with another; H428 for the governors H8269 of the sanctuary, H6944 and governors H8269 of the house of God, H430 were of the sons H1121 of Eleazar, H499 and of the sons H1121 of Ithamar. H385 And Shemaiah H8098 the son H1121 of Nethaneel H5417 the scribe, H5608 one of the Levites, H3881 wrote H3789 them before H6440 the king, H4428 and the princes, H8269 and Zadok H6659 the priest, H3548 and Ahimelech H288 the son H1121 of Abiathar, H54 and before the chief H7218 of the fathers H1 of the priests H3548 and Levites: H3881 one H259 principal H1 household H1004 being taken H270 for Eleazar, H499 and one taken H270 for Ithamar. H385
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Ezra 8
Commentary on Ezra 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
Ezr 8:1-14. Ezra's Companions from Babylon.
1. this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon—The number given here amounts to 1754. But this is the register of adult males only, and as there were women and children also (Ezr 8:21), the whole caravan may be considered as comprising between six thousand and seven thousand.
Ezr 8:15-20. He Sends to Iddo for Ministers for the Temple Service.
15. I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava—This river has not been ascertained. It is probable that the Ahava was one of the streams or numerous canals of Mesopotamia communicating with the Euphrates [Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature]. But it was certainly in Babylonia on the banks of that stream; and perhaps the place appointed for general rendezvous was in the neighborhood of a town of the same name. The emigrants encamped there for three days, according to Oriental custom, while the preparations for the departure were being completed and Ezra was arranging the order of the caravan.
I … found there none of the sons of Levi—that is, the ordinary Levites. Notwithstanding the privilege of exemption from all taxes granted to persons engaged in the temple service, none of the Levitical tribes were induced to join the settlement in Jerusalem; and it was even not without difficulty Ezra persuaded some of the priestly families to accompany him.
16-20. then sent I for Eliezer … with commandment unto Iddo the chief—Ezra sent this deputation, either by virtue of authority which by his priestly character he had over the Levites, or of the royal commission with which he was invested. The deputation was despatched to Iddo, who was a prince or chief of the Nethinims—for the Persian government allowed the Hebrews during their exile to retain their ecclesiastical government by their own chiefs, as well as to enjoy the privilege of free worship. Iddo's influence procured and brought to the camp at Ahava thirty-eight Levites, and two hundred twenty Nethinims, the descendants of the Gibeonites, who performed the servile duties of the temple.
Ezr 8:21-36. A Fast Proclaimed.
21. Then I proclaimed a fast there—The dangers to travelling caravans from the Bedouin Arabs that prowl through the desert were in ancient times as great as they still are; and it seems that travellers usually sought the protection of a military escort. But Ezra had spoken so much to the king of the sufficiency of the divine care of His people that he would have blushed to apply for a guard of soldiers. Therefore he resolved that his followers should, by a solemn act of fasting and prayer, commit themselves to the Keeper of Israel. Their faith, considering the many and constant perils of a journey across the Bedouin regions, must have been great, and it was rewarded by the enjoyment of perfect safety during the whole way.
24-32. Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests … and weighed unto them the silver, &c.—The custody of the contributions and of the sacred vessels was, during the journey, committed to twelve of the chief priests, who, with the assistance of ten of their brethren, were to watch closely over them by the way, and deliver them into the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. The treasures in silver and gold, according to the value of the Babylonian talent, amounted to about £515,000 sterling.
27. two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold—Almost all commentators agree in maintaining that the vessels referred to were not made of copper, but of an alloy capable of taking on a bright polish, which we think highly probable, as copper was then in common use among the Babylonians, and would not be as precious as gold. This alloy, much esteemed among the Jews, was composed of gold and other metals, which took on a high polish and was not subject to tarnish [Noyes].
31. we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month—Computing from the time of their setting out to the period of their arrival, they occupied about four months on the way. Their health and security were marvellous during so long a journey. The pilgrim-caravans of the present day perform long journeys through the wildest deserts of the East under the protection of a firman from the Porte, and an escort of soldiers. But for a large body, composed as that of Ezra—of some thousands of men, women, and children, unaccustomed to travel, undisciplined to order, and without military strength, and with so large an amount of treasure tempting the cupidity of the marauding, plundering tribes of the desert—to accomplish a journey so long and so arduous in perfect safety, is one of the most astonishing events recorded in history. Nothing but the vigilant care of a superintending Providence could have brought them securely to their destination.
33-36. Now on the fourth day was the silver … weighed in the house of our God—The first three days after their arrival in Jerusalem were undoubtedly given to repose; on the next, the treasures were weighed and handed over to the custody of the officiating priests of the temple. The returned exiles offered burnt offerings, and Ezra delivered the royal commission to the satraps and inferior magistrates; while the Levitical portion of them lent all the assistance they could in performing the additional work which the arrival of so many new worshippers occasioned.