Ezra 2: The List of the Exiles Who Returned

• v.1-57 General Names
• v.58-63 Specific Groups and some excluded
• v.64-67 Total Numbers
• v.68-70 Offerings & Settlement

v.1-57 General Names

v.1 Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town, 

2 in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah): The list of the men of the people of Israel: 

3 the descendants of Parosh, 2,172 

4 of Shephatiah, 372 

5 of Arah, 775 

6 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab), 2,812 

7 of Elam, 1,254 

8 of Zattu, 945 

9 of Zaccai, 760 

10 of Bani, 642 

11 of Bebai, 623 

12 of Azgad, 1,222 

13 of Adonikam, 666 

14 of Bigvai, 2,056 

15 of Adin, 454 

16 of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98 

17 of Bezai, 323 

18 of Jorah, 112 

19 of Hashum, 223 

20 of Gibbar, 95 

21 the men of Bethlehem, 123 

22 of Netophah, 56 

23 of Anathoth, 128 

24 of Azmaveth, 42 

25 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth, 743 

26 of Ramah and Geba, 621 

27 of Micmash, 122 

28 of Bethel and Ai, 223 

29 of Nebo, 52 

30 of Magbish, 156 

31 of the other Elam, 1,254 

32 of Harim, 320 

33 of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 725 

34 of Jericho, 345 

35 of Senaah, 3,630 

36 The priests: 

37 of Immer, 1,052 

38 of Pashhur, 1,247 

39 of Harim, 1,017 

40 The Levites: 

41 The musicians: 

42 The gatekeepers of the temple: 

43 The temple servants: 

44 Keros, Siaha, Padon, 

45 Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, 

46 Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, 

47 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, 

48 Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, 

49 Uzza, Paseah, Besai, 

50 Asnah, Meunim, Nephusim, 

51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 

52 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 

53 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 

54 Neziah and Hatipha 

55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon: 

56 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, 

57 Shephatiah, Hattil, 

[Notes: The importance of family names among the Jews is seen here [v.3-39] as well as the long-remaining roles of the families who had previously served in Solomon’s temple [v.40-57]. Also note the names of some of the leaders [v.2] and therefore the care that was taken to keep the records, probably there in Babylon.]

v.58-63 Specific Groups and some excluded

v.58 The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon, 392 

v.59 The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel: 

v.60 The descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda 652 

v.61 And from among the priests: The descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). 

v.62 These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 

v.63 The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim. 

[Notes: Again the record gives a sense of reality in that there are clearly a number of families who, for one reason or another, could not be found in the (incomplete?) records. As these were families apparently linked to the temple service, their inability to prove their ancestry now excluded them from that service.]

v.64-67 Total Numbers

v.64 The whole company numbered 42,360, 

v.65 besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 200 male and female singers. 

v.66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 

v.67 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys. 

[Notes: Thus the record shows us that over 42,000 returned at this time.]

v.68-70 Offerings & Settlement

v.68 When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site. 

v.69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver and 100 priestly garments. 

v.70 The priests, the Levites, the musicians, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.

[Notes: The return to Jerusalem saw a heart stirring in some of the families who provided resources for the rebuilding. Many of the others linked to the temple, picked up the old way of the nation of them being spread through various designated towns.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, you will find it as a continuation of chapter 1.