Ezr 2:64 | MHM | STEP | The Sum of the Returnees and Their Offerings This section gives a summary of the people who returned from Babylon to Judah. It also describes their servants, animals, and the gifts they brought for rebuilding the temple. Even though their numbers and resources were small, their unity and willingness to give show their faith and hope in God’s promises. v. 64 : The total number of people who returned from Babylon was over 42,000. The earlier lists add up to about 29,818, so there were more than 12,000 others who could not say exactly which family or city they belonged to, but they knew they were Israelites. This number was more than double the people who were first taken to Babylon. Like in Egypt, their time of suffering became a time of growth. Even though they were few, God’s promise to their ancestors helped them grow into a large nation later. As God said, a little one shall become a thousand (Isaiah 60:22 ).

‏ Ezra 2:64

The Sum of the Returnees and Their Offerings

This section gives a summary of the people who returned from Babylon to Judah. It also describes their servants, animals, and the gifts they brought for rebuilding the temple. Even though their numbers and resources were small, their unity and willingness to give show their faith and hope in God’s promises.

v. 64: The total number of people who returned from Babylon was over 42,000. The earlier lists add up to about 29,818, so there were more than 12,000 others who could not say exactly which family or city they belonged to, but they knew they were Israelites. This number was more than double the people who were first taken to Babylon. Like in Egypt, their time of suffering became a time of growth. Even though they were few, God’s promise to their ancestors helped them grow into a large nation later. As God said, a little one shall become a thousand (Isaiah 60:22 ^a).