Ezra 2
The Names of the Returning Exiles
1 ▼▼sn The list of names and numbers in this chapter of Ezra has a parallel account in Neh 7:6-73. The fact that the two lists do not always agree in specific details suggests that various textual errors have crept into the accounts during the transmission process.
These are the people ▼▼tn Heb “the sons of.”
of the province who were going up, ▼▼tn The Hebrew term הָעֹלִים (haʿolim, “those who were going up” [Qal active participle]) refers to continual action in the past. Most translations render this as a simple past: “went up” (KJV), “came up” (RSV, ASV, NASB, NIV), “came” (NRSV). CEV paraphrases: “were on their way back.”
from the captives of the exile whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile in Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city. 2They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of Israelites ▼▼tn Heb “men of the people of Israel.”
was as follows: ▼▼tn The words “was as follows” are not in the Hebrew text but are used in the translation for clarity.
3the descendants ▼▼tn Heb “the sons of.”
of Parosh: 2,172; 4the descendants of Shephatiah: 372; 5the descendants of Arah: 775; 6the descendants of Pahath Moab (from the line ▼ of Jeshua and ▼▼tc The MT reads יוֹאָב (yoʾav, “Joab”). However, syntax demands the reading וְיוֹאָב (veyoʾav, “and Joab”) which is reflected in the LXX and Syriac.
Joab): 2,812; 7the descendants of Elam: 1,254; 8the descendants of Zattu: 945; 9the descendants of Zaccai: 760; 10the descendants of Bani: 642; 11the descendants of Bebai: 623; 12the descendants of Azgad: 1,222; 13the descendants of Adonikam: 666; 14the descendants of Bigvai: 2,056; 15the descendants of Adin: 454; 16the descendants of Ater (through ▼ Hezekiah): 98; 17the descendants of Bezai: 323; 18the descendants of Jorah: 112; 19the descendants of Hashum: 223; 20the descendants of Gibbar: 95. 21The men ▼ of Bethlehem: 123; 22the men of Netophah: 56; 23the men of Anathoth: 128; 24the men of the family ▼▼tc The translation follows the suggestion in BHS and reads אַנְשֵׁי בֵּית (ʾanshe bet, “men of the house of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (bene, “the sons of”) found in the MT. And see H. G. M. Williamson, Ezra, Nehemiah (WBC), 25.
▼▼tn Heb “the men of the house of Azmaveth”; some regard בֵּית (bet, “house of”) as a part of the place name: NAB, NLT “Beth Azmaveth.”
of Azmaveth: 42; 25the men of Kiriath Jearim, ▼▼tc The translation, with the support of many manuscripts, reads יְעָרִים (yeʿarim) here rather than the reading עָרִים (ʿarim) of the MT.
Kephirah and Beeroth: 743; 26the men of Ramah and Geba: 621; 27the men of Micmash: 122; 28the men of Bethel and Ai: 223; 29the descendants of Nebo: 52; 30the descendants of Magbish: 156; 31the descendants of the other Elam: 1,254; 32the descendants of Harim: 320; 33the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 725; 34the men of Jericho: 345; 35the descendants of Senaah: 3,630. 36The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family ▼▼tn Heb “the house of.”
of Jeshua): 973; 37the descendants of Immer: 1,052; 38the descendants of Pashhur: 1,247; 39the descendants of Harim: 1,017. 40The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah): 74. 41The singers: the descendants of Asaph: 128. 42The gatekeepers: ▼▼tc Here it is preferable to delete the reading בְּנֵי (bene, “the sons of”) found in the MT.
the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai: 139. 43The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 44the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, 45the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, 46the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai, ▼▼tc The translation follows the Qere reading “Shalmai” (so KJV, NASB, NIV, NLT) rather than the MT Kethib “Shamlai” (so ASV, NAB, NRSV).
the descendants of Hanan, 47the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, 48the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, 49the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, 50the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim, 51the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 52the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, 53the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, 54the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha. 55The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, 56the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, 57the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Ami. 58All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon: 392. 59These are the ones that came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify ▼▼tn Heb “relate.”
their family connection ▼▼tn Heb “the house of their fathers.”
or their ancestry, ▼▼tn Heb “their seed.”
as to whether they really were from Israel): 60the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda: 652. 61And from among ▼▼tc The translation reads וּמִן (umin, “and from”) rather than the reading וּמִבְּנֵי (umibbeney, “and from the sons of”) found in the MT.
the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that ▼▼tn Heb “their.”
name). 62They ▼▼tn Heb “these.”
searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but did not find them. ▼▼tn Heb “their records were searched for in the genealogical materials, but were not found.” This passive construction has been translated as active for stylistic reasons.
They were therefore excluded ▼▼tn Heb “they were desecrated.”
from the priesthood. 63The governor ▼▼tn The Hebrew word תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshataʾ) is an official title of the Persian governor in Judea, perhaps similar in meaning to “excellency” (BDB 1077 s.v.; HALOT 1798 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395).
instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult ▼▼tn Heb “to stand.”
the Urim and Thummim. ▼▼sn The Urim and Thummim were two objects used to determine God’s will; there is no clear evidence of their size or shape, or the material from which they were made.
64The entire group numbered 42,360, ▼ 65not counting ▼▼tn Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”
their male and female servants, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers 66and 736 horses, 245 mules, 67435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 68When they came to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders ▼▼tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
offered voluntary offerings for the temple of God in order to rebuild ▼▼tn Heb “cause it to stand.”
it on its site. 69As they were able, ▼▼tn Heb “according to their strength.”
they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas ▼▼tn The meaning of the Hebrew word דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים (darkemonim, cf. Neh 7:69, 70, 71) is uncertain. It may be a Greek loanword meaning “drachmas” (the view adopted here and followed also by NAB, NASB, NIV84) or a Persian loanword “daric,” referring to a Persian gold coin (BDB 204 s.v. דַּרְכְּמוֹן; HALOT 232 s.v. נִים(וֹ)דַּרְכְּמֹ; cf. ASV, NIV11, NRSV). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 206-9.
of gold, 5,000 minas ▼ of silver, and 100 priestly robes. ▼▼tn Or “garments.”
70The priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel lived in their towns.
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