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BOOK 15 OF 66 · HISTORY · KING JAMES BIBLE

Ezra 2

Ezra book home•Chapter 2 of 10•70 verses
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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Ezra 2 Overview

Ezra 2 records the community that returns from Babylon to Judah. Families, towns, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and others are counted because the restored community must know who belongs where. Some priestly claimants cannot prove their genealogy and are temporarily excluded from priestly privileges until the matter can be properly resolved.

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70Verses
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Before you read Ezra 2

Coming from

Chapter 1 ended with Cyrus’s authorization, the stirred returning families, and the recovered temple vessels ready for Jerusalem.

In this chapter

The chapter records the returning community, verifies priestly ancestry, totals people and possessions, and notes voluntary gifts for rebuilding the temple.

Leads into

Chapter 3 moves from identifying the restored community to restoring worship, beginning with the altar and then the temple foundation.

Key understandingExplore deeper

The long list is administrative and covenantal, not filler. Land, priestly service, Levitical duties, and community identity all depend on trustworthy family records. The priests who cannot document their lineage are not declared evil; they are withheld from priestly food until their status can be determined.

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Restoration requires ordered people as well as restored buildings; the community is counted because responsibilities and inheritances matter.

Truth 2

Priestly service is not self-appointed. Genealogical qualification matters under the Mosaic order.

Truth 3

Many returnees give freely toward the temple work, showing that rebuilding worship involves willing material participation.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Nehemiah 7 preserves a closely related returnee list and uses it when Jerusalem is being repopulated.

Connection 2

Numbers repeatedly uses censuses to order Israel for covenant responsibilities; Ezra 2 serves a different historical moment but a similar concern for identifiable community order.

Connection 3

First Chronicles gives extensive genealogies for the same broad reason: post-exilic Israel needed continuity with its earlier covenant history.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Do not dismiss the names as spiritually unimportant; the list establishes continuity between the pre-exilic people and the restored community.

Keep this clear 2

Small numerical differences between Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 should not be solved by inventing details the text does not provide; the lists may reflect different copying, stages, or administrative reckonings.

Keep this clear 3

Genealogical qualification for Aaronic priesthood belongs to Israel’s priestly system and should not be converted into a requirement for New Testament salvation or ministry.

Read Ezra 2 watching for…

The different kinds of people included in the return.

Why some priestly claimants are treated differently.

The total size and resources of the returning community.

The gifts contributed for the house of God.

How the list prepares for organized worship in chapter 3.

TWBC REVIEW STANDARD

Plain language. Scripture first. Fact distinguished from inference. No filler. No fake certainty. Designed to help you read the Bible itself.

Chapter outline7 sections
1-2The leaders of the returning company are named3-35The families and towns of the returning people are counted36-42The priests, Levites, singers, and gatekeepers are counted43-58The Nethinims and the children of Solomon’s servants are listed59-63Some cannot prove their genealogy, including priests excluded from holy things for the time64-67The total congregation, servants, singers, and animals are counted68-70The leaders give freely for the house of God, and the people settle in their cities
1

Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;

2

Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

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.

16

The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

17

The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.

18

The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.

19

The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.

20

The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.

21

The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.

22

The men of Netophah, fifty and six.

23

The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.

24

The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.

25

The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.

26

The children of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one.

27

The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.

28

The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.

29

The children of Nebo, fifty and two.

30

The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.

31

The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

32

The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

33

The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.

34

The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

35

The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.

36

The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.

37

The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

38

The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

39

The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

40

The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.

41

The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.

42

The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.

43

The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

44

The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,

45

The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,

46

The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,

47

The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,

48

The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,

49

The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,

50

The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,

51

The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,

52

The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,

53

The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,

54

The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

55

The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,

56

The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,

57

The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.

58

All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

59

And these were they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:

60

The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.

61

And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:

62

These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.

63

And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.

64

The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,

65

Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.

66

Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;

67

Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

68

And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:

69

They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.

70

So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

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Ezra 2:53

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