Ezra 2

This chapter is Ezra's first major digression from the main story. The returning exiles needed to identify true Jews to maintain their community identity and theological purity. This helped them know whom they could marry and who could worship at the temple. This list is not the initial list of all Jews who returned to Jerusalem (compare Nehemiah 7:6–73). Instead, it is a slightly later list, created after Sheshbazzar died, of people who had settled in their towns.

Jeshua, a variant spelling of Joshua, son of Jehozadak (Ezra 3:2, 8), from Aaron's lineage, was the high priest (Haggai 1:1; Zechariah 3:1). The Nehemiah mentioned here is not the one who later built Jerusalem's walls. This Mordecai is not the famous relative of Esther.

In the ancient Near East, people identified themselves by answering, “Who are your father and your family?” Priests were known as the sons of Aaron. If they could not prove this link, they could not serve (Ezra 2:61–62). Others identified themselves by a well-known elder in their group.

the men of...the descendants of: Some returnees were identified by their hometowns. Not everyone knew their family history or had famous ancestors. Most cities mentioned were near Jerusalem.

the priests...The Levites: Only seventy-four Levites returned to Jerusalem, which was a very low number. Ezra later worked hard to bring thirty-eight more with him (see study note on Ezra 8:18).

• The singers played instruments and sang for worship at the temple (1 Chronicles 25:1–31; Psalms 73–83). The gatekeepers managed the temple gates and storehouses (1 Chronicles 9:26–27; 2 Chronicles 23:19; Nehemiah 12:25).

• Asaph was one of the three Levites King David appointed to lead music at the temple (1 Chronicles 16:5, 7). He wrote a collection of psalms (Psalms 50, 73–83). His family continued his work (1 Chronicles 25:1–7).

The temple servants were likely descendants of the Gibeonites (Joshua 9:23–27). They helped the Levites (Ezra 8:20) by carrying water and wood and sweeping floors.

• The descendants of King Solomon's servants are linked to the temple servants (Ezra 2:43–54). Their names might show their duties. For example:

  • Hassophereth, meaning "the scribe," probably kept inventories

  • Pokereth-hazzebaim, meaning "gazelle-hunter," likely hunted game

Some returnees believed in Israel's God but lacked genealogical records to prove they were Israelites. Without this information, the other Israelites were unsure whether to treat them as family and intermarry with them or as outsiders. The genealogies in 1 Chronicles 1–9 show how carefully many families kept their histories.

they could not find them: The lack of a genealogy was a problem for three families (Ezra 2:61–62). They were excluded from priestly privileges or responsibilities until the high priest received divine guidance through the Urim and Thummim to know God's will (see Exodus 28:30; Numbers 27:21). Although using the Urim and Thummim was like throwing dice or drawing straws, when done by the priest, the result was a divine decision, not random chance.

• 42,360: This number might include children, as it does not match the 28,774 people listed in Ezra 2:3–42.

• The large number of servants and animals indicates that some of the Jews who returned were wealthy.

When the tabernacle was built (Exodus 25:2–7; 35:4–9) and the temple was renovated (2 Kings 12:1–21), the people gave voluntary offerings to support the work. These funds added to the provincial grant by Darius (Ezra 6:8) and gifts from Israelites who remained in Babylon (1:6). Each person gave according to his resources.

• Each gold coin, known as a Hebrew daric, was worth a month's wages for a professional soldier.

• 5,000 minas of silver: Each mina weighed 20 ounces and equaled 60 shekels of silver. Each shekel was worth an average worker's monthly wages.