Add parallel Print Page Options

Number of Those Returning

Now these are [a]the people of the province [of Judah] who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had deported to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own city. These came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, [b]Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, [c]Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel: the sons (descendants) of Parosh, 2,172; the sons of Shephatiah, 372; the sons of Arah, 775; the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,812; the sons of Elam, 1,254; the sons of Zattu, 945; the sons of Zaccai, 760; 10 the sons of Bani, 642; 11 the sons of Bebai, 623; 12 the sons of Azgad, 1,222; 13 the sons of Adonikam, 666; 14 the sons of Bigvai, 2,056; 15 the sons of Adin, 454; 16 the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, 98; 17 the sons of Bezai, 323; 18 the sons of Jorah, 112; 19 the sons of Hashum, 223; 20 the sons of Gibbar, 95; 21 the men of Bethlehem, 123; 22 the men of Netophah, 56; 23 the men of Anathoth, 128; 24 the sons of Azmaveth, 42; 25 the sons of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743; 26 the sons of Ramah and Geba, 621; 27 the men of Michmas, 122; 28 the men of Bethel and Ai, 223; 29 the sons of Nebo, 52; 30 the sons of Magbish, 156; 31 the sons of the other Elam, 1,254; 32 the sons of Harim, 320; 33 the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 725; 34 the men of Jericho, 345; 35 the sons of Senaah, 3,630.

Priests Returning

36 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973; 37 the sons of Immer, 1,052; 38 the sons of Pashhur, 1,247; 39 the sons of Harim, 1,017.

Levites Returning

40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, 74. 41 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 128. 42 The sons of the gatekeepers: of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, in all 139.

43 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 44 the sons of Keros, Siaha, Padon, 45 the sons of Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, 46 the sons of Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, 47 the sons of Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, 48 the sons of Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, 49 the sons of Uzza, Paseah, Besai, 50 the sons of Asnah, Meunim, Nephisim, 51 the sons of Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 52 the sons of Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 53 the sons of Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 54 the sons of Neziah, Hatipha.

55 The sons of [King] Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, Hassophereth (Sophereth), Peruda, 56 the sons of Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, 57 the sons of Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-hazzebaim, Ami.

58 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants totaled 392.

59 Now these are the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they could not provide evidence of their fathers’ households and their descendants, whether they were of Israel: 60 the sons of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, 652.

Priests Removed

61 Of the sons of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, of Hakkoz, and of Barzillai, who took a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and he was known by their name.(A) 62 These searched [for their names] among those registered in the genealogies, but they were not found; so they were excluded from the priesthood as [ceremonially] unclean. 63 The [d]governor told them that they should not eat of the most holy things [the priests’ food] until a priest stood up with Urim and Thummim [who by consulting these articles in his breastplate could [e]determine God’s will in the matter].

64 The whole assembly totaled 42,360, 65 besides their male and female servants who numbered 7,337; and [among them] they had 200 male and female singers. 66 Their horses totaled 736; their mules, 245; 67 their camels totaled 435; their donkeys, 6,720.

68 Some of the [f]heads of the fathers’ households (extended families), when they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, made voluntary contributions for the house of God to rebuild it on its [old] foundation. 69 They gave according to their ability to the treasury for the work, 61,000 drachmas of gold, 5,000 minas of silver, and 100 priestly [linen] garments.

70 So the priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants settled in their [own] cities, and all Israel [gradually settled] into their cities.

Altar and Sacrifices Restored

When the seventh month came and the sons of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered together as one man to Jerusalem. Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers arose, and they built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings on it, as it is written in the [g]Law of Moses, the man of God. So they set up the altar on its [old] foundation, [h]for they were terrified because of the peoples of the lands; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, morning and evening. They celebrated the Feast of [i]Booths, as it is written, and offered the fixed number of daily burnt offerings, in accordance with the ordinances, as each day required; and afterward, there was the continual burnt offering, the offering at the New Moons, and at all the appointed festivals of the Lord that were consecrated, and the offerings of everyone who made a voluntary offering to the Lord. From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, but the foundation of the temple of the Lord had not been laid. They gave money to the masons and to the carpenters, and gave food, drink, and [olive] oil to the people from Sidon and Tyre, to bring cedar wood from Lebanon to the seaport of Joppa, in accordance with the authorization they had from Cyrus king of Persia.

Temple Restoration Begun

In the second year of their coming to God’s house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began [the work], with the rest of their brothers—the priests and Levites and all who came to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to oversee the work of the house of the Lord. Then Jeshua with his sons and brothers stood united with Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah and the sons of Henadad with their sons and brothers the Levites, to oversee the workmen in the house of God.

10 Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with their cymbals, to praise the Lord in accordance with the directions of David king of Israel. 11 They sang [responsively], praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, “For He is good, for His lovingkindness (mercy) toward Israel endures forever.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers’ households, the old men who had seen the first house (temple), wept with a loud voice when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, while many shouted aloud for joy, 13 so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the sound was heard far away.

Adversaries Hinder the Work

Now when [the Samaritans] the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles from the captivity were building a temple to the Lord God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel [who was now governor] and to the heads of the fathers’ households and said to them, “Let us build with you, for we seek your God [and worship] just as you do; and we have sacrificed to Him since the days of Esarhaddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.”(B) But Zerubbabel and Jeshua and the rest of the heads of fathers’ households of Israel said to them, “You have nothing in common with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves will together build to the Lord God of Israel, just as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, has commanded us.”

Then [the Samaritans and others of] the people of the land [j]discouraged the people of Judah, and frightened them [to deter them] from building, and hired advisers [to work] against them to frustrate their plans during the entire time that Cyrus king of Persia reigned, [and this lasted] even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 2:1 Tens of thousands of the Jews returned, but many of the exiles declined the offer and remained in Babylon.
  2. Ezra 2:2 Not the author of the Book of Nehemiah.
  3. Ezra 2:2 Not the relative of Esther.
  4. Ezra 2:63 Heb Tirshatha, a Persian title. Probably either Sheshbazzar or Zerubbabel.
  5. Ezra 2:63 But the effort doubtless would have been in vain. Long-standing disobedience had apparently caused Israel’s priests to forfeit the divine gift of guidance through Urim and Thummim, and it was never recovered. Except for a similar incident in Neh 7:65, Urim and Thummim are not again mentioned in the Scriptures. The higher revelation by the prophets superseded them as interpreters of the will of God (see also Ex 28:30; Amos 3:7).
  6. Ezra 2:68 I.e. patriarchs.
  7. Ezra 3:2 The Hebrew word here is torah, usually translated “law.”
  8. Ezra 3:3 Lit for a state of terror was upon them. Some prefer “in spite of the hostility [or fear] upon them,” indicating that setting up the altar was an act of bravery in the face of external threats. But the real problem seems to be that they had delayed construction of the temple, even on the foundation (vv 6, 10), for fear of their neighbors. So now they conducted services in the open, with the bare minimum of the altar in its proper position. One can credit Zerubbabel and his associates (v 2) for taking the initiative to begin worship services and festivals, but having to do so with nothing more than the altar paints a pathetic picture, especially since the nation had the full support of Cyrus.
  9. Ezra 3:4 Or Tabernacles.
  10. Ezra 4:4 Lit weakened the hands of.

The List of the Exiles Who Returned(A)

Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles,(B) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon(C) had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town,(D) in company with Zerubbabel,(E) Joshua,(F) Nehemiah, Seraiah,(G) Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah):

The list of the men of the people of Israel:

the descendants of Parosh(H)2,172
of Shephatiah372
of Arah775
of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab)2,812
of Elam1,254
of Zattu945
of Zakkai760
10 of Bani642
11 of Bebai623
12 of Azgad1,222
13 of Adonikam(I)666
14 of Bigvai2,056
15 of Adin454
16 of Ater (through Hezekiah)98
17 of Bezai323
18 of Jorah112
19 of Hashum223
20 of Gibbar95
21 the men of Bethlehem(J)123
22 of Netophah56
23 of Anathoth128
24 of Azmaveth42
25 of Kiriath Jearim,[a] Kephirah and Beeroth743
26 of Ramah(K) and Geba621
27 of Mikmash122
28 of Bethel and Ai(L)223
29 of Nebo52
30 of Magbish156
31 of the other Elam1,254
32 of Harim320
33 of Lod, Hadid and Ono725
34 of Jericho(M)345
35 of Senaah3,630

36 The priests:

the descendants of Jedaiah(N) (through the family of Jeshua)973
37 of Immer(O)1,052
38 of Pashhur(P)1,247
39 of Harim(Q)1,017

40 The Levites:(R)

the descendants of Jeshua(S) and Kadmiel (of the line of Hodaviah)74

41 The musicians:(T)

the descendants of Asaph128

42 The gatekeepers(U) of the temple:

the descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon,
Akkub, Hatita and Shobai139

43 The temple servants:(V)

the descendants of
Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
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:

the descendants of
Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,
56 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
57 Shephatiah, Hattil,
Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Ami
58 The temple servants(W) and the descendants of the servants of Solomon392

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(X) from Israel:

60 The descendants of
Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda652

61 And from among the priests:

The descendants of
Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite(Y) and was called by that name).

62 These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood(Z) as unclean. 63 The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food(AA) until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.(AB)

64 The whole company numbered 42,360, 65 besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 200 male and female singers.(AC) 66 They had 736 horses,(AD) 245 mules, 67 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

68 When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families(AE) gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site. 69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics[b] of gold, 5,000 minas[c] of silver and 100 priestly garments.

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.(AF)

Rebuilding the Altar

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,(AG) the people assembled(AH) together as one in Jerusalem. Then Joshua(AI) son of Jozadak(AJ) and his fellow priests and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel(AK) and his associates began to build the altar of the God of Israel to sacrifice burnt offerings on it, in accordance with what is written in the Law of Moses(AL) the man of God. Despite their fear(AM) of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices.(AN) Then in accordance with what is written, they celebrated the Festival of Tabernacles(AO) with the required number of burnt offerings prescribed for each day. After that, they presented the regular burnt offerings, the New Moon(AP) sacrifices and the sacrifices for all the appointed sacred festivals of the Lord,(AQ) as well as those brought as freewill offerings to the Lord. On the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt offerings to the Lord, though the foundation of the Lord’s temple had not yet been laid.

Rebuilding the Temple

Then they gave money to the masons and carpenters,(AR) and gave food and drink and olive oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar logs(AS) by sea from Lebanon(AT) to Joppa, as authorized by Cyrus(AU) king of Persia.

In the second month(AV) of the second year after their arrival at the house of God in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel(AW) son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak and the rest of the people (the priests and the Levites and all who had returned from the captivity to Jerusalem) began the work. They appointed Levites twenty(AX) years old and older to supervise the building of the house of the Lord. Joshua(AY) and his sons and brothers and Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Hodaviah[d]) and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers—all Levites—joined together in supervising those working on the house of God.

10 When the builders laid(AZ) the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests in their vestments and with trumpets,(BA) and the Levites (the sons of Asaph) with cymbals, took their places to praise(BB) the Lord, as prescribed by David(BC) king of Israel.(BD) 11 With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

“He is good;
    his love toward Israel endures forever.”(BE)

And all the people gave a great shout(BF) of praise to the Lord, because the foundation(BG) of the house of the Lord was laid. 12 But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads, who had seen the former temple,(BH) wept(BI) aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. 13 No one could distinguish the sound of the shouts of joy(BJ) from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.

Opposition to the Rebuilding

When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin heard that the exiles were building(BK) a temple for the Lord, the God of Israel, they came to Zerubbabel and to the heads of the families and said, “Let us help you build because, like you, we seek your God and have been sacrificing to him since the time of Esarhaddon(BL) king of Assyria, who brought us here.”(BM)

But Zerubbabel, Joshua and the rest of the heads of the families of Israel answered, “You have no part with us in building a temple to our God. We alone will build it for the Lord, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia, commanded us.”(BN)

Then the peoples around them set out to discourage the people of Judah and make them afraid to go on building.[e](BO) They bribed officials to work against them and frustrate their plans during the entire reign of Cyrus king of Persia and down to the reign of Darius king of Persia.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 2:25 See Septuagint (see also Neh. 7:29); Hebrew Kiriath Arim.
  2. Ezra 2:69 That is, about 1,100 pounds or about 500 kilograms
  3. Ezra 2:69 That is, about 3 tons or about 2.8 metric tons
  4. Ezra 3:9 Hebrew Yehudah, a variant of Hodaviah
  5. Ezra 4:4 Or and troubled them as they built

19 The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei. The sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; 20 and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed—five in all. 21 The sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, the sons of Rephaiah, the sons of Arnan, the sons of Obadiah, the sons of Shecaniah. 22 The sons (descendants) of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. The sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat—six in all. 23 The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam—three in all. 24 The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani—seven in all.

Read full chapter

19 The sons of Pedaiah:

Zerubbabel(A) and Shimei.

The sons of Zerubbabel:

Meshullam and Hananiah.

Shelomith was their sister.

20 There were also five others:

Hashubah, Ohel, Berekiah, Hasadiah and Jushab-Hesed.

21 The descendants of Hananiah:

Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, and the sons of Rephaiah, of Arnan, of Obadiah and of Shekaniah.

22 The descendants of Shekaniah:

Shemaiah and his sons:

Hattush,(B) Igal, Bariah, Neariah and Shaphat—six in all.

23 The sons of Neariah:

Elioenai, Hizkiah and Azrikam—three in all.

24 The sons of Elioenai:

Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah and Anani—seven in all.

Read full chapter