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Chapter 2

Census of the Province. These were the people of the province who returned from the captivity of the exiles, those whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had carried away to Babylon and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. They were led back by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.[a]

The census of the men of the people of Israel: the sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two; the sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two; the sons of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five; the sons of Pahath-moab, namely the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve; the sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; the sons of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five; less the sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty; 10 the sons of Bani, six hundred and forty-two; 11 the sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three; 12 the sons of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two; 13 the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six; 14 the sons of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six; 15 the sons of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four; 16 the sons of Ater, namely the descendants of Hezekiah, ninety-eight; 17 the sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three; 18 the sons of Jorah, one hundred and twelve; 19 the sons of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three; 20 the sons of Gibeon, ninety-five; 21 the sons of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three; 22 the sons of Netophah, fifty-six; 23 the sons of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight; 24 the sons of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two; 25 the sons of Kiriath-jearim, Chephi-rah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three; 26 the sons of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one; 27 the sons of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two; 28 the sons of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three; 29 the sons of Nebo, fifty-two; 30 the sons of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six; 31 the sons of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four; 32 the sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty; 33 the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five; 34 the sons of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five; 35 the sons of Senaah, three thousand six hundred and thirty.

36 The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, who were of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three; 37 the sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two; 38 the sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; 39 the sons of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, Kadmiel, Binnui, and Hodaviah, seventy-four.

41 The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight.

42 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-nine in all.

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

55 The descendants of the slaves of Solomon: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Hassophereth, the sons of Peruda, 56 the sons of Jaalah, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 57 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Ami. 58 The total of the temple slaves and the descendants of Solomon’s servants numbered three hundred and ninety-two.

59 The following were those who returned from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer but were unable to prove that their families and their ancestry were of Israelite origin: 60 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda: six hundred and fifty-two. 61 And also in regard to the sons of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (he had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and became known by his name). 62 These men had searched for their names in the genealogical records[b] but they were not to be found there. As a result, they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 63 Consequently the governor[c] ordered them not to partake of the most sacred food until a priest arrived to consult the Urim and the Thummim.

64 The entire assemblage numbered forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty people, 65 apart from their male and female slaves, who numbered seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven, not including two hundred male and female singers. 66 Their horses numbered seven hundred and thirty-six. In addition, their mules numbered two hundred and forty-five, 67 their camels numbered four hundred and thirty-five, and their donkeys numbered six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

68 When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of families gave free-will offerings for the rebuilding of the house of God on its original site. 69 According to their resources they donated sixty-one thousand gold drachmas, five thousand silver minas, and one hundred priestly robes.[d]

70 The priests, the Levites, and some of the people settled in Jerusalem and its vicinity, while the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 2:2 The Nehemiah mentioned here is not the same one who will rebuild Jerusalem almost a century later, and Mordecai is not the person who is named in the Book of Esther.
  2. Ezra 2:62 Genealogical records: during this time period, examining records was extremely important for many reasons. One must prove that they descended from Abraham to be considered a true Jew, and this allowed them to participate in full community life.
  3. Ezra 2:63 Governor: Sheshbazzar; see Ezr 1:8.
  4. Ezra 2:69 As generous as these donations were, fundraising for the new temple did not compare to the money that David raised for the building of Solomon’s temple, and hence it would never compare to the splendor of the original temple.

Now these are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away, whom [a]Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and that returned unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, [b]Seraiah, [c]Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, [d]Mispar, Bigvai, [e]Rehum, Baanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel: The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two. The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five. The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five. The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. 10 The children of [f]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 [g]Jorah, a hundred and twelve. 19 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three. 20 The children of [h]Gibbar, ninety and five. 21 The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three. 22 The men of Netophah, fifty and six. 23 The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight. 24 The children of [i]Azmaveth, forty and two. 25 The children of [j]Kiriath-arim, 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, a hundred twenty and two. 28 The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. 29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two. 30 The children of Magbish, a 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 Pashhur, 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 [k]Hodaviah, seventy and four. 41 The singers: the children of Asaph, a 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 a hundred thirty and nine.

43 The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 44 the children of Keros, the children of [l]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 [m]Shamlai, 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 Meunim, the children of [n]Nephisim, 51 the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 52 the children of [o]Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 53 the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, 54 the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

55 The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of [p]Hassophereth, the children of [q]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-hazzebaim, the children of [r]Ami. 58 All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

59 And these were they that went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, [s]Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses, 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 [t]Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who 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 [u]were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood. 63 And the governor 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 assembly together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, 65 besides their men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had 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 heads of fathers’ houses, when they came to the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to set it up in its place: 69 they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work threescore and one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand [v]pounds 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 Nethinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

Footnotes

  1. Ezra 2:1 Hebrew Nebuchadnezzor.
  2. Ezra 2:2 In Neh. 7:7, Azariah.
  3. Ezra 2:2 In Neh. 7:7, Raamiah.
  4. Ezra 2:2 In Neh. 7:7, Mispereth.
  5. Ezra 2:2 In Neh. 7:7, Nehum.
  6. Ezra 2:10 In Neh. 7:15, Binnui.
  7. Ezra 2:18 In Neh. 7:24, Hariph.
  8. Ezra 2:20 In Neh. 7:25, Gibeon.
  9. Ezra 2:24 In Neh. 7:28, Beth-azmaveth.
  10. Ezra 2:25 In Neh. 7:29, Kiriath-jearim.
  11. Ezra 2:40 In 3:9, Judah. In Neh. 7:43, Hodevah.
  12. Ezra 2:44 In Neh. 7:47, Sia.
  13. Ezra 2:46 In Neh. 7:48, Salmai.
  14. Ezra 2:50 Another reading is, Nephusim. In Neh. 7:52, Nephushesim.
  15. Ezra 2:52 In Neh. 7:54, Bazlith.
  16. Ezra 2:55 In Neh. 7:57, Sophereth.
  17. Ezra 2:55 In Neh. 7:57, Perida.
  18. Ezra 2:57 In Neh. 7:59, Amon.
  19. Ezra 2:59 In Neh. 7:61, Addon.
  20. Ezra 2:61 In Neh. 7:63, Hobaiah.
  21. Ezra 2:62 Hebrew they were polluted from the priesthood.
  22. Ezra 2:69 Hebrew maneh.