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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Ezra 2:1 - 2:35
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The Household of the People
v. 1. Now, these are the children of the province, for that is what Judah had now become, a mere province of the Persian empire, that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, as distinguished from those who preferred to remain in Babylon or Persia, whom Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city, the city which was rebuilt and allotted to every one now;
v. 2. which came with Zerubbabel, who had been appointed governor of the returned exiles in Judah: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rebum, Baanah. All told, Cf Nehemiah 7, there were twelve priestly heads, who represented, in a way, the twelve tribes of Israel. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
v. 3. the children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred and seventy and two.
v. 4. The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
v. 5. The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five. That many were enrolled in the lists of the descendants of Arah, but more than a hundred fewer actually settled in Judah and were there mustered, Nehemiah 7.
v. 6. The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
v. 7. The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
v. 8. The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.
v. 9. The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
v. 10. The children of Bani (or Binnui), six hundred forty and two.
v. 11. The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.
v. 12. The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
v. 13. The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.
v. 14. The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
v. 15. The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
v. 16. The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
v. 17. The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.
v. 18. The children of Jorah (or Hariph), an hundred and twelve.
v. 19. The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.
v. 20. The children of Gibhar, ninety and five. The name is really Gibeon, Neh_7:25; for the rest of the names from this point are those of the cities from which the fathers of the present exiles had come.
v. 21. The children of Bethlehem, the former inhabitants of the city and their descendants, an hundred twenty and three.
v. 22. The men of Netophah, a small town near Bethlehem, fifty and six.
v. 23. The men of Anathoth, a Levitical city, the home of Jeremiah, against which he had prophesied in one of his severest predictions, Jer_32:27-35, an hundred twenty and eight.
v. 24. The children of Azmaveth (also known as Beth-azmaveth), forty and two.
v. 25. The children of Kirjath-arim, west of Jerusalem, Chephirah, and Beeroth, three cities of the Gibeonites, Jos_9:17, seven hundred and forty and three.
v. 26. The children of Ramah and Gaba, north of Jerusalem, Jos_9:25-26, six hundred twenty and one.
v. 27. The men of Michmas, 1Sa_13:23, an hundred twenty and two.
v. 28. The men of Bethel and Ai, still farther north of Jerusalem, Jos_7:2, two hundred twenty and three.
v. 29. The children of Nebo, the ancient Nob or Nobe, 1Sa_21:2, fifty and two.
v. 30. The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.
v. 31. The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
v. 32. The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
v. 33. The children of Lod, the later Lydda, Hadid (or Harid), and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.
v. 34. The children of Jericho, in the lowlands of the Jordan toward the east, three hundred forty and five.
v. 35. The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. It seems, from this list, that the cities in the neighborhood of Jerusalem were settled first and in the course of time more and more of them inhabited, as other exiles joined them and as their number increased.