Read Ezra 2
The List of the Exiles Who Returned
2 Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town, 2 in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah,Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah):
The list of the men of the people of Israel:
| 3 the descendants of Parosh | 2,172 |
| 4 of Shephatiah | 372 |
| 5 of Arah | 775 |
| 6 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab) | 2,812 |
| 7 of Elam | 1,254 |
| 8 of Zattu | 945 |
| 9 of Zakkai | 760 |
| 10 of Bani | 642 |
| 11 of Bebai | 623 |
| 12 of Azgad | 1,222 |
| 13 of Adonikam | 666 |
| 14 of Bigvai | 2,056 |
| 15 of Adin | 454 |
| 16 of Ater (through Hezekiah) | 98 |
| 17 of Bezai | 323 |
| 18 of Jorah | 112 |
| 19 of Hashum | 223 |
| 20 of Gibbar | 95 |
| 21 the men of Bethlehem | 123 |
| 22 of Netophah | 56 |
| 23 of Anathoth | 128 |
| 24 of Azmaveth | 42 |
| 25 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth | 743 |
| 26 of Ramah and Geba | 621 |
| 27 of Mikmash | 122 |
| 28 of Bethel and Ai | 223 |
| 29 of Nebo | 52 |
| 30 of Magbish | 156 |
| 31 of the other Elam | 1,254 |
| 32 of Harim | 320 |
| 33 of Lod, Hadid and Ono | 725 |
| 34 of Jericho | 345 |
| 35 of Senaah | 3,630 |
36 The priests:
| the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua) | 973 |
| 37 of Immer | 1,052 |
| 38 of Pashhur | 1,247 |
| 39 of Harim | 1,017 |
40 The Levites:
| the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (of the line of Hodaviah) | 74 |
41 The musicians:
| the descendants of Asaph | 128 |
42 The gatekeepers of the temple:
| the descendants of | |
| Shallum, Ater, Talmon, | |
| Akkub, Hatita and Shobai | 139 |
43 The temple servants:
| 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 and the descendants of the servants of Solomon | 392 |
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 from Israel:
| 60 The descendants of | |
| Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda | 652 |
61 And from among the priests:
| The descendants of |
| Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite 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 as unclean. 63 The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.
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.66 They had 736 horses, 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 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 of gold, 5,000 minas 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.
Go Deeper
This chapter of Ezra is a historical narrative listing the names and numbers of the families that returned to Israel after 70 years of exile in Babylon. Passages of Scripture like this typically elicit one sort of reaction to readers: boring. But before we skim past these 70 verses of Scripture and allow our eyes to cross from the long names and longer numbers, let’s remember who these people were and where they were coming from.
Ezra 2:1 tells us “Now these were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity…”. Seventy years earlier, God had punished the Israelites for their unfaithfulness and sent them into exile. These people returning included those who had experienced the exile firsthand as well as their offspring who had been told by their fathers and grandfathers where to return after their captivity.
Verse 64 states that “The whole assembly together was 42,360…” so around 50,000 people are returning to Jerusalem and Judah. It’s important to note that this is a small number compared to the half a million people who once lived in Jerusalem. We will learn in later passages of Scripture that this was the first of 3 waves of people returning from captivity, but even so, there were tens of thousands of Israelites who never returned to the Promised Land. We can make assumptions about those who didn’t return: that they were too comfortable in their new surroundings or possibly too afraid of what might await them in their old surroundings. The names listed in this passage of Scripture, though, represent family after family who obediently returned to help rebuild the temple and properly restore worship in Israel and their names are eternally recorded as a result of their obedience.
This group of people is not only remembered for obedience in returning to the Promised Land, but they are also remembered for their contributions to the rebuilding of the temple. Ezra 2:68 says “… when they came to the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, (they) made freewill offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site.” A freewill offering was given voluntarily and was given as the Lord moved the hearts of the Israelites. So these Israelites took a faithful first step of obedience by traveling hundreds of miles back to their homeland, and once they got there, they continued to be obedient in giving to the Lord of their resources for His glory.
So instead of labeling Ezra 2 as an irrelevant and boring genealogy, we can thank God for each of the names listed in this chapter because they are examples to us of obedience and sacrificial giving. They are heroes of our own faith. Glance back at one of the verses, pick a name, and praise God for their faithfulness. What a gracious God we serve that He has provided us with such precision and details!
Questions
- Psalm 37:23 says “The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” Ezra 2 is an example of this. Spend some time thanking God that He cares about the details of your life!
- Is there a step of obedience that you need to take the first step in like the Israelites did in returning to the Promised Land?
- The Holy Spirit can move our hearts just as He moved the hearts of the Israelites to give freely. Ask God to help you be in tune with where to steward your time, money, and resources.
Dig Deeper
The journey of the Israelites is quickly summed up in Ezra 2:1 by saying “They returned to Jerusalem…” but that was not as simple a journey as it sounds. That journey would have been close to 1,000 miles and would have taken several months. Here is a visual of the possible routes they may have taken to return to the Promised Land:
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12 responses to “Ezra 2”
When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site. According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics of gold, 5,000 minas of silver and 100 priestly garments. Ezra 2:68-69
There is nothing new under the sun. They were “Saving a seat” back then as well.
My thoughts, too!
I’ve been thinking this very thing every time we read about “temple building!”
So true!
Genealogy was very important to the Jews. God’s chosen people could lay claim to being a part of His plans.
BUT GOD made the way for all people to be a part of His family through the blood line of Jesus Christ.
Our identity should be first and foremost a follower of Christ. “God has sealed you with the Spirit as the guarantee of your inheritance, so the call is not to obsess over status but to rest in adoption and live from it (Eph 1:13; Eph 1:14; Rom 8:16; Rom 8:17; Gal 3:26; Gal 3:29). The sure evidence of that identity is not flashy gifts but the steady fruit of the Spirit and a life that does what the Word says (Jas 1:22; Gal 5:22; Gal 5:23; 1 Co 12:11; Mat 7:22; Mat 7:23).” Brad Boyles.
God thank You that my identity is in You. What Jesus Christ did for me to be an heir and sealed with the Spirit is a guarantee of my inheritance. God thank You that You are my rock and salvation. I am so thankful, grateful, and blessed to be in Your family with Your genealogy. God thank You for all that was accomplished for me. God let Your light so shine through me today in these minutes of this day that I can glorify and honor You in all I do and say in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today as we read of the return of the exiles, be reminded that God’s word does not return void. What he promises he fulfills. Take courage that a life of obedience will be richly rewarded. He is in the business of restoring all that is broken. It’s been said that if things aren’t good, God is not done. Nothing can thwart his plan. Take heart in the words of these lyrics of “In Christ Alone”:
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
“It’s been said that if things aren’t good, God is not done.”
Some days I can come undone in the waiting. Thank you for this reminder.
“One Size Fits All” Obedience?
I appreciate how today’s commentary honors the families who returned and the cost of their obedience. Their willingness to leave established lives and help rebuild the temple is noteworthy —and duly noted in Scripture.
That said, I found myself pausing over the implication that those who returned were the “obedient” ones, while those who remained behind were less so.
I return to this verse from yesterday’s reading:
“Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem” (Ezra 1:5).
The text identifies specific people groups — and only those whose “hearts were moved,” moved BACK.
Which leads me to this question:
Were all Israelites expected to return, or was this a particular calling given only to some?
Ezra goes on to tell us that those who did not return supported the effort materially—through silver, gold, goods, livestock, and freewill offerings (Ezra 1:6). That suggests a partnership rather than a hierarchy of faithfulness.
Such a model is consistent with our church’s mission work — to send out — AND “stay and support.” The work depends on people who do both — and each role can reflect obedience to God’s specific calling.
In other words, “staying” is not a mark of spiritual compromise. And life in exile does not disqualify God’s people from serving God’s purpose. The examples of Daniel, Esther and Mordecai come to mind.
So here’s my final question:
Is Ezra 2 asking us to measure faithfulness by geography? Or to mark something even more significant?
Whether God stirs our hearts to go OR stay, we can all accomplish his purposes through our wholehearted obedience.
70 “. . . and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.“
This is easier said than done! Because it was 70 years since the exile, it is likely that most of these returnees were born in exile or were very young when they left. There must have been stories that have been passed down through generations to explain the details of where their homes were!
To add to that challenge, in those 70 years, it is likely that someone else moved into those homes.
Exactly!
Ezra 2 is rich with lessons that encourage us to reflect on our community, stewardship, legacy, and faithfulness.
It serves as a reminder of God’s unwavering commitment to His people and the importance of worship and leadership in our spiritual lives.
We are stronger together, and our faith journey is blessed when we walk in obedience alongside other believers. This builds my faith.
Grateful to be a part of HC faithful followers of Jesus.