Ezra 2 - Introduction
II. (1-70) Enumeration of the families and dedication of the substance of the company who returned.... [ Continue Reading ]
II. (1-70) Enumeration of the families and dedication of the substance of the company who returned.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILDREN OF THE PROVINCE THAT WENT UP OUT OF THE CAPTIVITY. — They came from “the captivity,” which was now as it were a generic name — “Children of the captivity” in Babylon (Daniel 2:2), in Judah (Ezra 4:1) — and became “children of the province,” the Judæan province of Persia. EVERY ONE UNTO... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH CAME WITH ZERUBBABEL: JESHUA. — The leaders of the people, perhaps the twelve tribes, are represented by twelve names, one of which, Nahamani, is here wanting; three others are given in slightly different forms.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILDREN OF PAROSH ... — Then comes the enumeration of the family and local names. In the following instances we note when two of the three authorities agree. In Ezra 2:6, Ezra is confirmed by 1 Esdras as against Nehemiah’s 2,818; in Ezra 2:8, against his 945; in Ezra 2:11, against his 628; in E... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PRIESTS: THE CHILDREN OF JEDAIAH. — The priests are then given by family names, their numbers being very large in proportion to each of the other classes. Three only of David’s priestly courses are represented (1 Chronicles 24:7; 1 Chronicles 24:14); Pashur, a name mentioned elsewhere as the nam... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LEVITES: THE CHILDREN OF JESHUA. — Then follow the Levitical families, not priests: that is, the Levites proper, the singers, the door-keepers or porters. Of the first there were only two families, and these are both traced up to one, that of Hodaviah or Judah (Ezra 3:9) or Hodevah (Nehemiah 7:4... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILDREN OF THE PORTERS. — The porters, or gatekeepers, number six families, three of which appear in the old Jerusalem (1 Chronicles 9:17).... [ Continue Reading ]
(43-58) THE NETHINIMS. — By the etymology _those given:_ known by this name only in the later books. (See 1 Chronicles 9:2.) They were _hieroduli,_ or temple-bondsmen: the lowest order of the ministry, performing the more laborious duties of the sanctuary. Their history runs through a long period. M... [ Continue Reading ]
THE CHILDREN OF SOLOMON’S SERVANTS. — These are mentioned in 1 Kings 9 as a servile class, formed of the residue of the Canaanites. They were probably inferior to the Nethinims, but are generally classed with them, as in the general enumeration here. Both these classes retained during their captivit... [ Continue Reading ]
(59-63) Finally, those who had lost the records of their lineage are mentioned. Of the people, the children of three families from Tel-melah, _Hill of salt,_ Tel-harsa, _Hill of the wood,_ and a few other places, are mentioned. Of the priests, there are also three families without their genealogy.... [ Continue Reading ]
BARZILLAI THE GILEADITE. — See the well-known history in 2 Samuel 17:27. AFTER THEIR NAME. — Rather, _after her name,_ she having been probably an heiress.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR REGISTER AMONG THOSE THAT WERE RECKONED BY GENEALOGY. — Better, _their record, or the record of the Enregistered._ POLLUTED. — Levitically disqualified.... [ Continue Reading ]
TIRSHATHA. — Interchangeable with _Pechah,_ or _governor,_ as Zerubbabel is called in chapter 5:14 and always in Haggai. It is probably an old Persian term, signifying “The Feared.” WITH URIM AND WITH THUMMIM. — See Exodus 28:30. They were pronounced to be excluded from priestly functions. Without... [ Continue Reading ]
This sum total is the same in Nehemiah; but the several sums in Ezra make 29,818, and in Nehemiah 31,089. The apocryphal Esdras agrees in the total, but makes in the particulars 33,950, adding that children below twelve were not reckoned. Many expedients of reconciliation have been adopted; but it i... [ Continue Reading ]
The Rabbis accounted for these “ut lætior esset Israelitarum reditus,” in order that the return of the Israelites might be more joyful; but they were hired for lamentation as well as joy; and here, possibly, to supply the defect of Levites. In Nehemiah (Nehemiah 7:67) there are 245: see for the prob... [ Continue Reading ]
The asses, as throughout earlier Hebrew history, are the chief and most numerous beasts of burden.... [ Continue Reading ]
They came to the site of the house not yet built, and offered for the building.... [ Continue Reading ]
The dram being a daric of a little more than our guinea, and the pound, or maneh, a little more than £4. the whole would be nearly £90,000, and not an exorbitant sum for a community far from poor. But Nehemiah c statement is smaller, and probably more correct. ONE HUNDRED PRIESTS’ GARMENTS. — An al... [ Continue Reading ]
SOME OF THE PEOPLE. — _Those of the people;_ placed by Nehemiah after all the others. ALL ISRAEL IN THEIR CITIES. — The emphasis lies in the fact that, though Judah and Benjamin contributed the largest part, it was a national revival; and the constant repetition of “in their cities” has in it the s... [ Continue Reading ]