|
|
Ezra Chapter 2
The Exiles Return
-
Ezra 2:1 Now these are the
children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of
those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king
of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto
Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;
These are the ones that still had proof
of their ancestry or genealogy. Not everyone that returned was able
to prove this so we can assume there are more people returning than
the names mentioned in the chapter. They still were a province of
Persia. They were allowed to return but they were not a whole
kingdom with their own name.
Israel didn't really have their own
country again until 1948. They were able to become a country then
because Britain gave up their right to the land and gave it to
Israel. Harry Truman happened to know his bible and God moved on
his heart to recognize Israel as a country. This was really the hand
of God. Israel had to become a country again to fulfill bible
prophecy and prepare for Jesus our Christ to return a second time
fulfilling bible prophecy and the plan of God.
When they returned here mentioned in
the book of Ezra, they were under the province of Persia, then
Greece, and at the time of Jesus' first coming, they were under the
Roman Empire yet still back in their land unknowingly preparing for
the 1st coming of Jesus. God originally gave Israel much more land
than they have now. At the second coming of Jesus, they will be
given all of what God originally gave them. This is in the bible in
the books of the prophets including the New Testament book of
Revelation.
-
Ezra 2:2 Which came with
Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai,
Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of
the people of Israel:
Zerubbabel was made governor of Judah
by Cyrus. Jeshua's name means "Jehovah is salvation." He was a high
priest. Since he could prove his geneology, he could serve in that
capacity. He was also called Joshua. Of course not the same Joshua
that first led the people after the death of Moses.
A man called Nehemiah played an
important role in the rebuilding of the temple. We can read of him
in the book of Nehemiah; however, some bible teachers say that the
Nehemiah mentioned here is not the same one that the book of
Nehemiah tells us of.
Mordecai was the uncle of Queen Esther.
If this was him and many believe it was, he would have been very old
but God probably preserved his life so that he could see this
happening. Same with Daniel. He lived to see and speak with Cyrus.
Whether he returned to the land, we don't know.
- Ezra 2:3 The
children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.
- 4 The children of
Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
- 5 The children of
Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.
- 6 The children of
Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand
eight hundred and twelve.
- 7 The children of
Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
- 8 The children of
Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.
- 9 The children of
Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
- 10 The children of
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
Jorah, an hundred and twelve.
- 19 The children of
Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.
- 20 The children of
Gibbar, ninety and five.
- 21 The children of
Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.
- 22 The men of
Netophah, fifty and six.
- 23 The men of
Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
- 24 The children of
Azmaveth, forty and two.
- 25 The children of
Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and
three.
- 26 The children of
Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.
- 27 The men of
Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.
- 28 The men of Bethel
and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
- 29 The children of
Nebo, fifty and two.
- 30 The children of
Magbish, an 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
Pashur, 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 Hodaviah,
seventy and four.
- 41 The singers: the
children of Asaph, an 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 an hundred thirty and
nine.
- 43 The Nethinims:
the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of
Tabbaoth,
- 44 The children of
Keros, the children of 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 Shalmai, 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 Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,
- 51 The children of
Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
- 52 The children of
Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
- 53 The children of
Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,
- 54 The children of
Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
- 55 The children of
Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of
Sophereth, the children of 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 of
Zebaim, the children of Ami.
- 58 All the
Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three
hundred ninety and two.
- 59 And these were
they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, and
Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, 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 Habaiah, the children
of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which 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 were they, as polluted, put from
the priesthood.
According to the law of Moses, they had
to be descendents of the tribe of Levi to be able to be priests.
Both Aaron and his brother Moses were from that tribe. We must
remember that before Jesus came to become the perfect sacrifice for
our sins, they had to do ceremonial cleansing and such to be
consentrated to the order of the priesthood. We now are cleansed by
the blood of Jesus when we believe and live for Him so the calling
to become ministers, pastors and such is different than then. Jesus
is now the high priest and He appoints those He calls into the
ministry. The priesthood has changed.
- Ezra 2:63 And the
Tirshatha 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
congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred
and threescore,
- 65 Beside their
servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand
three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them 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
chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD
which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to
set it up in his place:
- 69 They gave after
their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one
thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound 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 Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all
Israel in their cities.
Looks as if in their captivity the Lord
blessed them with children and possessions. Somehow God brought them
through the 70 years and then moved on the heart of Cyrus to send
them back and provide many things they needed as well. DC
Ezra Chapter 3
|
|