1The companions of Ezra, who returned with him from Babylon. 15Reviewing them at Ahava, and finding none of the Levites there, he sendeth to Iddo for ministers for the temple service, and obtaineth them. 21A fast is proclaimed in order to seek of God a prosperous journey. 24The holy treasures are committed to the custody of the priests. 31From Ahava Ezra with his company come safe to Jerusalem. 33The treasures are delivered by weight into the temple. 36The king's commission delivered.
1THESE are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.
2Of the 1sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.
1 Or, children, that is, posterity; and so in the sequel.
3Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty.
4Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males.
5Of the sons of Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males.
6Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males.
7And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.
8And of the sons of Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore males.
9Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males.
10And of the sons of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and threescore males.
11And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males.
12And of the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an hundred and ten males.
13And of the 2last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.
2 That is, the last-born children, as some understand it; or this may be said in respect of the other, who went up first with Zerubbabel.
14Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.
15¶And I gathered them together to the river that runneth 3to 4Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the 5sons of Levi.
3 Other, at, or, in.
4 Some understand by this word Adiabena or Adiavena, a region of Assyria; also, according to their opinion, called from the chiefest river Adiava. Others understand by the word river, mentioned in the text, Euphrates and by Ahava another river, which runs into the Euphrates, or which receives Euphrates running by it. See verses 21, 31.
5 Understand Levites. For, there were some there of the priestly stock or line, who were also of the tribe of Levi. See verse 2, and further Ezra 7:7 with the annotation.
16Then sent I 6for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, 7men of understanding.
6 Namely, for them to come to me, and to receive a charge unto Iddo, as follows.
7 Hebr. properly: making wise or understanding, giving understanding, that is, instructing, teaching; or, understanding men, for the Hebrew word is used both ways. Also Dan. 11:33; 12:3.
17And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the 8chief at the place 9Casiphia, and I 10told them what they should say unto Iddo, and 11to his brethren the 12Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God.
8 This Iddo seems to have been the superior teacher, or, master of the Levites whom were there.
9 This is held to be the land of the Caspians, where was the great sea, called Mare Caspium or Hyrcanum, between the Caspian and Hyrcanian mountains; from where (although it was a great way from there) yet by the blessing of God, the benefit and help of the king’s command, and the ordinary Persian post-horses (which were every way appointed to conduct them, and to further them in their journey) they speedily came to Jerusalem.
10 As 2 Sam. 14:3, etc.
11 Hebr. Achiu, which some take to be a proper name.
12 See Ezra 2 on verse 43. Other, appointed. Hebr. given, or, given up.
18And 13by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; 14and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen;
13 As verse 31; Ezra 7:9.
14 Or, namely. Hebr. and.
19And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;
20Also of the Nethinims, whom 15David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.
15 When he appointed the courses of the Levites, 1 Chronicles 25; 26. See also Joshua 9:21; 1 Chron. 9:2.
21¶Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river 16of Ahava, that we might 17afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a 18right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.
16 Or, Ahava. Also verse 31.
17 Compare Lev. 16 on verse 29.
18 That He would be pleased to conduct, defend and bring us in safety, and with good success unto Jerusalem.
22For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them 19for good that seek him; but his 20power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.
19 To protect them.
20 To restrain or to destroy them by His almighty and avenging hand.
23So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he 21was intreated of us.
21 Or, he let himself to be entreated of us. See Gen. 25 on verse 21.
24¶Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,
25And weighed unto them the silver,a and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel there present, had offered:
a Ezra 7:14, 15.
26I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty 22talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred 23talents, and of gold an hundred talents;
22 See Exod. 25 on verse 39.
23 Or, of talents. Which may thus be understood that every piece weighed a talent.
27Also twenty basons of gold, of a thousand 24drams;b and two vessels of 25fine copper, precious as gold.
24 See Ezra 2 on verse 69.
b OT weight (Heb. adarkon): 0.31 ounce or 8.8 grams, often in coin form (darics, drachmae)*
25 Some: very bright.
28And I said unto them, Ye are 26holy unto the LORD; the vessels are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the LORD God of your fathers.
26 Hebr. an holiness.
29Watch ye, and keep them, until ye weigh them 27before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the LORD.
27 Hebr. before the face.
30So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem 28unto the house of our God.
28 See 1 Kings 6 on verse 5; Neh. 10:39; 12:44; 13:4, 5, 9.
31¶Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the 29first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the 30hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.
29 See Ezra 7 on verse 9.
30 As verse 18.
32And we came to Jerusalem, and 31abode there three days.
31 That is, we stayed so long, and rested ourselves.
33¶Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, Levites;
34By number and by weight of every one: and all the weight was written at that time.
35Also 32the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD.
32 Hebr. the children of the carrying away or captivity; as above often.
36¶And they delivered the king’s 33commissions unto the king’s lieutenants,c and to the governors on this side the 34river: and they 35furthered the people, and the house of God.
33 That is, commands, ordinances.
c provincial rulers
34 Euphrates.
35 Hebr, they helped, and were assistant and beneficial unto them in all things, according to the king’s order and command. See Ezra 1 on verse 4.