Ketuvim / Hagiographa Writing

Ezra / עזרא Chapter 2

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

2:1 Now these [are] the children of the province that went up out of the shevi (captivity), of those which had been carried away, whom Nevukadnetzar the melekh Bavel had carried away unto Bavel, and came again unto Yerushalayim and Yehudah, every one unto his city;

2:2 Which came with Zerubavel: Yeshua, Nechemyah (נחמיה), SeraYah, Re'elaYah, Mordekhai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rechum, Baanah:

The number of the men of the people of Yisrael:

2:3 Benai Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.

2:4 Benai Shefatyah, three hundred seventy and two.

2:5 Benai Arach, seven hundred seventy and five.

2:6 Benai Pachat-Moav, of Benai Yeshua [and] Yoav, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.

2:7 Benai Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

2:8 Benai Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.

2:9 Benai Zakkai, seven hundred and threescore.

2:10 Benai Bani, six hundred forty and two.

2:11 Benai Bevai, six hundred twenty and three.

2:12 Benai Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.

2:13 Benai Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

2:14 Benai Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.

2:15 Benai Adin, four hundred fifty and four.

2:16 Benai Ater of HezekYah, ninety and eight.

2:17 Benai Betzai, three hundred twenty and three.

2:18 Benai Yorah, an hundred and twelve.

2:19 Benai Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.

2:20 Benai Gibbar, ninety and five.

2:21 Benai Beit-Lechem, an hundred twenty and three.

2:22 The men of Netofah, fifty and six.

2:23 The men of Anatot, an hundred twenty and eight.

2:24 Benai Azmavet, forty and two.

2:25 Benai Kirjat-Arim, Kefirah, and Be'erot, seven hundred and forty and three.

2:26 Benai Ramah and Gava, six hundred twenty and one.

2:27 The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.

2:28 The men of Beit'El and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.

2:29 Benai Nevo, fifty and two.

2:30 Benai Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.

2:31 Benai the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

2:32 Benai Harim, three hundred and twenty.

2:33 Benai Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.

2:34 Benai Yericho, three hundred forty and five.

2:35 Benai Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.

2:36 Ha kohanim:

Benai YedaYah, of the Beit Yeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.

2:37 Benai Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

2:38 Benai Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

2:39 Benai Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

2:40 Ha Levi'im:

Benai Yeshua and Kadmiel, of Benai HodavYah, seventy and four.

2:41 The singers:

Benai Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.

2:42 Benai the gatekeepers:

Benai Shallum, Benai Ater, Benai Talmon, Benai Akuv, Benai Hatita, Benai Shovai, [in] all an hundred thirty and nine.

2:43 The Nethinim:

Benai Tzicha, Benai Hasufa, Benai Taba'ot,

2:44 Benai Keros, Benai Siaha, Benai Padon,

2:45 Benai Levanah, Benai Hagavah, Benai Akuv,

2:46 Benai Hagav, Benai Shalmai, Benai Hanan,

2:47 Benai Giddel, Benai Gahar, Benai Re'ayah,

2:48 Benai Retzin, Benai Nekoda, Benai Gazzam,

2:49 Benai Uzza, Benai Paseah, Benai Besai,

2:50 Benai Asnah, Benai Mehunim, Benai Nefusim,

2:51 Benai Bakbuk, Benai Hakufa, Benai Harhur,

2:52 Benai Bazlut, Benai Mehida, Benai Harsha,

2:53 Benai Barkos, Benai Sisera, Benai Temach,

2:54 Benai Netziach, Benai Hatifa.

2:55 Benai Solomon's servants:

Benai Sotai, Benai Sophereth, Benai Peruda,

2:56 Benai Ya'alah, Benai Darkon, Benai Giddel,

2:57 Benai Shefatyah, Benai Hattil, Benai Pokheret Hatzvayim, Benai Ami.

2:58 All the Nethinim, and Benai avdei Solomon:

[were] three hundred ninety and two.

2:59 And these [were] they which went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsa, Cheruv, Addan, [and] Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their zera, whether they [were] of Yisrael:

2:60 Benai Delayah, Benai Tiviyah, Benai Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.

2:61 And of Benai ha kohanim:

Benai Havayah, Benai hakotz, Benai Barzillai; which took a wife of the banot Barzillai ha Gileadi, and was called after their name:

2:62 These sought their register [among] those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from ha kehunah (priesthood).

2:63 And the Tirshata said unto them, that they should not eat of the most set apart things, till there stood up a Kohen with Urim (אוּרים) and with Thummim*.

2:64 The whole congregation together [was] forty and two thousand three hundred [and] threescore,

2:65 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.

2:66 Their horses [were] seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;

2:67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; [their] asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

2:68 And [some] of the Rosh avot, when they came to the Beit YHWH (יהוה) which [is] at Yerushalayim, offered freely for the Beit Elohim (אלהים) to set it up in his place:

2:69 They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of zahav (gold), and five thousand pound of kesef (silver), and one hundred kohanim' garments.

2:70 So ha kohanim, and ha Levi'im, and [some] of the people, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Netinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Yisrael in their cities.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

After the return from captivity, under Zerubavel, arrangements were almost immediately made to reorganize the desolated Kingdom of Judah after its demise seventy years earlier. The body of pilgrims, forming a band of 42,360 including children, (besides their male and female servants, who numbered 7,337, and 200 singing men and women; cf. Ezra 2:65), having completed the long and dreary journey of some four months, from the banks of the Euphrates to Jerusalem, were animated in all their proceedings by a strong religious impulse, and therefore one of their first concerns was to restore their ancient house of worship by rebuilding their destroyed Heikal and reinstituting the sacrificial rituals known as the korbanot ("sacrifices" in Hebrew).

On the invitation of Zerubavel, the governor, who showed them a remarkable example of liberality by contributing personally 1,000 golden darics, besides other gifts, the people poured their gifts into the sacred treasury with great enthusiasm (Ezra 2). First they erected and dedicated the altar of Hashem on the exact spot where it had formerly stood, and they then cleared away the charred heaps of debris which occupied the site of the old Heikal; and in the second month of the second year (535 BCE), amid great public excitement and rejoicing (befitting Psalms 116; 117; 118), the foundations of the second Heikal were laid. A wide interest was felt in this great movement, although it was regarded with mingled feelings by the spectators (Haggai 2:3; Zechariah 4:10).

Tirshatha - תּרשׁתאmeans GGovernor, applied here to Zerubavel concerning the "Urim (אוּרים) and Thumim"

2:43-50 - Netinim means "Given One or dedicated One or Heikal servants are distinguished from the Kohanim and the Leviim

2:63 - Urim and Thummim meaning lights and perfections. both were connected, both were use with determining Hashem's will in certain situation we can see example in our scripture reference : Bamidbar 27:21, Dvarim 33:8; 1 Shemuel 28:6; Ezra 2:63

2:59-63   Some who claimed to be kohanim but who could not prove their genealogy were barred from serving or from eating the kohanim' food until they were authorized through consulting the Urim and Thummim, or "lights and perfections." The governor (or Tirshatha) was Zerubavel.

The Province of Yehud

These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles.... they returned to Yerushalayim and Yehudah each to his town Nechemyah 7:6)

Ezra Chapter 2: The List of the men of the people of Yisrael:

2:64-67   A list of names similar to the one given in this chapter is found in Nechemyah 7. While there are some minor differences in tabulations, both give the total number of Yehudim returning to Yehudah as forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty plus seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven servants. Ezra adds 245 singers and Nechemyah adds 200. So the total of the returning remnant was about 50,000—a small fraction of those who had been carried away.