Matthew Poole's Commentary 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; The number of the people that returned, Ezra 2:1-35; and of the priests, Ezra 2:36-39; of the Levites, Ezra 2:40; of the singers, Ezra 2:41; of the porters, Ezra 2:42; of the Nethinims, Ezra 2:43-54; and of Solomon’s servants, Ezra 2:55-60. Concerning the priests that could not show their pedigree, Ezra 2:61-6:3. The whole number of them and their substance, Ezra 2:64-67. Their oblations, Ezra 2:68-70. The children of the province, i.e. the Israelites, called the children of the province, either, 1. Of Babylon, of which province we oft read, as Ezra 7:16 Daniel 2:48 Daniel 3:1,2,30, called the province by way of eminency; of which they are called children, because of their birth and habitation in it for a long time, it being usual to call the inhabitants of any city or place its children. Or rather, 2. Of Judea, called a province, Ezra 5:8. And he calls it thus emphatically, to mind himself and his brethren of that sad change which their sins had made among them, that from an illustrious, independent, and formidable kingdom, were fallen to be an obscure, servile, and contemptible province, first under the Chaldeans, and now under the Persians. Every one unto his city; either unto those cities or towns which belonged to their several ancestors; or rather, to those which were now allotted to them, and from this time possessed by them. For their former cities were either demolished. or possessed by other persons, which they were not now in a capacity of disturbing. Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: As for this catalogue, it differs in some names and numbers from that Ne 7, which might be from divers causes, partly because several names were given to one and the same person; and partly because of the many changes which might happen in the same families between the time of the first making of this catalogue by Ezra, and the making of it anew so many years as that catalogue, Ne 7, was made after the former. The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two. i.e. The posterity (as that word is for the most part, if not constantly, taken in this catalogue) that descended either from Parosh, or from that family whereof Parosh was the chief. And so for the rest. The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five. In Nehemiah 7:10, they were only six hundred and fifty-two. It seems seven hundred and seventy-five marched out of Babylon, or gave in their names that they would go; but some of them died, others changed their minds, others were hindered by sickness, or other casualties, happening to themselves or near relations; and so there came only six hundred and fifty-two to Jerusalem. And the like is to be said in the like differences; which it suffices to hint once for all. The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. Of Jeshua and Joab, or of Jeshua-joab, as the former was Palath-moab. The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. Of Ater the son of Hezekiah, not the king, but another famous person so called. The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Gibbar, ninety and five. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three. Either of a man called Beth-lehem, or the Beth-lehemite, by way of eminency; or of the place so called. And so these were the remainders of the inhabitants of that city. And the like may be said of the two following names, Netophah and Anathoth, or others of the like nature. The men of Netophah, fifty and six. No text from Poole on this verse. The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Azmaveth, forty and two. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three. Kirath-arim, or Kirjath-jearim, as it is Nehemiah 7:29. The children of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one. No text from Poole on this verse. The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two. No text from Poole on this verse. The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Nebo, fifty and two. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty. No text from Poole on this verse. The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. The head of one of the twenty-four courses which David appointed, 1 Chronicles 24:8; of all which courses, some observe, here are not above four or five that returned. There is another Harim mentioned above, Ezra 2:32, but that was no priest as this was, Ezra 2:35. The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four. No text from Poole on this verse. The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight. No text from Poole on this verse. 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. No text from Poole on this verse. The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, The Nethinims; the persons devoted to the inferior services of the priests and Levites; of whom see 1 Chronicles 9:2. The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda, The children of Solomon’s servants; either of those strangers and proselytes whom Solomon used in the building of the temple, 1 Kings 9:21, to the service of which, as some add, he devoted them, as there should be occasion hereafter; or others who had lived in Solomon’s family, and after his death called themselves and their families by that name, as esteeming it, a great honour to them that they had been servants to so great a prince. The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, No text from Poole on this verse. The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami. No text from Poole on this verse. All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two. No text from Poole on this verse. 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: Tel-mela, Tel-harsa; the names of the places whence they came, and where they had lived in the time of their captivity. Cherub, Addan, and Immer; the names either of the heads of the families living in the places last mentioned, or of other places where the persons here understood had dwelt. The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. No text from Poole on this verse. 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: To wit, Barzillai; which name he preferred before that of his own family, accounting it, as it seems, a greater honour to be allied to so noble a family, than to be a priest of the Lord. But by this ambition he deprived himself of the honour and advantage of the priesthood, as it is here noted, Ezra 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 the priesthood. The Jews were generally very exact and careful in their genealogies, partly from their own choice and interest, that they might preserve the distinctions of the several tribes and families, which was necessary both to make out their claims or titles to offices or inheritances, which might belong to them by death, or otherwise, as here we see, and to govern themselves thereby in the matter of marriages, and some other things wherein the practice of some laws required the knowledge of these things; and partly by the special providence of God, that so it might be certainly known of what tribe and family the Messiah was born. For as they took care of all their families, so doubtless they took a more punctual and singular care about the royal family, upon which all their hopes depended. 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. The Tirshatha, i.e. the governor, to wit, Zerubbabel; whence Nehemiah also is so called, Nehemiah 8:9 10:1. Till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim; that this point, which could not be found out by any human skill or industry, might be determined by Divine direction. Hereby it appears that the Urim and Thummim were lost in the destruction of the city and temple, though the Jews fed themselves with hopes of recovering them, but in vain. Of the Urim and Thummim, see Exodus 28:30 Numbers 27:21 1 Samuel 23:9. The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, The particular sums here recited come only 29,818; unto whom are added in this total sum, 12,542; which either were of the other tribes beside Judah and Benjamin, or were such as were supposed by themselves and others to be Israelites, but could not prove their pedigree by their genealogies, and therefore could not be so punctually and particularly described as the former. 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. For women as well as men were devoted to and employed in this exercise in the temple service, as appears from 1 Chronicles 25:5,6. And the parents of these persons had taken care to instruct and exercise them as far as they could in this art, both for God’s service, and for their own benefit, when Jerusalem and the temple should be rebuilt; which they knew would be done after Jeremiah’s seventy years were expired. Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five; No text from Poole on this verse. Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. No text from Poole on this verse. 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: To the house of the Lord, i.e. to the ruins of the house; or to the place where that house stood. 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. A dram of gold is supposed to be of the weight of the fourth part of a shekel, and of the value of a French crown. 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. No text from Poole on this verse. |
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