Ezra 2:29
the descendants of Nebo, 52;
the men of Nebo
The phrase "the men of Nebo" refers to the descendants or inhabitants of a place called Nebo. In the context of the return from the Babylonian exile, these men were part of the group that returned to Jerusalem and Judah to rebuild the temple and restore their community. Nebo is likely a town in the region of Moab, east of the Jordan River, named after the Babylonian deity Nabu, the god of wisdom and writing. This highlights the diverse origins of the returning exiles, emphasizing the unity and collective effort of the Israelites despite their varied backgrounds. Historically, the inclusion of Nebo's men underscores the widespread dispersion of the Jewish people during the exile and their subsequent gathering, fulfilling God's promise of restoration.

52
The number "52" indicates the count of the men from Nebo who returned. This specific enumeration reflects the meticulous record-keeping and the importance of each individual in the restoration process. In a broader theological sense, it signifies that every person matters in God's plan, and each has a role in the fulfillment of His promises. The precision of this number also serves as a testament to the historical reliability of the biblical narrative, providing a tangible connection to the past. It reminds us that God is a God of order and detail, who values each member of His people and orchestrates their lives according to His divine purpose.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Nebo
A town or region mentioned in the context of the return of the exiles to Jerusalem. It is one of the places from which the returning exiles originated. The name "Nebo" is also associated with a Babylonian deity, which may indicate the cultural influences in the region.

2. The Men of Nebo
This refers to the group of 52 individuals who returned from exile. They are part of the larger community of Israelites who were returning to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple.

3. Return from Exile
This event marks the return of the Jewish people from Babylonian captivity, a significant moment in Jewish history that fulfills God's promise of restoration.
Teaching Points
Faithfulness in Small Numbers
The mention of 52 men from Nebo highlights that even small groups are significant in God's plan. Every individual and group has a role in the larger community of faith.

Cultural Influence and Identity
The name "Nebo" suggests cultural influences from Babylon. Believers today must navigate cultural influences while maintaining their identity in Christ.

God's Faithfulness to His Promises
The return from exile is a testament to God's faithfulness. Believers can trust that God will fulfill His promises in their lives.

Community and Restoration
The collective return of the exiles emphasizes the importance of community in God's work of restoration. Believers are called to participate in the restoration of their communities.

Historical Context and Spiritual Lessons
Understanding the historical context of the return from exile can provide spiritual lessons about perseverance, hope, and God's redemptive work.
Bible Study Questions
1. What significance do you find in the fact that only 52 men from Nebo returned, and how does this relate to the concept of faithfulness in small numbers?

2. How can we, as modern believers, maintain our Christian identity amidst cultural influences, similar to the men of Nebo who returned from a land with different cultural and religious practices?

3. In what ways does the return from exile demonstrate God's faithfulness to His promises, and how can this encourage us in our personal faith journey?

4. How can we actively participate in the restoration of our communities, drawing parallels from the collective return of the exiles?

5. What spiritual lessons can we learn from the historical context of the return from exile, and how can these lessons be applied to our current life situations?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Nehemiah 7:33
This verse also lists the men of Nebo among those who returned, providing a parallel account to Ezra's list.

Isaiah 44:28
This passage speaks of God's sovereignty in using Cyrus to fulfill His purpose of rebuilding Jerusalem, which is the broader context of the return from exile.

Jeremiah 29:10-14
These verses contain God's promise to bring the exiles back to their land, which is being fulfilled in the events described in Ezra.
Spiritual SignificancesW. Clarkson Ezra 2:1-67
Men Forsaking the Worldly LifeJ.S. Exell Ezra 2:1-70
A Suggestive RecordWilliam Jones.Ezra 2:2-64
Religious ServiceWilliam Jones.Ezra 2:2-64
People
Akkub, Ami, Asaph, Asnah, Ater, Baanah, Bakbuk, Barkos, Barzillai, Bazluth, Besai, Bigvai, Bilshan, Darkon, Delaiah, Gahar, Gazzam, Giddel, Habaiah, Hagab, Hagabah, Hakkoz, Hakupha, Hanan, Harhur, Harsha, Hasupha, Hatipha, Hatita, Hattil, Hezekiah, Hodaviah, Immer, Israelites, Jaalah, Jedaiah, Jeshua, Joab, Jorah, Kadmiel, Keros, Koz, Lebanah, Mehida, Mehunim, Meunim, Mizpar, Mordecai, Nebuchadnezzar, Nehemiah, Nekoda, Nephusim, Neziah, Padon, Pahathmoab, Parosh, Paseah, Pashur, Peruda, Phaseah, Pochereth, Reaiah, Reelaiah, Rehum, Rezin, Seraiah, Shallum, Shalmai, Shephatiah, Shobai, Siaha, Sisera, Solomon, Sophereth, Sotai, Tabbaoth, Talmon, Thamah, Tobiah, Tobijah, Uzza, Zaccai, Zattu, Zerubbabel, Ziha
Places
Ai, Anathoth, Azmaveth, Babylon, Babylonia, Beeroth, Bethel, Bethlehem, Cherub, Geba, Hadid, Immer, Jericho, Jerusalem, Kiriath-arim, Lod, Michmas, Nebo, Netophah, Ono, Ramah, Tel-harsha, Tel-melah
Topics
52, Fifty-two, Nebo, Sons
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Ezra 2:1-65

     5249   census

Ezra 2:1-67

     7230   genealogies

Library
Altar and Temple
'And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem. 2. Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God. 3. And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Apocalypse.
On the Lit. and life of John, see §§ 40 and 41 (this vol.); on the authorship of the Apoc. and the time of composition, § 37 (this vol.); § 41 (this vol.); and § 84 (this vol.) 1. Modern Critical, works of German and French scholars on the Apocalypse: Lücke (Voltständige Einleitung, etc., 2d ed., 1852; 1,074 pages of introductory matter, critical and historical; compare with it the review of Bleek in the "Studien and Kritiken" for 1854 and 1855); DeWette Com., 1848,
Philip Schaff—History of the Christian Church, Volume I

Barzillai
BY REV. GEORGE MILLIGAN, M.A., D.D. "There is nothing," says Socrates to Cephalus in the Republic, "I like better than conversing with aged men. For I regard them as travellers who have gone a journey which I too may have to go, and of whom it is right to learn the character of the way, whether it is rugged or difficult, or smooth and easy" (p. 328 E.). It is to such an aged traveller that we are introduced in the person of Barzillai the Gileadite. And though he is one of the lesser-known characters
George Milligan—Men of the Bible; Some Lesser-Known

The Historical Books.
1. In the Pentateuch we have the establishment of the Theocracy, with the preparatory and accompanying history pertaining to it. The province of the historical books is to unfold its practiced working, and to show how, under the divine superintendence and guidance, it accomplished the end for which it was given. They contain, therefore, primarily, a history of God's dealings with the covenant people under the economy which he had imposed upon them. They look at the course of human events on the
E. P. Barrows—Companion to the Bible

The Old Testament Canon from Its Beginning to Its Close.
The first important part of the Old Testament put together as a whole was the Pentateuch, or rather, the five books of Moses and Joshua. This was preceded by smaller documents, which one or more redactors embodied in it. The earliest things committed to writing were probably the ten words proceeding from Moses himself, afterwards enlarged into the ten commandments which exist at present in two recensions (Exod. xx., Deut. v.) It is true that we have the oldest form of the decalogue from the Jehovist
Samuel Davidson—The Canon of the Bible

And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah
"And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, too little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall come forth unto Me (one) [Pg 480] to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth are the times of old, the days of eternity." The close connection of this verse with what immediately precedes (Caspari is wrong in considering iv. 9-14 as an episode) is evident, not only from the [Hebrew: v] copulative, and from the analogy of the near relation of the announcement of salvation to the prophecy of disaster
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Ezra-Nehemiah
Some of the most complicated problems in Hebrew history as well as in the literary criticism of the Old Testament gather about the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. Apart from these books, all that we know of the origin and early history of Judaism is inferential. They are our only historical sources for that period; and if in them we have, as we seem to have, authentic memoirs, fragmentary though they be, written by the two men who, more than any other, gave permanent shape and direction to Judaism, then
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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