Ezra 2:61
And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).
Sermons
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
The Privileges of the PriesthoodJ.A. Macdonald Ezra 2:61-63














We are here forcibly reminded -

I. THAT THE PRIESTHOOD HAD ITS PRIVILEGES. These were -

1. They were sanctified to the service of God.

(1) Distinguished from the tribes whose inheritance was in the soil (see Numbers 18:20).

(2) Distinguished among the Levites. They were sons of Aaron. Were served by the Levites. While they served in the holy places, at the altar, within the veil (see Numbers 18:7).

2. They ate of the most holy things.

(1) As Levites, they had tithes from the nation.

(2) As priests, they had tithes from the Levites (Numbers 18:20, 21, 26-28).

(3) They partook of the altar (see Leviticus 6:16, 26; Leviticus 7:6, etc.).

(4) They ate the shew-bread of the Presence, viz., of the Shekinah, the visible glory of God. All this symbolically expressed near fellowship with God.

II. THE LAW PRIESTS WERE TYPES OF TRUE CHRISTIANS.

1. In their birth, as sons of Aaron.

(1) Aaron was a type of Christ. See arguments in Epistle to the Hebrews.

(2) Christians are of the family of Christ (see Ephesians 3:14, 15; Galatians 4:4-7). Have we the spiritual birth?

2. In their office, as priests of God.

(1) Christians are a spiritual priesthood (see Isaiah 61:6; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Revelation 1:6).

(2) They have a spiritual consecration (see 2 Corinthians 1:21; 1 John 2:20, 27).

(3) They offer spiritual sacrifices. Themselves (Romans 12:1). Sacrifices of prayer, of praise, of service (see Hosea 14:2; Hebrews 13:15).

3. In the privileges of their office.

(1) They draw nigh to God. The law priest entered the holy place. We enter the most holy (see Hebrews 10:19-22).

(2) They feast with God. This glorious fellowship is now expressed in the Lord's Supper.

III. THOSE WHO ASPIRE TO THESE PRIVILEGES MUST BE ABLE TO SHOW A VALID TITLE,

1. As to the priesthood under the law.

(1) Case of the children of Habai and Koz. These not elsewhere otherwise mentioned. Here acknowledged as sons of Aaron. Their reputed descendants could not show their genealogy from them.

(2) Case of the children of Barzillai's daughter. Honourable mention made of Barzillai (see 2 Samuel 17:27-29; 2 Samuel 19:31-39). This accounts for descendants of his daughter assuming his name rather than that of their father.

(3) They were therefore excluded (Hebrews, polluted) from the priesthood. Lost the sanctity; also the privileges.

2. As to the priesthood under the gospel.

(1) As with the aspirants through Habai and Koz, the reputation of being of the family of Jesus will not avail. Have you evidence of spiritual birth?

(2) As with the aspirants bearing the honourable name of Barzillai, respectability will not avail in place of a spiritual title. We must be real.

(3) The Tirshatha will scrutinize our claims. We must all pass the scrutiny of the judgment.

3. But is it possible for us to make up a valid title?

(1) What does the Tirshatha say (see ver. 68)?

(2) The Urim and Thummim were wanting then. These were used in the breastplate of the high priest for obtaining responses from the Shekinah of God in the temple. Neither these "lights and perfections" nor the Shekinah to illuminate them were found in the second temple.

(3) We have an High Priest who stands up with these, even Jesus, who ministers in the grander temple. Through his glorious Spirit, the true Shekinah, we have in our breasts the most perfect illuminations. By these we ascertain our spiritual birth with its titles. Have we this most sacred, this most indubitable assurance? - J.A.M.

The number of the men of the people of Israel.
Consider —

I. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FACT OF THE RECORD.

1. It Was an honour to the pious and patriotic ones who returned.

2. It is an illustration of the Divine record of God's spiritual Israel (Luke 10:20).

3. It suggests that every one of His people is precious in the sight of God (Isaiah 49:16).

II. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CONTENTS OF THE RECORD. We have in this list —

1. Significant persons.

(1)Zerubbabel, an ancestor of the Messiah (Matthew 1:12).

(2)Jeshua, who was a distinguished type of Jesus Christ (Zechariah 3., 6:11-13).

2. A significant place: Bethlehem (ver. 21).

3. Significant numbers.

(William Jones.)

It is here suggested —

I. THAT THERE ARE VARIOUS SPHERES OF SERVICE IN THE CHURCH OF GOD (Ephesians 4:11, 12).

II. THAT THE HUMBELEST SPHERE OF SERVICE IN THE CHURCH OF GOD IS A PLACE OF PRIVILEGE AND HONOUR.

III. THE PRIVILEGE OF SEVICE IN THE CHURCH OF GOD IS NOT LIMITED TO ANY PARTICULAR RACES OR CLASSES OF MEN.

(William Jones.)

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
Barzillai, Barzil'lai, Daughter, Daughters, Descendants, Gileadite, Habaiah, Habai'ah, Hakkoz, Hobaiah, Koz, Married, Priests, Sons, Wife
Outline
1. The number that return of the people
36. of the priests
40. of the Levites
43. of the Nethinims
55. of Solomon's servants
61. of the priests who could not show their pedigree
64. The whole number of them, with their substance
68. Their offerings

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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