Ezra 2:66
They had 736 horses, 245 mules,
They had
This phrase indicates possession and stewardship. In the context of the returning exiles, it reflects the resources and assets that the Israelites managed to preserve or acquire during their captivity. The Hebrew root for "had" (הָיָה, hayah) often implies existence or being, suggesting that these animals were not just possessions but vital components of their community's livelihood and survival. It underscores God's provision and faithfulness in sustaining His people even in exile.

736 horses
Horses in ancient times were symbols of strength, power, and mobility. The specific number, 736, suggests a detailed and organized account, reflecting the importance of order and stewardship in the community. Horses were valuable for transportation and warfare, indicating that the returning exiles were preparing for both practical needs and potential defense. Historically, horses were less common in Israel compared to other nations, highlighting the significance of this possession as a sign of God's blessing and the community's readiness to rebuild.

245 mules
Mules, being hybrids of horses and donkeys, were prized for their strength and endurance. The mention of 245 mules indicates a substantial resource for carrying heavy loads and aiding in construction and agriculture. In the Hebrew context, mules were often associated with royalty and wealth, as they were used by kings and nobles. This detail emphasizes the community's preparedness for the laborious task of rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple, symbolizing hope and the promise of restoration. The specific number again reflects careful record-keeping and the importance of each resource in God's plan for His people.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Ezra
A scribe and priest who led the second group of exiles back to Jerusalem from Babylon. He played a crucial role in the spiritual and physical restoration of the Jewish community.

2. Return from Exile
The context of Ezra 2 is the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem, a significant event in Jewish history that marked the beginning of the restoration of the Jewish nation and worship.

3. Jerusalem
The city to which the exiles returned, central to Jewish identity and worship. It was the location of the Temple, which was to be rebuilt.

4. Horses and Mules
These animals were essential for transportation and labor, indicating the practical preparations and resources necessary for the journey and rebuilding efforts.

5. The Exiles
The group of people returning from Babylon, representing the remnant of Israel who were committed to restoring their homeland and religious practices.
Teaching Points
God's Provision
The listing of resources, including horses and mules, demonstrates God's provision for His people. Just as God provided for the exiles, He provides for our needs today.

Preparation for God's Work
The detailed account of resources underscores the importance of preparation in fulfilling God's purposes. We are called to be diligent and wise stewards of what God has entrusted to us.

Faithfulness in Small Details
The meticulous record-keeping in Ezra 2 reflects the value of faithfulness in small details. Our attention to detail in our spiritual and practical lives honors God.

Community and Cooperation
The return from exile required the cooperation of the entire community. Similarly, fulfilling God's mission today involves working together as the body of Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the detailed listing of resources in Ezra 2:66 reflect God's provision for His people, and how can we see God's provision in our own lives today?

2. In what ways does the preparation for the return from exile in Ezra 2 inspire us to prepare for the tasks God has called us to?

3. How can we apply the principle of faithfulness in small details, as seen in the meticulous records of Ezra 2, to our daily walk with God?

4. What lessons can we learn from the cooperation of the exiles in rebuilding Jerusalem that can be applied to our church or community projects?

5. How do the themes of restoration and return in Ezra 2 connect with the broader biblical account of redemption, and how can this encourage us in our spiritual journey?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Nehemiah 7
This chapter provides a parallel account of the returnees and their resources, emphasizing the continuity and consistency of the historical record.

Zechariah 1
This passage speaks to the return from exile and the rebuilding of Jerusalem, offering prophetic encouragement and divine assurance of God's plans for restoration.

Isaiah 40
This chapter offers comfort to the exiles, promising that God will lead them back to their land, highlighting the theme of divine guidance and provision.
Spiritual SignificancesW. Clarkson Ezra 2:1-67
Men Forsaking the Worldly LifeJ.S. Exell Ezra 2:1-70
Offering FreelyA. J. Gordon.Ezra 2:65-70
Possessions and OfferingsWilliam Jones.Ezra 2:65-70
The Church the Rallying Point of NationsE. Monro.Ezra 2:65-70
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
245, Forty, 736, Forty-five, Horses, Hundred, Mules, Seven, Six, Thirty, Thirty-six, Transport
Dictionary of Bible Themes
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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