1 And these `are' sons of the province who are going up -- of the captives of the removal that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed to Babylon, and they turn back to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city --
These `are' sons of the province, those coming up of the captives of the removal that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed -- and they turn back to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his city -- who are coming in with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. Number of the men of the people of Israel: Sons of Parosh: two thousand a hundred and seventy and two. Sons of Shephatiah: three hundred seventy and two. Sons of Arah: six hundred fifty and two. Sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua and Joab: two thousand and eight hundred `and' eighteen. Sons of Elam: a thousand two hundred fifty and four. Sons of Zattu: eight hundred forty and five. Sons of Zaccai: seven hundred and sixty. Sons of Binnui: six hundred forty and eight. Sons of Bebai: six hundred twenty and eight. Sons of Azgad: two thousand three hundred twenty and two. Sons of Adonikam: six hundred sixty and seven. Sons of Bigvai: two thousand sixty and seven. Sons of Adin: six hundred fifty and five. Sons of Ater of Hezekiah: ninety and eight. Sons of Hashum: three hundred twenty and eight. Sons of Bezai: three hundred twenty and four. Sons of Hariph: a hundred `and' twelve. Sons of Gibeon: ninety and five. Men of Beth-Lehem and Netophah: a hundred eighty and eight. Men of Anathoth: a hundred twenty and eight. Men of Beth-Azmaveth: forty and two. Men of Kirjath-Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth: seven hundred forty and three. Men of Ramah and Gaba: six hundred twenty and one. Men of Michmas: a hundred and twenty and two. Men of Bethel and Ai: a hundred twenty and three. Men of the other Nebo: fifty and two. Sons of the other Elam: a thousand two hundred fifty and four. Sons of Harim: three hundred and twenty. Sons of Jericho: three hundred forty and five. Sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: seven hundred and twenty and one. Sons of Senaah: three thousand nine hundred and thirty. The priests: sons of Jedaiah: of the house of Jeshua: nine hundred seventy and three; sons of Immer: a thousand fifty and two; sons of Pashur: a thousand two hundred forty and seven; sons of Harim: a thousand and seventeen. The Levites: sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel: of sons of Hodevah: seventy and four. The singers: sons of Asaph: a hundred forty and eight. The gatekeepers: sons of Shallum, sons of Ater, sons of Talmon, sons of Akkub, sons of Hatita, sons of Shobai: a hundred thirty and eight. The Nethinim: sons of Ziha, sons of Hasupha, sons of Tabbaoth, sons of Keros, sons of Sia, sons of Padon, sons of Lebanah, sons of Hagaba, sons of Shalmai, sons of Hanan, sons of Giddel, sons of Gahar, sons of Reaiah, sons of Rezin, sons of Nekoda, sons of Gazzam, sons of Uzza, sons of Phaseah, sons of Bezai, sons of Meunim, sons of Nephishesim, sons of Bakbuk, sons of Hakupha, sons of Harhur, sons of Bazlith, sons of Mehida, sons of Harsha, sons of Barkos, sons of Sisera, sons of Tamah, sons of Neziah, sons of Hatipha. Sons of the servants of Solomon: sons of Sotai, sons of Sophereth, sons of Perida, sons of Jaala, sons of Darkon, sons of Giddel, sons of Shephatiah, sons of Hattil, sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, sons of Amon. All the Nethinim and the sons of the servants of Solomon `are' three hundred ninety and two. And these `are' those coming up from Tel-Melah, Tel-Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer -- and they have not been able to declare the house of their fathers, and their seed, whether they `are' of Israel -- sons of Delaiah, sons of Tobiah, sons of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two. And of the priests: sons of Habaiah sons of Koz, sons of Barzillai, who hath taken from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite a wife, and is called by their name. These have sought their register among those reckoning themselves by genealogy, and it hath not been found, and they are redeemed from the priesthood, and the Tirshatha saith to them that they eat not of the most holy things till the standing up of the priest with Urim and Thummim. All the assembly together `is' four myriads two thousand three hundred and sixty, apart from their servants and their handmaids -- these `are' seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven; and of them `are' singers and songstresses, two hundred forty and five. Their horses `are' seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred `and' forty and five; camels, four hundred thirty and five; asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. And from the extremity of the heads of the fathers they have given to the work; the Tirshatha hath given to the treasure, of gold, drams a thousand, bowls fifty, priests' coats thirty and five hundred. And of the heads of the fathers they have given to the treasure of the work, of gold, drams two myriads, and of silver, pounds two thousand and two hundred. And that which the rest of the people have given `is' of gold, drams two myriads, and of silver, pounds two thousand, and of priests coats, sixty and seven. And they dwell -- the priests, and the Levites, and the gatekeepers, and the singers, and `some' of the people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel -- in their cities, and the seventh month cometh, and the sons of Israel `are' in their cities.
And the rest of the people, those left in the city, and those falling who have fallen to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude, hath Nebuzaradan chief of the executioners removed;
And he hath removed all Jerusalem, and all the chiefs, and all the mighty ones of valour -- ten thousand `is' the removal -- and every artificer and smith, none hath been left save the poor of the people of the land. And he removeth Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the mother of the king, and the wives of the king, and his eunuchs, and the mighty ones of the land -- he hath caused a removal to go from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the men of valour seven thousand, and the artificers and the smiths a thousand, the whole `are' mighty men, warriors; and the king of Babylon bringeth them in a captivity to Babylon.
A son of twenty and one years `is' Zedekiah in his reigning, and eleven years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother `is' Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, according to all that Jehoiakim hath done, for, because of the anger of Jehovah, it hath been in Jerusalem and Judah till He hath cast them from before His face, and Zedekiah doth rebel against the king of Babylon. And it cometh to pass, in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth of the month, come hath Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon -- he and all his force -- against Jerusalem, and they encamp against it, and build against it a fortification round about; and the city cometh into siege till the eleventh year of king Zedekiah. In the fourth month, in the ninth of the month, when the famine is severe in the city, and there hath been no bread for the people of the land, then is the city broken up, and all the men of war flee, and go forth from the city by night, the way of the gate between the two walls, that `is' by the king's garden -- and the Chaldeans `are' by the city round about -- and they go the way of the plain. And the forces of the Chaldeans pursue after the king, and overtake Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and all his forces have been scattered from him, and they capture the king, and bring him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah, in the land of Hamath, and he speaketh with him -- judgments. And the king of Babylon slaughtereth the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also all the princes of Judah hath he slaughtered in Riblah; and the eyes of Zedekiah he hath blinded, and he bindeth him in brazen fetters, and the king of Babylon bringeth him to Babylon, and putteth him in the house of inspection unto the day of his death. And in the fifth month, in the tenth of the month -- it `is' the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon -- come hath Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners; he hath stood before the king of Babylon in Jerusalem, and he burneth the house of Jehovah, and the house of the king, and all the houses of Jerusalem, even every great house he hath burned with fire, and all the walls of Jerusalem round about broken down have all the forces of the Chaldeans that `are' with the chief of the executioners. And of the poor of the people, and the remnant of the people who are left in the city, and those who are falling away, who have fallen unto the king of Babylon, and the remnant of the multitude, hath Nebuzar-Adan chief of the executioners, removed; and of the poor of the land hath Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, left for vine-dressers and for husbandmen. And the pillars of brass that `are' to the house of Jehovah, and the bases, and the brasen sea that `is' in the house of Jehovah, have the Chaldeans broken, and they bear away all the brass of them to Babylon; and the pots, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls, and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass with which they minister, they have taken away; and the basins, and the fire-pans, and the bowls, and the pots, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups, the gold of that which `is' gold, and the silver of that which `is' silver, hath the chief of the executioners taken. The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve brazen oxen that `are' beneath the bases, that king Solomon made for the house of Jehovah, there was no weighing of the brass of all these vessels. As to the pillars, eighteen cubits `is' the height of the one pillar, and a cord of twelve cubits doth compass it, and its thickness `is' four fingers hollow. And the chapiter upon it `is' of brass, and the height of the one chapiter `is' five cubits, and net-work and pomegranates `are' on the chapiter round about, the whole `is' of brass; and like these have the second pillar, and pomegranates. And the pomegranates are ninety and six on a side, all the pomegranates `are' a hundred on the net-work round about. And the chief of the executioners taketh Seraiah the head priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold, and out of the city he hath taken a certain eunuch, who hath been inspector over the men of war, and seven men of those seeing the king's face, who have been found in the city, and the head scribe of the host, who mustereth the people of the land, and sixty men of the people of the land, who are found in the midst of the city; and Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, taketh them, and bringeth them unto the king of Babylon to Riblah, and the king of Babylon smiteth them, and putteth them to death in Riblah, in the land of Hamath, and he removeth Judah from off its own ground. This `is' the people whom Nebuchadrezzar hath removed: in the seventh year, of Jews, three thousand and twenty and three; in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar -- from Jerusalem, souls, eight hundred thirty and two; in the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar, hath Nebuzar-Adan chief of the guard removed of Jewish souls, seven hundred forty and five; all the souls `are' four thousand and six hundred. And it cometh to pass, in the thirty and seventh year of the removal of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the twenty and fifth of the month, hath Evil-Merodach king of Babylon lifted up, in the year of his reign, the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and bringeth him out from the house of restraint, and speaketh with him good things, and setteth his throne above the throne of the kings who `are' with him in Babylon, and he hath changed his prison garments, and he hath eaten bread before him continually, all the days of his life. And his allowance -- a continual allowance -- hath been given to him by the king of Babylon, the matter of a day in its day, till the day of his death -- all days of his life.
And the governor having read `it', and inquired of what province he is, and understood that `he is' from Cilicia;
Completed `is' thy iniquity, daughter of Zion, He doth not add to remove thee, He hath inspected thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He hath removed `thee' because of thy sins!
Her adversaries have become chief, Her enemies have been at ease, For Jehovah hath afflicted her, For the abundance of her transgressions, Her infants have gone captive before the adversary.
And the people of the land take Jehoahaz son of Josiah, and cause him to reign instead of his father in Jerusalem. A son of three and twenty years `is' Jehoahaz in his reigning, and three months he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and turn him aside doth the king of Egypt in Jerusalem, and fineth the land a hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold; and the king of Egypt causeth Eliakim his brother to reign over Judah and Jerusalem, and turneth his name to Jehoiakim; and Jehoahaz his brother hath Necho taken, and bringeth him in to Egypt. A son of twenty and five years `is' Jehoiakim in his reigning, and eleven years he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah his God; against him hath Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon come up, and bindeth him in brazen fetters to take him away to Babylon. And of the vessels of the house of Jehovah hath Nebuchadnezzar brought in to Babylon, and putteth them in his temple in Babylon. And the rest of the matters of Jehoiakim, and his abominations that he hath done, and that which is found against him, lo, they are written on the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, and reign doth Jehoiachin his son in his stead. A son of eight years is Jehoiachin in his reigning, and three months and ten days he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah; and at the turn of the year hath king Nebuchadnezzar sent and bringeth him in to Babylon, with the desirable vessels of the house of Jehovah, and causeth Zedekiah his brother to reign over Judah and Jerusalem. A son of twenty and one years `is' Zedekiah in his reigning, and eleven years he hath reigned in Jerusalem; and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah his God, he hath not been humbled before Jeremiah the prophet `speaking' from the mouth of Jehovah; and also, against king Nebuchadnezzar he hath rebelled, who had caused him to swear by God, and he hardeneth his neck, and strengtheneth his heart, against turning back unto Jehovah, God of Israel. Also, all the heads of the priests, and the people, having multiplied to commit a trespass according to all the abominations of the nations, and they defile the house of Jehovah that He hath sanctified in Jerusalem. And Jehovah, God of their fathers, sendeth unto them by the hand of His messengers -- rising early and sending -- for He hath had pity on His people, and on His habitation, and they are mocking at the messengers of God, and despising His words, and acting deceitfully with His prophets, till the going up of the fury of Jehovah against His people -- till there is no healing. And He causeth to go up against them the king of the Chaldeans, and he slayeth their chosen ones by the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and hath had no pity on young man and virgin, old man and very aged -- the whole He hath given into his hand. And all the vessels of the house of God, the great and the small, and the treasures of the house of Jehovah, and the treasures of the king and of his princes -- the whole he hath brought in to Babylon. And they burn the house of God, and break down the wall of Jerusalem, and all its palaces they have burnt with fire, and all its desirable vessels -- to destruction. And he removeth those left of the sword unto Babylon, and they are to him and to his sons for servants, till the reigning of the kingdom of Persia, to fulfil the word of Jehovah in the mouth of Jeremiah, till the land hath enjoyed its sabbaths; all the days of the desolation it kept sabbath -- to the fulness of seventy years. And in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, at the completion of the word of Jehovah in the mouth of Jeremiah, hath Jehovah waked up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, and he causeth an intimation to pass over into all his kingdom, and also in writing, saying, `Thus said Cyrus king of Persia, All kingdoms of the earth hath Jehovah, God of the heavens, given to me, and He hath laid a charge on me to build to Him a house in Jerusalem, that `is' in Judah; who is among you of all His people? Jehovah his God `is' with him, and he doth go up.'
In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, come hath Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his force unto Jerusalem, and they lay siege against it; in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninth of the month, hath the city been broken up; and come in do all the heads of the king of Babylon, and they sit at the middle gate, Nergal-Sharezer, Samgar-Nebo, Sarsechim, chief of the eunuchs, Nergal-Sharezer, chief of the Mages, and all the rest of the heads of the king of Babylon. And it cometh to pass, when Zedekiah king of Judah, and all the men of war, have seen them, that they flee and go forth by night from the city, the way of the king's garden, through the gate between the two walls, and he goeth forth the way of the plain. And the forces of the Chaldeans pursue after them, and overtake Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho, and they take him, and bring him up unto Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to Riblah, in the land of Hamath, and he speaketh with him -- judgments. And the king of Babylon slaughtereth the sons of Zedekiah, in Riblah, before his eyes, yea, all the freemen of Judah hath the king of Babylon slaughtered. And the eyes of Zedekiah he hath blinded, and he bindeth him with brazen fetters, to bring him in to Babylon. And the house of the king, and the house of the people, have the Chaldeans burnt with fire, and the walls of Jerusalem they have broken down. And the remnant of the people who are left in the city, and those falling who have fallen to him, and the remnant of the people who are left, hath Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, removed `to' Babylon. And of the poor people, who have nothing, hath Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, left in the land of Judah, and he giveth to them vineyards and fields on the same day. And Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon giveth a charge concerning Jeremiah, by the hand of Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners, saying, `Take him, and place thine eyes upon him, and do no evil thing to him, but as he speaketh unto thee, so do with him.' And Nebuzar-Adan, chief of the executioners sendeth, and Nebushazban, chief of the eunuchs, and Nergal-Sharezer, chief of the Mages, and all the chiefs of the king of Babylon; yea, they send and take Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and give him unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, to carry him home, and he dwelleth in the midst of the people. And unto Jeremiah hath a word of Jehovah been -- in his being detained in the court of the prison -- saying: `Go, and thou hast spoken to Ebed-Melech the Cushite, saying: Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel: Lo, I am bringing in My words unto this city for evil, and not for good, and they have been before thee in that day. And I have delivered thee in that day -- an affirmation of Jehovah -- and thou art not given into the hand of the men of whose face thou art afraid, for I do certainly deliver thee, and by sword thou fallest not, and thy life hath been to thee for a spoil, for thou hast trusted in Me -- an affirmation of Jehovah.'
And the scribes of the king are called, at that time, in the third month -- it `is' the month of Sivan -- in the three and twentieth of it, and it is written, according to all that Mordecai hath commanded, unto the Jews, and unto the lieutenants, and the governors, and the heads of the provinces, that `are' from Hodu even unto Cush, seven and twenty and a hundred provinces -- province and province according to its writing, and people and people according to its tongue, and unto the Jews according to their writing, and according to their tongue.
to bring in Vashti the queen before the king, with a royal crown, to shew the peoples and the heads her beauty, for she `is' of good appearance,
And the drinking `is' according to law, none is pressing, for so hath the king appointed for every chief one of his house, to do according to the pleasure of man and man.
And it cometh to pass, in the days of Ahasuerus -- he `is' Ahasuerus who is reigning from Hodu even unto Cush, seven and twenty and a hundred provinces --
and there hath been found at Achmetha, in a palace that `is' in the province of Media, a roll, and a record thus written within it `is':
`To Darius the king, all peace! be it known to the king that we have gone to the province of Judah, to the great house of God, and it is built `with' rolled stones, and wood is placed in the walls, and this work is done speedily, and prospering in their hand.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on Ezra 2
Commentary on Ezra 2 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO EZRA 2
This chapter contains a list of those that went up from Babylon to Jerusalem, of their leaders, their chief men, princes and priests, Ezra 2:1 of the people, described by their families, towns, and cities, and number of persons, Ezra 2:3, of the priests, Levites, and Nethinims, Ezra 2:36, and of those that could not make out their genealogy, people and priests, Ezra 2:59, and then the sum total of the whole congregation is given, Ezra 2:64, besides men and maidservants, singing men and women, and cattle of divers sorts, Ezra 2:65, and the chapter is closed with an account of the freewill offerings of the principal men towards the building of the temple, and of the settlement of the people in their respective cities, Ezra 2:68.
Now these are the children of the province,.... Either of the province of Babylon, as Aben Ezra, where they were either born, or had dwelt for many years; or else rather, according to Jarchi, of the province of Judea, as it is called, Ezra 5:8 once a flourishing kingdom, but reduced to a province of the Babylonian monarchy, now in the hands of the Medes and Persians, of which province they and their fathers originally were:
that went out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon; who either in person, or in their parents, were carried captive by him, and who were the tribes of Judah and Benjamin; and they are only mentioned, because they were the principal that returned, though there were some of the other tribes that also came up with them:
and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, everyone unto his city; that he dwelt in before, or was now assigned to him by lot, see Nehemiah 11:1, &c.
Which came with Zerubbabel,.... The head of them, the prince of Judah; and the chief that came with him are the ten following; Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah; the first of these, Jeshua, was Joshua the high priest, the son of Josedech, Haggai 1:1. Dr. LightfootF19Works, vol. 1. p. 127. So Broughton, Works, p. 258. thinks that Nehemiah is the same, whose name the following book bears; and that Mordecai is he who was uncle to Esther, so Aben Ezra; but, if so, they must both return again; for that Nehemiah came to Jerusalem in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes, Nehemiah 1:1, and that Mordecai brought up his niece in the city of Shushan, in the times of Ahasuerus, is certain; and this, with respect to both, is denied by othersF20Vid. Rainold. de Libr. Apocryph. Praelect. 111, 117, 148. , who take them to be different men of the same name; and the same writer is of opinion that Seraiah, and who is called Azariah, Nehemiah 7:7 is the same with Ezra, who therefore must and did return, since he went up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Artaxerxes, Ezra 7:1, as for the others, we know nothing more of them than their names:
the number of the men of the people of Israel; either of the principal of them before named, or of the common people, which next follows.
The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred and seventy two. From hence, to the end of Ezra 2:35, a list is given of the captives that returned, described by the families they were of, their ancestors from whence they sprung, or the towns and cities to which they originally belonged, and by their numbers; otherwise nothing more of them is known.
The priests,.... An account of them is given in this and the three following verses, and only four families are mentioned, those of Jedaiah, Immer, Pashur, and Harim, and the number of them amounted to 4289; these, according to the Jews, were heads of four courses, which were all that returned from BabylonF21T. Hieros. Taanioth, fol. 68. 1. .
The Levites,.... Singers and porters, who are reckoned in this, and the two following verses, whose numbers were no more than three hundred and forty one; whereas, in the times of David, they were 38,000, 1 Chronicles 23:3.
The Nethinims,.... Supposed by Aben Ezra and Jarchi to be the Gibeonites, who were "given" by Joshua, as the word Nethinims signifies, to the congregation, to be hewers of wood and drawers of water; but rather were those that were given by David to assist the Levites; of these is an account from hence to the end of Ezra 2:58, together with those who descended from Solomon's servants, who seem to be the remains of the Canaanites in the land, whom Solomon made bondservants of, 1 Kings 9:20, who, and their posterity, became proselytes; or those sprung from men that were domestic servants of Solomon's, and valued themselves on that account; the number of the Nethinims and these together were three hundred ninety and two.
And these were they that went up from Telmelah, Telharsa,.... Places in the land of Babylon, see Isaiah 37:12.
Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel; these were such that professed the Jewish religion, and went for Jews in Babylon, but could not trace their pedigree, and tell what family they were of, who their ancestors, and where they had lived in Judea; they had lost their genealogical tables, if they ever had any, and could not make it out, whether their parents were Israelites or proselyted Gentiles; or they were such who had been exposed, and taken out of the streets, and their parents unknown.
The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, and the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. These, though their immediate parents were known, yet by their being mentioned here, it seems as if they could not carry their genealogy further, and make it clearly appear what was the house of their fathers, or what their family.
And of the children of the priests,.... Who could not make out their pedigree, for those that could are mentioned before:
the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; how the latter came by this name follows:
which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name; this man married a woman that descended from the famous Barzillai the Gileadite, in the times of David; and the priesthood being in disuse, and mean and despicable, in Babylon, he chose to take the name of his wife's family, and pass for a descendant from that, and perhaps destroyed, or at least neglected, to take care of the genealogy of his own family.
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy,.... To find their names written and registered there; for the Jews kept public registers of their priests, their descent, marriages, and offspring, that it might be known who were fit, and who not, to officiate as such:
but they were not found; their names were not there, nor any account taken of them:
therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood; were not suffered to attend at the altar, and offer sacrifice, and enjoy the privileges belonging to that office.
And the Tirshatha said unto them,.... By whom Jarchi understands Nehemiah, and observes, that their rabbins say he was so called, because the wise men allowed him to drink the wine of the Gentiles, he being cupbearer to the king; but Aben Ezra, with greater probability, takes it to be a name of honour and grandeur in the Chaldee language, as a prince or governor; and no doubt Zerubbabel is meant, the prince of the Jews, the same with Sheshbazzar, Ezra 1:8 according to GussetiusF23Ebr. Comment. p. 809. , this office was the same with that of the king's commissary in a province, delegated to carry his orders, make them known, and see them put in execution; and that this name Tirshatha is the same with Tithraustes in AelianF24Var. Hist. l. 1. c. 21. Vid. Corn. Nep. Vit. Conon. l. 9. c. 3. ; but that seems to be not the title of an office, but the personal name of a man that was a chiliarch:
that they should not eat of the most holy things; as of the shewbread, and those parts of the sin offerings, and of the peace offerings and meat offerings, which belonged to the priests, which the governor forbid these to eat of, who were rejected from the priesthood:
till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim; as yet there was not any priest that had them; they were not to be found at the return from Babylon; the governor might hope they would be found, and a priest appear clothed with them, when it might be inquired of the Lord by them, whether such priests, before described, might eat of the holy things or not; but since the JewsF25T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 21. 2. acknowledge that these were one of the five things wanting in the second temple; it is all one, as the TalmudistsF26T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 48. 2. & Gloss. in Kiddushin, fol. 60. 2. express it, as if it had been said, until the dead rise, or the Messiah comes; and who is come, the true High Priest, and with whom are the true Urim and Thummim, lights and perfections to the highest degree, being full of grace and truth; of the Urim and Thummim; see Gill on Exodus 28:30.
The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore. But the sums before given make no more, with Zerubbabel, and the ten principal men, than 29,829, so that there are more than 12,000 wanting; wherefore, in answer to the question, where are the 12,000? the Jews say in their chronologyF1Seder Olam Rabba, c. 29. p. 86. these are they of the other tribes, who set up the altar on its bases, and gave money to the masons, &c. Ezra 3:1, this was a much larger number than were carried captive; see 2 Kings 24:14, but not to be compared with the number that came out of Egypt, Exodus 12:37. An Arabic writerF2Abulpharag. Hist. Dynast. Dyn. 5. p. 82. makes them 50,000, but wrongly.
Besides their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven,.... This shows that the greater part of those that returned were of the poorer sort, since there were so few servants that belonged unto them; these came not into the above account:
and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women; among the servants, who were kept by persons of figure for their pleasure and recreation, see Ecclesiastes 2:8, for that these were such as were employed in sacred service is not so clear, especially the latter, though some conclude it from 1 Chronicles 25:5, but rather they were such as were employed at marriages, festivals, and funerals; though Jarchi thinks they were employed by the returning captives, to make them cheerful as they travelled along; see Gill on Isaiah 55:12.
So that the far greatest part of them must walk on foot, since these can be thought to be little more than sufficient to carry their goods or baggage; some copies of the Vulgate Latin read six hundred and thirty six horsesF3Ed. of Sixtus V. and the Lovain in James's Contrariety of Popish Bibles, p. 295. .
And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord that is at Jerusalem,.... That is, when they came to the place where it formerly stood, and where were still the ruins of it:
offered freely for the house of God, to set it up in its place; to rebuild it upon the spot where it formerly stood; this they did besides the freewill offerings they brought with them from Babylon.
They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the world threescore and one thousand drachms of gold,.... These "darcemons or darics" were a Persian coin; one of which, according to BrerewoodF11De Pret. & Ponder. Vet. Num. ch. iii. v. , was of the value of fifteen shillings of our money, and so this quantity of them amounted to 45,750 pounds; but according to Bishop CumberlandF12Scripture Weights & Measures, ch. 4. p. 115. they were of the value of twenty shillings and four pence of our money, and so came to upwards of 61,000 pounds; these everyone, according to his ability, put into the common stock or treasury for the work of building the temple; the Vulgate LatinF13Sixtus V. Lovain & MSS. in James ut supra. (Contrariety of Popish Bibles, p. 295) reads 40,000:
and five thousand pounds of silver; and an Hebrew "mina", or pound, being of our money seven pounds, ten shillings, according to BrerewoodF14Ut supra, (De Pret. & Ponder. Vet. Num.) ch. iv. v. , amounted to 31,250 pounds: but othersF15Universal History, vol. 10. p. 183, marg. , reckoning a drachm of gold at ten shillings, and a mina or pound of silver at nine pounds, make the whole to amount only to 75,500 pounds of our money:
and one hundred priests' garments; which, as they were laid up among treasures, so were necessary for the service of the temple.
So the priests and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities,.... Which were assigned to them out of the several tribes, and in which they or their forefathers had dwelt before the captivity:
and all Israel in their cities; as those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, so of the other ten, as many as returned and joined those who were left in the land.