The Returning Exiles Listed
Study note
This official list records the families who made the long journey from Babylon back to their homeland. Zerubbabel was the main leader, and Jeshua served as the high priest. These people had been taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Now they were returning to the exact cities their families had come from.
1 Here is a list of the people from Judah who came back from being held in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar had taken them away. Now they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each going to their own hometown. 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;
2 Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. Here are the totals for the Israelite families: Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
The Families of Israel
Study note
This section lists the family groups by their ancestors' names or by their hometowns. Each family is listed with its total number of members. These records were very important because they proved which families belonged to the people of Israel. Together, these families made up the core of the returning community.
3 Parosh's descendants: 2,172. The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.
4 Shephatiah's family: 372. The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
5 Arah's descendants: 775. The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.
6 Pahath-moab's descendants (through Jeshua and Joab's family line): 2,812. The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
7 Elam's descendants: 1,254. The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
8 Zattu's family: 945. The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.
9 Zaccai's family: 760. The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
10 Bani's family: 642. The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
11 Bebai's family: 623. The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.
12 Azgad's descendants: 1,222. The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
13 Adonikam's descendants: 666. The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.
14 Bigvai's descendants: 2,056. The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
15 Adin's family: 454. The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
16 Ater's descendants (through Hezekiah): 98. The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
17 Bezai's family: 323. The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.
18 Jorah's family: 112. The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.
19 Hashum's descendants: 223. The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.
20 Gibbar's family: 95. The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.
21 People from Bethlehem: 123. The children of Beth-lehem, an hundred twenty and three.
22 Men from Netophah: 56. The men of Netophah, fifty and six.
23 Men from Anathoth: 128. The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
24 People from Azmaveth: 42. The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.
25 People from Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth: 743. The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.
26 People from Ramah and Geba: 621. The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.
27 Men from Michmas: 122. The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.
28 Men from Bethel and Ai: 223. The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
29 People from Nebo: 52. The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
30 People from Magbish: 156. The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.
31 Descendants of the other Elam: 1,254. The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
32 Harim's descendants: 320. The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
33 People from Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 725. The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.
34 People from Jericho: 345. The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
35 People from Senaah: 3,630. The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
The Priests and Levites
Study note
The priests served at the altar and offered sacrifices, while the Levites assisted with other temple duties. The singers led worship music, and the gatekeepers guarded the temple entrances. All of these groups were needed to restore proper worship in Jerusalem. Without them, the rebuilt temple could not function as God intended.
36 Among the priests: Jedaiah's descendants (from Jeshua's family): 973. The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
37 Immer's descendants: 1,052. The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
38 Pashur's descendants: 1,247. The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
39 Harim's descendants: 1,017. The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
40 Among the Levites: descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (from Hodaviah's family): 74. The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
41 Among the singers: Asaph's descendants: 128. The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.
42 Among the gatekeepers: the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai: 139 total. 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.
The Temple Servants
Study note
The Nethinim were temple servants who helped the Levites with daily tasks in the house of God. Solomon's servants were descendants of people King Solomon had appointed for special duties. These workers played a humble but necessary role in keeping the temple running smoothly.
43 Among the temple workers: the families of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
44 Keros, Siaha, Padon, The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,
45 Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
46 Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,
47 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,
48 Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
49 Uzza, Paseah, Besai, The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,
50 Asnah, Mehunim, Nephusim, The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,
51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
52 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
53 Barkos, Sisera, Thamah, The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,
54 Neziah, and Hatipha. The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
55 Among Solomon's servants' descendants: Sotai, Sophereth, Peruda, The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,
56 Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
57 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-hazzebaim, and Ami. The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.
58 Temple workers and the families of Solomon's servants totaled 392. All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.
Those Who Could Not Prove Their Ancestry
Study note
Some people who returned could not find records to prove which Israelite families they belonged to. This was especially serious for those who claimed to be priests. Since priests had to be proven descendants of Aaron, those without records were removed from the priesthood until a priest could consult the Urim and Thummim, which were sacred objects used to seek God's guidance.
59 Some people came from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer. But they could not prove their families belonged to Israel. And these were they which went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:
60 This group had families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda. They totaled 652 people. The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.
61 Some priests also could not prove their family line: the descendants of Habaiah, Koz, and Barzillai. (Barzillai had married a woman from the family of Barzillai the Gileadite and took that family's name.) 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:
62 They looked for their names in the official family records but could not find them. So they were not allowed to serve as priests. 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.
63 The governor said they could not eat any of the most holy food. They had to wait until a priest used the Urim and Thummim to get an answer from God. 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 Total Count and Offerings
Study note
The full count of the returning community was over 42,000 people, not including servants. They brought many animals for the journey and for the work ahead. When they arrived in Jerusalem, the family leaders gave generous offerings of gold, silver, and priestly clothing to help rebuild the temple. Then the people settled back into their ancestral towns across the land.
64 The whole group returning together added up to 42,360 people. The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
65 That number did not count their 7,337 male and female servants. They also brought along 200 male and female musicians. 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.
66 They had 736 horses and 245 mules. Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;
67 They also had 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys. Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
68 The group reached where the Lord's temple had stood in Jerusalem. Some family leaders gave freely to rebuild God's house on its first base. 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:
69 They donated as much as they could to the building fund: 61,000 gold coins, 5,000 pounds of silver, and 100 sets of robes for the priests. 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.
70 The priests, Levites, some of the common people, musicians, gatekeepers, and temple workers each settled in their own towns. Everyone in Israel went back to where they belonged. 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.