These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them ,.... Which follows from hence to the end of Ezra 8:14 , that went up with me from Babylon ; with Ezra the priest and scribe, the writer of this book: in the reign of Artaxerxes the king ; that is, Darius Hystaspis, in the seventh year of his reign, see Ezra 7:1 , though many think Artaxerxes Longimanus is meant. read more
Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel ,.... Not Daniel the prophet, he was of the royal blood, and of the tribe of Judah; this was a priest, a descendant of Ithamar, as Gershom was of Eleazar in the line of Phinehas: of the sons of David; Hattush ; perhaps the same with him in 1 Chronicles 3:22 , who was a descendant of David the king; these three men seem to have come alone without any of their families, at least they are not mentioned, nor their numbers... read more
Of the sons of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh ,.... Who is so described, to distinguish him from another Shechaniah, Ezra 8:5 , Zechariah: and with him were reckoned by genealogy, of the males an hundred and fifty ; males only were reckoned, not women and children; though that there were such that went up is clear from Ezra 8:21 , from hence to the end of Ezra 8:14 an account is given of the number of the males that went up with Ezra, who were chiefly, if not altogether, sons... read more
And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava ,.... From whence also the river bore the same name; or that from the river, see Ezra 8:21 , and may be the same with Adiabene, a country in Assyria, which had its name from the river Adiava: and there abode we in tents three days ; or pitched their camp; this was the place of their rendezvous: and I viewed the people and the priests ; mustered them, took the number of them, and what tribe and families they were of: ... read more
Gershom - One of the descendants of Phinehas, son of Eliazar. read more
Of the sons of Shechaniah - There were three of this name; the second is mentioned Ezra 8:6 , and the third Ezra 10:2 . They were all different persons, as may be seen from their fathers' houses. read more
The river that runneth to Ahava - Ahava was a river itself, which is supposed to be the same that is called Diava or Adiava, in the province of Adiabene; and perhaps the place whence the people of Ava came who were brought by the king of Assyria to Palestine, 2 Kings 17:24 . None of the sons of Levi - None that were simply Levites. He found priests, and they were sons of Levi; but no Levites that were not priests. read more
On the expression chief of the fathers see comment on Ezra 2:68 . read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 8:1-20
Ezra, having received his commission from the king, beats up for volunteers, as it were, sets up an ensign to assemble the outcasts of Israel and the dispersed of Judah, Isa. 11:12. ?Whoever of the sons of Sion, that swell with the daughters of Babylon, is disposed to go to Jerusalem, now that the temple there is finished and the temple-service set a-going, now is their time.? Now one would think that under such a leader, with such encouragements, all the Jews should at length have shaken... read more