Ezra 2:64-65

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Ezra 2:64-70

Here is, I. The sum total of the company that returned out of Babylon. The particular sums before mentioned amount not quite to 30,000 (29,818), so that there were above 12,000 that come out into any of those accounts, who, it is probable, were of the rest of the tribes of Israel, besides Judah and Benjamin, that could not tell of what particular family or city they were, but that they were Israelites, and of what tribe. Now, 1. This was more than double the number that were carried captive... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 2:64

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 chronology F1 Seder 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Ezra 2:65

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... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 2:1-67

The list may be divided into ten parts:— 1. Enumeration of the leaders (verse 2). 2. Numbers of those who returned, arranged according to families (verses 3-19). 3. Numbers of those who returned, arranged according to localities (verses 20-35). 4. Numbers of the priests, arranged according to families (verses 36-39). 5. Numbers of the Levites, arranged similarly (verses 40-42). 6. Families of the Nethinim (verses 43-54). 7. Families of "Solomon's servants"... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 2:1-67

The muster-roll. The last chapter gave us a catalogue of the sacred vessels returned. In that portion of the present chapter which concludes with the above verses we have a similar catalogue of the sacred people returned (see Lamentations 4:2 ). The first verse seems to show us where this catalogue was made out, viz; in the land of their exile, where Judaea was constantly spoken of as "the province" (comp. Ezra 5:8 ; Nehemiah 1:3 ; Nehemiah 11:3 ). If the nearly identical... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 2:1-67

Spiritual significances. What signifies to us, it may be asked, the exact number of the children of Parosh and Shephatiah ( Ezra 2:3 , Ezra 2:4 )? What does it signify to us that the heads of the returning families bore such and such a name? Why record this? What is— I. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS RECORD OF NAMES AND NUMBERS ? The pains which the children of Israel took to keep a strict record of their families in Persia may have been (a) an act of faith : it... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 2:1-70

Men forsaking the worldly life. We regard the people returning from Babylon as typical of men going out of the worldly life into the life and work of the kingdom of God. Observe— I. THAT MEN FORSAKE THE WORLDLY LIFE FROM CHOICE . Cyrus compelled no man to leave the land of captivity. The Jews left Babylon in the exercise of their own free will. Israel as a nation went out of Egypt; but as individuals they come out of Babylon. Heaven compels no man to forsake sin. 1. ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 2:64

The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore. Ezra's numbers, as given in detail (verses 3-60), produce when added together a total of only 29,818; Nehemiah's items ( Nehemiah 7:8-62 ) give a total of 31,089; those of the apocryphal Esdras a total of 33,950. The three authorities agree, however, in their summation, all alike declaring that the actual number of those who returned with Zerubbabel was 42,360. Esdras adds that children under twelve... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 2:65

Two hundred singing men and singing women . Nehemiah says two hundred and forty-five , and so the apocryphal Esdras. Perhaps, in the great default of Levites, the services of these persons may have been used to swell the sacred choruses of the time ( Ezra 3:10 ). Hence, it may be, the mention of this otherwise unimportant fact. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Ezra 2:65-67

THE NUMBER OF THE SLAVES , HORSES , MULES , CAMELS , AND ASSES OF THOSE WHO RETURNED ( Ezra 2:65-67 ). It may seem strange that matters of this trivial character should be recorded with such exactness in Holy Writ; but enumerations similar in character are not unfrequent (see Genesis 23:14 , Genesis 23:15 ; 2 Chronicles 17:11 ; Job 42:12 ). They may perhaps be viewed as teaching the lesson that with God nothing is too trivial for exact knowledge, even "all... read more

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