Bible Commentaries

Now these [are] the children ^a 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;

(a) Meaning Judea, which was a province that is, a country which was in subjection.

Which came with ^b Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, ^c Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number ^d of the men of the people of Israel:

(b) Zerubbabel was chief captain and Joshua the high priest: but Nehemiah a man of great authority did not come now, but came after 64 years.

(c) This was not the Mordecai who was Esther's kinsman.

(d) Meaning, of the common people.

The children of Ater of ^e Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

(e) Who were of the posterity of Hezekiah.

^f The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.

(f) That is inhabitants, for so this word

(some) signifies when it is joined with the names of places.

The ^g priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.

(g) Before he has declared the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, and now comes to the tribe of Levi and begins at the priests.

The ^h Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

(h) So called because they were given to the temple, to cut wood and bear water for the use of the sacrifices and came of the Gibeonites who were appointed to this use by Joshua, (Joshua 9:23).

The children of Solomon's ⁱ servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,

(i) Which came of them that Solomon had appointed for the work of the temple.

And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of ^k Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:

(k) He is mentioned in (2 Samuel 17:27) , (2 Samuel 19:31) and because the priest's office was held in contempt these would have changed their estate by their name, and so by God's just judgment lost both the estimation of the world and the dignity of their office.

And the ^l Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with ^m Urim and with Thummim.

(l) This is a Chaldee name, and signifies him who has authority over others.

(m) Read (Exodus 28:30).

They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand ⁿ drams of gold, and five thousand ^o pounds of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.

(n) Which in our money amounts to 24,826 pounds, 13 shillings and 4 pence, valuing the french crown at 6 shillings and 4 pence for the dram is the eighth part of an ounce, and the ounce the eighth part of a mark.

(o) Which are called "mina" and contain 2 marks apiece, Song of Solomon 50,000 minas make 55,000 franks which in our money amounts to 69,666 pounds, 13 shillings and 4 pence so that the whole sum was 94,493 pounds, 6 shillings, and 8 pence.