Bible Commentaries

A list of those heads of houses who returned with Ezra from Babylon toJerusalem. Compare the parallel list, 1 Esdr. 8:28-40. - Ezra 8:1 The tithe:”These are the heads of the houses, and (this is) their genealogy, who wentup with me.” אבתיהם ראשׁי for בּית־אבתיהם ראשׁי, as frequently. והתיחשׂם, “and their genealogy,” isadded, because in the list following the heads of the different houses arenot merely enumerated according to their own names, but the names of theraces to which they belonged are also stated.

Ezra 8:2

Priests and descendants of David. Of priests, Gershom of thesons of Phinehas, and Daniel of the sons of Ithamar. Gershom and Danielare the names of heads of priestly houses, and “sons of Phinehas and sonsof Ithamar” designations of races. Phinehas was the son of the high priestEleazar, the son of Aaron, and Ithamar a younger son of Aaron, 1 Chronicles 6:4 and 1 Chronicles 6:3. This does not signify that only the two priests Gershom andDaniel went up with Ezra; for in Ezra 8:24 he chose twelve from among thechief of the priests, who went up with him, to have charge of the gifts(Bertheau). The meaning is, that Gershom and Daniel, two heads ofpriestly houses, went up, and that the house of Gershom belonged to therace of Phinehas, and that of Daniel to the race of Ithamar. A Daniel isnamed among the priests in Nehemiah 10:7, but whether he is identical with theDaniel in question does not appear. Of the sons (descendants) of David(the king), Hattush, as head of a house. A Hattush, son of Hashabniah,occurs Nehemiah 3:10, and a priest of this name Nehemiah 10:5 and Nehemiah 12:2. Hattushalso holds the first place among the sons of Shemaiah enumerated 1 Chronicles 3:22, who probably were among the descendants of David. It seemsstrange that the numbers neither of the priests nor of the sons of Davidwho went up with Ezra should be given, since from v. 3 onwards, in thecase of the houses of lay races, the numbers of those who returned to thehome of their ancestors is regularly stated.

Ezra 8:3-12

Twelve lay houses are named both in the present text and in 1Esdr. 8:30-40. In ten cases the names of the races, which are uniformlyintroduced with מבּני, are identical in both texts, viz., Parosh,Pahath-Moab, Adin, Elam, Shephatiah, Joab, Bebai, Azgad, Adonikam,and Bigvai. On the other hand, it appears surprising, 1st, that in the firsthouse mentioned, before the name זכריה, besides “of the sonsof Parosh,” we have also שׁכניה מבּני (Ezra 8:3), whilebefore all the other names we find only “of the sons of” one individual;2ndly, that in Ezra 8:5, after שׁכניה בּני, instead of aname of the head of a house, only Ben Jahaziel follows; 3rdly, that in Ezra 8:10 also, after שׁלומית וּמבּני, we have merely BenJosiphiah, the names themselves being apparently omitted in these twolast cases. This conjecture is corroborated by a comparison with the lxx and 1Esdr. 8, which shows, moreover, that it is not the personal name of thehead of the house, but the name of the race, which has been lost. Forמבני שׁכניה בן יחזיאל, Ezra 8:5, we find in the lxx ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Ζαθόης Ζεχενίας υἱὸς Ἀζιήλ , and in 1 Esdr. 8:32, ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Ζαθόης Σεχενίας Ἰεζήλου ; and for ומבני שׁלומית בן יוספיה, Ezra 8:10, in the lxx καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Βαανί Σελιμοὺθ υἱὸς Ἰωσεφία ,and in 1 Esdr. 8:36, ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν Βανίας Σαλιμὼθ Ἰωσαφίου . In Ζαθόης and Βαανί ( Βανίας ) we recognise זתּוּא and בּני of Ezra 2:8 and Ezra 2:10. Hence the text of Ezra 8:5 needs emendation, andshould run שׁכניה זתּוּא מבּני, and that ofEzra 8:10, שׁלומית בני וּמבּני. It is more difficult to decide concerning שׁכניה מבּני of Ezra 8:3, though undoubtedly we have here too a corruption of the text. For,first, there is no other instance in the whole list of the sons of two menbeing cited before the proper name of the house; and then, too, the absenceof the ו copulative before מבּני פ is opposed to the notionthat the house of Zechariah was formed by a union of the sons ofShecaniah and Parosh, since in this case the and could not be omitted. It istrue that we have in the lxx ἀπὸ υἱῶν Σαχανία καὶ ἀπὸ υἱῶν Φόρος ; but in this case the καὶ is certainly derived from thetranslator, who was thus seeking to make sense of the words. In 1 Esdr. 8we read Δαττοὺς τοῦ Σεχευίου ; and Δαττοὺς corresponding withחטּוּשׁ, the words בני שׁכניה (or בן) are taken into thepreceding verse. This treatment of the words Bertheau considers correct, because Hattushin 1 Chronicles 3:22 is reckoned among the descendants of Shecaniah. Thisconjecture is, however, a very doubtful one. For, first, in 1 Chronicles 3:22 Hattush is said to be of the sons of Shemaiah, and Shemaiah of the sons ofShecaniah; then we should as little expect any further statement in the caseof Hattush as in the cases of Daniel and Gershom; and further, if he hadbeen thus more precisely designated by naming his father, we shouldundoubtedly read שׁכניה בּן, not שׁ מבּני,and thus the Masoretic text would at any rate be incorrect; and finally, 1Esdras, where it differs from the lxx, is, generally speaking, no criticalauthority upon which to base safe conclusions. Under thesecircumstances, we must give up the hope of restoring the original text, andexplaining the words מבני שׁבניה. התיחשׂ עמּו, “andwith Zechariah, his genealogy of 150 males,” i.e., with him his race,consisting of 150 males, registered in the genealogy of the race. In the caseof the names which follow, the number only is given after the brieferexpression עמּו.

A review, then, of the twelve races, according to the restoration of theoriginal text in Ezra 8:5 and Ezra 8:10, presents us with names already occurring inthe list of the races who came from Babylon with Zerubbabel, Ezra 2:3-15,with the exception of the sons of Joab, Ezra 8:9, who are wanting in Ezra 2,where, on the other hand, several other races are enumerated. Bertheauseeks to identify the sons of Joab, Ezra 8:9, with the sons of Joab who in Ezra 2:6 are reckoned with the sons of Pahath-Moab, and to explain their specialenumeration in the present list, by the conjecture that the one housesubsequently separated into the two houses of Pahath-Moab and Joab,This is, indeed, possible; but it is quite a probable that only one portion orbranch of the sons (descendants) of Joab was combined with the race ofthe sons of Pahath-Moab, and that the rest of the bne Joab formed aseparate house, no family of which returned with Zerubbabel. Theoccurrence of the other races in both lists is to be explained by thecircumstance that portions of them returned with Zerubbabel, and that therest did not follow till Ezra's departure.

Ezra 8:13

The addition אחרנים, last (comp. 2 Samuel 19:12), isthus explained by J. H. Mich.: respectu eorum qui primum cumZorobabele sub Cyro in patriam redierunt c. ii. 13. Bertheau, however,considers this explanation untenable, because אחרנים stands in thepresent series only with the sons of Adonikam, while it is neverthelesscertain, that many families belonging also to other races than this hadreturned with Zerubbabel, in comparison with whom all who returnedwith Ezra might be called last. This reason, however, is not conclusive; forin Ezra 8:13 the further statement also differs, both in form and matter, fromthose in the former verses. Here, instead of the name of the head of thehouse, we read the words “last, and these their names;” whereupon threenames are given, and not till then וגו ועמּהם, “and with themsixty males.” Here, then, it is not the head of the house who is named, butin his place three heads of families, amounting together to sixty males. Now, as these three families did not form a house, these sixty sons ofAdonikam who returned with Ezra are, with regard to the six hundred andsixty-six sons of Adonikam who returned with Zerubbabel, designated thelast, or last arrived, and thus comprised with them as one house.

Ezra 8:14

Of the sons of Bigvai also two heads are named, Uthai andZabbud, and with them seventy males. In 1 Esdr. 8:40, the names Uthaiand Zabbud are corrupted into Οὐθὶ ὁ τοῦ Ἰσταλκούρου . The totalnumber of individuals belonging to these twelve races, who returned withEzra, amounts, according to the Hebrew text, to 1496 males and fifteenheads; according to 1 Esdras, to 1690 males, and the thirteen heads of thetwelve races, without reckoning the priests and sons of David, whosenumbers are not stated.

Account of the journey. - Ezra 8:15 The assembling of the expedition. When the Israelites who were about to return to Jerusalem had assembled,and were ready for starting, Ezra perceived that there were no Levitesamong them. He then sent for certain chief men among them, and by meansof the influence of Iddo, the chief at the place Casiphia, induced a numberof Levites and Nethinim to determine on joining the expedition (Ezra 8:15). He then proclaimed a fast at the place of meeting, for the purpose ofsupplicating God to grant them a prosperous journey (Ezra 8:21).

Ezra 8:15-17

The travellers assembled at the river Ahava, where theyencamped three days. In Ezra 8:15 the river is designated אל־אהוא הבּא,i.e., either which comes (flows) towards Ahava, or flows into Ahava; in Ezra 8:21 it is more briefly called אהוא נהר, and in Ezra 8:31 אהוא נהר, which may mean the river of Ahava, of theregion or district called Ahava, or, after the analogy of פּרת נהר, merely the river of the name of Ahava. It is doubtful which ofthese meanings is correct, the name Ahava being still unexplained. Comp. the various conjectures in A. G. F. Schirmer, observationes exeg. crit. inlibr. Esdrae, Vratisl. 1820, p. 28ff. The connection points to a place ordistrict in the neighbourhood of Babylon; hence Bertheau is inclined toregard Ahava as a tributary or canal of the Euphrates, flowing through aplace, perhaps only a field or open space, of the same name, in theimmediate neighbourhood of Babylon; while Ewald supposes it may bethe river somewhat to the west or south of Euphrates, called by theGreeks Pallacopas, whose situation would suit the context, and whosename might arise from אהוא פלג, the river Ahwa or Aba. The lxxgives the name Εὐί ; in 1 Esdr. 8:40 and 61 we find Θερά , evidently a falsereading. Josephus says quite generally, εἰς τὸ πέραν τοῦ Εύφράτου . - When Ezra, during the three days' encampment at thisplace, directed his attention to the people and the priests (ב הבין, to give heed, Nehemiah 13:7; Daniel 9:23, and elsewhere), he found noLevites among those who had assembled. Ezra 8:16 He then sent several chiefmen to Iddo, the chief man in the place Casiphia, to beg him and hisbrethren to bring him servants for the house of God. The lxx translates ל אשׁלחה, “I sent to (or for) Eliezer,” etc., which would mean tofetch them: “that I might then send them to Iddo.” The Vulgate, on theother hand, and many expositors, understand ל as nota accus., like 2 Chronicles 17:7, which is simpler. Of the nine men here designated as ראשׁים, the names of Eliezer, Shemaiah, Jarib, Nathan, Zechariah, andMeshullam occur again in Ezra 10:15, Ezra 10:18-31, though we cannot certainlyinfer the identify of those who bear them. The appellation ראשׁים does not determine whether theybelonged to the priesthood or laity. The two remaining are calledמבינים, teachers; comp. Nehemiah 8:7, Nehemiah 8:9; 1 Chronicles 15:22; 1 Chronicles 25:8, andelsewhere. Although this word is, in the passages cited, used of Levites,yet we cannot suppose those here named to have been teaching Levites,because, according to Ezra 8:16, there were as yet no Levites amongst theassemblage; hence, too, they could not be teachers properly so called, butonly men of wisdom and understanding. The Chethiv ואוצאה must be readואוצאה: I sent them to (על, according to later usage, for אל); the Keri is ואצוּה, I despatched, sent them. Bothreadings suit the sense. The place Casiphia is entirely unknown, butcannot have been far from the river Ahava. Caspia, the region of theCaspian Sea, is out of the question, being far too remote. “I put words in their mouth to speak to Iddo,” i.e., I told them exactlywhat they should say to Iddo; comp. 2 Samuel 14:3, 2 Samuel 14:19. The wordsאדּו אחיו הנּתוּנים give no intelligible meaning; for אהיו we must, with the Vulgate, 1 Esdras, and others, read ואחיו: to Iddo and his brethren, the Nethinim, at the place Casiphia. Thiswould seem to say that Iddo was one of the Nethinim. Such an inference isnot, however, a necessary one; for the expression may also, like “Zadokthe (high) priest and his brethren, the (ordinary) priests,” 1 Chronicles 16:39,be understood to mean that Iddo, the chief man of that place, was a Levite,and that the Nethinim were, as a lower order of temple servants, calledbrethren of Iddo the Levite. The circumstance that not only Nethinim, butalso Levites, were induced by Iddo to join the expedition (Ezra 8:8), requiresus thus to understand the words. אל לבית משׁרתים,servants for the house of God, are Levites and Nethinim, the upper andlower orders of the temple ministers. From Ezra 8:17 it appears that bothLevites and Nethinim had settled in the place Casiphia, and that Iddo, asthe chief man of the place, held an influential position among them. Nofurther inferences, however, concerning their settlement and employmentcan be drawn from this circumstance.

Ezra 8:18-19

The delegates sent to Iddo succeeded, through the graciousassistance of God (אל בּיד,see Ezra 7:6), in inducing forty Levites,and two hundred and twenty Nethinim, by means of Iddo's influence, tojoin their fellow-countrymen in their journey to Jerusalem. They broughtto us … לנוּ and עלינוּ refer to Ezra and hisfellow-travellers. שׂכל אישׁ, a man of understanding, seemsto be a proper name, being joined to Sherebiah, the name following, by a ו copulative. He was one of the descendants of Mahli, the son, i.e.,grandson, of Levi the son of Israel, i.e., Jacob: comp. Exodus 6:16, Exodus 6:19; 1 Chronicles 6:4. Sherebiah occurs again in Ezra 8:24, and Nehemiah 8:7; Nehemiah 9:4, etc., Ezra 10:13;12:24. The Levite Hashabiah, Ezra 10:19, is also named again, Ezra 8:24, Nehemiah 10:2,and Nehemiah 12:24, while the name of the Levite Jeshaiah, on the contrary, is notagain met with in the books of either Ezra or Nehemiah.

Ezra 8:20

With respect to the Nethinim, whom David and the princes (ofIsrael) had given for the service of the Levites (i.e., made servants of thetemple, to perform the lowest offices for the Levites), comp. Joshua 9:21 and Ezra 2:43. “They all were distinguished by name,” i.e., were men ofnote; comp. remarks on 1 Chronicles 12:31.

Ezra 8:21-30

The last preparations for the journey. - Ezra 8:21 Then thecompany of fellow-travellers was thus completed, Ezra proclaimed a fastat the place of meeting at the river Ahava, “that we might humbleourselves before our God, to seek of Him a prosperous journey forourselves, our families, and our goods,” Fasting, as a means of humblingthemselves before God, for the purpose of obtaining an answer to theirpetitions, was an ancient custom with the Israelites: Judges 20:26; 1 Samuel 7:6; Joel 1:14; 2 Chronicles 20:3. ישׁרה דּרך, a straightway, a way made level by the removal of obstructions, i.e., a prosperousjourney; comp. Psalm 112:7. טף, a noun collective, properly the littlechildren, more frequently denoted the entire family, a man's wives andchildren; see remarks on Exodus 12:37. רכוּשׁ, possessions in cattleand other goods.

Ezra 8:22-23

For I was ashamed to request of the king a band of soldiersand horsemen to help us against enemies in the way (i.e., to protect usfrom hostile attacks during our journey); for we had said to the king: Thehand of our God is over all them that seek him for good (i.e., for theirgood), and His power and His wrath against all them that forsake Him. עזּו in connection with אפּו is not His powerful wrath,but His power and might to conquer all enemies, evidencing itself in wrathagainst the wicked. This confession, which they had uttered before theking, they desired to make good by earnest humble supplication, that Godwould prove Himself their help and defence against all their enemies. Andfor this - adds Ezra, looking back on their prosperous journey after it wasaccomplished - He was entreated of us. Because they had supplicated Hisassistance by prayer and fasting, God granted them His protection by theway.

Ezra 8:24-30

Then Ezra delivered the gold, the silver, and the vessels,which he had received as gifts for the temple, to twelve of the chiefs of thepriests, and twelve Levites, that they might take charge of them during thejourney, and bring them to Jerusalem. “I separated twelve of the chief ofthe priests,” i.e., from the whole company of priests who were journeyingwith us. The following לשׁרביה does not suit the sense,whether we take the ל as a sign of the dative (lxx) or of the accusative(Vulgate, and several expositors). For Sherebiah and Hashabiah wereneither priests nor chiefs of priests, but Levites of the race of Merari (v. 18), and cannot therefore be reckoned among the twelve chiefs of priests. If we take לשׁרביה for a dative, and translate, “I separated twelve of thechiefs of the priests for Sherebiah and Hashabiah,” this would place thepriests in a servile relation to the Levites, contrary to their true position. For לשׁרביה we must read ושׁרביה, and accept the readingof 1 Esdras, καὶ Ἐσερεβίαν , as correct. Ezra separated twelve chiefs of thepriests and twelve Levites, for the purpose of delivering to their custodythe gifts of gold, silver, and implements for the temple. Of the chiefs of thepriests no names are mentioned; of the Levites, the two names Sherebiahand Hashabiah are given as those of heads of houses, with whom ten otherLevites were associated.

Ezra 8:25-27

To these chief priests and Levites Ezra weighed the silverand the gold and the vessels; שׁקל, to weigh, i.e., to deliver byweight. In the Chethiv אשׁקולה the O sound is maintained, andconsequently the Keri is pointed -.On the other hand, in Ezra 8:26 the וּ isdropped, and the form pointed with -, though many MSS, followed by J. H. Michaelis, have ו -here also. אל בּית תּרוּמת is inapposition with the before-named objects: the gold, the silver, and thevessels, the offering for the house of our God, which the king, hiscouncillors … had offered; comp. Ezra 7:15-16, Ezra 7:19. In ההרימוּ the article represents the relative pronoun; see on 1 Chronicles 26:28. הנּמצאים, all Israelites who were found, met with, inBabylon, and were not going with them to Jerusalem; comp. 1 Chronicles 29:17; 2 Chronicles 5:11. ידם על, like יד על; Ezra 1:8, to their hand, i.e., handed over to their keeping. The giftsamounted to: six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels onehundred in talents, i.e., one hundred talents in value, one hundred talents ofgold, and twenty covered basins of gold (comp. Ezra 1:10) one thousand dariksin value, and two brazen vessels of fine golden brilliancy, precious as gold. מצהב is an abstract noun, formed from the participle Hophalof צהב, to glitter like gold, and constructed as a feminine. Theword, with its adjective, either depends upon נחשׁט, in thestat. construct., or stands in apposition thereto, and is not, as a participleHophal, used adjectively and combined with נחשׁט, for then thetwo adjectives מצהב and טובה would not be indifferent genders. חמוּדות, like חמוּדות כּלי, 2 Chronicles 20:25.

Ezra 8:28-29

On delivering these treasures, Ezra adds the admonition: Yeare holy to the Lord, and the vessels are holy, and the gold and the silverare a free-will offering unto the Lord God of your fathers; watch and keep(that which is committed to you). Since they were themselves, as priestsand Levites, holy to the Lord, they were also to treat and keep the giftscommitted to their charge as holy gifts, until, on their arrival at Jerusalem,they should weigh them (i.e., deliver them by weight) before the priests,the Levites, and the princes of Israel, in the chambers of the house of theLord. The article to הלּשׁכוה (stat. construct.) is among theincorrectnesses of the later Hebrew.

Ezra 8:30

Then they took the weight of the silver, … i.e., received the silver,etc., delivered to them by weight.

Ezra 8:31-36

The start, the journey, and the arrival at Jerusalem. - Ezra 8:31 The start from the river Ahava (comp. Ezra 8:15) did not take place till thetwelfth day of the first month; while according to Ezra 7:9, the journeyfrom Babylon was appointed for the first day of the month, and accordingto Ezra 8:15, the bands of travellers who assembled at the river Ahavaencamped there three days. These statements may be reconciled asfollows: On the first day the company of travellers began to assemble, andduring the three days' encampment at the place of meeting Ezra becameaware that no Levites were found among the travellers; upon which hetook the measures mentioned, Ezra 8:16, etc., to induce certain Levites andNethinim to accompany them. When these were afterwards present, Ezraordained a fast, to supplicate the divine protection for the journey, andcommitted the sacred gifts to the care of the priests and Levites. Eightdays elapsed while these preparations for departure were being made, sothat the start from the river Ahava did not take place till the twelfth day. The journey was successfully accomplished, God's gracious protectiondelivering them from the hands of enemies and marauders; comp. Ezra 8:22.

Ezra 8:32-33

They arrived at Jerusalem, as stated Ezra 7:9, on the first dayof the fifth month, the journey consequently occupying three months anda half. The particulars of the journey are not communicated; and as we donot even know the locality of the place of meeting at the river Ahava, thelength of road to be traversed cannot be determined. After their arrival atJerusalem, they abode, i.e., remained, as Nehemiah subsequently did, quietand inactive three days, to recover from the fatigues and hardships of thejourney, Nehemiah 2:11, before they undertook the arrangement of their affairs. On the fourth day, the gifts they had brought with them were delivered inthe house of God (נשׁקל, like אשׁקלה, Ezra 8:16) into the hand ofMeremoth and Eleazar the priests, and Jozabad and Noadiah, two Levites,who took charge of them, the chiefs of the priests and Levites being,according to Ezra 8:29, also present. Meremoth Ben Uriah reappears in Nehemiah 3:4, Nehemiah 3:21, and is also intended Nehemiah 12:3. Eleazar the son of Phinehas, and theLevite Noadiah, are not again met with. Jozabad, of the sons of Jeshua(Ezra 2:40), may be the Levite Jozabad mentioned Nehemiah 10:23. Binnui is namedamong the Levites, Nehemiah 10:10 and Nehemiah 12:8.

Ezra 8:34

“By number, by weight, as to all,” i.e., all was delivered bynumber and weight; and the whole weight was written at that time, i.e., anauthentic list was made at the delivery which then took place.

Ezra 8:35

After the delivery of the dedicated gifts, those who had come upout of captivity (with Ezra), the sons of the captivity, offered burnt-offerings and sin-offerings, out of gratitude for the favour shown by Godin the gracious restoration of His people Israel. This is implied in thewords: “burnt-offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel”(the twelve tribes), and twelve he-goats for a sin-offering, as in Ezra 6:17. Ninety-six (8 x 12) lambs and seventy-seven lambs (77, the intensifiedseven) were likewise brought as a burnt-offering. “All this was a burnt-offering for the Lord,” of which, therefore, nothing could be eaten by theofferers. The sin-offering preceded the burnt-offering, as the necessarybasis of an acceptable burnt-offering. The sin-offerings availed as anatonement for the sins of all Israel, and the burnt-offerings typified thesurrender of the entire nation to the service of the Lord. Thus the fact thatthese were offered for all Israel was an actual declaration that they whohad now returned were henceforth resolved, together with all Israel, todedicate their lives to the service of the Lord their God.

Ezra 8:36

Hereupon the royal decrees (the commission, Ezra 7:12-26)were delivered to the satraps of the king, and to the governors on this sidethe river; and they furthered the people and the house of God, asArtaxerxes had commanded in his edict, Ezra 7:20-24. On אחשׁדּרפּנים and פּחוות, see rem. on Daniel 3:2. The satraps were the militarychiefs of the province, the פּחוות, the heads of the civilgovernment. נשּׂא, to lift up, to support, like Ezra 1:4.