View source for Ezra 2

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| [[File:Ezra2.jpg|center|thumb|Ezra Reads the Law to the People. But was the true meaning of his explanation accurately understood by all the people?]]
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| V1 In the phrase "Children of the province" the word '''children''' is from the Hebrew word בֵּן‎ ben<Ref name="ben">{{01121}}</Ref> meaning a ''son'' but appearing in the text as בְּנֵ֣י which has over 1200 uccurances in the [[Bible]]. It commonly refers to the sons of a particular family group descending from an individual. <Br>The word '''province''' is from מְדִינָה‎ mëdiynah<Ref name="province">{{04082}}</Ref> which does not appear in the [[Bible]] until [[1 Kings 20]].<Ref>[[1 Kings 20]]:14  And [[Ahab]] said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, [Even] by the young men of the princes of the provinces <[[04082]]>. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou. 15  Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces <04082>, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, [even] all the children of Israel, [being] seven thousand. 16  And they went out at noon. But Benhadad [was] '''drinking himself drunk in the pavilions''', he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him. 17  And the young men of the princes of the provinces<04082> went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of [[Samaria]].  18  And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive. 19  So these young men of the princes of the provinces<04082> came out of the city, and the army which followed them. 20  And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen. 21  And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.</Ref>In Israel at first there were [[No king]]s. In the text the form we see hamməḏînāh (הַמְּדִינָ֗ה) which appears [[Nehemiah 7]]:6, [[Nehemiah 11]]:3, [[Daniel 8]]:2. The term mëdiynah is consistently translated "province". It is from the word דִּין‎ diyn<Ref name="diyn">{{01777}}</Ref> meaning "to judge" or "to act as judge".
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| V1 The [[bondage of Egypt]] was [[captivity]] like [[Babylon]] and was a system of Corvee. Going to their '''cities''' and going to their '''tents''' are two different systems.<Ref>'''Every man to his tents''' 
: [[2 Samuel 20]]:1  And there happened to be there a man of Belial, whose name [was] Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite: and he blew a trumpet, and said, We have no part in David, neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to his tents, O Israel.
: 2 Chronicles 7:10  "And on the three and twentieth day of the seventh month he sent the people away into their tents, glad and merry in heart for the goodness that the LORD had shewed unto David, and to Solomon, and to Israel his people."
: 2 Chronicles 31:2  "And Hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the Levites after their courses, '''every man according to his service''', the [[priests]] and [[Levites]] for [[burnt offerings]] and for peace offerings, to minister, and to give thanks, and to praise in the '''gates of the tents of the LORD'''."
:[[1 Samuel 8]]:5  "And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.... 22  And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, '''Go ye every man unto his city'''."
: [[Exodus 33]]:10  And all the people saw the cloudy pillar stand [at] the tabernacle door: and all the people rose up and '''worshipped, every man [in] his tent door.'''"
:'''Rehoboam''' [[1 Kings 12]]:4  "Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee... 14  And spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, and I will add to your yoke: my father [also] chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions... 16 ¶  So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither [have we] inheritance in the son of Jesse: '''to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.'''"</Ref>
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| "Came back from the [[Captivity]]" is the Hebrew word ''mišsebi''<Ref name="captivity">{{07628}}</Ref> ((מִשְּׁבי)MemShinBeitYod). They were coming from [[Babylon]] but would they truly come out of [[captivity]]. 
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| Back "to his [own] city" leîrōw<Ref name="city">{{05892}}</Ref>  ((לְעִירֽוֹ׃)LamedAyinYodReishVav). In Samuel there were times when the people went back to their ''cities'' and other times the went back to their ''tents''. In [[Exodus]] the people had to [[worship]] from their ''tents''. [[Tents and Cities]]
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|V23 The men of Anathoth, V27 The men of Michmas, V28 The men of Bethel and Ai
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|V40 '''[[Levites]]''' came too. What was the function of the [[Levites]] in society?
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| V41 This had not been the case with the ministers in Judea for years. The month before [[Passover]] messengers, once called '''[[singers]]'''<Ref>Singers were like the heralds of the king who announced his will but in God’s kingdom the people were originally the princes of Israel for there was no king. The ''heralds or singers'' carried the message from public servants but the decision was carried back from the people to those servants. There was no authority for proclamations to the people. [[Ezra 7]]:7 And there went up [some] of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, ...</Ref>, were sent from Jerusalem with an ‘issued proclamation’ demanding the temple [[tribute]] which could 
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| From [[TKC|Thy Kingdom Comes]]: "Terms like decurions signified those who served ten deans. As the network of tens, fifties, and hundreds grew, there was a need for assistance like the heralds of the kings and the singers<Ref>There were several different forms of this word translated into singer, ''sheer'' or ''shuwr''. These were identical with shoor which meant to travel, journey, go [through the idea of strolling minstrelsy]; Minstrels sang and recited poetically because it was easier to remember messages and communications accurately. They were the newsmen or heralds of official business. The [[singers]] were travelers because they had to deliver the news and messages all around the kingdom of God in order to keep the people informed.</Ref> and Nethinims<Ref>[[Nethinim]]s were commissioned ministers of the Levites licensed to act [[ex officio]].</Ref> of the [[Levites]] who performed important functions of keeping the people and ministers informed. The chore pisco pus was an assistant to the overseer or Bishop to keep the communion between the congregation effectual. Over the centuries, this special communications officer for the government of the people was [[degenerate]]d into the director of the ''choir''.
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| We see in [[Nehemiah 10]]:28 29 "the people, the [[priests]], the [[Levites]], the [[porters]], the [[singers]], the [[Nethinim]]s, and all they that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God"
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| V42 Who are the [[porters]] and what function did they provide in the [[Temples|Temple]] and for society?
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| V43  Who are the  [[Nethinims]] and what function did they provide in the [[Temples|Temple]] and for society?
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| V58 "All the [[Nethinim]]s, and the children of Solomon's servants"
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| V59 There was a controversy concerning "[[Nethinim]]s, and the children of Solomon's servants" and we are told "they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:"
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| V62 These sought their register<Ref name="kathab">{{03791}}</Ref> among those that were reckoned by [[genealogy]]<Ref name="geneologies">{{geneologies}}</Ref> which is part of the pollution.
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| V70 we see the word for ''cities'' as bə‘ārêhem בְּעָרֵיהֶ֑ם BeitAyinReishYodHeyMem rather than AyinYodReish or AyinReish<Ref name="city">{{05892}}</Ref>  which also appears in [[2 Chronicles 19]]:10
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| "All the [[Nethinim]]s, and the children of Solomon's servants"
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|[[https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/ezr/2/1/s_405001]]
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== The Exiles Return ==

=== These children ===

1 ¶ 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 Which came with Zerubbabel<Ref name="Zerubbabel">{{02216}}</Ref>: Jeshua, [[Nehemiah]], Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of [[Israel]]:

=== The List ===

3 The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.

4 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.

5 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.

6 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.

7 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

8 The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.

9 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.

10 The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.

11 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.

12 The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.

13 The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.

14 The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.

15 The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.

16 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

17 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.

18 The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.

19 The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.

20 The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.

21 The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.

22 The men of Netophah, fifty and six.

23 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.

24 The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.

25 The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.

26 The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.

27 The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.

28 The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.

29 The children of Nebo, fifty and two.

30 The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.

31 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

32 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

33 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.

34 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

35 The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.

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

37 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

38 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

39 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

=== The Levites ===

40 The [[Levites]]: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.

=== The singers ===

41 The [[singers]]: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.

=== The porters===

42 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 Nethinims ===

43 The [[Nethinims]]: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

44 The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,

45 The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,

46 The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,

47 The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,

48 The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,

49 The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,

50 The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,

51 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,

52 The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,

53 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,

54 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

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

56 The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,

57 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.

== All the Nethinims ==

58 All the [[Nethinim]]s, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

59 And these were they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:

60 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.

61 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:

== Not reckoned by genealogy ==

62 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by [[genealogy]]<Ref name="geneologies">{{geneologies}}</Ref>, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.

63 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.

64 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,

65 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 Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;

67 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

68 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 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 So the [[priests]], and the [[Levites]], and some of the people, and the [[singers]], and the [[porters]], and the [[Nethinim]]s, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

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{{Template:Ezra}}

[[Category:Ezra]]