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Ezra Chapter Eight

 

Ezra 8 Outlines

1 Heads of Families Who Returned with Ezra (v.1~14)

2 Servants for the Temple (v.15~20)

3 Fasting and Prayer for Protection (v.21~23)

4 Gifts for the Temple (v.24~30)

5 The Return to Jerusalem (v.31~36)

New King James Version (NKJV)

 

Ezra 8:1  These are the heads of their fathers’ houses and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of King Artaxerxes:

   YLT And these [are] heads of their fathers and the genealogy of those going up with me in the reign of Artaxerxes the king from Babylon.

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 Ezra 7:7 ) though many think Artaxerxes Longimanus is meant.

 

Ezra 8:2  of the sons of Phinehas Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar Daniel; of the sons of David Hattush;

   YLT From the sons of Phinehas: Gershom; from the sons of Ithamar: Daniel; from the sons of David: Hattush;

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 given as the rest that follow be.

 

Ezra 8:3  of the sons of Shecaniah of the sons of Parosh Zechariah; and registered with him were one hundred and fifty males;

   YLT from the sons of Shechaniah from the sons of Pharosh: Zechariah and with him reckoning themselves by genealogy of males a hundred and fifty.

Ezra 8:3~8:14Ver. 3-14. 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 of those that went up with Zerubbabel; such of them as were left there behind and now returned at least a great number of them see ( Ezra 2:1 ) it is particularly remarked of the sons of Adonikam ( Ezra 8:13 ) that they were the last of them; not that they were the last that came in to go with Ezra or were backward and dilatory but the last with respect to the first of his sons that were gone before and seem with them to be the whole of his family; the number of all that went up under their respective heads amounts to 1496.

 

Ezra 8:4  of the sons of Pahath-Moab Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah and with him two hundred males;

   YLT From the sons of Pahath-Moab: Elihoenai son of Zerahiah and with him two hundred who are males.

 

Ezra 8:5  of the sons of Shechaniah [a] Ben-Jahaziel and with him three hundred males;

   YLT From the sons of Shechaniah: the son of Jahaziel and with him three hundred who are males.

 

Ezra 8:6  of the sons of Adin Ebed the son of Jonathan and with him fifty males;

   YLT And from the sons of Adin: Ebed son of Jonathan and with him fifty who are males.

 

Ezra 8:7  of the sons of Elam Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah and with him seventy males;

   YLT And from the sons of Elam: Jeshaiah son of Athaliah and with him seventy who are males.

 

Ezra 8:8  of the sons of Shephatiah Zebadiah the son of Michael and with him eighty males;

   YLT And from the sons of Shephatiah: Zebadiah son of Michael and with him eighty who are males.

 

Ezra 8:9  of the sons of Joab Obadiah the son of Jehiel and with him two hundred and eighteen males;

   YLT From the sons of Joab: Obadiah son of Jehiel and with him two hundred and eighteen who are males.

 

Ezra 8:10  of the sons of Shelomith [b] Ben-Josiphiah and with him one hundred and sixty males;

   YLT And from the sons of Shelomith the son of Josiphiah and with him a hundred and sixty who are males.

 

Ezra 8:11  of the sons of Bebai Zechariah the son of Bebai and with him twenty-eight males;

   YLT And from the sons of Bebai: Zechariah son of Bebai and with him twenty and eight who are males.

 

Ezra 8:12  of the sons of Azgad Johanan the son of Hakkatan and with him one hundred and ten males;

   YLT And from the sons of Azgad: Johanan son of Hakkatan and with him a hundred and ten who are males.

 

Ezra 8:13  of the last sons of Adonikam whose names are these—Eliphelet Jeiel and Shemaiah—and with them sixty males;

   YLT And from the younger sons of Adonikam -- and these [are] their names -- Eliphelet Jeiel and Shemaiah and with them sixty who are males

 

Ezra 8:14  also of the sons of Bigvai Uthai and Zabbud and with them seventy males.

   YLT And from the sons of Bigvai Uthai and Zabbud and with them seventy who are males.

 

Ezra 8:15  Now I gathered them by the river that flows to Ahava and we camped there three days. And I looked among the people and the priests and found none of the sons of Levi there.

   YLT And I gather them unto the river that is going unto Ahava and we encamp there three days; and I consider about the people and about the priests and of the sons of Levi I have found none there;

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:

and found there none of the sons of Levi;
excepting the priests.

 

Ezra 8:16  Then I sent for Eliezer Ariel Shemaiah Elnathan Jarib Elnathan Nathan Zechariah and Meshullam leaders; also for Joiarib and Elnathan men of understanding.

   YLT and I send for Eliezer for Ariel for Shemaiah and for Elnathan and for Jarib and for Elnathan and for Nathan and for Zechariah and for Meshullam heads and for Joiarib and for Elnathan men of understanding;

Then sent I for Eliezer for Ariel for Shemaiah and for Elnathan and for Jarib and for Elnathan and for Nathan and for Zechariah and for Meshullam chief men; also for Joiarib and for Elnathan men of understanding.
] These were all in the camp in some part of it to whom Ezra sent messengers to come unto him; three of them are of the same name; the first nine were men of chief note rank and dignity in their family and the other two were noted for men of good sense and that could speak to a case well and so fit to be sent on such an affair as they were.

 

Ezra 8:17  And I gave them a command for Iddo the chief man at the place Casiphia and I told them what they should say to Iddo and his brethren[c] the Nethinim at the place Casiphia—that they should bring us servants for the house of our God.

   YLT and I charge them for Iddo the head in the place Casiphia and put in their mouth words to speak unto Iddo [and] his brethren the Nethinim in the place Casiphia to bring to us ministrants for the house of our God.

And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia
Not a place by the Caspian sea and near the Caspian mountains as Munster which was too far off to go and return in the time they must see ( Ezra 7:9 ) ( Ezra 8:15 Ezra 8:31 ) but as Jarchi a place in Babylon so called a village near it or a parish or street in it where Ezra knew lived many of the Levites and Nethinims and where Iddo was the chief of the Levites and over them both:

and I told them what they should say unto Iddo and to his brethren the Nethinims at the place Casiphia;
but Iddo was not one of the Nethinims; for he was chief of the Levites and by his authority many of them were sent as well as of the Nethinims; but none of the latter were over the Levites for they were servants to them ( Ezra 8:20 ) but according to Jarchi the Nethinims are not at all intended in this clause who reads the words

to Iddo and Achim
(the name of a man with him; perhaps it may be better rendered "to Iddo and his brother" )

who were appointed or settled in the place Casiphia;
and with him De Dieu agrees and so the Syriac version

who dwelt in Casiphia: that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God;
both Levites to be singers and porters there and the Nethinims to wait on them.

 

Ezra 8:18  Then by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi the son of Israel namely Sherebiah with his sons and brothers eighteen men;

   YLT And they bring to us according to the good hand of our God upon us a man of understanding of the sons of Mahli son of Levi son of Israel and Sherebiah and his sons and his brethren eighteen;

And by the good hand of our God upon us
Favouring their designs and orders protecting those that were sent and inclining those they were sent to use their interest and authority with those that were under them and making them willing also to agree to what was proposed to them:

they brought us a man of understanding of the sons of Mahli the son of Levi the son of Israel;
an Israelite of the tribe of Levi in the line of Mahli a son of Merari the third son of Levi:

and Sherebiah;
or rather "even Sherebiah"; so Aben Ezra; for he is the understanding man that is meant and described by his pedigree:

with his sons and his brethren
eighteen; all together made this number.

 

Ezra 8:19  and Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari his brothers and their sons twenty men;

   YLT and Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari his brethren and their sons twenty;

And Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari
&c.] These were of the same division of Levites as Sherebiah:

his brethren and their sons twenty;
these thirty eight with those they came with were all Levites; the Nethinims follow.

 

Ezra 8:20  also of the Nethinim whom David and the leaders had appointed for the service of the Levites two hundred and twenty Nethinim. All of them were designated by name.

   YLT and from the Nethinim whom David and the heads gave for the service of the Levites two hundred and twenty Nethinim all of them defined by name.

Also of the Nethinims whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites
To wait upon them and minister to them as they did to the priests; some think those were the same with the Gibeonites whom Joshua gave to the service of the sanctuary and David confirmed; but others are of opinion these were different from them and an addition to them:

two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name;
in the history that Iddo sent of them to Ezra; and so the names of the Levites though not here expressed only the names of those they came with.

 

Ezra 8:21  Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him the right way for us and our little ones and all our possessions.

   YLT And I proclaim there a fast by the river Ahava to afflict ourselves before our God to seek from Him a right way for us and for our infants and for all our substance

Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava
After the messengers to Iddo were returned with those they brought with them:

that we might afflict ourselves before our God;
humble themselves before him for their sins confess them and declare their repentance of them and ask forgiveness for them:

to seek of him a right way for us;
to take from thence towards Jerusalem to be directed by him in it: either by a prophet or by a vision in a dream as Eben Ezra; or rather by the guidance of his providence; this they sought in prayer by the river side where it had been usual with them and since has been to perform religious exercises see ( Ezekiel 1:1 ) ( 3:15 ) ( Acts 16:13 ) hence Tertullian F26 calls the prayers of the Jews "orationes littorales"; they sought not so much which was the shortest and easiest way for them to travel in as which was the safest:

and for our little ones and for all our substance;
for the safe conveyance of them; this shows that though males only are numbered as before yet they had their wives and children with them; for little ones cannot be supposed without women to take care of them.

FOOTNOTES:
F26 Ad nationes l. 1. c. 13. Vid. lib. de jejuniis c. 16.

 

Ezra 8:22  For I was ashamed to request of the king an escort of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy on the road because we had spoken to the king saying “The hand of our God is upon all those for good who seek Him but His power and His wrath are against all those who forsake Him.”

   YLT for I was ashamed to ask from the king a force and horsemen to help us because of the enemy in the way for we spake to the king saying `The hand of our God [is] upon all seeking Him for good and His strength and His wrath [is] upon all forsaking Him.'

For I was ashamed to require of the kings band of soldiers and horsemen
Which he might have had only asking for them; so great was the interest he had in the king's favour:

to help us against the enemy in the way;
the Arabs Samaritans and others that might lie in wait for them to rob them of their substance:

because we had spoken unto the king:
of the special favour of God to them his singular providence in the protection of them:

saying the hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him;
that pray unto him serve and worship him; his hand is open to them to bestow all needful good upon them temporal and spiritual and his power and providence are over them to protect and defend them from all evil:

but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him;
his word his ways and worship; his powerful wrath or the strength and force of it is exerted against them and they are sure to feel the weight and dreadful effects of it: and now all this being said to the king after this to desire a guard to protect them it would look as if they had not that favour in the sight of God and did not believe what they had said but distrusted his power and providence towards them; therefore rather than reflect any dishonour on God they chose to expose themselves to danger seeking his face and favour and relying on his goodness and power.

 

Ezra 8:23  So we fasted and entreated our God for this and He answered our prayer.

   YLT And we fast and seek from our God for this and He is entreated of us.

So we fasted and besought our God for this
Sought the Lord by fasting and prayer for a good journey and preservation in it:

and he was entreated of us;
accepted their prayer as Jarchi so that they came safe to Jerusalem.

 

Ezra 8:24  And I separated twelve of the leaders of the priests—Sherebiah Hashabiah and ten of their brethren with them—

   YLT And I separate from the heads of the priests twelve even Sherebiah Hashabiah and with them of their brethren ten

Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests
That were in company with him; so that it seems there were more than the two mentioned ( Ezra 8:2 ) very probably their families or some of their brethren were with them:

Sherebiah Hashabiah and ten of their brethren with them;
these men named were Levites and not priests ( Ezra 8:18 Ezra 8:19 ) and therefore the copulative "and" must be supplied:

and Sherebiah
or with the twelve priests Sherebiah &c. and ten Levites more with them; so that the number of priests and Levites were equal and in all twenty four.

 

Ezra 8:25  and weighed out to them the silver the gold and the articles the offering for the house of our God which the king and his counselors and his princes and all Israel who were present had offered.

   YLT and I weigh to them the silver and the gold and the vessels a heave-offering of the house of our God that the king and his counsellors and his heads and all Israel -- those present -- lifted up;

And I weighed unto them the silver and the gold and the vessels
When he delivered them to them; this he did as a proof of his own integrity and faithfulness and as a security against any charge or accusation of embezzling any part of them and to set them an example and also that they might be under no temptation of acting such a part and might be vindicated should they be charged with it: even

the offering of the house of our God;
what was freely offered for the service of it:

which the king and his counsellors and his lords and all Israel there present had offered;
as freewill offerings see ( Ezra 7:15 Ezra 7:16 ) .

 

Ezra 8:26  I weighed into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver silver articles weighing one hundred talents one hundred talents of gold

   YLT and I weigh to their hand of silver talents six hundred and fifty and of vessels of silver a hundred talents of gold a hundred talents

I even weighed unto their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver
Which according to Scheuchzer F1 amount to 975 000 imperials and of our money 2 229 450 pounds sterling: and silver vessels one hundred talents; which came to 35 300 pounds or 50 000 imperials; according to Jarchi there were one hundred vessels and every vessel weighed a talent and so Aben Ezra which with Brerewood {b} was three hundred and seventy five pounds:

and of gold one hundred talents;
which according to Scheuchzer F3 were equal to 1 222 000 ducats of gold; the value of gold now is above 14 and a 3d to the value of silver by which may be judged the difference between one hundred talents of gold and one hundred talents of silver; according to David de Pomis F4 there were two sorts of talents; common talents which weighed sixty pounds and the talent of the sanctuary which weighed double to that.

FOOTNOTES:
F1 Physica Sacra vol. 4. p. 651.
F2 De Pond. & Pret. Vet. Num. c. 4.
F3 Ut supra. (Physica Sacra vol. 4. p. 651.)
F4 Tzemach David fol. 57. 3.

 

Ezra 8:27  twenty gold basins worth a thousand drachmas and two vessels of fine polished bronze precious as gold.

   YLT and basins of gold twenty of a thousand drams and two vessels of good shining brass desirable as gold.

Also twenty basins of gold of a thousand drams
Which were upwards of 1000 pounds of our money; for Bishop Cumberland says {e} the Persian "daric" "drachma" or "drachm" weighed twenty shillings and four pence; and according to Dr. Bernard it exceeded one of our guineas by two grains (See Gill on 1 Chronicles 29:7)

and two vessels of fine copper precious as gold;
which perhaps is the same with the Indian or Persian brass Aristotle F6 speaks of which is so bright and pure and free from rust that it cannot be known by its colour from gold and that there are among the cups of Darius such as cannot be discerned whether they are brass or gold but by the smell: the Syriac version interprets it by Corinthian brass which was a mixture of gold silver and copper made when Corinth was burnt and which is exceeding valuable; of which Pliny F7 makes three sorts very precious and of which he says it is in value next to and even before silver and almost before gold; but this sort of brass was not as yet in being: Kimchi F8 interprets the word here of its colour being next to the colour of gold.

FOOTNOTES:
F5 Scripture Weights and Measures ch. 4. p. 115.
F6 De Mirabilibus p. 704 vol. 1.
F7 Nat. Hist. l. 34. c. 1 2.
F8 Sepher Shorash. rad. (bhu) .

 

Ezra 8:28  And I said to them “You are holy to the Lord; the articles are holy also; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your fathers.

   YLT And I say unto them `Ye [are] holy to Jehovah and the vessels [are] holy and the silver and the gold [are] a willing-offering to Jehovah God of your fathers;

And I said unto them ye are holy unto the Lord the vessels are holy also
As they were dedicated and set apart to holy service so the vessels were sacred to holy uses and therefore not to be converted to any other:

and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering unto the Lord God of your fathers:
and therefore not to be made use of but in his service.

 

Ezra 8:29  Watch and keep them until you weigh them before the leaders of the priests and the Levites and heads of the fathers’ houses of Israel in Jerusalem in the chambers of the house of the Lord.”

   YLT watch and keep till ye weigh before the heads of the priests and of the Levites and the heads of the fathers of Israel in Jerusalem in the chambers of the house of Jehovah.'

Watch ye and keep them
The vessels the gold and the silver that they be not hurt and diminished:

until ye weigh them before the chief of the priests and the Levites and chief of the fathers of Israel at Jerusalem in the chambers of the house of the Lord:
that is until they had delivered them in full weight as they had received them in the presence of those persons as witnesses and into their hands in order to be laid up in the chambers and treasuries of the temple.

 

Ezra 8:30  So the priests and the Levites received the silver and the gold and the articles by weight to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

   YLT And the priests and the Levites took the weight of the silver and of the gold and of the vessels to bring to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

So took the priests and the Levites
The twelve priests and twelve Levites mentioned in ( Ezra 8:24 )

the weight of the silver and the gold and the vessels to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God;
this they undertook to do and did.

 

Ezra 8:31  Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem. And the hand of our God was upon us and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambush along the road.

   YLT And we journey from the river Ahava on the twelfth of the first month to go to Jerusalem and the hand of our God hath been upon us and He delivereth us from the hand of the enemy and the lier in wait by the way;

Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go unto Jerusalem
The month Nisan answering to part of March and part of April; this was two days before the passover began:

and the hand of our God was upon us;
guiding directing and protecting them by his providence:

and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and of such as lay in wait by the way;
either by intimidating them that they dared not attack them or by directing them to take a different road whereby they escaped them see ( Ezra 8:22 ) .

 

Ezra 8:32  So we came to Jerusalem and stayed there three days.

   YLT and we come in to Jerusalem and dwell there three days.

And we came to Jerusalem and abode there three days.
Before they went about any business delivered what was committed to them for the use of the temple and the commissions to the king's officers; as it was but proper they should have some rest after such a fatiguing journey.

 

Ezra 8:33  Now on the fourth day the silver and the gold and the articles were weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; with them were the Levites Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui

   YLT And on the fourth day hath been weighed the silver and the gold and the vessels in the house of our God unto the hand of Meremoth son of Uriah the priest and with him Eleazar son of Phinehas and with them Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui the Levites:

Now on the fourth day
After their arrival at Jerusalem:

was the silver and the gold and the vessels weighed in the house of our God;
the temple that it might be seen and known that the exact weight which had been deposited with them was now faithfully delivered:

this was done by the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas;
these were priests:

and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua and Noadiah the son of Binnui Levites;
two priests and two Levites; for since there were of both that were charged with the above things it was proper there should be some of both when weighed that they might be witnesses of their fidelity.

 

Ezra 8:34  with the number and weight of everything. All the weight was written down at that time.

   YLT by number by weight of every one and all the weight is written at that time.

By number and by weight of everyone
They were delivered in by tale and weight which exactly agreed to the number and weight in which they received them:

and all the weight was written at that time;
an account was taken in writing and laid up that it might not only be known hereafter what freewill offerings had been made in Babylon but that it might be a voucher for the fidelity and integrity of those that brought them should it ever be called in question.

 

Ezra 8:35  The children of those who had been carried away captive who had come from the captivity offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel: twelve bulls for all Israel ninety-six rams seventy-seven lambs and twelve male goats as a sin offering. All this was a burnt offering to the Lord.

   YLT Those coming in of the captives -- sons of the removal -- have brought near burnt-offerings to the God of Israel bullocks twelve for all Israel rams ninety and six lambs seventy and seven young he-goats for a sin-offering twelve -- the whole a burnt-offering to Jehovah;

Also the children of those that had been carried away which were come out of the captivity
Namely those that now came along with Ezra:

offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel;
by way of thankfulness for their deliverance from captivity and for their safe journey:

twelve bullocks for all Israel:
according to the number of the tribes; and there might be some of every tribe that now came up:

ninety and six rams seventy and seven lambs;
these and the bullocks were burnt offerings:

twelve he goats for a sin offering;
according to the number of the twelve tribes also to make atonement for sins they had been guilty of:

all this was a burnt offering unto the Lord;
excepting the twelve he goats which were a sin offering.

 

Ezra 8:36  And they delivered the king’s orders to the king’s satraps and the governors in the region beyond the River. So they gave support to the people and the house of God.

   YLT and they give the laws of the king to the lieutenants of the king and the governors beyond the river and they have lifted up the people and the house of God.

And they delivered the king's commissions unto the king's lieutenants and to the governors on this side the river
The governors of the provinces of Syria Palestine and Judea which were on that side of Euphrates the land of Israel was:

and they furthered the people and the house of God;
or "lifted them up" F9 eased them of all burdens and freed them from all impediments and assisted them and furnished them with everything as the decree of Artaxerxes enjoined them; and provided everything as they required for ornamenting the temple and for the sacrifices of it; all which is to be understood of the king's lieutenants and governors who obeyed his commands.

FOOTNOTES:
F9 (wavnw) "elevaverunt" V. L. Piscator; "exaltaverunt" Pagninus Montanus Vatablus; "sublevarunt" Junius & Tremellius.

 

──John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Footnotes:

a.    Ezra 8:5 Following Masoretic Text and Vulgate; Septuagint reads the sons of Zatho Shechaniah.

b.    Ezra 8:10 Following Masoretic Text and Vulgate; Septuagint reads the sons of Banni Shelomith.

c.Ezra 8:17 Following Vulgate; Masoretic Text reads to Iddo his brother; Septuagint reads to their brethren.