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2. Ezra 1-6.Indd EZRA 1-6 THE EXILES RETURN 21 Cyrus’s edict 1In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in Cyrus became king of Anshan in order that the word of YHWH by the mouth 559. After defeating Astyarges of Jeremiah might be accomplished, YHWH of Media and capturing Sardis in stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Per- Asia Minor, he entered Babylon sia so that he sent a herald throughout all in triumph in 539. his kingdom, and also in a written edict 2 The author sees the working of declared: “Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: YHWH in the rebuilding of the YHWH, the God of heaven, has given me temple, which was destroyed in all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has 586 and re-consecrated in 516. He charged me to build him a house at Jerusa- 3 links this with the seventy years lem in Judah. Any of those among you who prophesied by Jeremiah (verse are of his people – may their God be with 1; see Jeremiah 29:10). He por- them! – are now permitted to go up to Je- trays Cyrus as being directed by rusalem in Judah, and rebuild the house of YHWH. We are reminded of the YHWH, the God of Israel. He is the God who 4 authors of the Isaiah scroll who is in Jerusalem. Let all survivors, in whatev- saw Cyrus as YHWH’s messiah er place they reside, be assisted by the peo- (see Isaiah 45:1, 13). ple of their place with silver and gold, with goods and with animals, besides freewill of- The Chronicler chose to conclude ferings for the house of God in Jerusalem.” his re-writing of the story of the 5 kings of Judah by quoting from The heads of the families of Judah and Ezra 1:1-3 (see 2Chronicles Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites 36:22-23). He is pointing the – everyone whose spirit God had stirred reader to go to the Book of Ezra – got ready to go up and rebuild the house 6 to continue the survey of Judah’s of YHWH in Jerusalem. All their neighbours history. aided them with silver vessels, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with valuable Some of the exiles were inspired gifts, besides all that was freely offered. by God to return to Judah. Others 7King Cyrus himself brought out the vessels were inspired to assist them in of the house of YHWH that Nebuchadnezzar whatever way they could (verses had carried away from Jerusalem and placed 5-6). Cyrus handed back the ves- in the house of his gods. 8King Cyrus of sels that had been taken from the Persia had them released into the charge temple by Nebuchadnezzar (see of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted 2Kings 24:13; 25:13-16; Jeremi- them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. ah 52:17-19). ‘Mithredath’(verse 9And this was the inventory: gold basins, 8) is named after the god Mithra. thirty; silver basins, one thousand; knives, ‘Treasurer’ translates a loan word twenty-nine; 10gold bowls, thirty; other silver from Persian. The leader of the bowls, four hundred ten; other vessels, one returning exiles is Sheshbazzar, thousand; 11 the total of the gold and silver a ‘prince of Judah’(verse 8; see vessels was five thousand four hundred. All page 11). We are meant to recall these Sheshbazzar brought up, when the the Israelites who were brought exiles were brought up from Babylonia to up from Egypt to Canaan (Exodus Jerusalem. 33:1). 22 Ezra 2:1-20 The authors of Ezra 1-6 provide a list, from 1Now these were the people of the archives, of those who came from exile the province who came from to Judah. We are not told when they came. those captive exiles whom King Zerubbabel and Jeshua head the list (verse Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had 2; see page 12). They will be mentioned carried captive to Babylonia; they together later in Ezra 3:2 and 8 as being in returned to Jerusalem and Judah, all charge of the rebuilding of the temple. to their own towns. This is the first of many lists in Ezra and 2They came with Zerubbabel, Nehemiah. First and foremost these lists Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelai- demonstrate the importance of belonging, ah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Big- as well as the importance of remembering vai, Rehum, and Baanah. YHWH’s fidelity over the generations to this people who saw themselves as especially chosen by God. The list may have been originally compiled to legitimate claims to land that had been occupied by others during their absence. It may also have served as a guarantee that those listed were genuine Judahites. A slightly different list is found in Nehemiah The number of the Israelite people: 3 7. This appears to be part of Nehemiah’s the descendants of Parosh, two memoirs. If so it would antedate the list thousand one hundred seventy- 4 here in Ezra. Both would have relied on two. Of Shephatiah, three hundred 5 archive material. seventy-two. Of Arah, seven hun- dred seventy-five. 6Of Pahath-moab, Verses 3-20 list the returning exiles accord- namely the descendants of Jeshua ing to their families. and Joab, two thousand eight hun- dred twelve. 7Of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 8Of Zattu, nine hundred forty-five. 9Of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty. 10Of Bani, six hundred forty-two. 11Of Bebai, six hundred twenty-three. 12Of Azgad, one thousand two hundred twenty- two. 13Of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-six. 14Of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six. 15Of Adin, four hundred fifty-four. 16Of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 17Of Bezai, three hundred twenty-three. 18Of Jorah, one hundred twelve. 19Of Hashum, two hundred twenty-three. 20Of Gibbar, ninety-five. 23 Lists of those who returned 21Of Bethlehem, one hundred twen- Verses 21-35 list the returning exiles accord- ty-three. 22The people of Netophah, ing to the towns to which they returned. fifty-six. 23Of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight. 24The descendants of Azmaveth, forty-two. 25Of Kiriathar- im, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three. 26Of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one. 27The people of Michmas, one hun- dred twenty-two. 28Of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty-three. 29The descendants of Nebo, fifty-two. 30Of Magbish, one hundred fifty-six. 31Of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four. 32Of Harim, three hundred twenty. 33Of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty- five. 34Of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. 35Of Senaah, three thou- sand six hundred thirty. 36The priests: the descendants of Verses 36-39 list the priestly families. One Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine of the families includes Jeshua, the first hundred seventy-three. 37Of Immer, high priest who returned with Zerubbabel one thousand fifty-two. 38Of Pash- (see 2:2). hur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven. 39Of Harim, one thou- sand seventeen. 40The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the descend- Verses 40-42 list the Levites, and those who ants of Hodaviah, seventy-four. ministered as singers and gate-keepers. 41The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred twenty-eight. 42The descendants of the gatekeep- ers: of Shallum, of Ater, of Talmon, of Akkub, of Hatita, and of Shobai, in all one hundred thirty-nine. 24 Ezra 2:43-63 Verses 43-54 list those responsible for the 43The temple servants: the descend- more menial tasks related to the temple. ants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, They may be descendants of prisoners of 44Keros, Siaha, Padon, 45Lebanah, war. Hagabah, Akkub, 46Hagab, Sham- lai, Hanan, 47Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, 48Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, 49Uzza, Paseah, Besai, 50Asnah, Meunim, Nephisim, 51Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 52Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 53Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 54Neziah, and Hatipha. 55The descendants of Solomon’s Verses 55-57 appear to draw on a tradition servants: Sotai, Hassophereth, Peru- that traces some of the prisoners of war da, 56Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, 57Shep- back to the time of Solomon. hatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-hazzebaim, and Ami. 58All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants were three hundred ninety-two. Those listed in verses 59-63 were unable 59The following were those who to prove their Jewish lineage (were their came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, records lost in the destruction of Jerusalem Cherub, Addan, and Immer, though or during the exile?) Verse 60 lists lay peo- they could not prove their families ple; verses 61-63 lists priests. They had to or their descent, whether they be- be excluded from being involved in the cult, longed to Israel: until an answer could be obtained by con- 60 sulting God using the Urim and Thummim the descendants of Delaiah, To- (verse 63; compare 1Samuel 14:41). biah, and Nekoda, six hundred fifty-two. 61Also, of the descend- ants of the priests: the descendants of Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (who had married one of the daugh- ters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). 62These looked for their entries in the ge- nealogical records, but they were not found there, and so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean; 63the governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food, until there should be a priest to consult Urim and Thummim. 25 Ezra 2:43-63 64The whole assembly together was Though the total given for the assembly forty-two thousand three hundred [lDh∂;q, qāhāl] in verse 64 does not tally with 65 sixty, besides their male and fe- the numbers given in the previous lists, it is male servants, of whom there were repeated in Nehemiah 7.
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