The List of Exiles who Returned with Ezra
Ezra 7:28b to 8:14
The list of the exiles who returned with Ezra DIG: What shift in the Chronicler’s viewpoint do you see in Ezra 7:27 and continues here through Ezra 9? What do you make of the first reference to “me”? Why was this particular genealogical record important to Ezra? Compare this list with the one in 2:1-70. Which numbers don’t add up the same? What do you make of the similarities and differences in the names and numbers?
During the ministry of Ezra (to see link click Bf – The Second Return).
Compiled by: The Chronicler from the Ezra and Nehemiah memoirs
(see Ac – Ezra-Nehemiah from a Jewish Perspective: The Ezra Memoirs).
The list that follows no doubt included those who lived in surrounding areas. The total number of males in this section was 1,496, along with only 38 Levites and 220 Temple servants (Ezra 8:19). If we add the women and children the number of the Second Return could have easily approached 6,000, about one-seventh of the First Return. However, just as with the First Return, many Jews remained behind in Babylon after this group had departed, content with their established and comfortable lifestyle.
And I gathered leading men from Isra’el to go up with me (Ezra 7:28b). There is an unusual concentration on the number twelve in Chapter 8. The register of those returning with Ezra lists twelve families of Israelites after mentioning the priestly families of Phineas and Ithamar, and the royal family of David. Similarly, Ezra commissions twelve priests and twelve Levites (Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kinsmen) to bring the gifts for the Temple, donated by Persian officials and by the non-returning Israelites (Ezra 8:24). At the sacrifice of thanksgiving marking the conclusion of the chapter, the number twelve is also conspicuous. Twelve bulls are offered for all Isra’el; ninety six rams (8X12), seventy-two lambs (6X12) and twelve goats were offered as a sin offering (8:35).137
Now these are the patriarchal leaders, and the genealogical records of those who came up with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes (Ezra 8:1):
Two priestly families returned: from the sons of Phinehas and Gershom: This was also the name of a son of Moshe and, in a slightly different form, of one of the sons of Levi, and from the sons of Ithamar: the name of the youngest of Aaron’s sons (Exodus 6:23) – Dani’el (Nehemiah 10:7): These, then, were related to Ezra himself, who also traced his lineage to Aaron through Phinehas (Ezra 7:1-5). We can only guess why they had remained in Babylon in the first place. There was little priestly work for them to do in Babylon, with no Temple! But it might be argued in their defense that even those who remained behind needed the help and instruction of the priests, even if they couldn’t participate in the Levitical practices in the Temple the way they were supposed to.
The priests in Ezra 8 are counted after the family of Aaron, whereas in Ezra 2 they follow the family of Zadok. There was apparently a shift in the priority of priestly authority in Babylon between the First Return with Zerubbabel and the Second Return with Ezra;138 from the sons of David – Hattush (Ezra 8:2): He was a descendant of David, and Zerubbabel was his great-great grandfather (First Chronicles 3:22). However, he is barely mentioned! The writings of Ezra and Nehemiah lack any explicit hope for a messianic ruler from the house of David. It seems that the most important people were the priests. One indication of their place of honor is that they are listed first among the returning families. Standing in the second rank is the family of David represented by Hattush.139
Now follows the names of twelve heads of families who returned with Ezra.
from the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh – Zechariah and with him were 150 males were enrolled by genealogy (Ezra 8:3);
from the sons of Pahath-moab – Eliehoenai the son of Zerahiah and with him were 200 males enrolled by genealogy (Ezra 8:4);
from the sons of Shechaniah (not the same man as the one mentioned in verse 3 – the son of Jahaziel and 300 males with him (Ezra 8:5).
from the sons of Adin – Ebed the son of Jonathan and 50 males with him (Ezra 8:6);
from the sons of Elam – Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah and 70 males with him (Ezra 8:7);
from the sons of Shephatiah – Zebadiah the son of Michael and 80 males with him (Ezra 8:8);
from the sons of Joab – Obadiah the son of Jehiel and 128 males with him (Ezra 8:9);
from the sons of Shelomith – the son of Josiphiah and 160 males with him (Ezra 8:10);
from the sons of Bebai – Zechariah the son of Bebai and 28 males with him (Ezra 8:11);
from the sons of Azgad – Johanan the son of Hakkatan and 110 males with him (Ezra 8:12);
from the sons of Adonikam some had joined Zerubbabel in the First Return ( but these came later, and these are their names) – Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah and 60 males with them (Ezra 8:13). This shows that they didn’t all come at the same time, and that the First Return had divided families. Some had gone in obedience to King Cyrus’ decree (see), while others remained in Babylon. Those who had remained had carefully followed the progress (or lack of it) in Yerushalayim. But it would be several generations before another exodus would occur;
from the sons of Bigvai – Uthai and Zaccur and 70 males with him (Ezra 8:14).
Hattush was not one of the leaders of the community and therefore does not appear in the list in Ezra 8:16. But he was there! David’s line, though now darkened and veiled and almost extinguished among the faithful, still continues. And suddenly, in a place where they least expect it, David’s line will emerge again. Matthew and Luke do not include Hattush in their different genealogies (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ai – The Genealogies of Joseph and Mary). But the covenant made with David’s house (see the commentary on the Life of David Ct – The LORD’s Covenant with David), a covenant that would eventually yield the Messiah Yeshua, though clouded and almost entirely obliterated as a consequence of the Babylonian exile (see the commentary on Jeremiah Gu – Seventy Years of Imperial Babylonian Rule), still remains. These were dark days, but out of this darkness would come one who would say: I am the light of the world (John 8:12).
The promises of ADONAI can sometimes appear to be almost extinguished. There are dark days in Isra’el’s history. The exile itself was one of the darkest in her history. But the mercy of God endures forever; the Word of the Lord endures forever (First Peter 1:25). His promises will never fail.140
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