^1:1¹ In the first² year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order to fulfill the Lord’s message³ spoken through⁴ Jeremiah,⁵ the Lord stirred the mind⁶ of King Cyrus of Persia. He disseminated⁷ a proclamation⁸ throughout his entire kingdom, announcing in a written edict⁹ the following:¹⁰

^1:2“Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:

“ ‘The Lord God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple¹¹ for him in Jerusalem,¹² which is in Judah. ^1:3Anyone from¹³ his people among you (may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the Lord God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem. ^1:4Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors¹⁴ with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’ ”

The Exiles Prepare to Return to Jerusalem

^1:5Then the leaders¹⁵ of Judah and Benjamin, along with the priests and the Levites—all those whose mind God had stirred—got ready¹⁶ to go up in order to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem.¹⁷^1:6All their neighbors assisted¹⁸ them with silver utensils,¹⁹ gold, equipment, animals, and expensive gifts, not to mention²⁰ all the voluntary offerings.

^1:7Then King Cyrus brought out the vessels of the Lord’s temple which Nebuchadnezzar had brought from Jerusalem and had displayed²¹ in the temple of his gods. ^1:8King Cyrus of Persia entrusted²² them to²³ Mithredath²⁴ the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar²⁵ the leader of the Judahite exiles.²⁶

^1:9The inventory²⁷ of these items was as follows:

30 gold basins,²⁸

1,000 silver basins,

29 silver utensils,²⁹

^1:1030 gold bowls,

410 other³⁰ silver bowls,

and 1,000 other vessels.

^1:11All these gold and silver vessels totaled 5,400.³¹ Sheshbazzar brought them all along when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.

The Names of the Returning Exiles

^2:1¹ These are the people² of the province who were going up,³ from the captives of the exile whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile in Babylon. They returned to Jerusalem⁴ and Judah, each to his own city. ^2:2They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.

The number of Israelites⁵ was as follows:⁶

^2:3the descendants⁷ of Parosh: 2,172;

^2:4the descendants of Shephatiah: 372;

^2:5the descendants of Arah: 775;

^2:6the descendants of Pahath-Moab (from the line⁸ of Jeshua and⁹ Joab): 2,812;

^2:7the descendants of Elam: 1,254;

^2:8the descendants of Zattu: 945;

^2:9the descendants of Zaccai: 760;

^2:10the descendants of Bani: 642;

^2:11the descendants of Bebai: 623;

^2:12the descendants of Azgad: 1,222;

^2:13the descendants of Adonikam: 666;

^2:14the descendants of Bigvai: 2,056;

^2:15the descendants of Adin: 454;

^2:16the descendants of Ater (through¹⁰ Hezekiah): 98;

^2:17the descendants of Bezai: 323;

^2:18the descendants of Jorah: 112;

^2:19the descendants of Hashum: 223;

^2:20the descendants of Gibbar: 95.

^2:21The men¹¹ of Bethlehem:¹² 123;

^2:22the men of Netophah: 56;

^2:23the men of Anathoth: 128;

^2:24the men of the family¹³ of Azmaveth: 42;

^2:25the men of Kiriath Jearim,¹⁴ Kephirah and Beeroth: 743;

^2:26the men of Ramah and Geba: 621;

^2:27the men of Micmash: 122;

^2:28the men of Bethel¹⁵ and Ai: 223;

^2:29the descendants of Nebo: 52;

^2:30the descendants of Magbish: 156;

^2:31the descendants of the other Elam: 1,254;

^2:32the descendants of Harim: 320;

^2:33the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 725;

^2:34the men of Jericho:¹⁶ 345;

^2:35the descendants of Senaah: 3,630.

^2:36The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family¹⁷ of Jeshua): 973;

^2:37the descendants of Immer: 1,052;

^2:38the descendants of Pashhur: 1,247;

^2:39the descendants of Harim: 1,017.

^2:40The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah): 74.

^2:41The singers: the descendants of Asaph: 128.

^2:42The gatekeepers:¹⁸ the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai: 139.

^2:43The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, ^2:44the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, ^2:45the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, ^2:46the descendants of Hagab, the descendants of Shalmai,¹⁹ the descendants of Hanan, ^2:47the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, the descendants of Reaiah, ^2:48the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, the descendants of Gazzam, ^2:49the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah, the descendants of Besai, ^2:50the descendants of Asnah, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim, ^2:51the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, ^2:52the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, ^2:53the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, ^2:54the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.

^2:55The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, ^2:56the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, ^2:57the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Ami.

^2:58All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon: 392.

^2:59These are the ones that came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify²⁰ their family connection²¹ or their ancestry,²² as to whether they really were from Israel):

^2:60the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda: 652.

^2:61And from among²³ the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that²⁴ name). ^2:62They²⁵ searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but did not find them.²⁶ They were therefore excluded²⁷ from the priesthood. ^2:63The governor²⁸ instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult²⁹ the Urim and Thummim.

^2:64The entire group numbered 42,360,³⁰^2:65not counting³¹ their male and female servants, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers ^2:66and 736 horses, 245 mules, ^2:67435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. ^2:68When they came to the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders³² offered voluntary offerings for the temple of God in order to rebuild³³ it on its site. ^2:69As they were able,³⁴ they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas³⁵ of gold, 5,000 minas³⁶ of silver, and 100 priestly robes.³⁷

^2:70The priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel lived in their towns.

Read in Logos

Footnotes

1 In addition to the canonical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, there are two deuterocanonical books that are also called “Ezra.” Exactly how these books are designated varies in ancient literature. In the Septuagint () canonical Ezra is called Second Esdras, but in the Latin it is called First Esdras. Our Nehemiah is called Third Esdras in some manuscripts of the , but it is known as Second Esdras in the Latin . (In the earliest manuscripts Ezra and Nehemiah were regarded as one book, as they were in some Hebrew manuscripts.) The deuterocanonical books of Ezra are called First and Fourth Esdras in the , but Third and Fourth Esdras in the Latin . The titles for the so-called books of Ezra are thus rather confusing, a fact that one must keep in mind when consulting this material.
2 The first year of Cyrus would be 539 B.C. Cyrus reigned in Persia from 539–530 b.c.
3 Heb “the word of the Lord.”
4 The reads מִפִּי (mippi, “from the mouth of”), but this should probably be emended to בְּפִי (béfi, “by the mouth of”), which is the way the parallel passage in 2 Chr 36:22 reads. This is also reflected in the , which is either reflecting an alternate textual tradition of בְּפִי or is attempting to harmonize Ezra 1:1 in light of 2 Chronicles. Heb “from the mouth of.”
5 Cf. Jer 29:10; 25:11–14. Jeremiah had prophesied that after a time of seventy years the Jews would return “to this place.” How these seventy years are to be reckoned is a matter of debate among scholars. Some understand the period to refer to the approximate length of Babylon’s ascendancy as a world power, beginning either with the fall of Nineveh (612 b.c.) or with Nebuchadnezzar’s coronation (605 b.c.) and continuing till the fall of Babylon to the Persians in 539 b.c. Others take the seventy years to refer to the period from the destruction of the temple in 586 b.c. till its rebuilding in 516 b.c.
6 Heb “spirit.” The Hebrew noun רוּחַ (ruakh, “spirit”) has a broad range of meanings (see 924–26 ). Here, it probably refers to (1) “mind” as the seat of mental acts (e.g., Exod 28:3; Deut 34:9; Isa 29:24; 40:13; Ezek 11:5; 20:32; 1 Chr 28:12; cf. 925 6) or (2) “will” as the seat of volitional decisions (e.g., Exod 35:5, 22; Pss 51:12, 14; 57:8; 2 Chr 29:31; cf. 925 7). So also in v. 5.
7 Heb “caused to pass.”
8 Heb “a voice.” The Hebrew noun קוֹל (qol, “voice, sound”) has a broad range of meanings, including the metonymical (cause—effect) nuance “proclamation” (e.g., Exod 36:6; 2 Chr 24:9; 30:5; 36:22; Ezra 1:1; 10:7; Neh 8:15). See 877 3.a.2.
9 For an interesting extrabiblical parallel to this edict see the Cyrus cylinder ( 315–16).
10 Heb “in writing, saying.”
11 Heb “house.” The Hebrew noun בַּיִת (bayit, “house”) is often used in reference to the temple of Yahweh ( 108 1.a). This is also frequent elsewhere in Ezra and Nehemiah (e.g., Ezra 1:3, 4, 5, 7; 2:68; 3:8, 9, 11, 12; 4:3; 6:22; 7:27; 8:17, 25, 29, 30, 33, 36; 9:9; 10:1, 6, 9).
12 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
13 Heb “from all.”
14 Heb “the men of his place.”
15 Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
16 Heb “arose.”
17 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
18 Heb “strengthened their hands.”
19 The reads בִּכְלֵי־כֶסֶף (bikhley khesef, “with silver vessels”). However, part of the manuscript tradition reads ἐν πᾶσιν ἀργυρίῳ (en pasin arguriō), which reflects an alternate Hebrew reading of בַּכֹּל־בַּכֶּסֶף (bakkol-bakkesef, “everywhere, with silver”). The textual variant involves (1) simple omission of yod (י) between two words, a common scribal mistake; (2) haplography of the preposition bet (בּ); and (3) an alternate vocalization tradition of the first term.
20 Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”
21 Heb “and he gave them.”
22 Heb “brought them forth.”
23 Heb “upon the hand of.”
24 A Persian name meaning “gift of Mithras.” See מִתְרְדָת.
25 A Babylonian name with the probable meaning “Shamash protect the father.” See שֵׁשְׁבַּצַּר.
26 Heb “Sheshbazzar the prince to Judah”; , “the governor of Judah.”
27 Heb “these are their number.”
28 The exact meaning of the Hebrew noun אֲגַרְטָל (’agartal, which occurs twice in this verse) is somewhat uncertain. The lexicons suggest that it is related to a common Semitic root (the Hebrew derivative has a prosthetic prefixed א [aleph] and interchange between ג [gimel] and ק [kof]): Judean Aramaic and qartalla, Arabic qirtallat, Ethiopic qartalo, all meaning “basket” ( 173–74 ; ). There is debate whether this is a loanword from Greek κάρταλλος (kartallos, “basket”), Persian hirtal (“leather bag”) or Hittite kurtal (“container”). The term is traditionally understood as a kind of vessel, such as “basket, basin” ( 173–74 ; ); but some suggest “leather bag” or a basket-shaped container of some sort (P. Humbert, “En marge du dictionnaire hébraïque,” 62 [1950]: 199–207; 1:118 ). The translated it as ψυκτήρ (psuktēr, “metal bowl”). The precise meaning depends on whether the nouns כֶּסֶף (kesef, “silver”) and זָהָב (zahav, “gold”), which follow each use of this plural construct noun, are genitives of content (“containers full of silver” and “containers full of gold”) or genitives of material (“silver containers” and “gold containers” = containers made from silver and gold). If they are genitives of content, the term probably means “baskets” or “leather bags” (filled with silver and gold); however, if they are genitives of material, the term would mean “basins” (made of silver and gold). Elsewhere in Ezra 1, the nouns כֶּסֶף (“silver”) and זָהָב (“gold”) are used as genitives or material, not genitives of contents; therefore, the translation “gold basins” and “silver basins” is preferred.
29 Heb “knives.” The Hebrew noun מַחֲלָפִים (makhalafim, “knives”) is found only here in the OT. While the basic meaning of the term is fairly clear, what it refers to here is unclear. The verb II חָלַף (khalaf) means “to pass through” ( 322 חָלַף) or “to cut through” ( II חלף; see also Judg 5:26; Job 20:24); thus, the lexicons suggest מַחֲלָפִים means “knives” ( 322 מַחֲלָף; *מַחֲלָף). The related noun חֲלָפוֹת (khalafot, “knife”) is used in Mishnaic Hebrew ( II חלף), and חֲלִיפוֹת (khalifot, “knives”) appears in the Talmud. The noun appears in the cognate languages: Ugaritic khlpnm (“knives”; 19) and khalofta (“shearing knife”; II חלף). The translated it as “knives,” while the understood it as referring to replacement pieces for the offering basins. The English translations render it variously; some following the and others adopting the approach of the : “knives” (, , ), “censers” (), “duplicates” (), “silver pans” (), “bowls” (), “other dishes” (). Verse 11 lists these twenty-nine objects among the “gold and silver vessels” brought back to Jerusalem for temple worship. The translation above offers the intentionally ambiguous “silver utensils” (the term מַחֲלָפִים [“knives”] would hardly refer to “gold” items, but could refer to “silver items”).
30 The meaning of the Hebrew term מִשְׁנִים (mishnim) is uncertain. The noun מִשְׁנֶה (mishneh) means “double, second” ( 1041 ), “what is doubled, two-fold” ( מִשְׁנֶה 3). The translations reflect a diversity of approaches: “410 silver bowls of a second kind” (, , margin), “410 other silver bowls” () and “410 matching silver bowls” (). 1041 משׁנה 3.a suggests it was originally a numeral that was garbled in the transmission process, as reflected in the : “two thousand” (so : “two thousand four hundred and ten bowls of silver”). The editor suggests revocalizing the term to מְשֻׁנִים (méshunim, “changed”).
31 The total number as given in the does not match the numbers given for the various items in v. 9. It is not clear whether the difference is due to error in textual transmission or whether the constituent items mentioned are only a selection from a longer list, in which case the total from that longer list may have been retained. The numbers provided in 1 Esdras come much closer to agreeing with the number in Ezra 1:9–11, but this does not necessarily mean that 1 Esdras has been better preserved here than Ezra. 1 Esdras 2:13–15 () says, “The number of these was: a thousand gold cups, a thousand silver cups, twenty-nine silver censures, thirty gold bowls, two thousand four hundred and ten silver bowls, and a thousand other vessels. All the vessels were handed over, gold and silver, five thousand four hundred and sixty-nine, and they were carried back by Shesbazzar with the returning exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem.”
1 The list of names and numbers in this chapter of Ezra has a parallel account in Neh 7:6–73. The fact that the two lists do not always agree in specific details suggests that various textual errors have crept into the accounts during the transmission process.
2 Heb “the sons of.”
3 The Hebrew term הָעֹלִים (ha’olim, “those who were going up” [Qal active participle]) refers to continual action in the past. Most translations render this as a simple past: “went up” (), “came up” (, , , ), “came” (). paraphrases: “were on their way back.”
4 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
5 Heb “men of the people of Israel.”
6 The words “was as follows” are not in the Hebrew text but are used in the translation for clarity.
7 Heb “the sons of.”
8 Heb “to the sons of.” Cf. v. 40.
9 The reads יוֹאָב (yo’av, “Joab”). However, syntax demands the reading וְיוֹאָב (véyo’av, “and Joab”) which is reflected in the and .
10 Heb “to.” So also in vv. 36, 40.
11 The translation follows the suggestion in and reads אַנְשֵׁי (’anshe, “the men of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (béne, “the sons of”) found in the . So also in vv. 25, 26, 33, 34.
12 For location see ; ; ; .
13 The translation follows the suggestion in and reads אַשְׁנֵי בֵּית (’ashne bet, “men of the house of”) here rather than the reading בְּנֵי (béne, “the sons of”) found in the . Heb “the men of the house of Azmaveth”; some regard בֵּית (bet, “house of”) as a part of the place name: , “Beth-azmaveth.”
14 The translation, with the support of many manuscripts, reads יְעָרִים (yé’arim) here rather than the reading עָרִים (’arim) of the .
15 For location see ; ; ; ; .
16 For location see ; ; ; ; ; .
17 Heb “the house of.”
18 Here it is preferable to delete the reading בְּנֵי (béne, “the sons of”) found in the .
19 The translation follows the Qere reading “Shalmai” (so , , , ) rather than the Kethib “Shamlai” (so , , ).
20 Heb “relate.”
21 Heb “the house of their fathers.”
22 Heb “their seed.”
23 The translation reads וּמִן (umin, “and from”) rather than the reading וּמִבּנֵי (umibbéney, “and from the sons of”) found in the .
24 Heb “their.”
25 Heb “these.”
26 Heb “their records were searched for in the genealogical materials, but were not found.” This passive construction has been translated as active for stylistic reasons.
27 Heb “they were desecrated.”
28 The Hebrew word תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshata’) is an official title of the Persian governor in Judea, perhaps similar in meaning to “excellency” ( 1077 ; ; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395).
29 Heb “to stand.”
30 The same total is given in Neh 7:66, but it is difficult to understand how this number is reached, since the numbers of people listed in the constituent groups do not add up to 42,360. The list in vv. 3–60 apparently is not intended to be exhaustive, but the basis of the selectivity is unclear.
31 Heb “besides” or “in addition to.”
32 Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
33 Heb “cause it to stand.”
34 Heb “according to their strength.”
35 The meaning of the Hebrew word דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים (darkémonim, cf. Neh 7:69, 70, 71) is uncertain. It may be a Greek loanword meaning “drachmas” (the view adopted here and followed also by , , ) or a Persian loanword “daric,” referring to a Persian gold coin ( 204 דַּרְכְּמוֹן; נִים(וֹ)דַּרְכְּםֹ; cf. , ). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 206–9.
36 The מָנִים (manim, cf. Neh 7:71, 72) is a measuring weight for valuable metals, equal to 1/60 of a talent or 60 shekels ( 584 מָנֶה; מָנֶה). For further study, see R. de Vaux, Ancient Israel, 203–6.
37 Or “garments.”