Ezra 1:1-11
Cyrus Helps the Jews to Return to Jerusalem
It was the first year of the rule of Cyrus. He was king of Persia. The Lord inspired him to send a message all through his kingdom. It happened so that what the Lord had spoken through Jeremiah would come true. The message was written down. It said,
“Cyrus, the king of Persia, says,
“ ‘The Lord is the God of heaven. He has given me all the kingdoms on earth. He has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’s temple. He is the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem. And may their God be with them. The people still left alive in every place must bring gifts to the people going. They must provide silver and gold to the people going up to Jerusalem. The people must bring goods and livestock. They should also bring any offerings they choose to. All those gifts will be for God’s temple in Jerusalem.’ ”
Then everyone God had inspired prepared to go. They wanted to go up to Jerusalem and build the Lord’s temple there. They included the family leaders of Judah and Benjamin. They also included the priests and Levites. All their neighbors helped them. They gave them silver and gold objects. They gave them goods and livestock. And they gave them gifts of great value. All those things were added to the other offerings the people chose to give.
King Cyrus also brought out the objects that belonged to the Lord’s temple. Nebuchadnezzar had carried them off from Jerusalem. He had put them in the temple of his own god. Cyrus, the king of Persia, told Mithredath to bring them out. Mithredath was in charge of the temple treasures. He counted those objects. Then he gave them to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.
Here is a list of the objects.
There were 30 gold dishes.
There were 1,000 silver dishes.
There were 29 silver pans.
There were 30 gold bowls.
There were 410 matching silver bowls.
There were 1,000 other objects.
The total number of gold and silver objects was 5,400.
Sheshbazzar brought all of these back with him to Jerusalem. So Sheshbazzar and the Jews who had been forced to leave Judah came up from Babylon to Jerusalem.
Ezra 2:1-67
The List of the Jews Who Returned to Judah
Nebuchadnezzar had taken many Jews away from the land of Judah. He had forced them to go to Babylon as prisoners. Now they returned to Jerusalem and Judah. All of them went back to their own towns. Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. The leaders of the Jews included Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah and Reelaiah. They also included Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah.
Here is a list of the men of Israel who returned home.
There were 2,172 from the family line of Parosh.
There were 372 from Shephatiah.
There were 775 from Arah.
There were 2,812 from Pahath-Moab through the family line of Jeshua and Joab.
There were 1,254 from Elam.
There were 945 from Zattu.
There were 760 from Zakkai.
There were 642 from Bani.
There were 623 from Bebai.
There were 1,222 from Azgad.
There were 666 from Adonikam.
There were 2,056 from Bigvai.
There were 454 from Adin.
There were 98 from Ater through the family line of Hezekiah.
There were 323 from Bezai.
There were 112 from Jorah.
There were 223 from Hashum.
There were 95 from Gibbar.
There were 123 from the men of Bethlehem.
There were 56 from Netophah.
There were 128 from Anathoth.
There were 42 from Azmaveth.
There were 743 from Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth.
There were 621 from Ramah and Geba.
There were 122 from Mikmash.
There were 223 from Bethel and Ai.
There were 52 from Nebo.
There were 156 from Magbish.
There were 1,254 from the other Elam.
There were 320 from Harim.
There were 725 from Lod, Hadid and Ono.
There were 345 from Jericho.
There were 3,630 from Senaah.
Here is a list of the priests.
There were 973 from the family line of Jedaiah through the line of Jeshua.
There were 1,052 from Immer.
There were 1,247 from Pashhur.
There were 1,017 from Harim.
Here is a list of the Levites.
There were 74 from the family lines of Jeshua and Kadmiel. Kadmiel was from the line of Hodaviah.
Here is a list of the musicians.
There were 128 from the family line of Asaph.
Here is a list of the men who guarded the gates.
There were 139 from the family lines of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai.
Here is a list of the members of the family lines of the temple servants.
Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
Keros, Siaha, Padon,
Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub,
Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan,
Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah,
Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam,
Uzza, Paseah, Besai,
Asnah, Meunim, Nephusim,
Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
Neziah, Hatipha
Here is a list of the members of the family lines of the servants of Solomon.
Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,
Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim, Ami
The total number of the members of the family lines of the temple servants and the servants of Solomon was 392.
Many people came up to Judah from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer. But they weren’t able to prove that their families belonged to the people of Israel.
There were 652 of them from the family lines of Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda.
Here is a list of the members of the family lines of the priests.
They were Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai. Barzillai had married a daughter of Barzillai from Gilead. So he was also called Barzillai.
The priests looked for their family records. But they couldn’t find them. So they weren’t able to serve as priests. They were “unclean.” The governor gave them an order. He told them not to eat any of the most sacred food. They had to wait until there was a priest who could use the Urim and Thummim. The priest would use them to find out what the Lord wanted the people to do.
The total number of the entire group that returned was 42,360. That didn’t include their 7,337 male and female slaves. There were also 200 male and female singers. And there were 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
