Ezra 2:1 says, Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city; This is listing of all the people of Israel that returned from captivity in Babylon after 70 years of exile. They were to be in better shape than when they were in exile, but still not as glorious as before. If we as followers of Christ fall into sin once again, we will be restored if we confess our sins and ask forgiveness, but we may not be as effective in the eyes of the world as we were before.
Verse two adds, Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mizpar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel: After being told some of the leaders of Israel during the return, most of the rest of the chapter simply lists the people by family, so I am gong to simply list them.
Verse three says, The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.
Verse four adds, The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
Verse five continues, The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.
Verse six states, The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
Verse seven adds, The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
Verse eight continues, The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.
Verse nine says, The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
Verse ten adds, The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
Verse eleven continues, The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.
Verse twelve states, The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
Verse thirteen adds, The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.
Verse fourteen continues, The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
Verse fifteen says, The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
Verse sixteen adds, The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
Verse seventeen continues, The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.
Verse eighteen states, The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.
Verse nineteen adds, The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.
Verse twenty continues, The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.
Verse twenty-one says, The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.
Verse twenty-two adds, The men of Netophah, fifty and six.
Verse twenty-three continues, The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
Verse twenty-four states, The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.
Verse twenty-five adds, The children of Kirjatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.
Verse twenty-six continues, The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.
Verse twenty-seven says, The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.
Verse twenty-eight adds, The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
Verse twenty-nine continues, The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
Verse thirty states, The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.
Verse thirty-one adds, The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
Verse thirty-two continues, The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
Verse thirty-three says, The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.
Verse thirty-four adds, The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
Verse thirty-five continues, The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
Verse thirty-six states, The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
Verse thirty-seven adds, The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
Verse thirty-eight continues, The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
Verse thirty-nine says, The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
Verse forty adds, The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
Verse forty-one continues, The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.
Verse forty-two states, The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.
Verse forty-three adds, The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
Verse forty-four continues, The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,
Verse forty-five says, The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
Verse forty-six adds, The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,
Verse forty-seven continues, The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,
Verse forty-eight states, The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
Verse forty-nine adds, The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,
Verse fifty continues, The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,
Verse fifty-one says, The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
Verse fifty-two adds, The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
Verse fifty-three continues The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,
Verse fifty-four states, The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
Verse fifty-five continues, The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,
Verse fifty-six says, The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
Verse fifty-seven adds, The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.
Verse fifty-eight continues, All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.
Verse fifty-nine states, And these were they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:
Verse sixty adds, The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.
Verse sixty-one continues, And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:
Verse sixty-two says, These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood. Some of this particular group who were children of priests tried to register as part of the priesthood but were consider polluted because their names could not be found in the genealogy records. We cannot be a part of the priesthood of believers if our name is not written in the Lambs Book of Life.
Verse sixty-three adds, And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
Verse sixty-four continues, The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
Verse sixty-five states, Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.
Verse sixty-six adds, Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;
Verse sixty-seven continues, Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
Verse sixty-eight says, And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the Lord which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:
Verse sixty-nine adds, They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.
Verse seventy concludes, So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. I debated on the best way to discuss these verses, and there really is little to add except that quite often in the Bible, God had His people numbered, or counted, so maybe it is a good thing if we count the number of people in the church today as long as we don’t do it to boast about how many people attend our local fellowship compared to others. I believe it is a good thing to know how many of us there are in a particular congregation and in the church as a whole. Also, after numbering the people, we are told that even as they were returning from exile, that the people gave to the treasure of the work as they were able, and I believe this tells us that even if we have been suffering financially, we should still give to God's work as we are able. So, I guess these verses speaking of Israel's return from exile basically deal with two things we never seem to want to talk about, and that is numbers and giving. It seems to me that these were important things to God then and maybe they should be important to us today as well. Of course, in order to return to the land that God had given them, they had to be a part of God's people to begin with.
