The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy-four. The singers: the children of Asaph, one hundred twenty-eight. The children of the gatekeepers: 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 one hundred thirty-nine.
The temple servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, the children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon, the children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub, the children of Hagab, the children of Shamlai, the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai, the children of Asnah, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephisim, the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, the children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of Peruda, the children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, the children of Ami. All the temple servants, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety-two.
These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses, and their offspring, whether they were of Israel: the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty-two. Of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, and the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name. These sought their place among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they deemed disqualified and removed from the priesthood. The governor told them that they should not eat of the most holy things until a priest stood up to serve with Urim and with Thummim.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv43, 55, 61, 63 So called, because they were given to the Temple,…
So called, because they were given to the Temple, to cut wood and bear water for the use of the sacrifices, and came of the Gibeonites, which were appointed to this use by Joshua, Josh. 9:23.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv43, 55, 59, 61, 62, 63 Ezr 2:43 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the…
Ezr 2:43 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
Ver. 43. The Nethinims] i.e. Deodati, men given to God, devoted to the service of his house. These were those Gibeonites that, having saved their lives by a lie, were made drawers of water to the temple for a punishment. God made this cross a mercy: for the nearer they were to the Church the nearer to God. Their employment was to minister to the Levites, as the Levites did to the priests, Jos 9:21; and this gave them occasion to partake of the things of God, and to behold his face in righteousness.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv43, 55, 59, 61, 62, 63 The Nethinims; the persons devoted to the inferior services…
The Nethinims; the persons devoted to the inferior services of the priests and Levites; of whom see 1Ch 9:2.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv40, 43, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63 And these were they that went up from Telmelah,…
And these were they that went up from Telmelah, Telharsa,.... Places in the land of Babylon, see Isa 37:12.
Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel; these were such that professed the Jewish religion, and went for Jews in Babylon, but could not trace their pedigree, and tell what family they were of, who their ancestors, and where they had lived in Judea; they had lost their genealogical tables, if they ever had any, and could not make it out, whether their parents were Israelites or proselyted Gentiles; or they were such who had been exposed, and taken out of the streets, and their parents unknown.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv43, 55, 62, 63 Nethinims - Persons devoted to the inferior services of…
Nethinims - Persons devoted to the inferior services of the priests and Levites. Commonly supposed to be the Gibeonites, given, (so their name signifies) by Joshua first, and again by David, when Saul had expelled them, to the priests and Levites, for those services.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv55, 63 Verse 55. The children of Solomon's servants] The Nethinim,…
Verse 55. The children of Solomon's servants] The Nethinim, and others appointed to do the meaner services of the holy house.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv43, 55, 59, 61, 63 Ezr 2:43. Nethinims — Persons devoted to the inferior…
Ezr 2:43. Nethinims — Persons devoted to the inferior services of the priests and Levites. Commonly supposed to be the Gibeonites, given (so their name signifies) by Joshua first, and again by David, when Saul had expelled them, to the priests and Levites, for those services.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv43, 59, 63 The Nethinims - The hieroduli or sacred slaves, “given”…
The Nethinims - The hieroduli or sacred slaves, “given” to the Levites to assist them in their work (see 1Ch 9:2 note).
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv40, 43, 55, 57, 59, 61, 62, 63 Odovia, called Juda, chap. iii. 9. (Calmet)
Odovia, called Juda, chap. iii. 9. (Calmet)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv55, 61, 63 The children of Solomon's servants--either the strangers that monarch…
The children of Solomon's servants--either the strangers that monarch enlisted in the building of the temple, or those who lived in his palace, which was deemed a high honor.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv41, 42, 43, 55, 59, 61, 62, 63 41. Singers — See notes on 1Ch_15:16-22.
41. Singers — See notes on 1Ch_15:16-22.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 53, 55, 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63 40. the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the…
40. the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah] The occurrence of these names in Neh_10:9 shows that, as throughout this list, we have here the titles of families, not necessarily the names of Zerubbabel’s contemporaries. In chap. Ezr_3:9 Jeshua and Kadmiel are mentioned as leading Levites.
of the children of Hodaviah] ‘Hodaviah’ appears as ‘Judah’ in Ezr_3:9 and as ‘Hodevah’ in Neh_7:43.
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Some apply these words, ‘of the children of Hodaviah’, to both Jeshua and Kadmiel, making them both branches of the more ancient but otherwise unknown family of Hodaviah: others to ‘Kadmiel’ alone, in order to distinguish this Kadmiel from others of the same name. The decision must turn upon our explanation of Ezr_3:9 (see note),—and on the whole it seems best to regard the clause as belonging to Kadmiel especially, and as signifying a closer limitation of that family. Thus the Levites comprised the family of Jeshua and those members of the Kadmiel family who belonged to the Hodaviah branch.
40–42. The Levites are here arranged in the same way as in the 1st Book of Chronicles, i.e. into (1) Levites proper (cf. 1Ch_24:20-31). (2) Singers (cf. 1 Chronicles 25). (3) Doorkeepers (cf. 1Ch_26:1-19. See Introduction, § 7.
The small number (i.e. 431 in all) of the Levites is very striking by the side of the 4289 priests. Upon the backwardness of the Levites to return to Jerusalem compare note on chap. Ezr_8:15, and see Introduction.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv40, 42, 43, 55, 59, 61, 62, 63 (40) The Levites: the children of Jeshua.—Then follow the…
(40) The Levites: the children of Jeshua.—Then follow the Levitical families, not priests: that is, the Levites proper, the singers, the door-keepers or porters. Of the first there were only two families, and these are both traced up to one, that of Hodaviah or Judah (Ezr_3:9) or Hodevah (Neh_7:43). The hereditary choristers are also few: of the families of Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun the first alone is represented. Nehemiah makes their number twenty more; but 1 Esdras agrees with the text of Ezra.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv40, 41, 42, 43, 55, 59, 61, 63 The Levites. The non-priestly Levites are divided into three…
The Levites. The non-priestly Levites are divided into three classes:
1. Ordinary Levites (ver. 40);
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2. Choral Levites (ver. 41);
and Levites descended from those who had had the charge of the temple gates (ver. 42). Compare 1Ch_24:20-31 1Ch_24:25., and 26:1-19. Of the first class, only two families seem to have returned those of Jeshua and Kadmiel, both of which traced their descent to a certain Hodaviah, or. (Ezr_3:9)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v62 These sought their register.
Ezr_2:62
These sought their register.
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The importance of a clear spiritual pedigree
I. The doubtful pedigree amongst the people is an illustration of uncertainty as to our spiritual state.
1. This uncertainty may consist with association with the people of God (Ezr_2:59-60).
2. This uncertainty must involve spiritual loss.
(1) Of spiritual joy.
(2) Of spiritual usefulness.
Lacking Christian assurance our testimony for Christ would be likely to be deficient in clearness and attractiveness, in fervour and force; it would especially fail to set forth the joyful character of true religion.
II. The doubtful pedigree amongst the priests is an illustration of uncertainty as to our ministerial calling and condition.
1. A ministerial pedigree may be lost by reason of worldliness.
2. The loss of ministerial pedigree involves a corresponding loss of ministerial power and reward.
3. The final decision as to the standing of a minister of uncertain pedigree must be given by God Himself (Ezr_2:63). (William Jones.)
Melancholy records
Here is the picture of men seeking a register, and finding nothing in it; looking up old family papers, and their names are not found in the tender record. A man not known at home! He may have been born there, and have lived a good many years of his early life there; but to-day he has no record on the hearthstone, no place at the table, no portion in the family memory: it would be a breach of courtesy to name his name. Something must have happened. There is an ineffable sadness about this: all nature seems to be violated; instincts have been rooted out; natural affection seems to have been burned down and utterly destroyed. Consider the tremendous possibility of outliving ones natural rights, or forfeiting birthright, inheritance, paternal blessing, all the wealth of homes true love. Talk of falling from grace! What is this but an apostasy from the best grace--a fall from childhoods trust, the wilful obliteration of the name from the scroll whose meaning is nothing but love? Here is a child who is not named in the will. Consider what you have done. How infinite in detestation must have been the character which resulted in this issue! Take more general ground, and the principle still applies. Here is a man who is unknown in the community; his name may be written upon certain official papers, but it is not inscribed on the scroll of the heart, on the memory of gratitude; it is not to be found anywhere put up as a thing most prized and loved. He is but a figure in the community, but a tax-payer, but an occupier of a house; he is not a living presence in any sense of beneficence. When he is buried no one will miss him in the heart. His name is not written upon the register of trust, affection, or benevolent interest. Seeing that all these things are possible, there must be a reason for them: what is it? It is always a moral reason, where it touches any conception of general justice. At the last shall we go to the book of life and not find our names there? The answer is in our own lives. Sad to turn away from the record, saying, My name is not there! But, blessed be God, the humblest, least, vilest may, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, the whole mystery of the priesthood of Christ, have their names written in heaven. (J. Parker, D. D)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v63 (See Scofield "Exo 28:30").
Urim
(See Scofield "Exo 28:30").
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v59 The People and the Priests Without Genealogy
The People and the Priests Without Genealogy
v. 59. And these were they which went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, probably all cities in a province of Babylonia; but they could not show their father’s house, their genealogical tables had been lost, and they could not say to which father-house in Israel their forefathers had belonged, and their seed, their pedigree, their descent, whether they were of Israel:
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v. 60. the children of Delaiah, the children of Toblah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two. They were not mere adventurers, but had been urged to join the company of returning exiles by their loyalty to Jehovah, even though their family records were lost.
v. 61. 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, 2Sa 17:27. It is supposed that this man of priestly descent married the woman because she was an heiress and assumed her name. In this way his connection with the tribe of Levites was lost sight of. Worldly ambition forfeited the dignity of the priesthood.
v. 62. These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found, they were unable to bring the documentary proof of their priestly descent; therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood, they were excluded from the holy office because their descent was doubtful.
v. 63. And the Tirshatha, the governor of the province, said unto them that they should not eat of the most holy things till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim, Exo 28:30; Num 27:21, that is, a high priest sanctioned by God to give decisions by consulting the Lord in the ancient manner, in infallible Revelation s. Because the matter was in doubt, this was a decision of discretion.
v. 64. The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore. This number is twelve thousand greater than the sum of the numbers, for to the returning exiles must be added the few remaining Jews and even such from Egypt as promptly gathered when they found that the ancient worship would be restored. It was a small flock that came together in Jerusalem and vicinity, but it represented the true worship of Jehovah in those days, the visible Church of God.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv40, 43, 47, 51, 55, 59, 61 General Information:
General Information:
This section lists the names of Levites whose descendants returned from the exile along with the number in each group. (See: How to Translate Names and Numbers)
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Kadmiel ... Hodaviah ... Shallum ... Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai
These are men's names. (See: How to Translate Names)
seventy-four
"74" (See: Numbers)
gatekeepers
those in charge of who goes through the gates of the temple
Ater
This is a man's name. See how you translated this in Esra 2:16.
translationWords
Levi
descend
temple
Asaph
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv41, 43, 55, 59, 61 2:41-42 The singers played instruments and sang for worship…
2:41-42 The singers played instruments and sang for worship at the Temple (1 Chr 25:1-31; Pss 73–83) while the gatekeepers regulated the Temple gates and storehouses (1 Chr 9:26-27; 2 Chr 23:19; Neh 12:25). • Asaph was one of the three Levites David had appointed to conduct music at the Temple (1 Chr 16:5, 7), and he wrote a collection of psalms (Pss 50, 73–83). His family carried on his work (1 Chr 25:1-7).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.