Ezra 2 explained: The Families Who Came Home

Who returned and who led (vv. 1-2)

These are descendants of the people Babylon's king had taken away, now going home to a Judah that was no longer a kingdom but a small province under Persian rule. Zerubbabel, from the old royal family, and Joshua, the high priest, headed the group.

Families and hometowns (vv. 3-35)

Some groups are named after a forefather and others after the town their family came from, much like surnames today. The same list appears again in Nehemiah 7 with some different numbers, perhaps from copying errors or from people joining or dropping out before the journey.

Priests and temple workers (vv. 36-58)

Over 4,000 priests returned but only 74 Levites, the tribe that assisted the priests, plus small groups of singers and gatekeepers. The temple servants and 'Solomon's servants' did practical work at the temple, though scholars are unsure exactly who their ancestors were.

Those without proof of family (vv. 59-63)

Some returnees could not find written records showing they were Israelites, and some who claimed to be priests could not prove it, so those priests were kept from serving and from eating the most sacred food. The governor left room for a later decision once a priest could use the Urim and Thummim, sacred objects for seeking God's answer whose exact workings are no longer known.

The full count (vv. 64-67)

The total of 42,360 is about 12,000 more than the listed groups add up to, and no one is sure why, though it may include people from other tribes or women. Servants, singers and thousands of animals traveled with them as well.

Gifts and settling in (vv. 68-70)

On reaching the site of the ruined temple, some of the family leaders gave what they could afford toward rebuilding it: Persian gold coins, silver and clothing for the priests. Then the priests, temple workers and the rest of the people settled in their towns.

Key verse: Ezra 2:1

Something to think about

What do you think truly makes someone belong to a people or a place: ancestry, records, or simply choosing to show up?