Keraia
Ezra 2

Ezra 2:34

The List of Returning Exiles · Ezra 2:1–67
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Translations

Modern
…the men of Jericho, 345;
Traditional
The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
Literal
The sons of Jericho, three hundred forty-five.
Latin
Filii Jericho, trecenti quadraginta quinque.

Original

Hebrew
English
…the men of Jericho, 345;

Notes

Ezra 2:21–35

the men of...the descendants of: Some returnees were identified by their hometowns. Not everyone knew their family history or had famous ancestors. Most cities mentioned were near Jerusalem.

Ezra 2:1–70

This chapter is Ezra's first major digression from the main story. The returning exiles needed to identify true Jews to maintain their community identity and theological purity. This helped them know whom they could marry and who could worship at the temple. This list is not the initial list of all Jews who returned to Jerusalem (compare Nehemiah 7:6–73). Instead, it is a slightly later list, created after Sheshbazzar died, of people who had settled in their towns.

Theme notes and profiles

Esther Zerubbabel

Parallels

Nehemiah 7:4–69

Places

Jericho: An ancient city in Canaan, famously conquered by Israel

Glossary

Book of Ezra Census First Book of Esdras Genealogy Jericho

Topics

Jericho: Inhabitants of, Taken Captive to Babylon, Return To, with Ezra and Nehemiah