Ezra 8:1-36 The Genealogy of Those Who Returned from Captivity in Babylon

The Genealogy of Those Who Returned from Captivity in Babylon

Ezra 8:1-36         The Book of Ezra in [Smaller Chunks]

These are the now, the chief, [a.k.a. leaders,] of their [forefathers’ families,] & this is [their] genealogy of [those who] went up with me, & [returned with me] from Babylon, [when] Artaxerxes, the king, [ruled:] [From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Phinehas: Gersham. [From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of  Ithamar: Daniel. [From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of David: Hattush.

[From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Shechaniah, [a.k.a. Shekaiah,] [who was] a descendant] of Pharosh: Zechariah & with him, 150 males [registered] by [their] genealogy. [From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Pahath Moab: Elihoenani, [who was] the son of Zerahiah, & with him, 200 males.

[From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Shechaniah, [a.k.a. Shekaniah,] [who was] the son of Jahaziel, & with him, 300 males. [From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Adin: Ebed, [who was] the son of Jonathan, & with him, 50 males.

And [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Elam: Jeshaiah, [who was] the son of Athaliah, & with him 70 males. And [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Shephatiah: Zebadiah, [who was] the son of Michael, & with him, 80 males.

[From] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Joab: Obadiah, [who was] the son of Jehiel, & with him, 218 males. And [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Shelomith, [a.k.a. Bani’s descendant,] [who was] the son of Josiphiah, & with him, 160 males.

And [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Bebai: Zechariah, [who was] the son of Bebai, & with him, 28 males. And [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Asgad, [a.k.a. Azgad:] Johanan, [who was] the son of Hakkata,n & with him, 110 males.

And the last of the [descendants] of Adonikam, whose names are these: Eliphelet, Jeiel, [a.k.a. Jenel,] & Shemaiah, & with them, 60 males. Also, [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Bigvai: Uthai & Zabbud, [a.k.a. Zakkur,] & with them, 70 males.

And I gathered them together to the river that runs toward Ahava; & we [camped] in tents [there] 3 days. And I [saw] the people, & priests, & [I didn't] [find] there [any] [descendants] of Levi.

Then, I sent for: Eliezer, Ariel, Semaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, Meshullam, [who were] chief men, [a.k.a. leaders,] & also for: Joiarib, & Elnathan, [knowledgeable] men of understanding.

I sent them with a [command] to Iddo, the chief [priest] at Casiphia, [a.k.a. Kasipra,] & I told them what they should say to Iddo, & his brethren, the Nethinims, at Casiphia, [so] they [could] bring to us ministers [to serve in] the house of our God.

And [with] the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a [knowledgeable] man, [from the descendants] of Mahli. [Mahli was] the son of Levi. [Levi was] the son of Israel, [a.k.a. Jacob.] And Sherebiah, with his sons, & his brethren, [a.k.a. relatives,] 18 [total.]

And Hashabiah, & with him: Jeshaiah, [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Merari, & his [relatives,] & their sons, 20. Also, [they brought] [from] the sons, [a.k.a. descendants] of Nethinims, whom David & the princes had appointed for the service of Levites, 220 Nethinims, all of them were [registered] by name.

Then, I [declared] a fast there, at the River of Ahava, [so] that we might [humble] ourselves before our God, to seek [from] Him a right way, [a.k.a. road,] for us, & our little ones, & all our [possessions.]

For I was ashamed to [need from] the king, a band of soldiers, & horsemen, to help [protect] us against the enemy [on] the [road,] because we had spoken to the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all [those who] seek Him for good; but [God’s] power, & His [anger, are] against all [those who abandon] Him.

So, we fasted & [pleaded with] our God for this [reason,] & He [answered our prayer for] us. Then, I separated 12 of the chief priests, Sherebiah & Hashabiah, & 10 of their brethren with them.

And [I] weighed to them the silver, & gold, & the vessels, even the offering [from] the house of our God, [that] the king, his [counselors,] his lords, & all [of] Israel present there, had offered. I even weighed [into] their [hands:] 650 talents of silver, & 100 talents of silver vessels, & 100 talents of gold.

Also, 20 gold [basins] [worth] 1,000 drams, [a.k.a. drachmas,] & 2 vessels of fine copper, [as] precious as gold. And I said to them, You are holy to the Lord: the vessels are also holy; & the silver & gold are a freewill offering to the Lord God of your [forefathers.]

You, watch, & keep them [safe,] until you weigh them [in front of] the chief priests, & the Levites, & the [leaders of our forefathers’ families] of Israel, [in] Jerusalem, in the [rooms] of the [Lord’s] house.

So, the priests, & the Levites took the weight of the silver, gold, & vessels, to bring them to the house of our God [in] Jerusalem. Then, we [left] from the River of Ahava on the 12th day of the 1st month, to go to Jerusalem.

And the hand of [the Lord] our God was upon us, & He delivered us from the hand of the enemy, [who] lay in wait by the [road] [to ambush us.] And we came to Jerusalem, & [stayed] there 3 days.

Now, on the 4th day, the silver, gold, & vessels [were] weighed in [God’s] house by the hand of Meremoth, [Uriah’s] son, the priest. And Eleazar, [Phinehas’] son, was with them, & [so] [were] Jozabad, [Jeshua’s] son, & Noadiah, [Binnui’s] son, [from the] Levites.

At that time, all the weight was written by number, & by weight. Also, the children of those [who] had been carried away, & [who returned from] captivity, offered burnt offerings to the [Lord] God of Israel: 12 [bulls] for all [of] Israel, 96 rams, 77 lambs, & 12 [male] goats for a sin offering.

All this was a burnt offering to the Lord. And they delivered the king’s [orders] to the king’s lieutenants, & to the governors on this side [of] the [Euphrates] River, & they [encouraged] the people, & the house of God.