Bible Commentaries
Ezra 8

Verse 1

chief = heads: i.e. heads of houses.

them that went up. Most of these names appear in Ezr 2 and Nehemiah 10:0 . The number is 1,496. If there were no women with them, this might be the cause of the "strange" marriages in Ezra 1:0 0 and Nehemiah 10:0 .

Artaxerxes: i.e. Darius (Hystaspis). See App-57 and App-58 .

Verse 3

by genealogy = a lineage.

Verse 4

Pahath-moab. Compare Ezra 2:6 .

Verse 5

sons of Shechaniah. Septuagint reads "sons of Zattu, Shechaniah".

Verse 9

Of. Some codices, with one early printed edition and Septuagint, read "And of".

Verse 10

sons of Shelomith. Septuagint reads "sons of Bani, Shelomith".

Verse 12

ten. Some codices, with Syriac, read "twenty".

Verse 13

last. In contrast with others.

these. The only case where there were three heads. In all other cases (except Ezra 8:14 , where there are two) only one head is mentioned.

Verse 14

them. Hebrew text reads "him"; but some codices, with one early printed edition, read "them", as in Authorized Version.

Verse 15

together = out.

Ahava. Ahava. The name of the river, and of the city. Compare Ezra 8:21 .

abode = encamped.

none of the sons of Levi. Only priests and laymen. The Levites were slack. Compare Ezra 2:40 . Only a small number accompanied Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:36 ). Not so the priests (Ezra 2:36-39 ).

Verse 16

for. The Syriac and Vulgate omit the word "for" throughout this verse, and read "then sent I Eliezer", &c, as in Ezra 8:17 .

chief men = heads.

men of understanding. Figure of speech Antimereia (of Noun), App-6 = wise and prudent men, especially for teaching.

Verse 17

Casiphia. Not identified. Probably near Babylon.

Nethinims. These were the ministers of the Levites. Originally Gibeonites. See note on Ezra 2:43 .

Verse 24

chief = princes.

Verse 25

offering = heave offering. App-43 .

all Israel. See note on Ezra 2:2 and 1 Kings 12:17 .

Verse 27

basons = bowls.

of = valued at.

fine copper, &c. = copper shining like gold.

Verse 28

holy = a holy body. See note on Exodus 3:5 .

Verse 34

By number and by weight of every one: or, the whole by number and weight.

Verse 35

Also, &c. The fourth of the ten Sedarim (or cycles for public reading) begins here and goes on to Nehemiah 2:10 , where it ends; thus uniting the two books in one. See note, p. 632.

children = sons.

Verse 36

commissions = Royal decrees. Hebrew. dath.