Bible Commentaries

Verses 1-14

Ezra 8:1-14 . A List of Heads of Families.— It contains the names of the heads of the families who returned to Palestine with Ezra.

Verses 15-30

Ezra 8:15-30 . The Gathering together of the Exiles at Ahava.— The narrative is told here in the first person.

Ezra 8:15 . Ahava: cf. Ezra 8:21; Ezra 8:31; this seems to have been a place which gave its name to one of the many canals constructed in Babylonia for irrigation purposes.— none of the sons of Levi: as the main object of the return was the resuscitation of the Temple worship the Levites were, of course, indispensable.

Ezra 8:17 . Casiphia: the exact locality is unknown; there appears to have been a colony of Levites and Nethinim here.

Ezra 8:25 f. The amount of money here mentioned, equivalent to nearly a million pounds sterling, is a characteristic exaggeration on the part of the Chronicler.

Verses 31-36

Ezra 8:31-36 . The Arrival in Jerusalem.

Ezra 8:31 . on the twelfth day . . .: cf. Ezra 7:8 f., Ezra 8:15.

Ezra 8:35 . Cf. Zerubbabel’ s offerings at the dedication of the Temple, Ezra 6:17.

Ezra 8:36 . the king’ s commissions: mentioned in Ezra 7:21-24.— satraps . . . governors: the satrap was a higher official, being ruler of a province; the governor ( pekhah) administered a smaller district.