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英文原文
That many returned out of Babylon upon Cyrus's proclamation we were told in the foregoing chapter; we have here a catalogue of the several families that returned, Ezr 2:1. I. The leaders, Ezr 2:2. II. The people, Ezr 2:3-35. III. The priests, Levites, and retainers to the temple, Ezr 2:35-63. IV. The sum total, with an account of their retinue, Ezr 2:64-67. V. Their offerings to the service of the temple, Ezr 2:68-70.
1-70
The Return of the Captives (536 BC)
被掳归回者（公元前536年）
¹ 波斯王居鲁士下诏时，从前被巴比伦王尼布甲尼撒掳到巴比伦之犹大省的人，现在从被掳之地上耶路撒冷和犹大去，各归本城。 ² 他们是同着所罗巴伯、耶书亚、尼希米、西莱雅、利来雅、末底改、必珊、米斯珥、比革瓦伊、利宏、巴拿回来的。以色列民的男丁数目记在下面： ³ 巴录的子孙二千一百七十二名。 ⁴ 示法提雅的子孙三百七十二名。 ⁵ 亚拉的子孙七百七十五名。 ⁶ 巴哈摩押、耶书亚和约押的子孙二千八百一十二名。 ⁷ 以拦的子孙一千二百五十四名。 ⁸ 萨土的子孙九百四十五名。 ⁹ 萨改的子孙七百六十名。 ¹⁰ 巴尼的子孙六百四十二名。 ¹¹ 比拜的子孙六百二十三名。 ¹² 押甲的子孙一千二百二十二名。 ¹³ 亚多尼干的子孙六百六十六名。 ¹⁴ 比革瓦伊的子孙二千零五十六名。 ¹⁵ 亚丁的子孙四百五十四名。 ¹⁶ 亚特（属希西家的）子孙九十八名。 ¹⁷ 比赛的子孙三百二十三名。 ¹⁸ 约拉的子孙一百一十二名。 ¹⁹ 哈顺的子孙二百二十三名。 ²⁰ 吉罢的子孙九十五名。 ²¹ 伯利恒的子孙一百二十三名。 ²² 尼陀法人五十六名。 ²³ 亚拿突人一百二十八名。 ²⁴ 亚斯玛弗的子孙四十二名。 ²⁵ 基列耶琳、基非拉、比录的子孙七百四十三名。 ²⁶ 拉玛人和迦巴人六百二十一名。 ²⁷ 密抹人一百二十二名。 ²⁸ 伯特利和艾人二百二十三名。 ²⁹ 尼波的子孙五十二名。 ³⁰ 玛比斯的子孙一百五十六名。 ³¹ 别的以拦子孙一千二百五十四名。 ³² 哈琳的子孙三百二十名。 ³³ 罗德、哈第、阿挪的子孙七百二十五名。 ³⁴ 耶利哥的子孙三百四十五名。 ³⁵ 西拿的子孙三千六百三十名。
我们在此可以观察：1. 那些从被掳之地归回的宗族及其人数，都被一一记录在案。这是为着他们的尊荣——作为对他们信心与勇气、对神的信靠和对故土之热爱的部分赏报，也是为要激励他人效法他们的榜样。凡尊重神的，神必这样尊重他。凡一切接受基督拯救之邀的以色列人，他们的名字必都记在比这更神圣的记录里，就是羔羊的生命册上，使他们得着尊荣。这份从被掳之地归回的宗族记录，也是为着后裔的益处，使他们得知自己从何而出、与谁联属。2. 他们被称为那省的子民。犹大本是一个显赫的国度，列国曾作其省、臣服于它、仰赖于它；如今它自己却成了一个省，要受波斯王律法与谕旨的管辖，向他负责。请看罪如何削弱、贬抑一个国家，而公义本可使之高升。但他们既这样作了奴仆（正如列祖在凭应许属己之地上作客旅一样），就被提醒去思念那更美的家乡，就是在天上的（来十一16），思念那不能震动的国——那不会被变为省的国。3. 经上说他们各归本城——即所派定给他们的城；这分派无疑是参照约书亚昔日的安排，他们便尽可能地归回那里；因为他们离去时似乎并无他人占据，至少并无能与他们相争的人占据。4. 领袖最先被提及（拉二2）。所罗巴伯和耶书亚是他们的摩西和亚伦——前者是他们的首长，后者是他们的大祭司。尼希米和末底改在此也被提及；有人认为他们并非后来所遇见的同名名人，但可能是同一人，后来又返回朝廷为祖国效力。5. 这些宗族中，有的以祖先之名为名，有的以从前所居之地为名；正如我们中间，许多姓氏是人名，也有许多是地名。6. 这些宗族的人数在此处与尼七5-73（这份名录在该处重列）略有出入；这或许是因为：有些人起初报了名要来，后来却退缩了——说我去，主啊，却不去——这就使他们所属宗族的人数减少；又有些人起初推辞，后来懊悔了就去——这就使人数加增。7. 此处有两个宗族都称为以拦的子孙（一个在拉二7，另一个在拉二31），而奇怪的是，两者数目相同——1254。8. 亚多尼干的子孙（其名意为高主）共666名，正是兽的数目（启十三18），那里说这是人的数目——休·布鲁顿先生认为此处所指的就是这人。9. 伯利恒的子孙（拉二21）不过123名，虽那是大卫之城；因为伯利恒在犹大诸千人中本为微小，然而弥赛亚却必须从那里而出（弥五2）。10. 亚拿突在便雅悯支派中本为著名之地，然而此处仅有128名（拉二23），这是因亚拿突人逼迫耶利米（他是那城的人）而将神的咒诅带到自己头上。耶十一21、23：必无剩余的人属他们，因我必降灾与亚拿突人。 又参赛十30：可怜的亚拿突啊！ 没有甚么比逼迫更快地使一个民族败亡。
³⁶ 祭司：耶书亚家耶大雅的子孙九百七十三名。 ³⁷ 音麦的子孙一千零五十二名。 ³⁸ 巴施户珥的子孙一千二百四十七名。 ³⁹ 哈琳的子孙一千零一十七名。 ⁴⁰ 利未人：耶书亚和甲篾的子孙，属何达威雅的子孙，七十四名。 ⁴¹ 歌唱的：亚萨的子孙一百二十八名。 ⁴² 守门的：沙龙的子孙、亚特的子孙、达们的子孙、亚谷的子孙、哈底大的子孙、朔拜的子孙，共一百三十九名。 ⁴³ 尼提宁人（就是殿役）：西哈的子孙、哈苏巴的子孙、大巴他的子孙、 ⁴⁴ 基绿的子孙、西亚的子孙、巴顿的子孙、 ⁴⁵ 利巴拿的子孙、哈迦巴的子孙、亚谷的子孙、 ⁴⁶ 哈甲的子孙、萨买的子孙、哈难的子孙、 ⁴⁷ 基德的子孙、迦哈的子孙、利亚雅的子孙、 ⁴⁸ 利汛的子孙、尼哥大的子孙、迦散的子孙、 ⁴⁹ 乌撒的子孙、巴西亚的子孙、比赛的子孙、 ⁵⁰ 押拿的子孙、米乌宁的子孙、尼普心的子孙、 ⁵¹ 巴卜的子孙、哈古巴的子孙、哈忽的子孙、 ⁵² 巴斯律的子孙、米希大的子孙、哈沙的子孙、 ⁵³ 巴柯斯的子孙、西西拉的子孙、他玛的子孙、 ⁵⁴ 尼细亚的子孙、哈提法的子孙。 ⁵⁵ 所罗门仆人的后裔：琐太的子孙、琐斐列的子孙、比路大的子孙、 ⁵⁶ 雅拉的子孙、达昆的子孙、基德的子孙、 ⁵⁷ 示法提雅的子孙、哈替的子孙、波黑列哈斯巴音的子孙、亚米的子孙。 ⁵⁸ 尼提宁人和所罗门仆人的后裔共三百九十二名。 ⁵⁹ 从特米拉、特哈萨、基绿、亚但、和音麦上来，却不能指明他们的宗族谱系、他们是否属以色列的： ⁶⁰ 第来雅的子孙、多比的子孙、尼哥大的子孙，共六百五十二名。 ⁶¹ 祭司中：哈巴雅的子孙、哈哥斯的子孙、巴西莱的子孙；巴西莱娶了基列人巴西莱的女儿为妻，因而叫了他的名。 ⁶² 这些人在家谱的数目中寻找，却找不着，因此他们算为不洁，不准供祭司的职任。 ⁶³ 省长对他们说，他们不可吃至圣之物，直到有用乌陵和土明的祭司兴起来。
此处记录如下：I. 归回的祭司——他们人数相当可观，约占全体的十分之一：因总数在42,000以上（拉二64），而四家祭司共有4200多人（拉二36-39）；如此，十分之一便归神为份——这是有福的十一之例。在此所列祭司的三位先祖，原是班次的领袖（代上二十四7、8、14）。第四位是巴施户珥（拉二38）。他们若是那曾苦害耶利米的巴施户珥的后裔（耶二十1），那真奇了——这样恶的人竟有如此之好、如此之多的后裔。
II. 利未人。我不禁诧异其人数之少：连歌唱的和守门的在内（拉二40-42），不足350名。从前曾有利未人比祭司更热心尽职之时（代下二十九34），如今却不然。某时某家有敬虔热心的名声，他时他家也许便得此名。风随着意思吹，方向也随时变更。
III. 尼提宁人——据推测就是基遍人，其名意为被赐的——先是约书亚所赐（书九27），后在大卫时，因扫罗驱逐了他们，又再赐了一次（拉八20），在神的殿中归利未人使用，作劈柴挑水的人；与他们同列的，有所罗门仆人的后裔，是他为同样用途所赐的（是犹太人还是外邦人，并未说明），在此也被算为圣殿的服役者，与尼提宁人同被数点（拉二55、58）。请注意：能与神的殿有关联，即便在那最卑微的职任上，也是尊荣。
IV. 有些被视为以色列人的，又有被视为祭司的，却无法证明自己有清楚的资格。1. 有些不能证明自己是以色列人（拉二59、60）——人数相当可观，他们自认是雅各的后裔，却拿不出谱系，却仍要上耶路撒冷，因他们对神的家和神的百姓心怀热爱。这些人使那些本为生来的以色列人，却称不上是真以色列人——"从犹大水出来的"（赛四十八1）却已失了那水的滋味——感到羞愧。2. 又有些不能证明自己是祭司的，却被视为亚伦的后裔。凡没有以文字保留下来的，过不多时便多半被遗忘了。如今我们在此被告知：（1）他们如何丢失了凭证。他们的一位祖先娶了巴西莱的女儿为妻——巴西莱是大卫时代那位名人；他因与那体面家族联姻而自傲，看重这过于祭司的尊荣，便要自己的儿女按巴西莱家族命名，将其谱系记在那家的册上，而不记在亚伦家的册上，于是便丢失了。在巴比伦，作祭司无利可图，所以他们也不在乎与祭司有何关系。那些视自己的职事或自己与传道人的关系为轻贱、为有损之人，忘了曾说我尊重我的职分的那一位是谁。（2）他们随之丧失了甚么。既拿不出凭证，便不能假定他们为祭司；他们被算为不洁，不准供祭司的职任。如今祭司既已收回权利，又能赖祭坛养生，他们便巴不得被视为祭司。但他们既已为作贵人而卖了长子的名分，就被公然贬黜，被禁止吃至圣之物。请注意：凡以基督和他的事奉为耻的，基督也必以他为耻。将他们如此"查封"的，是省长——有人指当下的省长所罗巴伯，也有人指尼希米（他也如此被称呼，尼八9，十1，这命定是他数年之后所下的）；但这禁令并非绝对的，只是暂时的停职，直到有一位有乌陵和土明的大祭司兴起，借之得知神在这事上的旨意。看来这是他们所期待、所渴想的，但第二圣殿时期似乎并未蒙此福。他们虽无那神谕，却已有了旧约正典的全卷，这比乌陵更美；并且借着缺少那神谕，他们被引导去仰望那大先知——大谕旨——弥赛亚，乌陵和土明不过是其预表而已。第二圣殿中似乎也没有约柜，无论是旧的还是新的。那些影儿随着实体的临近而渐渐消退；神借先知向他的百姓暗示，他们不会因没有约柜而受亏损（耶三16、17）。当那些日子，人必称耶路撒冷为耶和华的宝座，列国都必归集于它，他们不再说耶和华的约柜，它也不再追想，不记念，不再觉缺少。
⁶⁴ 会众共有四万二千三百六十名， ⁶⁵ 此外还有他们的仆婢七千三百三十七名，其中有歌唱的男女二百名。 ⁶⁶ 他们有马七百三十六匹，骡子二百四十五匹， ⁶⁷ 骆驼四百三十五只，驴六千七百二十匹。 ⁶⁸ 有些族长到了耶路撒冷耶和华的殿，就为神的殿甘心献上礼物，要在原处重新建造。 ⁶⁹ 他们按着力量捐入工程的库房，金子六万一千达利克，银子五千弥拿，并祭司的礼服一百件。 ⁷⁰ 于是祭司、利未人、部分百姓、歌唱的、守门的、尼提宁人，都住在自己的城里；以色列众人也都各住自己的城里。
此处有：I. 从巴比伦归回者的总数。前面所列各项加起来尚不足30,000（29,818），所以还有12,000以上的人未列入任何一类——他们很可能是属犹大和便雅悯之外其余以色列支派的人，说不出自己属哪一支、哪一城，只知自己是 Israelites，属哪一支派。如今：1. 这数目比尼布甲尼撒掳到巴比伦去的多出一倍有余，所以正如在埃及一样，他们受苦之时正是加增之时。2. 这些人数目虽少，难以立国，却因着赐给列祖的古应许，繁衍极多，以至约500年后被罗马人最后灭亡之时，已成了一个极其众多的民族。当神说"生养众多"时，小的要成为一千。
II. 他们的随从。他们自己几乎无异于奴仆，所以他们的仆婢相对而言为数不多（拉二65），驮兽也大致相当（拉二66、67）。如今他们已不比往日。然而其中被记下的有200名歌唱的男女——我们可以设想，他们的功用正如代下三十五25所记的那班人，是激发他们哀哭的；因经上预言他们在此时必哭泣而来（耶五十4），带着哀歌而行。
III. 他们的奉献。经上记着（拉二68、69）：1. 他们到了耶路撒冷耶和华的殿；然而那殿——那圣洁华美的殿——如今已成废墟，一堆瓦砾。但他们如他们的先祖亚伯拉罕一样，祭坛虽已不在，却仍以虔诚之心来到祭坛的所在（创十三4）；锡安的真儿子有这样的特征：他们甚至喜爱其中的尘土（诗一百一十四14）。2. 他们为要在原处重新建造而甘心献上。看来他们最先谈论的就是建造那殿；他们虽刚结束长途跋涉，又要重新开创世界（这两件都是耗费钱财的事），却仍为建殿献上，且是甘心献上。不要有人为信仰必需的开支发怨言，要相信到了算账之时，必发现这些花费完全值得。他们的奉献与大卫时代众首领的奉献相比，实在微不足道；那时他们按他连得献（代上二十九7），如今按达利克献；然而这些达利克既按力量而献，在神眼中就与那些他连得同样蒙悦纳，正如那寡妇的两个小钱一样。那61,000达利克金子，按坎伯兰的计算，约合若干英镑若干格罗特。每一弥拿（即一磅银子），他算为六十舍客勒（即三十盎司），约合我们的7镑10先令；这样，5000磅银子就合我们的37,000余英镑。可见神在巴比伦不仅加增了他们的人数，也加增了他们的财富；他们照神所使他们兴旺的程度，也乐意奉献，为事奉他的殿。3. 他们住在自己的城里（拉二70）。他们的城虽已残破，但因是他们的城，是神所分给他们的，他们便甘心居住其中，并为自由与产业而感恩，虽然其中少有华美、丰足或权势。他们的贫穷是坏缘由，但他们中间的合一与同心却是好的结果。这里对他们所有人和一切产业都有充裕的空间，所以他们中间没有纷争，完全和谐——这是他们定居的蒙福预兆，正如那后期国度的纷争是他们败亡的预兆一样。
英文原文
The Return of the Captives (536 BC)
¹ Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;
² Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
³ The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two.
⁴ The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
⁵ The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.
⁶ The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
⁷ The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
⁸ The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.
⁹ The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
¹⁰ The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
¹¹ The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.
¹² The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
¹³ The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.
¹⁴ The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
¹⁵ The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
¹⁶ The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
¹⁷ The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.
¹⁸ The children of Jorah, a hundred and twelve.
¹⁹ The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.
²⁰ The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.
²¹ The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three.
²² The men of Netophah, fifty and six.
²³ The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight.
²⁴ The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.
²⁵ The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.
²⁶ The children of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.
²⁷ The men of Michmas, a hundred twenty and two.
²⁸ The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
²⁹ The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
³⁰ The children of Magbish, a hundred fifty and six.
³¹ The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
³² The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
³³ The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.
³⁴ The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
³⁵ The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
We may observe here, 1. That an account was kept in writing of the families that came up out of captivity, and the numbers of each family. This was done for their honour, as part of their recompence for their faith and courage, their confidence in God and their affection to their own land, and to stir up others to follow their good example. Those that honour God he will thus honour. The names of all those Israelites indeed that accept the offer of deliverance by Christ shall be found, to their honour, in a more sacred record than this, even in the Lamb's book of life. The account that was kept of the families that came up from the captivity was intended also for the benefit of posterity, that they might know from whom they descended and to whom they were allied. 2. That they are called children of the province. Judah, which had been an illustrious kingdom, to which other kingdoms had been made provinces, subject to it and dependent on it, was now itself made a province, to receive laws and commissions from the king of Persia and to be accountable to him. See how sin diminishes and debases a nation, which righteousness would exalt. But by thus being made servants (as the patriarchs by being sojourners in a country which was theirs by promise) they were reminded of the better country, that is, the heavenly (Heb 11:16), a kingdom which cannot be moved, or changed into a province. 3. That they are said to come every one to his city, that is, the city appointed them, in which appointment an eye, no doubt, was had to their former settlement by Joshua; and to that, as near as might be, they returned: for it does not appear that any others, at least any that were able to oppose them, had possessed them in their absence. 4. That the leaders are first mentioned, Ezr 2:2. Zerubbabel and Jeshua were their Moses and Aaron, the former their chief prince, the latter their chief priest. Nehemiah and Mordecai are mentioned here; some think not the same with the famous men we afterwards meet with of those names: probably they were the same, but afterwards returned to court for the service of their country. 5. Some of these several families are named from the persons that were their ancestors, others from the places in which they had formerly resided; as with us many surnames are the proper names of persons, others of places. 6. Some little difference there is between the numbers of some of the families here and in Ne 7:5-73, where this catalogue is repeated, which might arise from this, that some who had given in their names at first to come afterwards drew back—said, I go, Sir, but went not, which would lessen the number of the families they belonged to; others that declined, at first, afterwards repented and went, and so increased the number. 7. Here are two families that are called the children of Elam (one Ezr 2:7, another Ezr 2:31), and, which is strange, the number of both is the same, 1254. 8. The children of Adonikam, which signifies a high lord, were 666, just the number of the beast (Re 13:18), which is there said to be the number of a man, which, Mr. Hugh Broughton thinks, has reference to this man. 9. The children of Bethlehem (Ezr 2:21) were but 123, though it was David's city; for Bethlehem was little among the thousands of Judah, yet there must the Messiah arise, Mic 5:2. 10. Anathoth had been a famous place in the tribe of Benjamin and yet here it numbered but 128 (Ezr 2:23), which is to be imputed to the divine curse which the men of Anathoth brought upon themselves by persecuting Jeremiah, who was of their city. Jer 11:21,23, There shall be no remnant of them, for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth. And see Isa 10:30, O poor Anathoth! Nothing brings ruin on a people sooner than persecution.
³⁶ The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
³⁷ The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
³⁸ The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
³⁹ The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
⁴⁰ The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
⁴¹ The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight.
⁴² The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.
⁴³ The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
⁴⁴ The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,
⁴⁵ The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
⁴⁶ The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,
⁴⁷ The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,
⁴⁸ The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
⁴⁹ The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,
⁵⁰ The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,
⁵¹ The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
⁵² The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
⁵³ The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,
⁵⁴ The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
⁵⁵ The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,
⁵⁶ The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
⁵⁷ The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.
⁵⁸ All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.
⁵⁹ And these were they which went up from Telmelah, Telharsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not show their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:
⁶⁰ The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.
⁶¹ And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:
⁶² These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
⁶³ And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
Here is an account, I. Of the priests that returned, and they were a considerable number, about a tenth part of the whole company: for the whole were above 42,000 (Ezr 2:64), and four families of priests made up above 4200 (Ezr 2:36-39); thus was the tenth God's part—a blessed decimation. Three of the fathers of the priests here named were heads of courses, 1Ch 24:7,8,14. The fourth was Pashur, Ezr 2:38. If these were of the posterity of that Pashur that abused Jeremiah (Jer 20:1), it is strange that so bad a man should have so good a seed, and so numerous.
II. Of the Levites. I cannot but wonder at the small number of them, for, taking in both the singers and the porters (Ezr 2:40-42), they did not make 350. Time was when the Levites were more forward to their duty than the priests (2Ch 29:34), but they were not so now. If one place, one family, has the reputation for pious zeal now, another may have it another time. The wind blows where it listeth, and shifts its points.
III. Of the Nethinim, who, it is supposed, were the Gibeonites, given (so their name signifies) by Joshua first (Jos 9:27), and again by David (Ezr 8:20), when Saul had expelled them, to be employed by the Levites in the work of God's house as hewers of wood and drawers of water; and, with them, of the children of Solomon's servants, whom he gave for the like use (whether they were Jews or Gentiles does not appear) and who were here taken notice of among the retainers of the temple and numbered with the Nethinim, Ezr 2:55,58. Note, It is an honour to belong to God's house, though in the meanest office there.
IV. Of some that were looked upon as Israelites by birth, and others as priests, and yet could not make out a clear title to the honour. 1. There were some that could not prove themselves Israelites (Ezr 2:59,60), a considerable number, who presumed they were of the seed of Jacob, but could not produce their pedigrees, and yet would go up to Jerusalem, having an affection to the house and people of God. These shamed those who were true-born Israelites, and yet were not called Israelites indeed, who came out of the waters of Judah (Isa 48:1), but had lost the relish of those waters. 2. There were others that could not prove themselves priests, and yet were supposed to be of the seed of Aaron. What is not preserved in black and white will, in all likelihood, be forgotten in a little time. Now we are here told, (1.) How they lost their evidence. One of their ancestors married a daughter of Barzillai, that great man whom we read of in David's time; he gloried in an alliance to that honourable family, and, preferring that before the dignity of his priesthood, would have his children called after Barzillai's family, and their pedigree preserved in the registers of that house, not of the house of Aaron, and so they lost it. In Babylon there was nothing to be got by the priesthood, and therefore they cared not for being akin to it. Those who think their ministry, or their relation to ministers, a diminution or disparagement to them, forget who it was that said, I magnify my office. (2.) What they lost with it. It could not be taken for granted that they were priests when they could not produce their proofs, but they were, as polluted, put from the priesthood. Now that the priests had recovered their rights, and had the altar to live upon again, they would gladly be looked upon as priests. But they had sold their birthright for the honour of being gentlemen, and therefore were justly degraded, and forbidden to eat of the most holy things. Note, Christ will be ashamed of those that are ashamed of him and his service. It was the tirshatha, or governor, that put them under this sequestration, which some understand of Zerubbabel the present governor, others of Nehemiah (who is so called, Neh. viii. 9, x. 1, and who gave this order when he came some years after); but the prohibition was not absolute, it was only a suspension, till there should be a high priest with Urim and Thummin, by whom they might know God's mind in this matter. This, it seems, was expected and desired, but it does not appear that ever they were blessed with it under the second temple. They had the canon of the Old Testament complete, which was better than Urim; and, by the want of that oracle, they were taught to expect the Messiah the great Oracle, which the Urim and Thummim was but a type of. Nor does it appear that the second temple had the ark in it, either the old one or a new one. Those shadows by degrees vanished, as the substance approached; and God, by the prophet, intimates to his people that they should sustain no damage by the want of the ark, Jer 3:16,17. In those days, when they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all the nations shall be gathered to it, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the Lord, neither shall it come to mind, for they shall do very well without it.
⁶⁴ The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
⁶⁵ Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.
⁶⁶ Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;
⁶⁷ Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
⁶⁸ And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:
⁶⁹ They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.
⁷⁰ So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.
Here is, I. The sum total of the company that returned out of Babylon. The particular sums before mentioned amount not quite to 30,000 (29,818), so that there were above 12,000 that come out into any of those accounts, who, it is probable, were of the rest of the tribes of Israel, besides Judah and Benjamin, that could not tell of what particular family or city they were, but that they were Israelites, and of what tribe. Now, 1. This was more than double the number that were carried captive into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, so that, as in Egypt, the time of their affliction was the time of their increase. 2. These were but few to begin a nation with, and yet, by virtue of the old promise made to their fathers, they multiplied so as before their last destruction by the Romans, about 500 years after, to be a very numerous people. When God says, "Increase and multiply," a little one shall become a thousand.
II. Their retinue. They were themselves little better than servants, and therefore no wonder that their servants were comparatively but few (Ezr 2:65) and their beasts of burden about as many, Ezr 2:66,67. It was not with them now as in days past. But notice is taken of 200 singing-men and women whom they had among them, who, we will suppose, were intended (as those 2Ch 35:25) to excite their mourning, for it was foretold that they should, upon this occasion, go weeping (Jer 50:4), with ditties of lamentation.
III. Their oblations. It is said (Ezr 2:68,69), 1. That they came to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem; and yet that house, that holy and beautiful house, was now in ruins, a heap of rubbish. But, like their father Abraham, when the altar was gone they came with devotion to the place of the altar (Ge 13:4); and it is the character of the genuine sons of Zion that they favour even the dust thereof, Ps 102:14. 2. That they offered freely towards the setting of it up in its place. That, it seems, was the first house they talked of setting up; and though they came off a journey, and were beginning the world (two chargeable things), yet they offered, and offered freely, towards the building of the temple. Let none complain of the necessary expenses of their religion, but believe that when they come to balance the account they will find that it clears the cost. Their offering was nothing in comparison with the offerings of the princes in David's time; then they offered by talents (1Ch 29:7), now by drams, yet these drams, being after their ability, were as acceptable to God as those talents, like the widow's two mites. The 61,000 drams of gold amount, by Cumberland's calculation, to so many pounds of our money and so many groats. Every maneh, or pound of silver, he reckons to be sixty shekels (that is, thirty ounces), which we may reckon 7l. 10s. of our money, so that this 5000 pounds of silver will be above 37,000l. of our money. It seems, God had blessed them with an increase of their wealth, as well as of their numbers, in Babylon; and, as God had prospered them, they gave cheerfully to the service of his house. 3. That they dwelt in their cities, Ezr 2:70. Though their cities were out of repair, yet, because they were their cities, such as God had assigned them, they were content to dwell in them, and were thankful for liberty and property, though they had little of pomp, plenty, or power. Their poverty was a bad cause, but their unity and unanimity were a good effect of it. Here was room enough for them all and all their substance, so that there was no strife among them, but perfect harmony, a blessed presage of their settlement, as their discords in the latter times of that state were of their ruin.
前章已述，许多人因居鲁士的诏令从巴比伦归回；此处我们得见归回各家族的谱录，拉2:1。I. 首领，拉2:2。II. 百姓，拉2:3-35。III. 祭司、利未人以及殿中服役之人，拉2:35-63。IV. 总数，并其随从家眷的统计，拉2:64-67。V. 他们为圣殿事工所献的礼物，拉2:68-70。