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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)
被擄歸回者的記錄（主前五三六年）
¹ 這巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒從前擄到巴比倫之猶大省的人，現在他們從被擄到之地回耶路撒冷和猶大，各歸本城。
² 他們是同著所羅巴伯、耶書亞、尼希米、西萊雅、利來雅、末底改、必珊、米斯拔、比革瓦伊、利宏、巴拿回來的。以色列民的人數記在下面：
³ 巴錄的子孫二千一百七十二名；
⁴ 示法提雅的子孫三百七十二名；
⁵ 亞拉的子孫七百七十五名；
⁶ 巴哈‧摩押的子孫，就是耶書亞和約押的子孫二千八百一十二名；
⁷ 以攔的子孫一千二百五十四名；
⁸ 薩土的子孫九百四十五名；
⁹ 薩改的子孫七百六十名；
¹⁰ 巴尼的子孫六百四十二名；
¹¹ 比拜的子孫六百二十三名；
¹² 押甲的子孫一千二百二十二名；
¹³ 亞多尼干的子孫六百六十六名；
¹⁴ 比革瓦伊的子孫二千零五十六名；
¹⁵ 亞丁的子孫四百五十四名；
¹⁶ 亞特的子孫，就是希西家的子孫九十八名；
¹⁷ 比賽的子孫三百二十三名；
¹⁸ 約拉的子孫一百一十二名；
¹⁹ 哈順的子孫二百二十三名；
²⁰ 吉罷珥的子孫九十五名；
²¹ 伯利恆人一百二十三名；
²² 尼陀法人五十六名；
²³ 亞拿突人一百二十八名；
²⁴ 亞斯瑪弗的子孫四十二名；
²⁵ 基列‧耶琳、基非拉、比錄的子孫共七百四十三名；
²⁶ 拉瑪人、迦巴人共六百二十一名；
²⁷ 密抹人一百二十二名；
²⁸ 伯特利人、艾人共二百二十三名；
²⁹ 尼波的子孫五十二名；
³⁰ 瑪比西的子孫一百五十六名；
³¹ 另一個以攔的子孫一千二百五十四名；
³² 哈琳的子孫三百二十名；
³³ 羅德人、哈第人、阿挪人的子孫共七百二十五名；
³⁴ 耶利哥的子孫三百四十五名；
³⁵ 西拿的子孫三千六百三十名。
我們在此可以看見，1. 關於那些從被擄之地上來的家族，以及各家族的人數，都保留有書面的記錄。這樣作是為他們的尊榮，作為他們信心與勇氣——他們對神的信靠以及對自己故土的眷戀——的部分賞報，也是為要激勵別人效法他們的好榜樣。尊榮神的，神必這樣尊榮他。一切接受基督所賜拯救之以色列人，他們的名字都必為他們的尊榮記在比這更神聖的記錄上，就是羔羊的生命冊。記錄從被擄之地歸回之家族的帳目，也是為後代的益處，使他們可以知道自己從何而出、與誰有親。2. 他們被稱為那省的人。猶大曾經是一個顯赫的王國，別國都作它的省份、臣服於它、依賴於它，如今自己反倒成了一個省，要從波斯王領受律法和命令，並要向他負責。請看罪如何使一國衰微貶損，而義卻能使一國高升。然而，藉著如此作奴僕（正如先祖們藉著作應許之地上的寄居者），他們被提醒記念那更美的家鄉，就是在天上的（來 11:16），一個不能震動的國，不能被改為一省。3. 據說他們各歸本城，即所指定給他們的城。在這分派中，無疑是顧念了他們從前在約書亞手下的定居；他們盡可能回到那裏：因為看不出在他們離去之後有別人，至少沒有任何能與之抗衡的人，佔據了他們的城邑。4. 領袖們最先被提及，Ezr 2:2。所羅巴伯和耶書亞是他們的摩西和亞倫，前者是他們的首領，後者是他們的大祭司。尼希米和末底改也在這裏被提及；有人認為不是我們後來所遇見的那些同名名人：很可能是同一人，只是後來為國家的服事而回到朝廷去了。5. 這些家族中，有的是按他們的祖先命名，有的是按他們從前居住的地點命名；正如我們當中許多姓氏是人的專名，另一些則是地名。6. 在某些家族的人數上，這裏與尼 7:5-73（這份目錄在那裏重複記載）之間略有出入，這可能是因為有些起先報了名要來的人後來退縮了——說主啊，我去，卻沒有去——這就減少了他們所屬家族的人數；另有一些起先推辭的人後來悔改去了，於是增加了人數。7. 這裏有兩個家族被稱為以攔的子孫（一個在 Ezr 2:7，另一個在 Ezr 2:31），奇妙的是，兩者的人數相同，都是一千二百五十四名。8. 亞多尼干的子孫——這名意思是一個高大的主——有六百六十六名，恰是獸的數目（啟 13:18），那裏說那是人的數目；休·布魯頓先生認為這是暗指這個人。9. 伯利恆人（Ezr 2:21）只有一百二十三名，雖然那是大衛的城；因為伯利恆在猶大諸城中為小，然而彌賽亞卻必從那裏興起，彌 5:2。10. 亞拿突本來是便雅憫支派中一個著名的地方，如今在這裏只數點了一百二十八名（Ezr 2:23），這要歸咎於亞拿突人因逼迫耶利米——他原是那城的人——而招致的咒詛。耶 11:21,23：必無餘民留給他們，因為我必降禍與亞拿突人。又見賽 10:30：*可憐的亞拿突啊！*再沒有甚麼比逼迫更快使一個民族招致毀滅了。
³⁶ 祭司中：耶書亞家耶大雅的子孫九百七十三名；
³⁷ 音麥的子孫一千零五十二名；
³⁸ 巴施戶珥的子孫一千二百四十七名；
³⁹ 哈琳的子孫一千零一十七名。
⁴⁰ 利未人中：耶書亞和甲篾的子孫，就是何達威雅的子孫七十四名。
⁴¹ 歌唱的：亞薩的子孫一百二十八名。
⁴² 守門的人：沙龍的子孫、亞特的子孫、達們的子孫、亞谷的子孫、哈底大的子孫、朔拜的子孫，共一百三十九名。
⁴³ 尼提寧人：西哈的子孫、哈蘇巴的子孫、答巴俄的子孫，
⁴⁴ 基羅斯的子孫、西亞的子孫、巴頓的子孫，
⁴⁵ 利巴拿的子孫、哈迦巴的子孫、亞谷的子孫，
⁴⁶ 哈甲的子孫、薩買的子孫、哈難的子孫，
⁴⁷ 基德的子孫、迦哈的子孫、利亞雅的子孫，
⁴⁸ 利汛的子孫、尼哥大的子孫、迦散的子孫，
⁴⁹ 烏薩的子孫、巴西亞的子孫、比賽的子孫，
⁵⁰ 押拿的子孫、米烏寧的子孫、尼普細的子孫，
⁵¹ 巴卜的子孫、哈古法的子孫、哈忽的子孫，
⁵² 巴斯魯的子孫、米希大的子孫、哈沙的子孫，
⁵³ 巴柯斯的子孫、西西拉的子孫、他瑪的子孫，
⁵⁴ 尼細亞的子孫、哈提法的子孫。
⁵⁵ 所羅門僕人的子孫：瑣太的子孫、瑣斐列的子孫、比路大的子孫，
⁵⁶ 雅拉的子孫、達坤的子孫、基德的子孫，
⁵⁷ 示法提雅的子孫、哈替的子孫、玻洗列的子孫、亞米的子孫。
⁵⁸ 尼提寧人和所羅門僕人的子孫共三百九十二名。
⁵⁹ 從特‧米拉、特‧哈薩、基綠、押但、音麥上來的，不能指明他們的宗族譜系，是不是以色列人：
⁶⁰ 他們是第萊雅的子孫、陀比的子孫、尼哥大的子孫，共六百五十二名。
⁶¹ 祭司中：哈巴雅的子孫、哈哥斯的子孫、巴西萊的子孫；因為巴西萊的女兒娶了基列人巴西萊的女兒為妻，所以按其名叫巴西萊。
⁶² 這些人在家譜的記錄中尋查自己的譜系，卻尋不著，因此算為不潔，不准供祭司的職任。
⁶³ 省長對他們說，不可吃至聖的物，直到有用烏陵和土明決疑的祭司興起來。
此處記載了，I. 歸回的祭司，數目相當可觀，約佔全體的十分之一：因為全體超過四萬二千人（Ezr 2:64），而四個祭司家族合計超過四千二百人（Ezr 2:36-39）；如此，十分之一便是神的分——一個蒙福的十分之一。此處所記祭司的三位父家是班次的領袖，代上 24:7,8,14。第四位是巴施戶珥，Ezr 2:38。若這些是那個虐待耶利米的巴施戶珥的後裔（耶 20:1），那麼一個如此敗壞的人竟有如此良好、如此眾多的後裔，實在令人驚奇。
II. 利未人。我不禁驚奇於他們的人數之少，因為把歌唱的和守門的都算在內（Ezr 2:40-42），也不足三百五十名。曾有一個時候，利未人比祭司更樂意盡自己的本分（代下 29:34），如今卻不然了。若一個地方、一個家族如今有敬虔熱心的名聲，另一個時候可能就歸別人了。風隨著意思吹，並且不斷變換方向。
III. 尼提寧人。據推想他們就是基遍人，是約書亞首先給的（這名的意思如此，書 9:27），又在掃羅趕逐他們之後，由大衛再次給予（Ezr 8:20），使他們被利未人用來在神殿中作劈柴挑水的人；與他們同列的還有所羅門僕人的子孫——所羅門將他們撥作類似的用途（他們是猶太人還是外邦人，看不出來）——他們在此被視為聖殿的附從者，與尼提寧人一同被數點，Ezr 2:55,58。請注意，屬於神的殿是尊榮，哪怕是在其中作最卑微的職任。
IV. 一些被視為生來的以色列人，另一些被視為祭司，卻無法清楚證明自己有權享有這身分的人。1. 有些人不能證明自己是以色列人（Ezr 2:59,60），人數不少；他們自以為是雅各的後裔，卻拿不出自己的家譜，然而他們仍要上耶路撒冷，因為對神的殿和百姓有愛慕之心。這些人使那些雖是純正的以色列人、卻不是誠然的以色列人——那些從猶大水中出來的（賽 48:1）卻失去了那些水之滋味的人——感到羞愧。2. 另一些人不能證明自己是祭司，卻被認為是亞倫的後裔。凡不存留在白紙黑字上的，很可能不久就被遺忘了。如今我們在此看到：(1.) 他們如何失去自己的憑據。他們的一位祖先娶了大衛時代那位偉人巴西萊的女兒為妻；他以與那尊貴家族聯姻為榮，把它置於祭司的尊嚴之上，定意要他的兒女按巴西萊家族的名來稱呼，他們的家譜保存在那家的記錄中，而不是亞倫家的記錄中，於是就失落了。在巴比倫，作祭司得不到甚麼好處，所以他們不在乎與祭司有親。那些以為自己的事奉，或與傳道人的關係，是自己貶損或屈辱的人，忘記了是誰說過：我敬重我的職分。(2.) 他們隨之失去了甚麼。既然他們拿不出憑據，就不能假定他們是祭司；他們被當作不潔的，從祭司的職任中革除。如今祭司既已收回了自己的權利，又有祭壇可供養生，他們就樂意被當作祭司。但他們已經為紳士的體面出賣了長子的名分，因此理當被貶黜，不准吃至聖的物。請注意，基督必以那些以他和他的事奉為恥的人為恥。把他們置於這禁令之下的是省長——有人理解為當時的省長所羅巴伯，也有人理解為尼希米（他如此被稱，尼 8:9，10:1，這命令是他若干年後來時所下的）；但這禁令不是絕對的，只是暫時的，直到有一位帶著烏陵和土明的大祭司興起，可以藉此知道神在這事上的心意。看來這是被期待和渴望的，但並不顯示第二聖殿時期他們曾蒙此福。他們有了舊約正典的完整，這比烏陵更好；並且因著缺少那神諭，他們被引導去期待彌賽亞這位偉大的神諭，而烏陵和土明不過是它的預表。也不見第二聖殿裏有約櫃，無論是舊的還是新的。這些影子隨著實體的臨近而逐漸消逝；神藉先知曉諭他的百姓，他們不會因缺少約櫃而受損，耶 3:16,17。在那些日子，當他們稱耶路撒冷為耶和華的寶座，萬國都必歸向它時，他們必不再說耶和華約櫃的約，它也不再上心，因為沒有它他們也過得很好。
⁶⁴ 會眾共有四萬二千三百六十名；
⁶⁵ 此外，還有他們的僕婢七千三百三十七名，其中又有歌唱的男女二百名。
⁶⁶ 他們有馬七百三十六匹，騾子二百四十五匹，
⁶⁷ 駱駝四百三十五隻，驢六千七百二十匹。
⁶⁸ 有些族長到了耶路撒冷耶和華殿的地方，便為神的殿甘心獻上禮物，要重新建造。
⁶⁹ 他們量力捐入工程庫的，金子六萬一千達利克，銀子五千彌拿，並祭司的禮服一百件。
⁷⁰ 於是祭司、利未人、民中的一些人、歌唱的、守門的、尼提寧人，各住在自己的城裏；以色列眾人也都住在自己的城裏。
此處有，I. 從巴比倫歸回的全體人數的總計。前面所記各項分計總和不過三萬名（二萬九千八百一十八名），所以有一萬二千多人沒有列入任何一項帳目之中，他們大概是猶大和便雅憫以外其餘以色列支派的人，說不清自己屬於哪個家族或哪座城，只知自己是以色列人，屬於哪個支派。如今，1. 這比尼布甲尼撒擄到巴比倫的人數多出一倍有餘，所以正如在埃及一樣，他們受苦的時候正是他們增多的時候。2. 這些人以之建國實在太少，然而憑著賜給他們列祖的古應許，他們繁衍如此之多，以致在他們最後被羅馬人毀滅之前——約五百年後——成了一個非常眾多的民族。當神說「要生養眾多」時，微小的必成為千。
II. 他們的隨從。他們自己不過像僕人，所以他們的僕人相對而言甚少（Ezr 2:65），他們的馱獸也差不多同數，Ezr 2:66,67。如今他們的情形已非往昔。然而其中記載有二百名歌唱的男女，我們可以設想他們是要（正如代下 35:25 中那些人）來激發他們的哀哭，因為曾預言他們要在這事上哭泣而來（耶 50:4），唱著哀悼的歌。
III. 他們的奉獻。經上記著（Ezr 2:68,69）：1. 他們到了耶路撒冷耶和華的殿那裏；然而那殿，那聖潔華美的殿，如今卻成了廢墟，一堆瓦礫。但他們如同他們的祖宗亞伯拉罕，祭壇雖然沒有了，他們仍存著敬虔來到祭壇的地方（創 13:4）；錫安的真兒女的特徵，就是連它的塵土他們也喜愛，詩 102:14。2. 他們甘心奉獻，為要將殿重新建造在原處。看來他們首先要談論建造的就是這殿；他們雖然行路疲乏，又正在重新起家（這兩樣都很費錢），卻仍甘心奉獻，為建造聖殿出力。不要有人抱怨信仰必要的花費，倒要相信到了結算的時候，他們必發現這是物超所值。他們的奉獻與大衛時代眾首領的奉獻相比算不得甚麼；那時他們按他連得奉獻（代上 29:7），如今卻按達利克；然而這些達利克既是盡力而獻，在神眼中就與那些他連得一樣蒙悅納，如同寡婦的兩個小錢。那六萬一千達利克金子，按坎伯蘭的計算，合英幣若干鎊若干格羅特。他估算每一彌拿或一鎊銀子為六十舍客勒（即三十盎司），我們可算作英幣七鎊十先令，所以這五千彌拿銀子就超過英幣三萬七千鎊。看來神在巴比倫賜福給他們，使他們在人數和財富上都增加了；神怎樣使他們亨通，他們也怎樣甘心奉獻於他殿的服事。3. 他們住在自己的城裏，Ezr 2:70。他們的城雖然失修，但因為是自己的城，是神所分給他們的，他們就甘心住在其中，並為自由和產業感恩，儘管他們少有氣派、豐裕或權勢。他們的貧窮是不好的緣由，但他們的合一與同心卻是它帶來的好結果。這裏地方足夠容納他們一切的人和財物，所以他們當中沒有紛爭，只有完全的和諧——這是他們安頓的美好預兆，正如他們後來在那狀態中的紛爭是毀滅的預兆一樣。
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.
前一章告訴我們許多人因居魯士的諭旨從巴比倫歸回；此處我們有所歸回之各家族的名錄，Ezr 2:1。I. 領袖們，Ezr 2:2。II. 百姓，Ezr 2:3-35。III. 祭司、利未人和聖殿的侍役人員，Ezr 2:35-63。IV. 總數，並他們隨行人員的記述，Ezr 2:64-67。V. 他們為聖殿的事奉所獻的供物，Ezr 2:68-70。