About this Bible Study........The King James Version of the Bible is written in a beautiful form of the English language. It can be hard for modern English readers to understand. In this study, you will find notes and summaries in brown just above the the verses from the Bible. We recommend that you read the notes and summaries first, and then read the verses in their KJV form.
Map from Keyway.ca The Persian Empire covered many areas. It included the modern-day countries of Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Iran Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Turkey. The Persian kings named in the Bible were Cyrus, Ahasruerus, Artaxerxes, and Darius. |
The Book of Ezra
God allowed the people from Babylon to take the tribe of Judah, the Jews, away. They took them back to Babylon. The Jews lived in Babylon for about 70 years. Then, Cyrus became king of Persia (now called Iran). Persia defeated Babylon, and Cyrus said that the Jews could return to Jerusalem.
Ezra was a scribe (secretary, historian). He wrote down the history of the Jews going back to Jerusalem. He also led some of the Jews back to Jerusalem
Bible Timeline
Here is a good timeline to see the book of Ezra in the history of the Bible
http://www.sundayschoolresources.com/timeline.htm
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In the past, God told Jeremiah, the prophet, that the Jews would go home to Jerusalem. Jeremiah told everyone what God said. |
King Cyrus of
Persia |
Preparing to take the temple items back to Jerusalem. |
Some people who study the Bible think that Zerubbabel and Sheshbazaar were the same person. Other people do not agree with that. |
Descendants of Zattu--945
Descendants of Zaccai--760
Descendants of Bani--642
Descendants of Bebai--623
Descendants of Azgad--1,222
[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.
Descendants of Adonikam--666
Descendants of Bigvai--2,056
Descendants of Adin--454
Descendants of Ater (from Hezekiah's family)--98
Descendants of Bezai --323
[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.
Descendants of Jorah--112
Descendants of Hashum--223
Descendants of Gibbar--95
Descendants of Bethlehem--123
[18] The children of Jorah, an 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 Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.
Descendants of Netophah--56
Descendants of Anathoth--128
Descendants of Azmaveth--42
Descendants of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth--743
Descendants of Ramah and Geba--621
[22] The men of Netophah, fifty and six.
[23] The men of Anathoth, an 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 Geba, six hundred twenty and one.
Descendants of Michmas--122
Descendants of Bethel and Ai--223
Descendants of Nebo--52
Descendants of Magbish--156
Descendants of the other Elam (not the one listed above)--1,254
[27] The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.
[28] The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
[29] The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
[30] The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.
[31] The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
Descendants of Harim--320
Descendants of Lod, Hadid, and Ono--725
Descendants of Jericho--345
Descendants of Senaah--3,630
[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.
These were the priests who returned to Jerusalem:
Descendants of Jedaiah from the family of Jeshua--973
Descendants of Immer--1,052
Descendants of Pashur--1,247
Descendants of Harim--1,017
[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.
These were the Levites who returned:
Descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel from the family of Hodaviah--74
[40] The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of
Hodaviah, seventy and four.
These were the singers who returned:
Descendants of Asaph--128
[41] The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.
These were the descendants of the porters (worked
in the temple):
Descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai--139
[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.
These were the Nethinims (temple workers):
Descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, Keros, Siaha, Padon, Lebanah,
Hagabah, Akkub, Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, Besai, Asnah, Mehunim, Nephusim, Bakbuk, Hakupha,
Harhur, Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, Barkos, Sisera, Thamah, Neziah, and Hatipha.
[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.
These were the descendants of Solomon's servants
(more temple workers):
Descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Peruda, Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, Shephatiah,
Hattil, Pochereth from the area of Zebaim, and Ami.
[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.
The number of all of the temple workers: 392
[58] All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three
hundred ninety and two.
There were some people who went from the areas of
Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer. But they could not
prove they were really Israelites. These were descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah,
and Nekoda--652
[59] And these were they which went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub,
Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew 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.
These were the descendants of the priests--the descendants of Habaiah, Koz,
and Barzillai. The descendants of Barzillai were named for the female said
of the family (Barzillai was a man who lived back in David's time. An
Israelite married one of his daughters. Their children kept their mother's
family name instead of their father's family name).
[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:
No one now really knows what the Urim and Thummin looked like. Back in the book of Exodus, when Aaron asked God questions, the Urim and Thummin helped him to receive God's answers. Now, the Urim and Thummin are missing. |
These people tried to prove that
they were really Israelites. But they could not find any records, so
they could not be priests. The man who was the leader said they could not
eat any of the sacrificed food. They could not be priests until a priest
could use the Urim and Thummin to ask God about them.
[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.
In all, there were 42,360 Israelites going back to
Judah. They also had with them servants and maids. There were 7,337
servants, and 200 men and women who sang.
[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.
There were 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and
6,720 donkeys.
[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.
Some of the leaders gave silver and gold to use to
build the Temple again in the same place in Jerusalem. They gave silver and
gold voluntarily and gave as much as they could. They gave 1,060 drams (a
Persian measurement) of gold and 5,000 pounds of silver, and 100 sets of
clothes for the priests.
[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.
The priests, Levites, singers, people, and temple workers
went back to Judah. They lived in the cities their ancestors lived in.
[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.
You can find more details about the special days of celebration here. |
Joppa was located by the Mediterranean Sea. Today it is the city of Tel Aviv. |
Building the temple again. From FreeBibleIllustrations.com |