King James Version

What Does Ezra 2:1 Mean?

Ezra 2:1 in the King James Version says “Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom... — study this verse from Ezra chapter 2 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

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;

Ezra 2:1 · KJV


Context

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: Seraiah: also called, Azariah, nehe.7.7.

3

The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
The chapter heading 'Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity' identifies returnees as those who had been exiled. The phrase 'whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon' acknowledges the exile's source. The statement 'they returned unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city' emphasizes restoration to ancestral territories. This geographical and genealogical precision demonstrates God's faithfulness in returning people to specific covenant inheritance.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

The return (538 BC) fulfilled Jeremiah's seventy-year prophecy (Jeremiah 25:11-12, 29:10). The preservation of genealogical records through exile enabled proper restoration to ancestral cities. Each family's return to 'his city' restored tribal territories despite seventy years' disruption. Archaeological evidence shows many sites were reoccupied during Persian period after decades of abandonment. This meticulous documentation served legal, religious, and theological purposes.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does preservation of genealogies through seventy years of exile demonstrate God's sovereignty over historical continuity?
  2. What does return to specific ancestral cities teach about God's attention to particular covenant promises?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 17 words
וְאֵ֣לֶּה׀1 of 17
H428

these or those

בְּנֵ֣י2 of 17

Now these are the children

H1121

a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or

הַמְּדִינָ֗ה3 of 17

of the province

H4082

properly, a judgeship, i.e., jurisdiction; by implication, a district (as ruled by a judge); generally, a region

הָֽעֹלִים֙4 of 17

that went up

H5927

to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative

מִשְּׁבִ֣י5 of 17

out of the captivity

H7628

exiled; captured; as noun, exile (abstractly or concretely and collectively); by extension, booty

הַגּוֹלָ֔ה6 of 17

of those which had been carried away

H1473

exile; concretely and collectively exiles

אֲשֶׁ֥ר7 of 17
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

הֶגְלָ֛ה8 of 17

had carried away

H1540

to denude (especially in a disgraceful sense); by implication, to exile (captives being usually stripped); figuratively, to reveal

נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֥ור9 of 17

whom Nebuchadnezzar

H5019

nebukadnetstsar (or nebukadretsts(-ar, or)), king of babylon

מֶֽלֶךְ10 of 17

the king

H4428

a king

לְבָבֶ֑ל11 of 17

of Babylon

H894

babel (i.e., babylon), including babylonia and the babylonian empire

לְבָבֶ֑ל12 of 17

of Babylon

H894

babel (i.e., babylon), including babylonia and the babylonian empire

וַיָּשׁ֛וּבוּ13 of 17

and came again

H7725

to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point);

לִירֽוּשָׁלִַ֥ם14 of 17

unto Jerusalem

H3389

jerushalaim or jerushalem, the capital city of palestine

וִֽיהוּדָ֖ה15 of 17

and Judah

H3063

jehudah (or judah), the name of five israelites; also of the tribe descended from the first, and of its territory

אִ֥ישׁ16 of 17

every one

H376

a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)

לְעִירֽוֹ׃17 of 17

unto his city

H5892

a city (a place guarded by waking or a watch) in the widest sense (even of a mere encampment or post)


Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Ezra. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Ezra 2:1 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Ezra 2:1 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

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