Ezra 2:2

2:2 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.

The number of Israelites ¹  was as follows: ² 

Ezra 2:62

2:62 They ³  searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but did not find them. ⁴  They were therefore excluded ⁵  from the priesthood.

Ezra 4:1

Opposition to the Building Efforts

4:1 When the enemies of Judah and Benjamin learned that the former exiles ⁶  were building a temple for the Lord God of Israel,

Ezra 4:8

4:8 Rehum the commander ⁷  and Shimshai the scribe ⁸  wrote a letter concerning ⁹  Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows:

Ezra 5:2

5:2 Then Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and Jeshua the son of Jozadak began ¹⁰  to rebuild the temple of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them, supporting them.

Ezra 5:16

5:16 Then this Sheshbazzar went and laid the foundations of the temple of God in Jerusalem. From that time to the present moment ¹¹  it has been in the process of being rebuilt, although it is not yet finished.’

¹ tn Heb “men of the people of Israel.”

² tn The words “was as follows” are not in the Hebrew text but are used in the translation for clarity.

³ tn Heb “these.”

⁴ tn Heb “their records were searched for in the genealogical materials, but were not found.” This passive construction has been translated as active for stylistic reasons.

⁵ tn Heb “they were desecrated.”

⁶ tn Heb “the sons of the exile.”

⁷ tn Aram “lord of the command.” So also in vv. 9, 17.

⁸ sn Like Rehum, Shimshai was apparently a fairly high-ranking official charged with overseeing Persian interests in this part of the empire. His title was “scribe” or “secretary,” but in a more elevated political sense than that word sometimes has elsewhere. American governmental titles such as “Secretary of State” perhaps provide an analogy in that the word “secretary” can have a broad range of meaning.

⁹ tn Or perhaps “against.”

¹⁰ tn Aram “arose and began.” For stylistic reasons this has been translated as a single concept.

¹¹ tn Aram “from then and until now.”