The register of the province: those who came up out of the captivity with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and their companions — family by family, town by town, the men of Bethlehem and Anathoth and Kiriath-arim, priests and Levites, singers of the sons of Asaph, gatekeepers, and Nethinim. Those who could not tell their fathers' houses wait, and priests without their genealogy are barred from the most holy things 'till a priest with Urim and with Thummim stood up.' The whole congregation together: forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, besides servants and singing men and singing women — and at the site of the house, the fathers' heads give freewill offerings after their ability into the treasury of the work.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Now these are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and that returned to Jerusalem and Judah, every one to his city;
verse value 3965
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 88 letters. Notable word values: "and·Judah" (וִֽיהוּדָ֖ה) = 36, double chai. Verse gematria: 3965 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "Nebuchadnezzar" (נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּ֥ר, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "the·province" (הַמְּדִינָ֗ה), "from·captivity·of" (מִשְּׁבִ֣י), "carried·away" (הֶגְלָ֛ה). 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "king·of·Babylon" (root מלך, 77x in Ezra); "to·Jerusalem" (root ירושלם, 48x in Ezra). First appearance of the root בן ("sons·of") in Ezra. First appearance of the root מדינה ("the·province") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Babylon', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 5 words.
Rashi
And these are the people of the province These are the Children of Israel who are from the province of the land of Israel, who are now coming up to Jerusalem from the captivity that is in the exile. and they returned And now they returned to Jerusalem. and Judea And the people of Judea returned, each one to his city.
Ibn Ezra
'The children of the province' — this is the province of Babylon.
Metzudat David
The children of the province — The people of the province of the Land of Israel who now went up, out of what had been the captivity of the exile, etc. And returned — Now each one returned to his own city, the one from which he had been exiled.
Malbim
'Now these are the children of the province' - This passage is duplicated in Nehemiah [chapter 7], with many variations. In some of them the number given there is smaller than here - for example, 'the children of Arach': seven hundred here, but there they are counted as six hundred(?); 'the children of Zattu': nine hundred here, but eight hundred there(?). In most of them, however, the number given there is larger - for example, 'the children of Azgad': a thousand here, but two thousand there; 'the children of Adin': four hundred here, but six hundred there; and so on. As it appears, [the list] here speaks of the notable ones who went up from Babylon itself. For in the exile of Jeconiah, [Nebuchadnezzar] exiled the officers and the best of the people, and these he exiled to the royal city, where they were always held in honor; but in the exile of Zedekiah, he exiled people to the province, because they were of lesser standing in his eyes - as it says [Jeremiah 24], 'like the good figs...' and 'the bad figs...' Here it says 'whom Nebuchadnezzar had exiled to Babylon,' while there [in Nehemiah] it simply says 'whom Nebuchadnezzar had exiled,' because here he speaks of those exiled in the exile of Jeconiah, who were exiled to Babylon itself, the royal city, whereas there he speaks of the exile of Zedekiah, who were exiled to the cities of the province. The notable ones spoken of here had Jerusalem as their primary destination, and from there they spread out into Judah, while the lesser ones had Judah itself as their primary destination, to settle there. That is why it says here 'to Jerusalem and Judah' without repeating the prefix of attribution on both, while there it says 'to Jerusalem and to Judah,' with the prefix repeated on both - as I have written in my Sefer HaTorah VeHaMitzvah [on Acharei Mot, on the verse 'and a ram for a burnt offering']: that wherever the first mark of attribution is not repeated, the first item is the primary one, but when it is repeated on both, the two are equal. Here it says 'who came with Zerubbabel...,' while there it adds 'Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani,' who arrived afterward together with additional groups of people - which is why the count there is larger than here. And the few cases where the count here is larger are those who returned from the Land of Israel to Babylon after the building work had been halted, so that their number was reduced in the second count, which was later [see also Ezra 2:64].
who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
verse value 5020
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 71 letters. The shortest word is "people·of" (עַ֥ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "with·Zerubbabel" (עִם־זְרֻבָּבֶ֗ל, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 380: Mispar, number·of. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "that·came" (אֲשֶׁר־בָּ֣אוּ), "with·Zerubbabel" (עִם־זְרֻבָּבֶ֗ל), "Nehemiah" (נְ֠חֶמְיָ֠ה). The root מספר appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "people·of" (root עם, 50x in Ezra); "Israel" (root ישראל, 31x in Ezra). First appearance of the root בוא ("that·came") in Ezra. First appearance of the root זרבבל ("with·Zerubbabel") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Baanah', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 4 words.
Rashi
[Those] who came these people of the province, in the beginning, when they went into exile from Israel to Babylon with Zerubbabel etc. Mispar...the number Heb. מִסְפָּר. [This word appears twice in this verse.] In the first one, the “pay” is vowelized with a “kamatz,” and it is the name of a man; in the second, the “pay” is vowelized with a “pattah”, and it is the construct state, [meaning the number of]. the important men of the people of Israel These were the great and important people, and the others followed them. Therefore, they were counted after them separately.
Ibn Ezra
'Who came ... Jeshua' — this is Joshua the High Priest. 'Mordecai, Bilshan' — [Mordecai] is Mordecai the Jew. As for 'Bilshan,' it is possible that this is a different man, and [the text] is missing the conjunctive vav, as in [the list] 'Adam, Seth, Enosh' (1 Chronicles 1:1). 'Mispar' — the second occurrence of this word in the verse is a noun meaning 'number,' while the first is the name of a man.
Ralbag
Jeshua - He is Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Nehemiah - He is Nehemiah the Tirshatha. Mordecai - This is the one who sat in the king's gate in the days of King Ahasuerus. Do not be puzzled as to how he could have left Jerusalem after having entered it: because of the hostile letters that Ahasuerus and the other kings of Persia wrote to halt the work, they needed to go out from there in order to exert every effort toward completing the building, once they had found favor in the eyes of the kings of Persia. The men of the people of Israel - Meaning, the heads of the people of Israel. Now he counted how many went up from each and every place and from each and every family, and he also counted the Nethinim, who were of the Gibeonites, calling them Nethinim because David had assigned them to the service of the house of Hashem, to hew stones and cut wood and the like. And he counted along with them the sons of Solomon's servants, for they too were of the seven [Canaanite] nations, as is mentioned in the Book of Kings (I Kings 9:20; end of the chapter).
Metzudat David
Who came — Now they came to their place together with Zerubbabel, etc. Jeshua — This is Joshua the High Priest. Mordecai Bilshan — This is a single name [i.e., one person], namely the uncle of Queen Esther; he was called Bilshan because he knew seventy languages, so said our Sages. Mispar — The first [occurrence of this word] is the name of a man. The number of the men — This is the count of the notable ones; and so too, wherever 'ish' (man) or 'anshei' (men of) appears in Scripture, it refers to the prominent individuals.
Malbim
'Who came' - to Jerusalem. 'Mordecai Bilshan' - according to the Sages, this is a single name: Mordecai, who knew several languages. But according to some commentators, these are two separate names. And 'Mispar' - the first [i.e., in Ezra] has this name in this form, while in Nehemiah it is 'Mispereth.'
The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy-two.
verse value 1747
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "two·thousand" (אַלְפַּ֕יִם, 5 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "seventy" (root שבע, 23x in Ezra). First appearance of the root פרעש ("Parosh") in Ezra. First appearance of the root שבע ("seventy") in Ezra. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + פַרְעֹ֔שׁ [Parosh] (650) + אַלְפַּ֕יִם [two·thousand] (161) + מֵאָ֖ה [hundred] (46) + שִׁבְעִ֥ים [seventy] (422) + וּשְׁנָֽיִם [and·two] (406) = 1747.
Rashi
The children of Parosh, etc. There are some in the chapter for whom the father’s name is used for the family name [surname] and there are some who are called by the name of their place, i.e., “the children of such-and-such a place.”
Metzudat David
The children of Parosh, etc. — Some [of these families] are listed by the name of their family's ancestor, and some by the name of their city.
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two.
verse value 2371
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 25 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "Shephatiah" (שְׁפַטְיָ֔ה, 5 letters). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "seventy" (root שבע, 23x in Ezra). First appearance of the root שפטיה ("Shephatiah") in Ezra. First appearance of the root שלוש ("three") in Ezra. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + שְׁפַטְיָ֔ה [Shephatiah] (404) + שְׁלֹ֥שׁ [three] (630) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + שִׁבְעִ֥ים [seventy] (422) + וּשְׁנָֽיִם [and·two] (406) = 2371.
Verse structure: 6 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·seventy" (וְשִׁבְעִֽים, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Arah" (אָרַ֔ח), "five" (חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה), "and·seventy" (וְשִׁבְעִֽים). The root שבע appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "seven" (root שבע, 23x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + אָרַ֔ח [Arah] (209) + שְׁבַ֥ע [seven] (372) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + חֲמִשָּׁ֥ה [five] (353) + וְשִׁבְעִֽים [and·seventy] (428) = 1871.
The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
verse value 3075
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 43 letters. The shortest word is "ten" (עָשָֽׂר, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Pahath" (בְּנֵֽי־פַחַ֥ת, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Pahath" (בְּנֵֽי־פַחַ֥ת). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra). First appearance of the root פחה ("sons·of·Pahath") in Ezra. First appearance of the root מואב ("Moab") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Joab', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: בְּנֵֽי־פַחַ֥ת [sons·of·Pahath] (550) + מוֹאָ֛ב [Moab] (49) + לִבְנֵ֥י [of·sons·of] (92) + יֵשׁ֖וּעַ [Jeshua] (386) + יוֹאָ֑ב [Joab] (19) + אַלְפַּ֕יִם [two·thousand] (161) + שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה [eight] (395) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + וּשְׁנֵ֥ים [and·two] (406) + עָשָֽׂר [ten] (570) = 3075.
Ibn Ezra
'Pahath-moab' — he is the forebear of Jeshua and Joab, descendants born from those named. But it is also possible that Jeshua and Joab preceded Pahath-moab.
Metzudat David
Pahath-moab — [Meaning] the governor over Moab. Of the children of Jeshua and Joab — That is, of the children of Jeshua and of the children of Joab, who were descendants of Pahath-moab; their number was two thousand, etc.
Malbim
The questions (6-35): This passage is duplicated in Nehemiah (chapter 7), and there many variations occur, with different numbers - in some cases the number there is larger, and in some it is smaller than here. 'The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua' - Pahath-moab was the head of the family, and from his two sons, Jeshua and Joab, [descendants] came to the Land of Israel; likewise in verses 16, 36, and 40. This is borne out by what is stated in verse 40, 'the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the house of Hodaviah,' which is the very same as what is stated (Ezra 3:9), 'Jeshua and his sons, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah.'
The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
verse value 1574
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 18 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·sixty" (וְשִׁשִּֽׁים, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Zaccai" (זַכָּ֔י). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "seven" (root שבע, 23x in Ezra). First appearance of the root ששים ("and·sixty") in Ezra. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + זַכָּ֔י [Zaccai] (37) + שְׁבַ֥ע [seven] (372) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + וְשִׁשִּֽׁים [and·sixty] (656) = 1574.
Ibn Ezra
'Zaccai' — [there is a difference between] the written form and the read form; he was called by two forms [of his name]. Similarly, 'the children of Ater, of Hezekiah' [Ezra 2:16] — [these] were born to Hezekiah, with Ater simply being their forebear; or, [alternatively,] Hezekiah is the forebear and Ater his son — and this [latter view] is correct.
Verse structure: 6 words, 23 letters. Verse gematria: 1900 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "six" (שֵׁ֥שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "forty" (אַרְבָּעִ֥ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 62: sons·of, Bani. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra). First appearance of the root בני ("Bani") in Ezra. First appearance of the root שש ("six") in Ezra. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + בָנִ֔י [Bani] (62) + שֵׁ֥שׁ [six] (600) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + אַרְבָּעִ֥ים [forty] (323) + וּשְׁנָֽיִם [two] (406) = 1900.
Verse structure: 4 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "ninety" (תִּשְׁעִ֥ים, 5 letters) and the longest is "of·Hezekiah" (לִֽיחִזְקִיָּ֖ה, 7 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "of·Hezekiah" (לִֽיחִזְקִיָּ֖ה). 4 unique roots are used. Full calculation: בְּנֵֽי־אָטֵ֥ר [sons·of·Ater] (272) + לִֽיחִזְקִיָּ֖ה [of·Hezekiah] (170) + תִּשְׁעִ֥ים [ninety] (820) + וּשְׁמֹנָֽה [eight] (401) = 1663.
Metzudat David
The children of Ater, of Hezekiah — He added this note about Ater to indicate that he was descended from Hezekiah; or, alternatively, that he is counted together with the sons of Hezekiah.
The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty-three.
verse value 2502
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 23 letters. Verse gematria: 2502 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "twenty" (עֶשְׂרִ֥ים, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Bezai" (בֵצָ֔י). The root שלוש appears 2 times in this verse. 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "three" (root שלוש, 22x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + בֵצָ֔י [Bezai] (102) + שְׁלֹ֥שׁ [three] (630) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + עֶשְׂרִ֥ים [twenty] (620) + וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה [three] (641) = 2502.
Verse structure: 5 words, 18 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "two" (וּשְׁנֵ֥ים, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Jorah" (יוֹרָ֔ה). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + יוֹרָ֔ה [Jorah] (221) + מֵאָ֖ה [hundred] (46) + וּשְׁנֵ֥ים [two] (406) + עָשָֽׂר [ten] (570) = 1305.
Verse structure: 4 words, 16 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "ninety" (תִּשְׁעִ֥ים, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Gibbar" (גִבָּ֖ר). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "five" (root חמש, 21x in Ezra). First appearance of the root גבר ("Gibbar") in Ezra. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + גִבָּ֖ר [Gibbar] (205) + תִּשְׁעִ֥ים [ninety] (820) + וַחֲמִשָּֽׁה [five] (359) = 1446.
The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty-three.
verse value 1859
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. Verse gematria: 1859 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "Beth-lehem" (בֵֽית־לָ֔חֶם, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Beth-lehem" (בֵֽית־לָ֔חֶם). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "Beth-lehem" (root בית, 64x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + בֵֽית־לָ֔חֶם [Beth-lehem] (490) + מֵאָ֖ה [hundred] (46) + עֶשְׂרִ֥ים [twenty] (620) + וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה [three] (641) = 1859.
Malbim
'The children of Beth-lehem' - Those who all belonged to a single family, even though they lived in several towns, are grouped together and counted under the name of the head of the family. But where they were not grouped by family, they are counted instead under the name of the town where they had first lived.
Verse structure: 4 words, 17 letters. The shortest word is "men·of" (אַנְשֵׁ֥י, 4 letters) and the longest is "fifty" (חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Netophah" (נְטֹפָ֖ה). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "fifty" (root חמש, 21x in Ezra). Full calculation: אַנְשֵׁ֥י [men·of] (361) + נְטֹפָ֖ה [Netophah] (144) + חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים [fifty] (398) + וְשִׁשָּֽׁה [six] (611) = 1514.
Verse structure: 5 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "hundred" (מֵאָ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "Anathoth" (עֲנָת֔וֹת, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Anathoth" (עֲנָת֔וֹת). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "twenty" (root עשרים, 20x in Ezra). Full calculation: אַנְשֵׁ֣י [men·of] (361) + עֲנָת֔וֹת [Anathoth] (926) + מֵאָ֖ה [hundred] (46) + עֶשְׂרִ֥ים [twenty] (620) + וּשְׁמֹנָֽה [eight] (401) = 2354.
Ibn Ezra
'The men of Anathoth' — concerning them it is written: 'Thus says Hashem concerning the men of Anathoth: the young men shall die by the sword, their sons and daughters shall die by famine, and there shall be no remnant for them, for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, the year of their reckoning' (Jeremiah 11:21-23). Yet from tradition we know that they repented and returned to God before the day of reckoning, and the decree was annulled from upon them, and a hundred twenty-eight of them remained.
Malbim
'The men of Anathoth' - see what is stated [about this] in Jeremiah (16:3).
Verse structure: 4 words, 19 letters. Verse gematria: 1314 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "forty" (אַרְבָּעִ֥ים, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Azmaveth" (עַזְמָ֖וֶת). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + עַזְמָ֖וֶת [Azmaveth] (523) + אַרְבָּעִ֥ים [forty] (323) + וּשְׁנָֽיִם [two] (406) = 1314.
The children of Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three.
verse value 3811
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 41 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֨י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·forty" (וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "city" (קִרְיַ֤ת), "Arim" (עָרִים֙), "Chephirah" (כְּפִירָ֣ה). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "seven" (root שבע, 23x in Ezra). First appearance of the root קריה ("city") in Ezra. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֨י [sons·of] (62) + קִרְיַ֤ת [city] (710) + עָרִים֙ [Arim] (320) + כְּפִירָ֣ה [Chephirah] (315) + וּבְאֵר֔וֹת [and·Beeroth] (615) + שְׁבַ֥ע [seven] (372) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + וְאַרְבָּעִ֥ים [and·forty] (329) + וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה [three] (641) = 3811.
Ibn Ezra
'Kiriath-arim' — this is [the same as] Ye'arim. And the meaning is likewise: 'the children of Kiriath-yearim, the children of Chephirah, the children of Beeroth' — such-and-such [a number for each].
Metzudat David
Kiriath-arim — This is Kiriath-jearim, mentioned in the book of Joshua. Seven hundred — That is, the people of all three places [Kiriath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth] together numbered seven hundred, etc.
The children of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one.
verse value 2079
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "six" (שֵׁ֥שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "twenty" (עֶשְׂרִ֥ים, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "the·Ramah" (הָרָמָה֙), "and·Geba" (וָגָ֔בַע), "one" (וְאֶחָֽד). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "twenty" (root עשרים, 20x in Ezra). First appearance of the root רום ("the·Ramah") in Ezra. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֤י [sons·of] (62) + הָרָמָה֙ [the·Ramah] (250) + וָגָ֔בַע [and·Geba] (81) + שֵׁ֥שׁ [six] (600) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + עֶשְׂרִ֥ים [twenty] (620) + וְאֶחָֽד [one] (19) = 2079.
Ibn Ezra
'The children of Ramah' [and] 'Geba' — meaning: such-and-such [a number for each].
Verse structure: 5 words, 21 letters. The shortest word is "hundred" (מֵאָ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "twenty" (עֶשְׂרִ֥ים, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Michmas" (מִכְמָ֔ס). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "twenty" (root עשרים, 20x in Ezra). Full calculation: אַנְשֵׁ֣י [men·of] (361) + מִכְמָ֔ס [Michmas] (160) + מֵאָ֖ה [hundred] (46) + עֶשְׂרִ֥ים [twenty] (620) + וּשְׁנָֽיִם [two] (406) = 1593.
Verse structure: 4 words, 16 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "fifty" (חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים, 5 letters). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "fifty" (root חמש, 21x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + נְב֖וֹ [Nebo] (58) + חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים [fifty] (398) + וּשְׁנָֽיִם [two] (406) = 924.
Ibn Ezra
'Nebo' — a man's name, as are 'Magbish,' 'Eilam,' and 'Harim.' It is also possible that it should be read together as 'Nebo and Baal-meon' (cf. Numbers 32:38); and likewise, in 'Lod, Hadid, and Ono' the conjunctive vav is missing between 'Lod' and 'Hadid,' and so it reads 'Lod Hadid' joined [without it] — from these three [places] came 'the children of Jericho,' [Jericho] being the well-known [place].
Verse structure: 5 words, 20 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "Magbish" (מַגְבִּ֔ישׁ, 5 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Magbish" (מַגְבִּ֔ישׁ). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "fifty" (root חמש, 21x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + מַגְבִּ֔ישׁ [Magbish] (355) + מֵאָ֖ה [hundred] (46) + חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים [fifty] (398) + וְשִׁשָּֽׁה [six] (611) = 1472.
The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty-four.
verse value 1705
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵי֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "four" (וְאַרְבָּעָֽה, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "another" (אַחֵ֔ר). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "two·hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "fifty" (root חמש, 21x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵי֙ [sons·of] (62) + עֵילָ֣ם [Elam] (150) + אַחֵ֔ר [another] (209) + אֶ֕לֶף [thousand] (111) + מָאתַ֖יִם [two·hundred] (491) + חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים [fifty] (398) + וְאַרְבָּעָֽה [four] (284) = 1705.
Metzudat David
The other Elam — Since he had already counted the children of Elam earlier, and their number came out the same as this one, he specifies that this is a different Elam; the two families simply had equal numbers of people.
Malbim
'The children of the other Elam' - [The text] already counted 'the children of Elam' [in verse 7]; this one, however, was a different man, and it happened that the number of members of his family came out equal to [the number in] the family of the first Elam.
The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-five.
verse value 1989
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 31 letters. Notable word values: "Hadid" (חָדִ֣יד) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 1989 is divisible by 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "seven" (שְׁבַ֥ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Lod" (בְּנֵי־לֹד֙, 5 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Lod" (בְּנֵי־לֹד֙), "Hadid" (חָדִ֣יד), "and·Ono" (וְאוֹנ֔וֹ). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Lod" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "seven" (root שבע, 23x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵי־לֹד֙ [sons·of·Lod] (96) + חָדִ֣יד [Hadid] (26) + וְאוֹנ֔וֹ [and·Ono] (69) + שְׁבַ֥ע [seven] (372) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + עֶשְׂרִ֥ים [twenty] (620) + וַחֲמִשָּֽׁה [five] (359) = 1989.
The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three.
verse value 3399
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֤י, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·priests" (הַֽכֹּהֲנִ֑ים, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Jedaiah" (יְדַֽעְיָה֙). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "of·house·of" (root בית, 64x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·priests', dividing the verse into phrases of 1 and 8 words. Full calculation: הַֽכֹּהֲנִ֑ים [the·priests] (130) + בְּנֵ֤י [sons·of] (62) + יְדַֽעְיָה֙ [Jedaiah] (99) + לְבֵ֣ית [of·house·of] (442) + יֵשׁ֔וּעַ [Jeshua] (386) + תְּשַׁ֥ע [nine] (770) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + שִׁבְעִ֥ים [seventy] (422) + וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה [and·three] (641) = 3399.
Rashi
The priests: the children of Jedaiah Until here, he counted the children of Judah and Benjamin, and from now on he counts the priests and the Levites, as he says above (1:5): “So the heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin and the priests and the Levites arose....”
Metzudat David
The priests — That is to say, this is the count of the priests [as distinct from the Israelites listed above]. The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua — He added this note about Jedaiah to indicate that he was connected to the house of Jeshua and descended from him.
Malbim
'The priests' - After counting the [ordinary] children of Israel, he counts the priests and the Levites; and among the Levites he counts the singers and the gatekeepers; and after that he counts the Nethinim, who were servants of the priests.
Verse structure: 5 words, 17 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·seven" (וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה, 5 letters). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "and·seven" (root שבע, 23x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + חָרִ֔ם [Harim] (248) + אֶ֖לֶף [thousand] (111) + וְשִׁבְעָ֥ה [and·seven] (383) + עָשָֽׂר [ten] (570) = 1374.
Metzudat David
The children of Harim — This is not the same Harim mentioned above; or perhaps, above he counted the Israelites descended from Harim, while here he counts the priests descended from Harim.
The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy-four.
verse value 1564
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 40 letters. Notable word values: "Hodaviah" (הוֹדַוְיָ֖ה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "of·sons·of" (לִבְנֵ֥י, 4 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Jeshua" (בְּנֵי־יֵשׁ֧וּעַ, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Jeshua" (בְּנֵי־יֵשׁ֧וּעַ), "and·Kadmiel" (וְקַדְמִיאֵ֛ל), "Hodaviah" (הוֹדַוְיָ֖ה). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "the·Levites" (root לוי, 23x in Ezra); "seventy" (root שבע, 23x in Ezra). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·Levites', dividing the verse into phrases of 1 and 6 words. Full calculation: הַלְוִיִּ֑ם [the·Levites] (91) + בְּנֵי־יֵשׁ֧וּעַ [sons·of·Jeshua] (448) + וְקַדְמִיאֵ֛ל [and·Kadmiel] (191) + לִבְנֵ֥י [of·sons·of] (92) + הוֹדַוְיָ֖ה [Hodaviah] (36) + שִׁבְעִ֥ים [seventy] (422) + וְאַרְבָּעָֽה [and·four] (284) = 1564.
Ibn Ezra
'The children of Jeshua and Kadmiel' — they were descendants of the children of Hodaviah, for the true operative subject [of the phrase] is the one named last, as I have said.
Metzudat David
Of the children of Hodaviah — He added this note about Jeshua and Kadmiel to indicate that they were descendants of Hodaviah.
The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty-eight.
verse value 2065
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 26 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·singers" (הַֽמְשֹׁרְרִ֑ים, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "the·singers" (הַֽמְשֹׁרְרִ֑ים), "Asaph" (אָסָ֔ף). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "twenty" (root עשרים, 20x in Ezra). First appearance of the root שיר ("the·singers") in Ezra. First appearance of the root אסף ("Asaph") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·singers', dividing the verse into phrases of 1 and 5 words. Full calculation: הַֽמְשֹׁרְרִ֑ים [the·singers] (795) + בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + אָסָ֔ף [Asaph] (141) + מֵאָ֖ה [hundred] (46) + עֶשְׂרִ֥ים [twenty] (620) + וּשְׁמֹנָֽה [and·eight] (401) = 2065.
Rashi
The singers The Levites who were singers, and likewise, the gatekeepers are Levites who were gatekeepers of the gates of the Temple.
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 a hundred thirty-nine.
verse value 3863
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֣י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Shallum" (בְּנֵי־שַׁלּ֤וּם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 62: sons·of, sons·of, sons·of. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "the·porters" (הַשֹּֽׁעֲרִ֗ים), "sons·of·Shallum" (בְּנֵי־שַׁלּ֤וּם), "sons·of·Talmon" (בְּנֵי־טַלְמֹ֣ן). The root בן appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "the·whole" (root כל, 33x in Ezra). First appearance of the root שער ("the·porters") in Ezra. First appearance of the root שלום ("sons·of·Shallum") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Shobai', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + הַשֹּֽׁעֲרִ֗ים [the·porters] (625) + בְּנֵי־שַׁלּ֤וּם [sons·of·Shallum] (438) + בְּנֵֽי־אָטֵר֙ [sons·of·Ater] (272) + בְּנֵי־טַלְמֹ֣ן [sons·of·Talmon] (191) + בְּנֵי־עַקּ֔וּב [sons·of·Akkub] (240) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + חֲטִיטָ֖א [Hatita] (37) + בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + שֹׁבָ֑י [Shobai] (312) + הַכֹּ֕ל [the·whole] (55) + מֵאָ֖ה [hundred] (46) + שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים [thirty] (680) + וְתִשְׁעָֽה [and·nine] (781) = 3863.
Ibn Ezra
'The children of the porters' — the keepers of the gates; these are the children of Asaph.
Metzudat David
The porters — Who used to guard the gates of the Temple before they were exiled; they were the children of Shallum, and so on.
The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth;
verse value 1742
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 30 letters. Verse gematria: 1742 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Hasupha" (בְנֵי־חֲשׂוּפָ֖א, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Ziha" (בְּנֵי־צִיחָ֥א), "sons·of·Hasupha" (בְנֵי־חֲשׂוּפָ֖א), "Tabbaoth" (טַבָּעֽוֹת). 5 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). First appearance of the root נתין ("the·Nethinim") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·Nethinim', dividing the verse into phrases of 1 and 4 words. Full calculation: הַנְּתִינִ֑ים [the·Nethinim] (565) + בְּנֵי־צִיחָ֥א [sons·of·Ziha] (171) + בְנֵי־חֲשׂוּפָ֖א [sons·of·Hasupha] (457) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + טַבָּעֽוֹת [Tabbaoth] (487) = 1742.
Rashi
The Nethinim Now he counts those Nethinim who were woodcutters and water-drawers for the congregation, and from there they derived their livelihood.
Ibn Ezra
'The Nethinim' — these are the chiefs of Gibeon and its dependent towns, whom Joshua assigned to the house of his God, and therefore they were called 'Nethinim' [the given ones] — even though it is later said [of the Nethinim]: 'and some of the Nethinim, whom David and the officers had given for the service of the Levites' (Ezra 8:20), for the reason [behind the name] remains the act of giving; or, [alternatively,] they were called 'Nethinim' from that day onward, whereas before they had been called 'Gibeonites.'
Metzudat David
The Nethinim — These are the Gibeonites, called Nethinim ['given ones'] because it is said of them, 'and Joshua made them hewers of wood,' etc. (Joshua 9:27).
the children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon;
verse value 832
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 21 letters. Verse gematria: 832 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Siaha" (בְּֽנֵי־סִֽיעֲהָ֖א, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Keros" (בְּנֵי־קֵרֹ֥ס), "sons·of·Siaha" (בְּֽנֵי־סִֽיעֲהָ֖א), "Padon" (פָדֽוֹן). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵי־קֵרֹ֥ס [sons·of·Keros] (422) + בְּֽנֵי־סִֽיעֲהָ֖א [sons·of·Siaha] (208) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + פָדֽוֹן [Padon] (140) = 832.
the children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub;
verse value 469
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 21 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Lebanah" (בְּנֵי־לְבָנָ֥ה, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Lebanah" (בְּנֵי־לְבָנָ֥ה), "sons·of·Hagabah" (בְנֵי־חֲגָבָ֖ה), "Akkub" (עַקּֽוּב). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵי־לְבָנָ֥ה [sons·of·Lebanah] (149) + בְנֵי־חֲגָבָ֖ה [sons·of·Hagabah] (80) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + עַקּֽוּב [Akkub] (178) = 469.
the children of Hagab, the children of Salmai, the children of Hanan;
verse value 1067
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Salmai" (בְּנֵי־שַׁלְמַ֖י, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Hagab" (בְּנֵי־חָגָ֥ב), "sons·of·Salmai" (בְּנֵי־שַׁלְמַ֖י), "Hanan" (חָנָֽן). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). First appearance of the root שלם ("sons·of·Salmai") in Ezra.
Ibn Ezra
'Shamlai' — this is the written form, while 'Shalmai' is the read form, for he was called by two names.
the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah;
verse value 650
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 19 letters. Verse gematria: 650 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Giddel" (בְּנֵי־גִדֵּ֥ל, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Giddel" (בְּנֵי־גִדֵּ֥ל), "sons·of·Gahar" (בְּנֵי־גַ֖חַר), "Reaiah" (רְאָיָֽה). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). First appearance of the root גדל ("sons·of·Giddel") in Ezra. Full calculation: בְּנֵי־גִדֵּ֥ל [sons·of·Giddel] (99) + בְּנֵי־גַ֖חַר [sons·of·Gahar] (273) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + רְאָיָֽה [Reaiah] (216) = 650.
the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam;
verse value 747
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 21 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Nekoda" (בְּנֵי־נְקוֹדָ֖א, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Rezin" (בְּנֵי־רְצִ֥ין), "sons·of·Nekoda" (בְּנֵי־נְקוֹדָ֖א), "Gazzam" (גַזָּֽם). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵי־רְצִ֥ין [sons·of·Rezin] (412) + בְּנֵי־נְקוֹדָ֖א [sons·of·Nekoda] (223) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + גַזָּֽם [Gazzam] (50) = 747.
the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai;
verse value 484
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 18 letters. Verse gematria: 484 = 22². The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Uzza" (בְּנֵי־עֻזָּ֥א, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Uzza" (בְּנֵי־עֻזָּ֥א), "sons·of·Paseah" (בְנֵי־פָסֵ֖חַ), "Besai" (בֵסָֽי). 4 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). First appearance of the root פסח ("sons·of·Paseah") in Ezra. Full calculation: בְּנֵי־עֻזָּ֥א [sons·of·Uzza] (140) + בְנֵי־פָסֵ֖חַ [sons·of·Paseah] (210) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + בֵסָֽי [Besai] (72) = 484.
the children of Asnah, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephusim;
verse value 1014
Insights
Verse structure: 5 words, 31 letters. Verse gematria: 1014 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Meunim" (בְנֵי־מְעוּנִ֖ים, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Asnah" (בְּנֵי־אַסְנָ֥ה), "sons·of·Meunim" (בְנֵי־מְעוּנִ֖ים), "Nephusim" (נְפוּסִֽים). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 3 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Meunim" (root בן, 167x in Ezra).
Ibn Ezra
'Meunim and Nephusim' — these are names of individuals.
the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur;
verse value 1013
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Bakbuk" (בְּנֵי־בַקְבּ֥וּק, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Bakbuk" (בְּנֵי־בַקְבּ֥וּק), "sons·of·Hakupha" (בְּנֵי־חֲקוּפָ֖א), "Harhur" (חַרְחֽוּר). The root בן appears 3 times in this verse. 2 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Bakbuk" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵי־בַקְבּ֥וּק [sons·of·Bakbuk] (272) + בְּנֵי־חֲקוּפָ֖א [sons·of·Hakupha] (257) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + חַרְחֽוּר [Harhur] (422) = 1013.
the children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha;
verse value 1286
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 23 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Bazluth" (בְּנֵי־בַצְל֥וּת, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Bazluth" (בְּנֵי־בַצְל֥וּת), "sons·of·Mehida" (בְּנֵי־מְחִידָ֖א). The root בן appears 3 times in this verse. 2 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Bazluth" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵי־בַצְל֥וּת [sons·of·Bazluth] (590) + בְּנֵי־מְחִידָ֖א [sons·of·Mehida] (125) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + חַרְשָֽׁא [Harsha] (509) = 1286.
the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah;
verse value 1333
Insights
Verse structure: 3 words, 22 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of·Temah" (בְּנֵי־תָֽמַח, 6 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Barkos" (בְּנֵי־בַרְק֥וֹס, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Barkos" (בְּנֵי־בַרְק֥וֹס), "sons·of·Sisera" (בְּֽנֵי־סִֽיסְרָ֖א), "sons·of·Temah" (בְּנֵי־תָֽמַח). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 2 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Barkos" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵי־בַרְק֥וֹס [sons·of·Barkos] (430) + בְּֽנֵי־סִֽיסְרָ֖א [sons·of·Sisera] (393) + בְּנֵי־תָֽמַח [sons·of·Temah] (510) = 1333.
Verse structure: 4 words, 15 letters. Verse gematria: 390 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "Hatipha" (חֲטִיפָֽא, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 62: sons·of, sons·of. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Neziah" (נְצִ֖יחַ), "Hatipha" (חֲטִיפָֽא). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 3 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + נְצִ֖יחַ [Neziah] (158) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + חֲטִיפָֽא [Hatipha] (108) = 390.
The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of Peruda;
verse value 1824
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 33 letters. Notable word values: "servants·of" (עַבְדֵ֣י) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֖י, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·sons·of·Sophereth" (בְּנֵי־הַסֹּפֶ֖רֶת, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 62: sons·of, sons·of. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Sotai" (בְּנֵי־סֹטַ֥י), "the·sons·of·Sophereth" (בְּנֵי־הַסֹּפֶ֖רֶת), "Peruda" (פְרוּדָֽא). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "servants·of" (root עבד, 24x in Ezra). First appearance of the root עבד ("servants·of") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Solomon', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 4 words. Full calculation: בְּנֵ֖י [sons·of] (62) + עַבְדֵ֣י [servants·of] (86) + שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה [Solomon] (375) + בְּנֵי־סֹטַ֥י [sons·of·Sotai] (141) + בְּנֵי־הַסֹּפֶ֖רֶת [the·sons·of·Sophereth] (807) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + פְרוּדָֽא [Peruda] (291) = 1824.
Ibn Ezra
Hassophereth - This may be a descriptive title for a woman, or an occupational feminine noun, because of the heh of the definite article.
Metzudat David
The children of Solomon's servants — And they were the children of Sotai, and so on.
Malbim
'The children of Solomon's servants' - According to one opinion in [tractate] Yevamot, that when a gentile or a slave has relations with a daughter of Israel the offspring is a mamzer [of impaired lineage], these were mamzerim, for Solomon's servants married daughters of Israel and had children with them; and they belong together with what he counts after them, the shetuki and the asufi [children of unknown parentage], as it is stated in [tractate] Kiddushin: 'ten genealogical classes came up from Babylon.' But according to the opinion that the offspring is legitimate, one may say that these belonged to the category of freed slaves - as the Tosafot state in Yevamot [16b] - because their masters had given up hope of [reclaiming] them, so that no bill of manumission was needed, and they belong among the 'converts and freedmen' that he counts among the ten genealogical classes. And from the fact that they are counted together with the Nethinim, it may be inferred that they were from the seven [Canaanite] nations whom Solomon subjected to forced labor, as stated (II Chronicles 8:7). 'The children of Hassophereth' - the letter heh [prefix] is not the definite article, but is part of the essential name itself, as I have shown regarding this in (I Chronicles 2:52), and elsewhere.
the children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel;
verse value 698
Insights
Verse structure: 4 words, 21 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Darkon" (בְנֵי־דַרְק֖וֹן, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Jaalah" (בְּנֵי־יַעְלָ֥ה), "sons·of·Darkon" (בְנֵי־דַרְק֖וֹן), "Giddel" (גִדֵּֽל). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 3 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Darkon" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵי־יַעְלָ֥ה [sons·of·Jaalah] (177) + בְנֵי־דַרְק֖וֹן [sons·of·Darkon] (422) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + גִדֵּֽל [Giddel] (37) = 698.
the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the children of Ami.
verse value 1617
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֧י, 3 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Hattil" (בְנֵֽי־חַטִּ֗יל, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 62: sons·of, sons·of, sons·of. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Hattil" (בְנֵֽי־חַטִּ֗יל), "Pochereth" (פֹּכֶ֥רֶת), "Hazzebaim" (הַצְּבָיִ֖ים). The root בן appears 3 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra). Full calculation: בְּנֵ֧י [sons·of] (62) + שְׁפַטְיָ֣ה [Shephatiah] (404) + בְנֵֽי־חַטִּ֗יל [sons·of·Hattil] (119) + בְּנֵ֛י [sons·of] (62) + פֹּכֶ֥רֶת [Pochereth] (700) + הַצְּבָיִ֖ים [Hazzebaim] (157) + בְּנֵ֥י [sons·of] (62) + אָמִֽי [Ami] (51) = 1617.
Ibn Ezra
Pochereth-hazzebaim - We do not know whether this is a woman's name.
All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety-two.
verse value 3447
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 38 letters. Notable word values: "servants·of" (עַבְדֵ֣י) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "three" (שְׁלֹ֥שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·the·Nethinim" (כׇּ֨ל־הַנְּתִינִ֔ים, 9 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "all·the·Nethinim" (כׇּ֨ל־הַנְּתִינִ֔ים). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "servants·of" (root עבד, 24x in Ezra). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Solomon', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: כׇּ֨ל־הַנְּתִינִ֔ים [all·the·Nethinim] (615) + וּבְנֵ֖י [and·sons·of] (68) + עַבְדֵ֣י [servants·of] (86) + שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה [Solomon] (375) + שְׁלֹ֥שׁ [three] (630) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + תִּשְׁעִ֥ים [ninety] (820) + וּשְׁנָֽיִם [and·two] (406) = 3447.
Rashi
and the children of Solomon’s slaves King Solomon had slaves, and these children were of their descendants.
And these were they who went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not tell their fathers’ houses, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:
verse value 4214
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 66 letters. Verse gematria: 4214 is divisible by 86, the value of Elohim. The shortest word is "Tel" (תֵּ֣ל, 2 letters) and the longest is "house·of·their·fathers" (בֵּית־אֲבוֹתָם֙, 8 letters). 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "from·Tel" (מִתֵּ֥ל), "Tel" (תֵּ֣ל), "Cherub" (כְּר֥וּב). The root תל appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "house·of·their·fathers" (root בית, 64x in Ezra); "and·these" (root אלה, 43x in Ezra); "from·Israel" (root ישראל, 31x in Ezra). First appearance of the root מלח ("Melah") in Ezra. First appearance of the root לא ("and·not") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Immer', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 8 words.
Rashi
And these were the ones who ascended from Tel-Mela, etc. And what incident happened to them? They could not tell.... and their children [i.e., the children] of their fathers, because they lost their genealogical records and did not know if they were Israelites.
Ibn Ezra
Tel-melah, Tel-harsa - These are the names of two places. But they could not tell their fathers' houses, and their seed - They were called “asufim” (foundlings), because they had been gathered in from the marketplace; they knew neither father nor mother, and it was not known whether they were of Israel.
Ralbag
'And these were they who went up from Tel-melah,' etc. - He mentions that from these places came Israelites and priests who could not tell their fathers' houses and their family, because they had intermingled with the nations and were called by their names.
Metzudat David
And these — [Including] those mentioned below, the children of Delaiah, etc.; they were the ones who went up from Tel-melah, etc.; and these [Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer] are names of places in Babylon. But they could not tell — Because they did not know whose descendants they were. Their fathers' houses, and their seed — These mean the same thing, for 'their seed' means the stock from which they descended; this is a doubling of the same idea using synonymous terms, like 'dust of the earth' (Daniel 12).
Malbim
'But they could not tell their fathers' houses, and their seed' - meaning, they could not say which family their fathers' house belonged to, and they could not even say of their offspring whether they were of Israel, because they had been gathered from the marketplace, in a place where most [of the population] were idolaters. Included in this is that they also did not know whether they were of legitimate or of mamzer status - as reflected in his counting, among the ten genealogical classes, the shetuki and the asufi [children of unknown parentage].
the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty-two.
verse value 2279
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 39 letters. The shortest word is "six" (שֵׁ֥שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·Tobiah" (בְנֵי־טוֹבִיָּ֖ה, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sons·of·Delaiah" (בְּנֵי־דְלָיָ֥ה), "sons·of·Tobiah" (בְנֵי־טוֹבִיָּ֖ה), "Nekoda" (נְקוֹדָ֑א). The root בן appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "sons·of·Tobiah" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "fifty" (root חמש, 21x in Ezra). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Nekoda', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 4 words. Full calculation: בְּנֵי־דְלָיָ֥ה [sons·of·Delaiah] (111) + בְנֵי־טוֹבִיָּ֖ה [sons·of·Tobiah] (94) + בְּנֵ֣י [sons·of] (62) + נְקוֹדָ֑א [Nekoda] (161) + שֵׁ֥שׁ [six] (600) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים [fifty] (398) + וּשְׁנָֽיִם [and·two] (406) = 2279.
Rashi
The children of Delaiah They too are included in “these were the ones who ascended from Tel- Melah.”
And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.
verse value 3510
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 68 letters. Verse gematria: 3510 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "sons·of" (בְּנֵ֥י, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·priests" (הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 249: Barzillai, Barzillai. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Habaiah" (חֳבַיָּ֖ה), "Hakkoz" (הַקּ֑וֹץ), "took" (לָ֠קַ֠ח). The root בן appears 4 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·from·sons·of" (root בן, 167x in Ezra); "the·priests" (root כהן, 34x in Ezra); "that" (root אשר, 22x in Ezra). First appearance of the root בת ("from·daughters") in Ezra. First appearance of the root אשה ("wife") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Hakkoz', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 10 words.
Rashi
who took Each one of the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite took a wife. and was called by their name And the name of Barzillai was called on their name because they took of his daughters.
Ibn Ezra
And was called after their name - After the name of the daughters, who were of the offspring of Barzillai, he named himself Barzillai. Of the daughters - The sense is: one of his daughters. Likewise, “and he was buried in the cities of Gilead” means: in one of the cities of Gilead.
Metzudat David
And of the children of the priests — And they were the children of Habaiah, and so on. Who took a wife — This refers back to the children of Barzillai, meaning that their father took one of the daughters of Barzillai as a wife; therefore Barzillai's name was applied to them, so that they were called 'the children of Barzillai.'
Malbim
Questions: (61) Why does it record that he took a wife from among the daughters of Barzillai and was called by her name? 'The children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai' — meaning that the Hakkoz family were priests, mentioned in Chronicles (I Chronicles 24:19) as having been the seventh division among the priestly courses. Now a doubt arose regarding some of his descendants, and the reason for this was that Hakkoz had taken a wife from among the daughters of Barzillai, who were prominent men in the days of David and Solomon, and the sons born of this wife were called, in his honor, also by the name of Barzillai. It may be said that Habaiah was the son born of this wife, and that his sons had two names: they were called 'children of Hakkoz' and also 'children of Barzillai.' The verse explains that this came about because [Hakkoz] took a wife from among the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and Habaiah, who was born of this wife, was called by their name — that is, he was named after his father and after his maternal grandfather — and his sons were called both 'children of Hakkoz' and 'children of Barzillai.' As long as the genealogical record remained in their possession, there was no concern in this; but now, when those tracing their lineage sought their documents, the genealogical records could not be found for them. [For each family had one general genealogical record for the whole family, and individuals also had, in addition, separate documents recording each man's personal lineage; and neither the general record was found — hence the verse says 'their record' in the singular — nor were their individual lineages found, hence it says 'were not found' in the plural.] Because of this a doubt fell upon their status, for there was reason to suspect that they were not priests at all, but rather ordinary Israelites descended from Barzillai, since there was also a family among the Israelites called by the name 'children of Barzillai.' They were therefore disqualified from the priesthood — all the more so since bound up in this doubt was a further doubt, that they might be chalalim (of blemished priestly status), for on account of this same uncertainty they themselves might not have been careful to avoid marrying women forbidden to priests. This is included in the phrase 'and they were disqualified' — that they had already been disqualified from the priesthood because they had married forbidden women; and on this basis you find a chalal counted among the ten classes of lineage.
These sought their register, that is, the genealogy, but it was not found; therefore they were deemed polluted and put from the priesthood.
verse value 2174
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 40 letters. Notable word values: "these" (אֵ֗לֶּה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "these" (אֵ֗לֶּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·genealogically-registered" (הַמִּתְיַחְשִׂ֖ים, 8 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "sought" (בִּקְשׁ֧וּ), "their·register" (כְתָבָ֛ם), "the·genealogically-registered" (הַמִּתְיַחְשִׂ֖ים). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "these" (root אלה, 43x in Ezra). First appearance of the root בקש ("sought") in Ezra. First appearance of the root כתב ("their·register") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'were·found', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 2 words. Full calculation: אֵ֗לֶּה [these] (36) + בִּקְשׁ֧וּ [sought] (408) + כְתָבָ֛ם [their·register] (462) + הַמִּתְיַחְשִׂ֖ים [the·genealogically-registered] (813) + וְלֹ֣א [and·not] (37) + נִמְצָ֑אוּ [were·found] (187) + וַֽיְגֹאֲל֖וּ [and·were·polluted] (56) + מִן־הַכְּהֻנָּֽה [from·the·priesthood] (175) = 2174.
Rashi
These referring to the priests, who had to trace their lineage with that record, and who could not find the record of their lineage. and they were disqualified Heb. וַיְגאַלוּ, for they were defiled and purged from the priesthood that they should no longer perform the service with the remaining priests, because their genealogical record was not found.
Ibn Ezra
These...; but it was not found - Some say that “these” connects with “their register,” the word being cast in the plural for a single thing, the way [Scripture] writes “tikre'nah milchamah” (a war shall befall [us]) — a plural for a singular event. But what seems correct to me is that it connects with “those registered by genealogy,” namely, the sons of Jedaiah mentioned above, whose genealogical record was not found; therefore they were removed from the priesthood, for the word “polluted” with regard to the priesthood is related to “polluted bread,” meaning: they were rejected. And some say that the alef stands in place of an ayin.
Ralbag
'These sought their register, that is, the genealogy' - [They sought] it for the sake of the priesthood [i.e., to establish their priestly lineage]. 'But it was not found' - [meaning] written records and testimonies that would fully establish that they were valid priests; and for this reason they were kept at a distance from the priesthood, meaning they were not permitted to draw near to the altar. And Nehemiah the Tirshatha told them not to eat of the most holy sacrifices until a priest should arise and inquire by the Urim and Tummim whether they were valid priests or not. He did not, however, prevent them from eating [lesser] holy food, for they had already been accustomed to eating it before this, and they were permitted to continue in what they had been accustomed to, though not in what is of a higher sanctity than that. And you should know that Scripture did not record every detail here, just as it did not record every detail regarding the vessels of the Temple. This is evident from the fact that the sum of all these listed details does not reach the total number of the whole congregation mentioned [later], but is far less than that - from which it appears that others, besides these, had also come along with them [without being individually listed].
Metzudat David
These — These priests. Their register — A written record concerning them. The genealogy — In which the order of the generations is recorded. But it was not found — In the book of genealogy, these [names] were not found written and recorded. Therefore they were deemed polluted — And so they were disqualified from the priesthood.
Metzudat Zion
Sought their register (hamityachasim) - An expression of "yichus" (lineage) - the reporting of the order of the generations of families, from whom they descended and who their father was. Were deemed polluted (vayego'alu) - An expression of defilement and repugnance, as in "polluted bread" (Malachi 1).
And the Tirshatha said to them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till a priest with Urim and with Thummim stood up.
verse value 4216
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "until" (עַ֛ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "not·shall·eat" (לֹא־יֹאכְל֖וּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 75: to·them, priest. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "Tirshatha-governor" (הַתִּרְשָׁ֙תָא֙), "not·shall·eat" (לֹא־יֹאכְל֖וּ), "from·holy·of" (מִקֹּ֣דֶשׁ). The root קדש appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "priest" (root כהן, 34x in Ezra); "and·he·said" (root אמר, 26x in Ezra); "that" (root אשר, 22x in Ezra). First appearance of the root אכל ("not·shall·eat") in Ezra. First appearance of the root קדש ("from·holy·of") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'the·holy·things', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֤אמֶר [and·he·said] (257) + הַתִּרְשָׁ֙תָא֙ [Tirshatha-governor] (1306) + לָהֶ֔ם [to·them] (75) + אֲשֶׁ֥ר [that] (501) + לֹא־יֹאכְל֖וּ [not·shall·eat] (98) + מִקֹּ֣דֶשׁ [from·holy·of] (444) + הַקֳּדָשִׁ֑ים [the·holy·things] (459) + עַ֛ד [until] (74) + עֲמֹ֥ד [to·stand] (114) + כֹּהֵ֖ן [priest] (75) + לְאוּרִ֥ים [with·Urim] (287) + וּלְתֻמִּֽים [and·with·Thummim] (526) = 4216.
Rashi
Hattirshatha That is Nehemiah, the son of Hachaliah (Neh. 8:9), and our Rabbis said (Yerushalmi Kid. 4:1) that he was named Hattirshatha because the Sages permitted him (הָתֵּר) to drink (שָּׁתָּא) wine of gentiles because he was the king’s butler. of the most holy sacrifices sin-offerings and guilt-offerings, like the other priests. until a priest arises, etc. like a person who says to his friend, “Until the Messiah comes, this matter will not come about.” I cannot interpret it to mean: until a priest arises for the Urim and Tumim in the Second Temple, because we find in Yoma, chapter 1 (21b) that the Urim and Tumim were missing in the Second Temple.
Ibn Ezra
The Tirshatha - Some say he was called this because he was permitted to drink the wine of non-Jews, the meaning being “hitir shata” (he permitted drinking). But it seems more likely that it is a title of honor and greatness in the Chaldean language, comparable to “sar” (minister) or “pechah” (governor), and this is correct. The most holy things - These are the terumot [the priestly heave-offerings]. Till a priest with Urim and with Thummim stood up - The Urim that Moses made were hidden away, and no others were ever made to replace them. And the meaning of “till a priest stood up” is: one fit for the Urim and Thummim.
Metzudat David
The Tirshatha — This is Nehemiah son of Hachaliah, as it says, 'And Nehemiah, who is the Tirshatha, said' (Nehemiah 8:9). Our Sages said that because he served as royal cupbearer, the Sages permitted him to drink [gentile-handled] wine, and therefore he was called 'Tirshatha' — a compound word formed from 'hutar' (was permitted) and 'shata' (drank). That they should not eat — That is, their ruling was that they should not eat of the most holy things; and our Sages said this refers to terumah and the offerings of the altar. With Urim and with Thummim — To inquire through them whether they were valid priests; meaning, [this would remain unresolved] until the Messiah comes, and they will then inquire through the Urim and Thummim, for in the Second Temple there was no Urim and Thummim to consult.
Malbim
'And the Tirshatha said' — now the question was raised whether they could eat of the sacred foods, and the Tirshatha — who is Nehemiah, as it says, 'And Nehemiah, who is the Tirshatha, said' (Nehemiah 8:9) — ruled that they should not eat until there was a priest with Urim and Thummim, so that the doubt could be resolved by inquiring of the Urim and Thummim. I have already explained in my commentary to the Twelve [Minor Prophets] that had they merited it at that time, the Divine Presence would have returned to them in the Second Temple and they would have had Urim and Thummim; and in the days of their return [from exile] they still had hope for this.
The whole congregation together was forty-two thousand three hundred and threescore,
verse value 2593
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 34 letters. The shortest word is "as·one" (כְּאֶחָ֑ד, 4 letters) and the longest is "three·hundred" (שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "myriad" (רִבּ֔וֹא), "three·hundred" (שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "three·hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra). First appearance of the root קהל ("all·the·assembly") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'as·one', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 5 words. Full calculation: כׇּל־הַקָּהָ֖ל [all·the·assembly] (190) + כְּאֶחָ֑ד [as·one] (33) + אַרְבַּ֣ע [four] (273) + רִבּ֔וֹא [myriad] (209) + אַלְפַּ֖יִם [two·thousand] (161) + שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת [three·hundred] (1077) + שִׁשִּֽׁים [sixty] (650) = 2593.
Rashi
The entire congregation together When they were all together with the priests, the Levites and the Nethinim, they amounted to this number; and the Children of Israel counted above were of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin, and those missing from this number, which you will not find above, were of the other tribes. So it is explained in Seder Olam (ch. 29): “‘The entire congregation together was forty-two thousand etc.’ But if you add them up, they are only thirty thousand. Where are the thirteen thousand? They ascended from the other tribes.”
Ibn Ezra
The whole; together - Meaning: when the congregation was counted as a single total, it came to such-and-such [a number].
Metzudat David
The whole congregation together — All of them together: the Israelites, the priests, the Levites, the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants. Forty-two thousand, etc. — But individually, [the numbers listed] do not even add up to thirty thousand; however, in specifying them he counted only the Israelites of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, whereas together with those of the other tribes who also went up, the count reaches this number; and so it is explained in Sefer Ezra.
Metzudat Zion
Ten thousand (rivo) - This is ten thousand.
Malbim
Questions: (64) The overall total does not match the itemized count. 'The whole congregation together' — the itemized figures fall short by thirteen thousand; see Rashi. It appears that the itemized list did not count everyone who came, but only those who came first from Babylon; and even in Nehemiah, which adds those who came from the land of Chaldea [as stated in verse 1], not everyone is counted, for people kept arriving from day to day who are not mentioned in the count given here. Those added to families that had already arrived were added into the itemized figure in Nehemiah, but new families or individuals who came from towns not yet represented are not mentioned in the itemized list at all — yet they were nonetheless included in the overall total, so that after all the groups were combined the total came out, all told, to the forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty stated in the verse. Now here it mentions the children of Magbish, one hundred fifty-six, while Nehemiah does not mention them at all; it must be said that there they were included within another family, whose figure was increased accordingly there — as with the children of Azgad, whose number there is a thousand more. It may be said that the people of the town of Magbish all belonged to the family of Azgad, and here they are reckoned by their town while there they are reckoned by their family. On this basis one can also explain why, in Nehemiah, the children of Arah and the children of Zattu are each short by a hundred from the original count: it may be said that a hundred of the children of Arah and a hundred of the children of Zattu lived in the town of Senaah, and there they were counted among the people of their town, which is why the figure for the children of Senaah is increased there by three hundred. In this way one need not resort to the forced explanation that some of them went back.
beside their men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven; and they had two hundred singing men and singing women.
verse value 6337
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 69 letters. Notable word values: "these" (אֵ֔לֶּה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "these" (אֵ֔לֶּה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·their·maid-servants" (וְאַמְהֹֽתֵיהֶם֙, 8 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "beside" (מִ֠לְּבַ֠ד), "their·men-servants" (עַבְדֵיהֶ֤ם), "and·their·maid-servants" (וְאַמְהֹֽתֵיהֶם֙). The root שבע appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "these" (root אלה, 43x in Ezra); "their·men-servants" (root עבד, 24x in Ezra). First appearance of the root אמה ("and·their·maid-servants") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·seven', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: מִ֠לְּבַ֠ד [beside] (76) + עַבְדֵיהֶ֤ם [their·men-servants] (131) + וְאַמְהֹֽתֵיהֶם֙ [and·their·maid-servants] (507) + אֵ֔לֶּה [these] (36) + שִׁבְעַ֣ת [seven] (772) + אֲלָפִ֔ים [thousand] (161) + שְׁלֹ֥שׁ [three] (630) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים [thirty] (680) + וְשִׁבְעָ֑ה [and·seven] (383) + וְלָהֶ֛ם [and·to·them] (81) + מְשֹׁרְרִ֥ים [singers] (790) + וּֽמְשֹׁרְר֖וֹת [and·singers] (1152) + מָאתָֽיִם [two·hundred] (491) = 6337.
Rashi
Besides their slaves and their bondwomen who were not included in the congregation. and they had two hundred male and female singers because they were going up joyfully from Babylon to the land of Israel, they required male and female singers in order that they should stroll among them in their great joy.
Ibn Ezra
Beside - And they had singing men and singing women to praise Hashem.
Metzudat David
Beside — This count is in addition to [i.e., not including] the male and female servants of those mentioned, who numbered seven thousand, etc. Singing men and singing women — Males and females, to sing along the way, for they went up in joy, as though on a festive outing.
Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five;
verse value 3803
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 44 letters. The shortest word is "seven" (שְׁבַ֥ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "their·horses" (סוּסֵיהֶ֕ם, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "their·horses" (סוּסֵיהֶ֕ם), "their·mules" (פִּרְדֵיהֶ֕ם). The root מאה appears 2 times in this verse. 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "seven" (root שבע, 23x in Ezra); "thirty" (root שלוש, 22x in Ezra). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·six', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: סוּסֵיהֶ֕ם [their·horses] (181) + שְׁבַ֥ע [seven] (372) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים [thirty] (680) + וְשִׁשָּׁ֑ה [and·six] (611) + פִּרְדֵיהֶ֕ם [their·mules] (339) + מָאתַ֖יִם [two·hundred] (491) + אַרְבָּעִ֥ים [forty] (323) + וַחֲמִשָּֽׁה [and·five] (359) = 3803.
Metzudat Zion
Their mules (pirdeihem) - These are the offspring of a horse and a donkey.
their camels, four hundred thirty-five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
verse value 4791
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "six" (שֵׁ֣שֶׁת, 3 letters) and the longest is "their·camels" (גְּמַ֨לֵּיהֶ֔ם, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 447: hundred, hundred. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "their·camels" (גְּמַ֨לֵּיהֶ֔ם), "asses" (חֲמֹרִ֕ים), "six" (שֵׁ֣שֶׁת). The root מאה appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "seven" (root שבע, 23x in Ezra); "thirty" (root שלוש, 22x in Ezra). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·five', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: גְּמַ֨לֵּיהֶ֔ם [their·camels] (128) + אַרְבַּ֥ע [four] (273) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + שְׁלֹשִׁ֣ים [thirty] (680) + וַחֲמִשָּׁ֑ה [and·five] (359) + חֲמֹרִ֕ים [asses] (298) + שֵׁ֣שֶׁת [six] (1000) + אֲלָפִ֔ים [thousand] (161) + שְׁבַ֥ע [seven] (372) + מֵא֖וֹת [hundred] (447) + וְעֶשְׂרִֽים [and·twenty] (626) = 4791.
And some of the heads of fathers’ houses, when they came to the house of Hashem which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to set it up in its place;
verse value 3966
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 64 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·Jerusalem" (בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 442: to·house·of, to·house·of. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "and·from·heads·of" (וּמֵרָאשֵׁי֙), "in·their·coming" (בְּבוֹאָ֕ם), "to·set·it·up" (לְהַעֲמִיד֖וֹ). The root בית appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·house·of" (root בית, 64x in Ezra); "in·Jerusalem" (root ירושלם, 48x in Ezra); "God" (root אלהים, 47x in Ezra). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Jerusalem', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: וּמֵרָאשֵׁי֙ [and·from·heads·of] (557) + הָֽאָב֔וֹת [the·fathers] (414) + בְּבוֹאָ֕ם [in·their·coming] (51) + לְבֵ֥ית [to·house·of] (442) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם [in·Jerusalem] (588) + הִֽתְנַדְּבוּ֙ [offered·willingly] (467) + לְבֵ֣ית [to·house·of] (442) + הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים [God] (91) + לְהַעֲמִיד֖וֹ [to·set·it·up] (165) + עַל־מְכוֹנֽוֹ [upon·its·place] (222) = 3966.
Rashi
donated They were donating toward the building of the Temple.
Ibn Ezra
And some of the heads - Meaning: some of them, not all. To the house of Hashem - The [prefixed] lamed has the sense of “for the sake of.” In its place - On the foundation that had already been prepared there from the start.
Metzudat David
'And some of the heads' — [that is,] a portion of the heads of the fathers' houses. 'To the house of Hashem' — meaning, to the site of the house of Hashem, for the house had not yet been built. 'For the house of God' — and it goes on to explain. 'To set it up, etc.' — meaning, to set the house up on its site and foundation.
Metzudat Zion
Its place (mechuno) - An expression of "stand" and "base."
they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work threescore and one thousand darics of gold, and five thousand pounds of silver, and one hundred priests’ tunics.
verse value 4994
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 71 letters. The shortest word is "gold" (זָהָ֗ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "darics" (דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים֙, 8 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "as·their·strength" (כְּכֹחָ֗ם), "to·treasury·of" (לְאוֹצַ֣ר), "darics" (דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים֙). The root אלף appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "hundred" (root מאה, 60x in Ezra); "priests" (root כהן, 34x in Ezra); "gave" (root נתן, 24x in Ezra). First appearance of the root מלאכה ("the·work") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'thousand', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 3 words.
Rashi
According to their ability according to their ability and their money. drachmas Heb. דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים, the name of a golden coin. and priests’ tunics in which to serve.
Ibn Ezra
After their ability - This is said with reference to the whole congregation, for the fathers gave only twenty thousand [darics] and two thousand two hundred [manehs] of silver, as is made explicit in the second census. And when it says “sixty thousand” as a single total, the intent is to include together the congregation, the heads of the fathers' houses, and the rest who gave willingly from [those who came up in] the kingdom of Cyrus. Darics (darkemonim) - Gold coins. Ten-thousands (rivo'ot) - The alef stands in place of a doubled letter, as in [the phrase] “bazu neharim.” Pounds (manim) - Weights; its counterpart is “the maneh shall be,” and the Targum renders “seven shekels” as “seven manehs.”
Ralbag
Darics (darkemonim) - It is possible that this was a coin whose weight was a drachma, and, as I reckon it, this was in fact a gold dinar. Pounds (manim) - The weight of a maneh, [which is] sixty shekels.
Metzudat David
'After their ability' — each one contributed according to the extent of his wealth. 'Into the treasury of the work' — to the place where they stored the gold and silver for the work of construction. 'And priests' tunics' — which the priests would wear during the [Temple] service.
Metzudat Zion
Darics (darkemonim) - The name of a coin known to them [in that time]. Pounds (manim) - The name of a weight, a litra [i.e., a pound].
Malbim
'And some of the heads of the fathers' [gave, according to their means] — there are discrepancies between the figures mentioned here and those mentioned in Nehemiah 7; this will be explained there.
So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.
verse value 4022
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 67 letters. The shortest word is "and·they·dwelt" (וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ, 5 letters) and the longest is "and·the·singers" (וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֧ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 327: in·their·cities, in·their·cities. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in Ezra. Unique to this verse in Ezra (hapax): "and·from·the·people" (וּֽמִן־הָעָ֞ם), "and·the·porters" (וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִ֛ים). The root עיר appears 2 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·from·the·people" (root עם, 50x in Ezra); "the·priests" (root כהן, 34x in Ezra); "and·all·Israel" (root כל, 33x in Ezra). First appearance of the root ישב ("and·they·dwelt") in Ezra. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·their·cities', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 2 words. 7 of the verse's 10 words begin with the letter ו. Full calculation: וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּ [and·they·dwelt] (324) + הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים [the·priests] (130) + וְ֠הַלְוִיִּ֠ם [and·the·Levites] (97) + וּֽמִן־הָעָ֞ם [and·from·the·people] (211) + וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֧ים [and·the·singers] (801) + וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִ֛ים [and·the·porters] (637) + וְהַנְּתִינִ֖ים [and·the·Nethinim] (571) + בְּעָרֵיהֶ֑ם [in·their·cities] (327) + וְכׇל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל [and·all·Israel] (597) + בְּעָרֵיהֶֽם [in·their·cities] (327) = 4022.
Ibn Ezra
The porters - The guards of the gates, [who served] to praise Hashem.
Metzudat David
'And some of the people' — from the descendants of Judah and Benjamin. 'In their cities' — the cities that had been their ancestral inheritance before they were exiled. 'And all Israel' — these are those who came up from the rest of the tribes.
Malbim
'And they dwelt' — when they arrived, they occupied themselves first with working the land to produce food; they sowed fields and planted vineyards and produced grain, so as not to bear the disgrace of famine. Also, since they had not yet been given permission to build the wall, they did not settle in Jerusalem itself but scattered among their towns, each one settling in another town, where his ancestors had dwelt in ancient times; the priests and the Levites settled in the forty-eight cities of the Levites, and the [ordinary] Israelites settled in the cities of Israel.
Rashi
Ibn Ezra
Metzudat David
Malbim