Ezra 2:12 kjv
The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
Ezra 2:12 nkjv
the people of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two;
Ezra 2:12 niv
of Azgad ? 1,222
Ezra 2:12 esv
The sons of Azgad, 1,222.
Ezra 2:12 nlt
The family of Azgad ? 1,222
Ezra 2 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Neh 7:17 | The sons of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty-two. | Parallel list of returnees with slight difference |
| Ezra 2:1 | Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity... | General introduction to the list of returnees |
| Ezra 2:64 | The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty... | Total sum of the returning community |
| Ezra 3:1 | When the seventh month came, and the people of Israel were in their towns, | Unity and gathering of the returned people |
| Neh 12:1 | Now these are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel... | Identification of leadership in the return |
| Num 1:2-3 | Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans... | Divine census for organization and order |
| Num 26:2 | Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel, from... | Census for military and inheritance purposes |
| 1 Chr 9:1-2 | The first inhabitants, who lived in their possessions in their towns, were.. | Another list affirming settled inhabitants |
| Isa 10:21-22 | A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God... | Prophecy of a remnant's return from exile |
| Jer 29:10 | For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I.. | God's promise to restore His people |
| Zech 8:7-8 | Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save My people from the land.. | God's commitment to gather His dispersed people |
| Ezek 36:24 | For I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries.. | Promise of divine gathering and return |
| Ezra 1:1-2 | In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia... he made a proclamation... | Catalyst for the return: Cyrus's decree |
| Hag 1:8 | Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the house... | Purpose of the return: to rebuild God's house |
| Ezra 5:1-2 | Now the prophets, Haggai and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to... | Divine encouragement for the rebuilding project |
| Rom 9:27-28 | And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: "Though the number of the sons.. | New Testament affirmation of the remnant principle |
| Rom 11:5 | So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. | God's sovereign preservation of a remnant |
| Deut 7:7-8 | It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the.. | God's choice not based on human numbers |
| Mt 1:1-17 | The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of... | Emphasis on meticulous lineage in salvation history |
| Rev 7:9-10 | After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could... | The ultimate gathering of God's people in eternity |
Ezra 2 verses
Ezra 2 12 Meaning
Ezra 2:12 states that the clan of Azgad numbered one thousand two hundred and twenty-two individuals who returned from the Babylonian captivity to Judah alongside Zerubbabel. This verse is an entry within a comprehensive list detailing the families and groups that comprised the initial wave of returnees to Jerusalem.
Ezra 2 12 Context
Ezra chapter 2 meticulously lists the specific groups of Israelites who returned to Judah from Babylonian exile under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua after Cyrus the Great's decree in 538 BC. This chapter acts as a detailed register, providing names of family heads, their respective numbers, and various classes of returnees including priests, Levites, temple servants, and singers. Ezra 2:12 specifically contributes a single entry to this comprehensive roster, indicating the significant number of "the people of Azgad." The purpose of this exhaustive census was multifaceted: it confirmed the legitimate lineage of those returning to claim their ancestral lands, ensured the purity of the priestly and Levitical lines for temple service, and demonstrated the tangible fulfillment of God's promises concerning the restoration of His people after seventy years of captivity. The context establishes the orderly re-establishment of the community that would rebuild the temple and revive spiritual life in Jerusalem.
Ezra 2 12 Word analysis
- "The people of Azgad" (Hebrew: בְּנֵי עַזְגָּד, b'nei ʻAzgād)
- b'nei: Literally translates to "sons of," but contextually refers to "descendants of," "members of the family/clan of," or "people belonging to." It signifies a distinct familial or tribal identity derived from an ancestor.
- Azgad: This proper name for a clan head likely means "strong fortune" or "Gad is strong/fortunate." It distinguishes this specific lineage from others in the roster of returning exiles. The clan was prominent, indicated by its large number of returnees.
- "one thousand two hundred twenty-two" (Hebrew: אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנַיִם, eleph matayim ʻesrim ushenayim)
- This precise number emphasizes the meticulous record-keeping associated with the return from exile. Such specific numerical accounting served several crucial functions in ancient Israel, including legitimate land claims, determination of inheritance, and eligibility for priestly or Levitical service.
- The specificity underscores the historical and administrative accuracy desired by the chronicler and reflects a divinely ordered process for the re-establishment of the Israelite community.
Ezra 2 12 Bonus section
The rigorous adherence to listing precise numbers and family lines within Ezra 2, exemplified by verse 12, echoes the historical and genealogical emphases found throughout the Old Testament, from the tribal enumerations in Numbers to the genealogies in Chronicles. This consistency highlights the theological significance of divine faithfulness to covenant promises, especially regarding land inheritance and the seed of Abraham. While specific numerical variations between Ezra and Nehemiah (Neh 7:17 reports 2,322 for Azgad) exist and are subjects of scholarly discussion, possibly due to different recording times or methods, both accounts affirm the general scope and authenticity of a numerous and identifiable community returning to rebuild. This attention to detail paved the way for the later spiritual revival under Ezra and Nehemiah and ultimately underscored the historical reliability of the lineage leading to the Messiah.
Ezra 2 12 Commentary
Ezra 2:12 provides a distinct numerical entry within the crucial census of post-exilic Judah. It attests to the substantial size of the Azgad family, illustrating the orderly and documented nature of the return under God's providence. Far from being mere statistics, this precise count verifies the identity of the covenant community returning to their homeland to rebuild. It undergirds the legitimacy of the re-established socio-religious structures, emphasizing a divine plan executed with human meticulousness. This attention to ancestral lineage and number was vital for asserting rights to ancestral land, confirming eligibility for sacred temple service, and preserving the unique identity of the chosen people in preparation for God's unfolding redemptive history.