Ezra 2 17

Ezra 2:17 kjv

The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.

Ezra 2:17 nkjv

the people of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three;

Ezra 2:17 niv

of Bezai ? 323

Ezra 2:17 esv

The sons of Bezai, 323.

Ezra 2:17 nlt

The family of Bezai ? 323

Ezra 2 verses

Ezra 2 17 Meaning

Ezra 2:17 meticulously records a segment of the Israelites who returned from Babylonian captivity to Judah. Specifically, it lists the family line (or descendants) of "Bebai" and states their total number as six hundred twenty-three individuals. This precise demographic data was crucial for reconstituting the community of Israel, establishing legitimate claims to ancestral lands, and ensuring proper participation in the re-establishment of the nation and its religious life after the seventy-year exile.

Ezra 2 17 Context

Ezra chapter 2 forms a crucial list of the "sons of the province" (v. 1), which details the Jewish families and individuals who returned to Judah from Babylonian exile following Cyrus the Great's decree (Ezra 1). This decree, issued around 538 BC, permitted the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Chapter 2 meticulously enumerates the returning exiles by their ancestral family heads, their specific numbers, and includes groups like priests, Levites, temple servants, and those who could not prove their lineage.

Ezra 2:17, specifically mentioning "the children of Bebai," fits into this larger register. These lists served several vital purposes: they validated the Jewish people's legitimate claim to their ancestral land and property, ensured the purity of the priestly and Levitical lines, facilitated the organization of labor for rebuilding the Temple and the city walls, and provided a basis for levying contributions for religious purposes. This systematic enumeration underscored the divinely ordained re-establishment of the Israelite community in their homeland, affirming God's faithfulness to His covenant promises of restoration.

Ezra 2 17 Word analysis

• the children of (בְּנֵי - b'nei):

  • Meaning: Hebrew for "sons of" or "descendants of." This term is a construct form, linking the individuals to their familial or tribal head.
  • Significance: Emphasizes familial identity and lineage, rather than just a collection of unrelated individuals. It denotes belonging to a specific household or clan (beit av), which was fundamental to Israelite society for purposes of inheritance, land rights, tribal affiliation, and social order. It underscores the communal, not just individual, aspect of the return.

• Bebai (בֵּבַי - Bêbay):

  • Meaning: A personal or family name. Its exact etymology is uncertain, possibly related to Aramaic words meaning "my well" or "my dwelling."
  • Significance: Represents a specific ancestral head or clan leader from whom this particular group of returnees traced their lineage. The naming of specific families validates their heritage and historical connection to the land and the covenant community. Its mention alongside other prominent families like Parosh, Shephatiah, and Arah highlights its recognition and status among the returning exiles. This precise naming avoids anonymity and emphasizes that specific families were being restored.

• six hundred twenty-three (שֵׁשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ - shêsh mê'ôt ‘eśrîm ûšlōšâ):

  • Meaning: The precise number of individuals within the family of Bebai who returned.
  • Significance: The meticulous numbering highlights the highly organized nature of the return and the meticulous record-keeping, essential for ancient censuses. This precision served several purposes: to affirm the scale of God's work in bringing back His people; to establish legal rights to property and status in the re-established community; to determine manpower for rebuilding efforts (Temple, walls); and for assessing communal responsibilities, including contributions for sacred services. The very exactness of the numbers indicates the carefulness of the spiritual and civic reconstruction efforts and underlines God's precise care over His covenant people, refuting any notion of randomness or chaos in His plan for Israel.

Word-groups Analysis:

• "The children of Bebai": This phrase establishes a familial unit as the foundational component of the returning community. It highlights the importance of heritage and ancestral connection as a basis for re-establishing national and religious identity. This was vital in ancient Israel to define who belonged to the covenant people and could inherit promises.

• "six hundred twenty-three": This numerical descriptor provides the concrete, verifiable data for the aforementioned family unit. Its specificity turns what could be a vague historical account into a precise record. This meticulous record-keeping points to the divine providential ordering of the return, showing God’s faithfulness in regathering even a specific number of individuals from designated families for His purposes. This contrasts with a scattered, lost, or forgotten people, demonstrating God's continued engagement with and remembrance of His chosen lineage.

Ezra 2 17 Bonus section

• Accuracy Across Texts: The count for the "children of Bebai" (623) is notably identical in Ezra 2:17 and Nehemiah 7:22. This consistency highlights the accuracy of the record-keeping of these returning groups and serves as an important textual corroboration, unlike some other entries that have slight numerical discrepancies between Ezra and Nehemiah (often attributed to different purposes for the lists, scribal variations, or inclusion/exclusion criteria).

• Significance of Lists in Biblical Theology: Beyond historical documentation, biblical lists (genealogies, censuses, lists of returnees) carry profound theological weight. They establish identity, trace lineage (crucial for Messianic prophecies), define community membership, signify God's orderliness, and confirm His covenant faithfulness in preserving a chosen people through historical challenges. They show God's personal involvement in the lives of His people, not as an abstract group, but as families and individuals known by Him.

• Foundation for Future Generations: The detail of Ezra 2:17 and the broader chapter provided the historical and legal foundation for the rebuilt community, serving as a charter document for the "new" Israel. It ensured that future generations could trace their heritage back to those who survived exile and faithfully returned to rebuild God's dwelling place.

Ezra 2 17 Commentary

Ezra 2:17, while seemingly a dry entry in a lengthy list of names and numbers, is profound in its understated significance. It forms a crucial piece of the larger roster of individuals returning from Babylonian captivity, underpinning the legitimacy and integrity of the nascent post-exilic Jewish community. The exact enumeration of "the children of Bebai" underscores a divinely orchestrated, purposeful re-establishment of the covenant people. Every family counted was a testament to God's faithfulness in fulfilling His prophetic promises of return and restoration after 70 years of exile.

These meticulous lists provided more than just a census; they served as a vital record for maintaining national and religious identity. Knowing one's lineage was paramount for land ownership, for participation in Temple worship (especially for priests and Levites), and for re-establishing social and governmental structures. In a historical moment where the identity of Israel could easily have been diluted or lost, these precise figures acted as a tangible anchor, demonstrating that a specific, verifiable remnant of God’s people had indeed returned. This record highlights not only human obedience to the call to return but, more significantly, God's precise, loving, and powerful hand in gathering and organizing His chosen remnant for the continuity of His redemptive plan, ultimately leading to the advent of the Messiah within this restored lineage.