Ezra 2 18

Ezra 2:18 kjv

The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.

Ezra 2:18 nkjv

the people of Jorah, one hundred and twelve;

Ezra 2:18 niv

of Jorah ? 112

Ezra 2:18 esv

The sons of Jorah, 112.

Ezra 2:18 nlt

The family of Jorah ? 112

Ezra 2 verses

Ezra 2 18 Meaning

Ezra chapter 2, verse 18 records the specific number of returnees from Babylonian exile belonging to the family group known as "the children of Jorah." This seemingly simple entry is part of a detailed administrative record listing the individuals and families who accepted the decree of Cyrus to return to Judah and rebuild the temple and the city of Jerusalem. It signifies the meticulousness of the return, emphasizing the divine orchestration and human commitment to re-establish the Israelite community based on ancestral identity, land claims, and religious duty after a long period of displacement.

Ezra 2 18 Context

Ezra chapter 2 is a crucial historical document, detailing a census of the first group of exiles who returned from Babylon to Judah and Jerusalem under the decree of King Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4). This group, led by Zerubbabel and Jeshua, formed the initial foundation for the restoration of Jewish life and worship. The entire chapter lists families, cities, and occupational groups (priests, Levites, temple servants) along with the precise number of individuals in each. This detailed registration was essential for various reasons: validating tribal identity, determining eligibility for priestly service, claiming ancestral land, allocating resources for rebuilding the Temple, and establishing the new community's structure. Verse 18 is a specific entry within this extensive, seemingly mundane but divinely significant, roll call, providing the exact number for one particular family line, "the children of Jorah." It stands as testament to God's faithful remembrance and gathering of His people for the purpose of fulfilling His promises regarding their return and the rebuilding of His house.

Ezra 2 18 Word analysis

• The children: Refers to descendants, family lines, or clan groups. In the post-exilic context, it emphasizes the preservation of distinct family identities, crucial for maintaining tribal inheritance, determining purity for priesthood, and connecting the current generation to their ancestral roots and the covenant. It highlights continuity despite seventy years of exile.
• of Jorah (Hebrew: יֹ֫רָה֙ Yōrāh): "Jorah" identifies a specific family or head of a household among the returning exiles. The name itself might derive from a root meaning "early rain" or "autumn rain" (linking to the root יָרָה yārah, to throw, cast, or rain down), or potentially "shooter/teacher." Its primary significance here is identifying a distinct, remembered family unit that participated in the return. It is paralleled by "Hariph" (Hebrew: חָרִֽיף Ḥārîp̄) in Nehemiah 7:24, suggesting a scribal variation, alternative names for the same family, or possibly different branches recorded at slightly different times. This textual variation, common in ancient lists, underscores the general accuracy and the meticulous effort to record individuals despite minor differences. The fact that their names and numbers are preserved shows divine attention to detail in His plan.
• one hundred and twelve: This precise numerical figure is critical. It is not an estimation but an exact count. In the administrative context of a census, it provides tangible data for planning the settlement and the reconstruction efforts. The theological significance is that God orchestrates the return of a specific number of His people, down to individual families, reflecting His faithful, meticulous care over His covenant community. It shows His precision in fulfilling prophetic words about the restoration.
• "The children of Jorah, one hundred and twelve": This phrase functions as a concise, administrative record of a distinct family group's contribution to the returning population. It represents a living fragment of Israel's continuity, emphasizing both communal identity and individual participation in God's redemptive plan. The inclusion of specific family names and numbers in the biblical record implicitly counters the total annihilation predicted or hoped for by their pagan captors, demonstrating God's sovereign power to preserve His people and bring them back according to His covenant promises.

Ezra 2 18 Bonus section

The inclusion of detailed genealogical and demographic lists in the Bible, like Ezra 2, serves several critical purposes beyond mere historical record. They:

• Affirm Prophetic Fulfillment: They tangibly prove that God's promises to regather His scattered people (e.g., Jer 29:10-14; Eze 36:24) were precisely fulfilled.
• Validate Identity: For the returning exiles, these lists provided irrefutable proof of their lineage, essential for participation in the community, holding office, and particularly for claiming hereditary rights to land and service in the priesthood. This was crucial for establishing legal and social order in the restored land.
• Ensure Purity of Lineage: Especially vital for the Levitical priests, ensuring they met the specific requirements for service in the rebuilt Temple, safeguarding the sanctity of worship.
• Emphasize Divine Oversight: The very act of God preserving specific family names and their exact numbers through decades of exile points to His meticulous sovereign hand working out His plan, valuing each individual and family in His redemptive story.
• Provide a Foundation for Messiah's Lineage: While Ezra 2 itself isn't a messianic genealogy, the preservation of accurate records for specific families, tribes, and locations (many of whom had returned to their ancestral cities, though not mentioned in this specific verse) forms the necessary historical backdrop that allows later biblical authors (like Matthew and Luke) to trace Jesus' lineage directly to Abraham and David, confirming His rightful claim as the Messiah. The seemingly dry lists are part of the detailed fabric of God's unfolding salvation history.

Ezra 2 18 Commentary

Ezra 2:18, though a brief and seemingly unremarkable entry in a list, carries profound theological weight. It demonstrates God's meticulous care for His covenant people. After generations in exile, when national identity and family lines could have easily dissolved, the exact accounting of "the children of Jorah, one hundred and twelve" illustrates divine preservation. This level of detail confirms that God's promises of restoration (as foretold by prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel) were not vague generalizations but precise, verifiable historical events. The administrative purpose of this census was critical for rebuilding societal structure, priestly lineages, and land claims, effectively forming the bedrock for the post-exilic Jewish community and ultimately the lineage leading to the Messiah. These names and numbers confirm the ongoing thread of God's redemptive narrative through a preserved remnant.