Ezra 2 3

Ezra 2:3 kjv

The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.

Ezra 2:3 nkjv

the people of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;

Ezra 2:3 niv

the descendants of Parosh ? 2,172

Ezra 2:3 esv

the sons of Parosh, 2,172.

Ezra 2:3 nlt

The family of Parosh ? 2,172

Ezra 2 verses

Ezra 2 3 Meaning

Ezra 2:3 specifies that two thousand one hundred and seventy-two individuals, descendants of the ancestral family head named Parosh, were among the first group of Israelites to return from their Babylonian exile to Judah and Jerusalem. This precise number highlights the meticulous nature of God's restorative work and the importance of lineage for the reconstituted community of His people.

Ezra 2 3 Context

Ezra 2:3 begins a meticulously detailed list of individuals, categorized by their ancestral families, who were part of the first significant wave of Jewish exiles to return from Babylonian captivity to Judah. This event transpired under the decree of King Cyrus of Persia, around 538 BC.

The verse context is part of the extensive roster of families and groups returning to Jerusalem. Each entry details the ancestral head and the precise number of men in that family line who participated in this momentous journey back to the Promised Land. This numerical accuracy was crucial for record-keeping and establishing the new community.

The chapter context (Ezra 2) serves as a foundational register for the reconstituted Jewish community in Judah. It enumerates all those who returned with Zerubbabel, a leader of Davidic descent, and Jeshua, the high priest. The purpose was to identify legitimate members of the community, those entitled to reclaim ancestral land, and especially those qualified for priestly and Levitical service. The extensive nature of this list underscores the identity and organization of God's covenant people.

Historically, this return marked the end of the 70-year Babylonian exile (as prophesied by Jeremiah) for a portion of the Jewish people and initiated the Second Temple period. Culturally, genealogical records were of paramount importance in ancient Israel for establishing identity, social standing, tribal affiliation, and inheritance rights, particularly land claims. They also served to uphold religious purity, especially for the priesthood. This meticulous record-keeping demonstrated God's faithfulness in preserving His people and the careful re-establishment of a community rooted in His covenant.

Ezra 2 3 Word analysis

• The children of: (Hebrew: בְּנֵֽי, bᵊnê) Literally "sons of." This phrase indicates direct descendants or a family lineage tracing back to a common ancestor or patriarchal head. Its use highlights the foundational importance of family units and generational continuity in God's people, establishing the identity and collective rights of the group.
• Parosh: (Hebrew: פַּרְעֹשׁ, Par‘ōš) This is the proper name of an ancestral head or family. The inclusion of such a family name points to the preservation of distinct family lines through the exile and the subsequent re-establishment of communal identity rooted in these traditional lineages. The fact that the children of Parosh are listed first suggests their prominence or perhaps their significant number within the returning remnant.
• two thousand a hundred seventy and two: (Hebrew: אַלְפַּ֥יִם מֵא֨וֹת שִׁבְעִ֣ים וּשְׁנַ֪יִם, ’alp̄ayim mê’ôṯ šib‘îm ûšnayim) This precise number (2,172) underscores the meticulous detail with which the returning exiles were counted and recorded. Such precision indicates the deliberate organization of the remnant by divine providence and human administration. It contrasts the chaos of exile with the orderliness of God's restoration, emphasizing that no one was overlooked.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two": This phrase precisely identifies a significant group among the returning exiles. It combines lineage (the children of Parosh) with quantitative data (two thousand a hundred seventy and two). This detailed identification highlights the restoration of a distinct, identifiable people group from among the nations. It emphasizes that God's covenant promises, including a people for His name, were being faithfully fulfilled through specific individuals and families, reinforcing the reality and physicality of their return. It also demonstrates the order and method with which God was rebuilding His people, much like a meticulous builder accounts for every component.

Ezra 2 3 Bonus section

• Numerical Consistency and Purpose: While there are slight numerical variations for certain families between Ezra 2 and the parallel list in Nehemiah 7, the inclusion of such detailed numerical accounts in both historical records affirms their foundational importance for the returned community. These slight differences are generally attributed to varying stages of census-taking, different methods of inclusion, or minor scribal variations, without compromising the overall veracity of the account regarding the multitude who returned.
• Foundational Remnant: The detailed census presented here outlines the nucleus of the post-exilic community. These returning families formed the spiritual and social foundation upon which the Second Temple period, leading eventually to the time of Christ, was built. This chapter emphasizes the importance of heritage and belonging in the unfolding of God’s plan, demonstrating His power to preserve a remnant even through severe judgment.

Ezra 2 3 Commentary

Ezra 2:3 provides an initial, striking detail of God's precise and faithful work in restoring His people to their land. It marks the commencement of a divinely orchestrated homecoming following seventy years of Babylonian exile, showcasing the Lord's covenant keeping nature. The meticulous numbering of the descendants of Parosh—2,172 individuals—is not a mere statistic; it is a profound testament to the order and purpose in God's redemptive plan. This detail emphasizes that the return was not an accident or a disorganized scattering, but a divinely organized, verifiable act, accounting for each family line. It underscored the enduring identity of God's people through generations of dispersion and served to legitimate the renewed community's claim to land and covenant blessings. The very precision of the count silently testifies to God's careful attention to every individual within His redeemed community, solidifying their heritage and affirming their place in His ongoing story of salvation. This exactitude foreshadows the even more meticulous genealogies found later in Scripture concerning the lineage of the Messiah.