Ezra 2 37

Ezra 2:37 kjv

The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

Ezra 2:37 nkjv

the sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two;

Ezra 2:37 niv

of Immer ? 1,052

Ezra 2:37 esv

The sons of Immer, 1,052.

Ezra 2:37 nlt

The family of Immer ? 1,052

Ezra 2 verses

Ezra 2 37 Meaning

Ezra 2:37 records the number of the descendants from the priestly family of Immer who returned from the Babylonian exile to Judah and Jerusalem. This verse signifies the continuation of a specific priestly lineage, affirming their re-establishment within the returned community for service in the re-built Temple. The precision in numbers underscores the divine providence and meticulousness in gathering and restoring God's people.

Ezra 2 37 Context

Ezra chapter 2 meticulously lists the various families, individuals, and groups who returned from Babylonian exile to Judah with Zerubbabel and Jeshua after King Cyrus's decree in 538 BC. This census served several crucial purposes: to record the fulfillment of God's promise to restore His people, to establish the returning community's legal and genealogical identity, and to allocate responsibilities, especially for the re-establishment of the Temple and its services. The detailed numerical breakdown, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Nethinim, underscored the orderly nature of their return and preparation for their divinely appointed tasks. Ezra 2:37 specifically provides the count for the priestly family of Immer, one of the divisions essential for reinstating proper Temple worship. The emphasis on priestly lineages like Immer highlighted the paramount concern for ritual purity and authentic religious practice following the exile, distinguishing true descendants from those without verifiable priestly ancestry.

Ezra 2 37 Word analysis

• The children of Immer,

  • The children of: "בְּנֵי" (bᵉnê), meaning "sons of" or "descendants of". This phrase is crucial in Hebrew genealogies, establishing a direct lineage and family identity. It emphasizes the collective unit, indicating that this entire family line, not just a few individuals, returned.
  • Immer: "אִמֵּר" (ʾimmēr). This is the name of a priestly family, explicitly identified as one of the 24 priestly divisions established by King David (1 Chr 24:14). Their return was vital for restoring the sacrificial system and Temple worship according to Mosaic Law. In 1 Chronicles 9:12, a member of this house, Maasiai, is mentioned as among the priests residing in Jerusalem before the exile. There was a chief priest named Pashhur son of Immer during Jeremiah's time (Jer 20:1-2) who opposed Jeremiah, illustrating the long history and prominence of this priestly line, not always in a positive light, but a known family nonetheless.

• one thousand fifty-two.

  • one thousand fifty-two: "אֶלֶף חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנָ֫יִם" (ʾelef ḥămiššîm ûšenayim). This precise number denotes a significant portion of the returning priests. The inclusion of specific figures throughout Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 indicates meticulous record-keeping. This attention to detail reflects a deep-seated belief that these numbers were important to God, not just a human statistic. They signified God's faithfulness in preserving a remnant and returning them in exact counts as part of His redemptive plan, echoing previous censuses in the Pentateuch. The numerical accuracy also serves as a testament to the veracity and historicity of the biblical account, reinforcing the sense of an orderly and divinely guided restoration.

Ezra 2 37 Bonus section

The list in Ezra 2 is nearly identical to that in Nehemiah 7, serving as a powerful double-witness to the accuracy of these ancient records, crucial for authenticating the restoration efforts. The fact that the same number (1052) for the Immer family appears in both accounts (Ezra 2:37 and Neh 7:40) speaks to the meticulous preservation of these genealogical lists by the returning community. While the overall totals of returning exiles in Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 differ slightly, individual entries like that for the "children of Immer" remain consistent, bolstering confidence in the individual family counts. These numerical details underline the Israelites' high regard for their lineage, especially for those qualified for Temple service, a reflection of their commitment to obeying the Law's requirements. This commitment paved the way for the restoration of Israel's identity and its role in God's continuing plan for redemption.

Ezra 2 37 Commentary

Ezra 2:37 is a specific entry in a list, yet it holds profound theological and historical significance. The mention of the "children of Immer" highlights the post-exilic community's commitment to re-establishing Israel's divinely ordained structures, particularly the Aaronic priesthood. Their precise number underscores the care with which the returnees were cataloged, signifying not mere human administration but God's watchful eye over His covenant people. For the original audience, this meticulous record served as validation of their legitimate claim to the land and the Temple service, a testament to God's faithfulness in bringing about their prophesied return (Jer 29:10). This also implies a strict adherence to genealogical purity required for sacred offices (Ezra 2:62), setting boundaries for who could minister in the holy place.