Ezra 2:3
the sons of Parosh, 2,172.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Ezra 2:3
the sons of Parosh, 2,172.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What easily gets overlooked is that "children" here doesn't mean literal sons, but rather the entire extended family or clan, tracing their lineage back to an ancestor named Parosh. This detailed accounting highlights that even a seemingly minor detail like a family name and its headcount represents a significant portion of a people rebuilding their lives.
This verse is part of a large census detailing the families returning to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon. It's the beginning of a list of these repatriating groups, giving their ancestral names and the number of people in each family or clan. Following this detailed accounting, the narrative will shift to actions taken with this returned population, such as offering sacrifices and rebuilding the temple.
Have you ever felt like just a number in a crowd? This ancient census of people returning from exile might seem like a dry list, but it tells a much deeper story about community and identity.
When Ezra lists the 'children' of specific families like Parosh, he's not just counting individuals. He's highlighting the enduring bonds of families and clans.
The Power of Kinship
Why record these numbers? This isn't just accounting; it's a testament to God's faithfulness and His people's resilience after devastating loss.
The precise numbers in Ezra's census serve as powerful evidence of God's guiding hand in restoring His people.
Numbers with Meaning
Understand the original words
ben · Hebrew Noun
A term used to describe the descendants or the collective people group tracing their lineage to a specific ancestor or clan head, emphasizing covenant identity and tribal belonging.
This list details the families who returned with Zerubbabel. While Ezra's return came later, the names mentioned here, like Parosh, reappeared in Ezra's time and Nehemiah's, showing the enduring presence and organization of these ancestral lines even after their return from exile.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar begins deporting Jewish people, including skilled workers and nobility, to Babylon after conquering Jerusalem. This marks the start of the Babylonian Exile.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Solomon's Temple and Jerusalem, leading to a further, larger deportation of the remaining population. The Kingdom of Judah ceases to exist as an independent entity.
539 BC
Persian Conquest of Babylon
Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, ushering in the Persian Empire. This event sets the stage for the eventual return of the exiles.
538 BC
Cyrus' Decree for Return
Cyrus issues a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their ancestral lands and rebuild their temples. This enables the first wave of returnees.
This passage is a parallel account of the same return from exile, providing a slightly different number for the descendants of Parosh, highlighting the meticulous record-keeping of these families.
Ezra 8:3This verse directly mentions a specific branch of the Parosh family returning with Ezra years later, showing the enduring lineage and presence of this family group.
Ezra 10:25This verse records members of the Parosh family marrying 'foreign women,' illustrating the challenges and spiritual struggles faced by the returned exiles, even within prominent families.
Nehemiah 3:25This passage shows descendants of Parosh participating in the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls, demonstrating their continued involvement and commitment to the community after their return.
henryEzra 2:1-35: "Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;"
2:1-35 An account was kept of the families that came up out of captivity. See how sin lowers a nation, which righteousness would exalt!
pooleEzra 2:3: "The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two."
i.e. The posterity (as that word is for the most part, if not constantly, taken in this catalogue) that descended either from Parosh, or from that family whereof Parosh was the chief. And so for the rest.
What easily gets overlooked is that "children" here doesn't mean literal sons, but rather the entire extended family or clan, tracing their lineage back to an ancestor named Parosh. This detailed accounting highlights that even a seemingly minor detail like a family name and its headcount represents a significant portion of a people rebuilding their lives.
This verse is part of a large census detailing the families returning to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon. It's the beginning of a list of these repatriating groups, giving their ancestral names and the number of people in each family or clan. Following this detailed accounting, the narrative will shift to actions taken with this returned population, such as offering sacrifices and rebuilding the temple.
This verse is part of a large census detailing the families returning to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon. It's the beginning of a list of these repatriating groups, giving their ancestral names and the number of people in each family or clan. Following this detailed accounting, the narrative will shift to actions taken with this returned population, such as offering sacrifices and rebuilding the temple.
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c. 516 BC
Rebuilding of the Second Temple
Under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, the foundations of the Second Temple are laid and eventually completed, albeit on a much humbler scale than Solomon's.
c. 458 BC— this verse
Ezra's Return to Jerusalem
Ezra, a scribe and priest, leads a second significant group of exiles back to Jerusalem, focusing on religious reform and the re-establishment of the Law.
"the sons of Parosh, 2,172." — What easily gets overlooked is that "children" here doesn't mean literal sons, but rather the entire extended family or clan, tracing their lineage back to an ancestor named Parosh. This detailed acc…