The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725.
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to skim over these lists of names and numbers, but this entry highlights people returning from specific, established cities with a history connected to the tribe of Benjamin. This isn't just a random group; they are descendants reclaiming their ancestral lands, signaling a tangible rebuilding of life and community after exile.
The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse is part of a lengthy census listing individuals and families returning to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon. It follows enumerations of other cities and ancestral groups, highlighting the rebuilding efforts and restoration of the community. The list ultimately leads into Ezra's account of the people's commitment to God's law and the subsequent establishment of their religious practices.
In the grand sweep of history, it's easy to get lost in the numbers. But this list isn't just a headcount – it's a powerful reminder of God's attention to detail.
Ezra 2 presents a detailed roster of families returning from Babylonian exile. Each name listed, like Lod, Hadid, and Ono, represents real people with distinct ancestral ties. These weren't just anonymous souls; they were individuals carrying their heritage and identity as they journeyed back to the Promised Land.
Why is this important?
These aren't just random towns; the places named here have a history, both before and after exile, linking the returning people to their ancestral homeland.
The cities of Lod, Hadid, and Ono weren't just geographical markers; they were places with deep roots in Israel's history, particularly within the tribe of Benjamin.
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Understand the original words
Lod · Hebrew Proper Noun
A geographical location (city) in the territory of Benjamin. Mentioning these cities indicates the re-settlement of specific ancestral lands by families returning from the Babylonian captivity, showing the restoration of Israel's presence in the Promised Land.
Chadid · Hebrew Proper Noun
A geographical location (city) in the territory of Benjamin. Like other listed towns, this signifies the reclamation of historic land holdings by families who returned under the covenant promises.
Ono · Hebrew Proper Noun
A geographical location (city) in the territory of Benjamin. Its inclusion underscores the geographical restructuring and repopulation of the land following the return from exile.
This list details the exilic and post-exilic period, showing that the returnees mentioned in Ezra were coming back to a land that had been depopulated and was now under foreign rule, rebuilding a shattered national and religious life.
c. 722 BC
Fall of Samaria and Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern Kingdom of Israel, deporting many Israelites and resettling the area with foreigners. This marks a significant loss of national identity for many.
597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon captures Jerusalem and deports a significant portion of the Judean elite, including King Jehoiachin, to Babylon. This begins the period of Babylonian exile.
586 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem and Temple
Nebuchadnezzar destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the remaining population (except for a few poor left behind) to Babylon. This is the nadir of Judean national and religious life.
539 BC
Persian Empire Conquers Babylon
Cyrus the Great of Persia overthrows the Babylonian Empire. This shift in power creates a new political landscape in the ancient Near East.
538 BC
Cyrus's Decree Allowing Return
Cyrus issues a decree permitting exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands and rebuild their temples. This opens the door for the return from Babylonian exile.
c. 515 BC
Completion of the Second Temple
Under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest, the returned exiles complete the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem, symbolizing a restoration of worship.
During or shortly after the return from exile (c. 5th century BC)— this verse
Returnees from Lod, Hadid, and Ono
A group of 725 individuals from the towns of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, identified as belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, return to Judah. These towns were known settlements rebuilt or re-inhabited by Benjamites, with Lod (Lydda) becoming a significant site later.
This passage records the same census of those returning from exile, providing a parallel account that reinforces the identity and numbers of these families.
1 Chronicles 8:12This verse identifies Lod and Ono as cities in the territory of Benjamin, linking the families mentioned in Ezra back to their ancestral inheritance within the Promised Land.
Acts 9:32This New Testament passage mentions Lydda (the Greek form of Lod), showing the continued significance and presence of this location and its people through subsequent history.
Ezra 1:5This verse speaks generally of the leaders of the people and priests, Levites, and others whose spirit God had stirred to return to Jerusalem, providing a broader context for the specific families listed in Ezra 2.
clarkeEzra 2:33: "The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five."
The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono - These were cities in the tribe of Benjamin; see on 1 Chronicles 8:12 (note).
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!
It's easy to skim over these lists of names and numbers, but this entry highlights people returning from specific, established cities with a history connected to the tribe of Benjamin. This isn't just a random group; they are descendants reclaiming their ancestral lands, signaling a tangible rebuilding of life and community after exile.
This verse is part of a lengthy census listing individuals and families returning to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon. It follows enumerations of other cities and ancestral groups, highlighting the rebuilding efforts and restoration of the community. The list ultimately leads into Ezra's account of the people's commitment to God's law and the subsequent establishment of their religious practices.
This verse is part of a lengthy census listing individuals and families returning to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon. It follows enumerations of other cities and ancestral groups, highlighting the rebuilding efforts and restoration of the community. The list ultimately leads into Ezra's account of the people's commitment to God's law and the subsequent establishment of their religious practices.
"The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725." — It's easy to skim over these lists of names and numbers, but this entry highlights people returning from specific, established cities with a history connected to the tribe of Benjamin. This isn't jus…
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Last reviewed October 2026