Ezra 8:1-14
Those Who Went Up with Ezra
Read the passage
1These are the family heads and genealogical records of those who returned with me from Babylon during the reign of King Artaxerxes:
2from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom; from the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel; from the descendants of David, Hattush
3of the descendants of Shecaniah; from the descendants of Parosh, Zechariah, and with him were registered 150 men;
4from the descendants of Pahath-Moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him 200 men;
5from the descendants of Zattu, Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him 300 men;
6from the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;
7from the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;
8from the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him 80 men;
9from the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him 218 men;
10from the descendants of Bani, Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him 160 men;
11from the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him 28 men;
12from the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him 110 men;
13from the later descendants of Adonikam, these were their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;
14and from the descendants of Bigvai, both Uthai and Zaccur, and with them 70 men.
Berean Standard Bible
Read aloud
Ezra names the family heads who return with him from Babylon during Artaxerxes's reign. This is a later group than the one listed in chapter 2. The temple has been rebuilt, and people are still coming to join the community in Judah.
The list begins with descendants of Phinehas, Ithamar, and David. It then records leaders and the men accompanying them. Zechariah comes from the family of Parosh with 150 men; Eliehoenai from Pahath-moab with 200; and Ebed from Adin with 50.
Parosh, Pahath-moab, and Adin also appear among the families in Ezra 2. Members of these families had returned earlier, and now others travel with Ezra. The repeated names connect the two journeys across the years.
Ezra's journey belongs to a restoration already underway. He does not travel alone, and this group is not starting the whole work again. They are going to take their place among people whom God has already brought home.
Questions
1 What did Ezra record at the beginning of this chapter?
AnswerEzra recorded the family heads and genealogical records of those who returned with him from Babylon. The list identifies people before describing what the journey accomplished.
2 Which kinds of family lines appear?
AnswerPriestly families, descendants of David, and many Israelite families appear. The return included worship leaders, royal ancestry, and ordinary family lines.
3 Which returning families also appeared in Ezra 2?
AnswerParosh, Pahath-moab, and Adin appear in both lists, along with several other families. These names connect Ezra's group with the earlier return.
4 What does the list show about Ezra's journey?
AnswerThe journey was a shared undertaking involving families and leaders who chose to travel together. The work of restoration was carried by a community rather than by Ezra alone.
What This Means for Us
The repeated family names remind us that God's work in this book extends beyond one departure or one leader. Later travelers join a community that others have already helped rebuild.
When joining a church or a shared effort, learn what has happened before you arrived. Thank people who have carried the work, and ask where you can help. Being new gives you something to contribute without making the earlier work unimportant.
Prayer
God, thank you for the people you place alongside us. Help us remember their names, honor their histories, and invite them into work that matters. Make us faithful companions on the road. Amen.