The List of the Exiles Who Returned
2 Now these are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive to Babylon (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own town, 2 in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah):
The list of the men of the people of Israel:
3 the descendants of Parosh
2,172
4 of Shephatiah
372
5 of Arah
775
6 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab)
2,812
7 of Elam
1,254
8 of Zattu
945
9 of Zakkai
760
10 of Bani
642
11 of Bebai
623
12 of Azgad
1,222
13 of Adonikam
666
14 of Bigvai
2,056
15 of Adin
454
16 of Ater (through Hezekiah)
98
17 of Bezai
323
18 of Jorah
112
19 of Hashum
223
20 of Gibbar
95
21 the men of Bethlehem
123
22 of Netophah
56
23 of Anathoth
128
24 of Azmaveth
42
25 of Kiriath Jearim,[a] Kephirah and Beeroth
743
26 of Ramah and Geba
621
27 of Mikmash
122
28 of Bethel and Ai
223
29 of Nebo
52
30 of Magbish
156
31 of the other Elam
1,254
32 of Harim
320
33 of Lod, Hadid and Ono
725
34 of Jericho
345
35 of Senaah
3,630
36 The priests:
the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua)
973
37 of Immer
1,052
38 of Pashhur
1,247
39 of Harim
1,017
40 The Levites:
the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (of the line of Hodaviah)
74
41 The musicians:
the descendants of Asaph
128
42 The gatekeepers of the temple:
the descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon,
Akkub, Hatita and Shobai
139
43 The temple servants:
the descendants of
Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
44 Keros, Siaha, Padon,
45 Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub,
46 Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan,
47 Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah,
48 Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam,
49 Uzza, Paseah, Besai,
50 Asnah, Meunim, Nephusim,
51 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
52 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
53 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
54 Neziah and Hatipha
55 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:
the descendants of
Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,
56 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
57 Shephatiah, Hattil,
Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Ami
58 The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon
392
59 The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:
60 The descendants of
Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda
652
61 And from among the priests:
The descendants of
Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).
62 These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 63 The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there was a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.
64 The whole company numbered 42,360, 65 besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 200 male and female singers. 66 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 67 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
When they went to exile, everything was stripped away from them.
And now when they left the exile, although they did not return with much, they did return with a substantial amount of life-stock, resources and riches.
We can see that even in a time of exile, God showed them mercy and favour in a land of captivity.
68 When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site.
They gave freewill/voluntary offerings to the Lord.
Free-will offering means you do it by choice and with a cheerful heart. God loves it when we give cheerfully.
6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. – 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
69 According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics[b] of gold, 5,000 minas[c] of silver and 100 priestly garments.
70 The priests, the Levites, the musicians, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.
They gave freewill/voluntary offerings to the Lord.
As an indication of the value: Each gold coin (darics) was approximately 1 month’s wage for the soldier and a silver coin (minas) was approximately 1 month’s wage for the average worker at that time. And 61 000 gold darics and 5 000 silver minas were given.
They gave according to their own ability and capacity.
1) Give free-willingly according to what you have. Not according to what you do not have.
For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. – 2 Corinthians 8:12
2) God knows our heart and circumstances from out of which we give. Even if we cannot give large values of resources and money, we can give to God what we have. God sees and knows our hearts.
The Widow’s Offering
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” – Mark 12:41-44
The people not only gave money and possessions, but they gave of their time, skills and abilities.
Some of the people who gave and went to rebuild the temple did not necessarily see or benefit from the end result in their time of earth. But they did it to the glory or God and the benefit of the next generation.
If you knew that the seeds you plant in your lifetime with only bear fruits when you are no longer on earth. Will you still faithfully sow the seeds to the glory of God ?
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