EZRA LESSON 8


     We will begin this lesson in Ezra 8:1 "These [are] now the chief
of their fathers, and [this is] the genealogy of them that went up
with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king."

     This is a listing of those who went with Ezra out of Babylonian
captivity back to their homeland. The genealogy could have partially
been to make sure these were Hebrews leaving Babylon, but it could,
also, be just because the Hebrews kept good records. Artaxerxes had
given Ezra permission to take all, who wanted to go, home. He was king
of Persia. There is a spiritual lesson in this for the believers. We
must be willing to be redeemed, before we can actually head for our
promised land, heaven. The release of the world is as important as the
accepting the Lord as Redeemer.

     Ezra 8:2 "Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of
Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush." Ezra 8:3 "Of the sons
of Shechaniah, of the sons of Pharosh; Zechariah: and with him were
reckoned by genealogy of the males an hundred and fifty."

     The different groups of people were actually different classes of
families.

     Ezra 8:4 "Of the sons of Pahath-moab; Elihoenai the son of
Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males." Ezra 8:5 "Of the sons of
Shechaniah; the son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males."
Ezra 8:6 "Of the sons also of Adin; Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with
him fifty males." Ezra 8:7 "And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son
of Athaliah, and with him seventy males." Ezra 8:8 "And of the sons of
Shephatiah; Zebadiah the son of Michael, and with him fourscore
males." Ezra 8:9 "Of the sons of Joab; Obadiah the son of Jehiel, and
with him two hundred and eighteen males." Ezra 8:10 "And of the sons
of Shelomith; the son of Josiphiah, and with him an hundred and
threescore males." Ezra 8:11 "And of the sons of Bebai; Zechariah the
son of Bebai, and with him twenty and eight males." Ezra 8:12 "And of
the sons of Azgad; Johanan the son of Hakkatan, and with him an
hundred and ten males." Ezra 8:13 "And of the last sons of Adonikam,
whose names [are] these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them
threescore males." Ezra 8:14 "Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and
Zabbud, and with them seventy males."

     We dealt more fully with the family of Adonikam in the first
exodus. The difference in the number of people returning on this
second trip and the first was evident in the family of Adonikam. On
the first trip his family had 666 going back. In this trip, there were
60. Of course, the numbers were just for the males and there were
approximately 3 times that many, who would actually return, counting
the women and children.

     Ezra 8:15 "And I gathered them together to the river that runneth
to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the
people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi."
     The river, spoken of here, is a small stream that flows into the
Euphrates. It was about 8 days journey from Babylon. It appears, they
stopped to rest the people. They abode in tents, because there were so
many of them. This trip would take months, and this was the only way
to house the people on the trip. There were no Levites with them. This
was very strange. 74 Levites had gone up with Zerubbabel, and this
trip Ezra found none. This does not mean there were none at all, but
that he saw none.

     Ezra 8:16 "Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and
for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for
Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for
Elnathan, men of understanding." Ezra 8:17 "And I sent them with
commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them
what they should say unto Iddo, [and] to his brethren the Nethinims,
at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for
the house of our God."

     The chief men, mentioned in verse 16, were men who had enough
authority that they would be accepted by Iddo as messengers from Ezra.
They were men who would be respected enough that Iddo would listen
carefully to what they had to say. Iddo was the chief of the
Nethenims. He was, also, the head of the Jews at Casiphai. It appears,
that even though the Jews were in exile, their families were ruled
over by the head of the family, as if they were a separate country.
The Nethinims had been set aside to do the menial work in the temple.
Ezra requested them to come, and help him by being ministers in the
house of the LORD.

     Ezra 8:18 "And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought
us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the
son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren,
eighteen;"

     Ezra was thanking God for the good fortune of the Levites that
came back to Ezra. Ezra knew this was a blessing from God. Sherebiah
and Mahli may be the same person. There were eighteen that came.

     Ezra 8:19 "And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of
Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;"

     These were, also, Levites from the division of Merari.

     Ezra 8:20 "Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had
appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty
Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name."

     We remember, the Nethinims were in the service of doing the
menial jobs in the temple. They were not spoken of as Nethinims, until
after the captivity.

     Ezra 8:21  "Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of
Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him
a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our
substance."

     Ezra called the fast to prepare for the rest of the journey. He
wanted the assistance of the LORD as he carried these people on this
several month journey to Jerusalem. The fast was to receive
instructions from God on exactly how they should proceed. They wanted
no harm coming to the women and children, or to the precious cargo.
Ezra knew his help was in the LORD.

     Ezra 8:22 "For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of
soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because
we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God [is] upon all
them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath [is] against
all them that forsake him."

     Ezra knew there were robbers along the way in the land they must
pass through. He had not asked for help from the Persians, because if
they were really of God, as they had told the Persian king they were,
the LORD would take care of them.

     Ezra 8:23 "So we fasted and besought our God for this: and he was
entreated of us."

     This is saying, when they fasted and prayed, the LORD heard their
prayer, and put into their hearts exactly what they were to do.

     Ezra 8:24  "Then I separated twelve of the chief of the priests,
Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brethren with them,"  Ezra 8:25
"And weighed unto them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels,
[even] the offering of the house of our God, which the king, and his
counsellors, and his lords, and all Israel [there] present, had
offered:"

     This was dividing all of the silver and gold into the hands of 12
trustworthy priests, so the valuables would be scattered out and not
so easily found in one place. There was a fairly large amount, since
this was what the king had sent, as well as the offerings the people
themselves had gathered up and sent.

     Ezra 8:26 "I even weighed unto their hand six hundred and fifty
talents of silver, and silver vessels an hundred talents, [and] of
gold an hundred talents;"

     If a talent weighs 125 pounds, this is speaking of 81,250 pounds
of silver. The silver vessels weighed 12,500 pounds in silver. The
gold, also, weighed 12,500 pounds. The gold, alone weighed 150,000
ounces. At $400.00 per ounce, this would figure $600,000,000.00. You
can see why Ezra was concerned.

     Ezra 8:27 "Also twenty basins of gold, of a thousand drams; and
two vessels of fine copper, precious as gold."  Ezra 8:28 "And I said
unto them, Ye [are] holy unto the LORD; the vessels [are] holy also;
and the silver and the gold [are] a freewill offering unto the LORD
God of your fathers."
     Ezra was stressing to them the necessity of getting all of these
precious items for the temple through. The value in dollars and cents
were important, but the idea these treasures belonged to God made this
much more important. They were to guard this with their lives.

     Ezra 8:29 "Watch ye, and keep [them], until ye weigh [them]
before the chief of the priests and the Levites, and chief of the
fathers of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the chambers of the house of the
LORD."

     Ezra weighed, and made a record of exactly what he had entrusted
to each priest. They would weigh them in, when they arrived at the
temple in Jerusalem. This was good record keeping. They would not be
careless with the things of the LORD. Those in authority in the temple
in Jerusalem would receive them, and weigh them in. There would be a
record kept of that, as well.

     Ezra 8:30 "So took the priests and the Levites the weight of the
silver, and the gold, and the vessels, to bring [them] to Jerusalem
unto the house of our God."

     They did as Ezra had asked them. Each priest and Levite would be
responsible for the portion of the treasure, that had been entrusted
to him.

     Ezra 8:31  "Then we departed from the river of Ahava on the
twelfth [day] of the first month, to go unto Jerusalem: and the hand
of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the
enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way."

     God had protected them from all harm, as they journeyed back to
their home in Judah. Ezra's fears never happened. They did not even
encounter the thieves. Ezra's faith in God brought them through
safely.

     Ezra 8:32 "And we came to Jerusalem, and abode there three days."

     This was speaking of a rest they took from their long journey.
They were safe to rest, now.

     Ezra 8:33  "Now on the fourth day was the silver and the gold and
the vessels weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth
the son of Uriah the priest; and with him [was] Eleazar the son of
Phinehas; and with them [was] Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah
the son of Binnui, Levites;"

     Each one of the 12, that the treasures had been entrusted to
weighed them to the son of the high priest in Jerusalem. The men,
mentioned in the verse above, were priests and Levites. They would put
the treasures in safe keeping in the temple.

     Ezra 8:34 "By number [and] by weight of every one: and all the
weight was written at that time."

     The weights were recorded in a record book kept at the temple.
The twelve, who were responsible for the safe journey, had now shifted
their responsibility to those in charge of the treasures in the
temple.

     Ezra 8:35  "[Also] the children of those that had been carried
away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings
unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six
rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats [for] a sin offering:
all [this was] a burnt offering unto the LORD."

     Their offering was for themselves, but for all Israel, as well.
This offering was very similar to the offering the people gave when
Zerubbabel returned. The number of animals are smaller, because those
who came out of Babylon this trip were much fewer in number.

     Ezra 8:36  "And they delivered the king's commissions unto the
king's lieutenants, and to the governors on this side the river: and
they furthered the people, and the house of God."

     This was speaking of the documents that Ezra brought from the
king giving him authority to draw from the treasury. The lieutenants,
under the governors, were in charge of it. It appears, that they did
just as the documents had requested them to do, immediately.






























                        Ezra 8 Questions


1.  Who was king when Ezra went to Jerusalem?
2.  Who had permission from the king to go to Jerusalem?
3.  The release of the _________ is as important as the accepting the
    Lord as ___________.
4.  What does the small number of the family of Adonikam in this
    journey reveal to us?
5.  Where did they gather, and set up their tents for three days?
6.  When Ezra viewed the people, he discovered there were no _______.
7.  The river, in verse 15, flowed into what large river?
8.  How far was this first stop from Babylon?
9.  How many Levites had gone with Zerubbabel?
10. Who did Ezra send to Iddo to get Levites and Nethinims?
11. Why did Ezra want them?
12. How many came, mentioned in verse 18?
13. How many Nethinims came?
14. What was their job in the temple?
15. Why did Ezra proclaim a fast?
16. Why had he not asked for a Persian escort?
17. What did Ezra do for safety of the valuables they were carrying?
18. What was the value of the gold alone, not including the vessels?
19. The silver and gold were a __________ offering unto the LORD.
20. What would they do with the treasures, when they made it to
    Jerusalem?
21. How long did they rest in Jerusalem?
22. Who took care of the gold and silver in the temple?
23. Those who made the second trip made ___________ offerings.
24. Who did they make the offerings for?
25. What happened when Ezra showed the documents from the king to the
    lieutenants?