Ezra 2:58

All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, [were] three hundred ninety and two.

All the Nethinims {H5411}, and the children {H1121} of Solomon's {H8010} servants {H5650}, were three {H7969} hundred {H3967} ninety {H8673} and two {H8147}.

All the temple servants and the descendants of Shlomo's servants numbered 392

The temple servants and descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392 in all.

All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomonโ€™s servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

Commentary

Ezra 2:58 is a specific entry within a detailed census of the Jewish people who returned to Judah from Babylonian exile under the leadership of Zerubbabel. This verse records the number of two particular groups: the Nethinims and the children of Solomon's servants, totaling three hundred ninety and two individuals.

Context

Chapter 2 of Ezra provides a meticulous list of families and groups who embarked on the perilous journey back to Jerusalem after Cyrus's decree allowed the Jews to return and rebuild their temple. This list serves as a vital record of the initial post-exilic community. While the preceding verses enumerate priests, Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, verse 58 focuses on groups traditionally associated with auxiliary temple service, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the return. The inclusion of these groups underscores that all who were part of God's people, regardless of their specific role or lineage, were counted and deemed important for the restoration of the community and its worship.

Key Themes

  • Restoration and Rebuilding: The careful counting of these individuals signifies the methodical and organized effort to rebuild the Israelite community and temple after decades of exile.
  • Inclusivity of God's People: The Nethinims and Solomon's servants, often seen as lower-status temple workers, were nonetheless vital and counted among the returning exiles, emphasizing that all members contribute to the whole. This resonates with the New Testament theme of every part of the body being essential.
  • Divine Providence: God orchestrated the return of all necessary groups, ensuring that every function required for the re-establishment of temple worship and communal life was represented.

Linguistic Insights

The term Nethinims (Hebrew: ื ึฐืชึดื™ื ึดื™ื, nethinim) literally means "given ones" or "dedicated ones." These were individuals, likely descendants of non-Israelite peoples (such as the Gibeonites mentioned in Joshua 9:27), who were dedicated to the service of the tabernacle and later the temple, performing menial tasks like drawing water and hewing wood. The "children of Solomon's servants" (Hebrew: ืขึทื‘ึฐื“ึตื™ ืฉึฐืืœึนืžึนื”, `abdei shlomo) were descendants of foreign captives or laborers whom King Solomon had assigned to assist the Levites in temple work. Both groups held hereditary positions of service to the sanctuary.

Practical Application

Ezra 2:58 reminds us that in God's kingdom, every person and every role is valued. No task is too humble when performed for the Lord. Whether one is a leader, a teacher, or serves in a less visible capacity, all contributions are essential for the functioning and flourishing of the community of faith. This verse encourages us to appreciate the diversity of gifts and services within the church today, recognizing that God uses all kinds of people to accomplish His purposes.

Note: If the commentary doesnโ€™t appear instantly, please allow 2โ€“5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 1 Chronicles 9:2

    Now the first inhabitants that [dwelt] in their possessions in their cities [were], the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims.

  • 1 Kings 9:21

    Their children that were left after them in the land, whom the children of Israel also were not able utterly to destroy, upon those did Solomon levy a tribute of bondservice unto this day.

  • Joshua 9:23

    Now therefore ye [are] cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.

  • Joshua 9:21

    And the princes said unto them, Let them live; but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water unto all the congregation; as the princes had promised them.

  • Joshua 9:27

    And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation, and for the altar of the LORD, even unto this day, in the place which he should choose.

  • Ezra 7:7

    And there went up [some] of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.

  • Nehemiah 7:60

    All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, [were] three hundred ninety and two.
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