Ezra 2:65

Translation
King James Version
Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.
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KJV (with Strong's)
Beside their servants H5650 and their maids H519, of whom there were seven H7651 thousand H505 three H7969 hundred H3967 thirty H7970 and seven H7651: and there were H428 among them two hundred H3967 singing men H7891 and singing women H7891.
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Complete Jewish Bible
not including their male and female slaves, of whom there were 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers.
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Berean Standard Bible
in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers.
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American Standard Version
besides their men-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred singing men and singing women.
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World English Bible Messianic
besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven: and they had two hundred singing men and singing women.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Beside their seruants and their maydes: of whome were seuen thousande, three hundreth and seuen and thirtie: and among them were two hundreth singing men and singing women.
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Young's Literal Translation
apart from their servants and their handmaids; these are seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and of them are singers and songstresses two hundred.
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See also
2 Samuel 19:35Psalms 148:12Psalms 148:13Psalms 68:25Nehemiah 7:67Exodus 15:20Exodus 15:21
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The Return from Babylon
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In the KJVVerse 12,093 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Ezra 2:65 concludes the detailed census of those returning from Babylonian exile, specifically enumerating a significant number of servants and maids, alongside a distinct group of two hundred professional singing men and women. This verse highlights the comprehensive nature of the post-exilic community, underscoring the diverse social strata present and, notably, the foundational importance of worship and liturgical music in the re-establishment of Israelite life in Judah.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: Ezra 2:65 is the penultimate verse in a meticulously detailed census found in Ezra 2. This chapter provides a comprehensive list of the families, individuals, and groups who returned to Judah from Babylonian captivity under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua. The chapter begins by setting the stage for the returnees' arrival (verses 1-2) and then systematically lists the descendants of various family lines (verses 3-35), followed by priests (verses 36-39), Levites (verses 40-42), temple servants (Nethinim, verses 43-54), and the sons of Solomon's servants (verses 55-58). Verses 59-63 address those whose lineage was uncertain, and verses 64-67 provide a summary of the total number of returnees, their animals, and the specific groups mentioned in verse 65. Thus, Ezra 2:65 serves to include the "ancillary" but vital components of the returning community—those who provided labor and those who facilitated worship—before the final grand total is given in Ezra 2:64 and Ezra 2:66-67.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The return described in Ezra occurred after approximately seventy years of Babylonian captivity, a period prophesied by Jeremiah 25:11. This repatriation was made possible by the decree of King Cyrus of Persia, as recorded in Ezra 1:1-4, marking a pivotal moment in Israel's post-exilic history. In ancient Near Eastern societies, the presence of servants and maids was common, indicating a functioning social hierarchy and providing essential labor for various tasks, particularly in a context of rebuilding a devastated land. The "singing men and singing women" were professional musicians, distinct from the main body of Levites, though some Levites were also singers. These individuals played a crucial role in the liturgical life of Israel, especially in Temple worship. Their inclusion signifies the profound desire of the returning exiles to restore not only the physical structures of Jerusalem and the Temple but also the spiritual and communal practices, particularly the vibrant worship that was central to their identity, echoing the organized worship established by King David as seen in 1 Chronicles 25.
  • Key Themes: The detailed accounting throughout Ezra 2, including verse 65, powerfully highlights several key themes. Firstly, it underscores Divine Faithfulness and Restoration. The meticulous enumeration demonstrates God's sovereign hand in fulfilling His promises to bring His people back to their land, ensuring every individual and group necessary for the community's re-establishment was accounted for. This precision speaks to God's comprehensive care and His commitment to His covenant, preparing them for the monumental task of rebuilding the altar and Temple, as seen in Ezra 3:2. Secondly, the census emphasizes Community and Inclusivity. The inclusion of servants, maids, and specialized musicians alongside the main family lines reveals a holistic view of the restored community. Every role, from manual labor to artistic expression in worship, was deemed valuable and necessary for the re-establishment of a functioning society centered on God. This reflects the biblical principle that a healthy community thrives on diverse contributions, as also seen in the New Testament's depiction of the body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12. Lastly, the specific mention of "two hundred singing men and singing women" prominently features the theme of Worship and Joy. Their presence signals the profound intent to restore full-fledged worship and expresses the joy and gratitude associated with their return and the prospect of resuming sacrifices and praise in Jerusalem, as vividly depicted in Ezra 3:11. This highlights that vibrant worship was central to the identity and purpose of the returning exiles.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Servants (Hebrew, ʻebed, H5650): This term (H5650) refers to an individual who serves, often in a household or professional capacity. While it can sometimes denote a slave or bondman, in this context, it broadly encompasses household staff, indentured laborers, or retainers. Their significant number (7,337) indicates a substantial workforce that accompanied the main families, providing essential labor and support for the arduous tasks of resettlement and rebuilding. Their inclusion underscores the social and economic structure of the returning community.
  • Maids (Hebrew, ʼâmâh, H519): This term (H519) specifically refers to a maidservant or female slave. Similar to "servants," these individuals constituted a vital part of the household and community structure, providing domestic and other forms of labor. Their presence, alongside male servants, further illustrates the diverse and comprehensive nature of the returning population, encompassing all necessary social strata for the re-establishment of a functioning society.
  • Singing (Hebrew, shîyr, H7891): This primitive root (H7891) means "to sing." In Ezra 2:65, it is used to describe "singing men" and "singing women," indicating professional male and female singers. Unlike the Levites who had a broader range of Temple duties, these individuals were specialized musicians whose primary role was to lead congregational singing and provide musical accompaniment for Temple services and public celebrations. Their presence highlights the immediate and profound desire of the returning exiles to re-establish the liturgical and worshipful aspects of their national life, demonstrating that spiritual renewal was as crucial as physical reconstruction.

Verse Breakdown

  • "Beside their servants and their maids, of whom [there were] seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven": This clause provides a specific count of a large group of non-family members who were part of the returning contingent. The phrase "beside their servants" indicates that these individuals were distinct from the enumerated family units but were nevertheless integral to the overall community. Their significant number suggests a substantial support system, likely comprising laborers, household staff, and perhaps even those who had attached themselves to the returning exiles for protection or opportunity. Their inclusion underscores the comprehensive nature of the return, encompassing all necessary social strata for the re-establishment of a functioning society.
  • "and [there were] among them two hundred singing men and singing women": This second clause highlights a specific, smaller, but highly significant group within the returning population. The "singing men and singing women" were professional musicians, whose role was crucial for leading worship and providing music for Temple services and public celebrations. Their presence demonstrates the profound importance placed on the restoration of liturgical life and joyful worship in the post-exilic community. It signals that the return was not merely about physical rebuilding but also about spiritual renewal and the re-establishment of the vibrant worship of Yahweh.

Literary Devices

The meticulous nature of Ezra 2 as a whole, and verse 65 in particular, employs several literary devices. The primary device is Enumeration or Census, which is the detailed listing of individuals and groups. This serves to validate the identity of the returnees, confirm the fulfillment of prophecy, and underscore the comprehensive nature of the community God was restoring. The specific mention of the "singing men and singing women" can be seen as a form of Emphasis or Highlighting, drawing particular attention to the spiritual and liturgical aspirations of the returnees amidst the practicalities of resettlement. Furthermore, the inclusion of these specialized groups, especially the musicians, acts as a subtle Symbolism, representing the restoration of Israel's full identity, which was inextricably linked to its worship of God.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Ezra 2:65 profoundly illustrates God's meticulous care and faithfulness in orchestrating the restoration of His people. The detailed accounting, down to the number of servants and professional musicians, reveals that God's redemptive plan is comprehensive, valuing every individual and every role within His community. It teaches us that no contribution is too small or insignificant in the grand tapestry of God's work. The return of the musicians, in particular, emphasizes that true restoration is not merely physical or political but fundamentally spiritual, centered on the re-establishment of authentic worship. God desires a people who will worship Him in spirit and truth, and the presence of these singers signals the joy and intentionality with which the exiles sought to re-engage with the heart of their covenant relationship.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Ezra 2:65 serves as a powerful reminder that God's kingdom work encompasses all people and all gifts. The inclusion of servants and maids alongside the main family lines challenges us to recognize and value every individual within the community, regardless of their social standing or perceived importance. Every member of the body of Christ has a crucial role to play, whether in foundational labor, support, or specialized ministry. The specific mention of "singing men and singing women" underscores the vital role of worship in our lives and in the life of the church. It reminds us that our response to God's faithfulness should be one of joy and intentional praise. As we rebuild or strengthen our communities, whether physically or spiritually, we must prioritize vibrant, heartfelt worship as a cornerstone of our identity and purpose. This verse encourages us to embrace our unique gifts and contribute them wholeheartedly to God's glory, knowing that every contribution is essential for the flourishing of His people.

Questions for Reflection

  • What does the meticulous counting in Ezra 2, including the details in verse 65, reveal about God's character and His care for His people?
  • How does the inclusion of "servants and maids" alongside the main families challenge our perceptions of who is valuable or essential in God's work?
  • In what ways does the specific mention of "singing men and singing women" emphasize the centrality of worship in a restored community, and how can we apply this principle to our own lives and churches today?

FAQ

Who were the "singing men and singing women" mentioned in Ezra 2:65?

Answer: The "singing men and singing women" (Hebrew: sharim and sharot) were professional musicians whose primary role was to lead and facilitate musical worship. While some Levites were indeed singers and musicians (e.g., 1 Chronicles 25:1), this specific group in Ezra 2:65 appears to be distinct from the enumerated Levites, suggesting they were specialized individuals hired or dedicated for this purpose. Their inclusion among the returnees highlights the profound importance placed on restoring the liturgical and worshipful aspects of Jewish life, not just the physical structures of the Temple. Their presence ensured that the returning community could immediately re-engage in the vibrant praise and musical accompaniment integral to their worship of God.

Why is the number of servants and maids, and musicians, specifically mentioned?

Answer: The detailed enumeration in Ezra 2 serves multiple crucial purposes. Firstly, it provides a historical record and validates the identity and lineage of the returnees, confirming the fulfillment of God's prophetic promises regarding their return from exile. Secondly, the specific mention of servants and maids (7,337 individuals) underscores the comprehensive nature of the community God was restoring, encompassing various social strata and providing a necessary workforce for the daunting task of rebuilding Jerusalem and the Temple. Thirdly, the specific mention of the 200 singing men and women emphasizes the spiritual aspirations of the returning exiles. It signals that the restoration was not merely about physical reconstruction but also about the re-establishment of vibrant, organized worship, which was central to Israel's identity and covenant relationship with God. This meticulous accounting reflects God's sovereign hand in orchestrating every detail of His redemptive plan, ensuring that all necessary elements for a flourishing community, both practical and spiritual, were present.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

The meticulous census in Ezra, particularly the inclusion of diverse roles like servants and musicians in Ezra 2:65, foreshadows the comprehensive and inclusive nature of God's new covenant community, the Church. Just as every individual, regardless of social standing or specialized gift, was vital for the restoration of Israel, so too in Christ, all believers are valued members of His body, each endowed with unique gifts for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). The emphasis on the return of professional musicians to lead worship points to the ultimate worship of God through Christ. Jesus is the true Temple, whose body was destroyed and raised again (John 2:19-21), and through His perfect sacrifice, He enables a new, spiritual worship "in spirit and truth" that transcends physical locations (John 4:23-24). The return from exile and the restoration of worship find their ultimate fulfillment in Christ's redemptive work, which brings believers into a new kingdom where they are called to be a "holy priesthood" offering "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:5). The joyful singing of the exiles anticipates the eternal song of redemption sung by the redeemed around the throne, praising the Lamb who has made them "a kingdom and priests to our God" (Revelation 5:9-10).

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Commentary on Ezra 2 verses 64–70

Here is, I. The sum total of the company that returned out of Babylon. The particular sums before mentioned amount not quite to 30,000 (29,818), so that there were above 12,000 that come out into any of those accounts, who, it is probable, were of the rest of the tribes of Israel, besides Judah and Benjamin, that could not tell of what particular family or city they were, but that they were Israelites, and of what tribe. Now, 1. This was more than double the number that were carried captive into Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, so that, as in Egypt, the time of their affliction was the time of their increase. 2. These were but few to begin a nation with, and yet, by virtue of the old promise made to their fathers, they multiplied so as before their last destruction by the Romans, about 500 years after, to be a very numerous people. When God says, "Increase and multiply," a little one shall become a thousand.

II. Their retinue. They were themselves little better than servants, and therefore no wonder that their servants were comparatively but few (Ezr 2:65) and their beasts of burden about as many, Ezr 2:66, Ezr 2:67. It was not with them now as in days past. But notice is taken of 200 singing-men and women whom they had among them, who, we will suppose, were intended (as those Ch2 35:25) to excite their mourning, for it was foretold that they should, upon this occasion, go weeping (Jer 50:4), with ditties of lamentation.

III. Their oblations. It is said (Ezr 2:68, Ezr 2:69), 1. That they came to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem; and yet that house, that holy and beautiful house, was now in ruins, a heap of rubbish. But, like their father Abraham, when the altar was gone they came with devotion to the place of the altar (Gen 13:4); and it is the character of the genuine sons of Zion that they favour even the dust thereof, Psa 102:14. 2. That they offered freely towards the setting of it up in its place. That, it seems, was the first house they talked of setting up; and though they came off a journey, and were beginning the world (two chargeable things), yet they offered, and offered freely, towards the building of the temple. Let none complain of the necessary expenses of their religion, but believe that when they come to balance the account they will find that it clears the cost. Their offering was nothing in comparison with the offerings of the princes in David's time; then they offered by talents (Ch1 29:7), now by drams, yet these drams, being after their ability, were as acceptable to God as those talents, like the widow's two mites. The 61,000 drams of gold amount, by Cumberland's calculation, to so many pounds of our money and so many groats. Every maneh, or pound of silver, he reckons to be sixty shekels (that is, thirty ounces), which we may reckon 7l. 10s. of our money, so that this 5000 pounds of silver will be above 37,000l. of our money. It seems, God had blessed them with an increase of their wealth, as well as of their numbers, in Babylon; and, as God had prospered them, they gave cheerfully to the service of his house. 3. That they dwelt in their cities, Ezr 2:70. Though their cities were out of repair, yet, because they were their cities, such as God had assigned them, they were content to dwell in them, and were thankful for liberty and property, though they had little of pomp, plenty, or power. Their poverty was a bad cause, but their unity and unanimity were a good effect of it. Here was room enough for them all and all their substance, so that there was no strife among them, but perfect harmony, a blessed presage of their settlement, as their discords in the latter times of that state were of their ruin.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 64–70. Public domain.
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CassiodorusAD 585
EXPLANATION OF THE PSALMS 95.1
“A canticle of David, when the house was built after the captivity.” So far as the literal sense is concerned, the heading points to the time when the temple at Jerusalem is known to have been refurbished by Zerubbabel, son of Salathiel, after it had been leveled to the ground by a hostile band of Chaldeans. But since he says nothing of this kind in what follows, and since the headings of psalms are never at variance with their content, it remains for us to investigate it in the spiritual sense. A destroyed house is built up when a soul following the captivity of sin begins to return to an understanding of the truth through the generosity of the Lord. This house, which is the universal church in which Christ dwells, is always raised up on living stones, because every day it gains increase in building from its confessors and does not cease to be built up until the number of the predestined is attained at the end of the world. We must store this psalm in our minds as the second of those proclaiming the first and the second coming of the Lord.
BedeAD 735
Commentary on Ezra and Nehemiah
And in those same places, singers and singing women were appointed (II Chronicles XXV). Not only among the Levites were singers found, along with the doorkeepers of the temple and the Nethinim, but also within God's people, joined with singing women, they hastened to restore the buildings of the house of God. According to the literal meaning, he calls singers those who resounded the psalms with sweet modulation; this, we see from the Words of the Days, was customary for the Levites to do in the temple of God among the daily sacrifices. But it is also credible that at that time many from the people themselves did this in each of their places. According to the mystical senses, however, singers in the temple or people of God are those who, with greater sweetness of spirit, keep the heavenly commandments themselves and urge their listeners to keep these same commandments through frequent exhortations. Moreover, it is fitting that women singers are joined to the men, considering the feminine sex, where many individuals are found who, not only by living but also by preaching, kindle the hearts of their neighbors to praise their Creator and, as if with the sweetness of their holy voices, assist in the labor of building up the temple of the Lord. To the ministry of all these people, the title and text of Psalm 115 aptly apply. The title is: When the house of the Lord was being built after the captivity, a song for David. This, according to the literal sense, seems to express the restoration of the temple, about which the present book writes. But in the anagogical sense, that is, in the higher sense, it suggests the building of the holy Church, made up of souls saved from diabolic captivity and recalled to the knowledge of their Creator; in which building of the Church, every chosen person ought to resound with a song of praise and confession, with strong and desirable hand, that is, to the Lord Jesus Christ, sincerely understanding that without His grace, nothing good can be done. To this very title, the psalm corresponds: Sing to the Lord a new song, sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name, proclaim His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples (Psalm 95), etc. Therefore, we are first commanded in the building of the house of the Lord to sing a new song to the Lord, that is, to retain His love within our hearts and show our observance of His commandments outwardly; and this not by a few, but by all the earth, through which the holy Church is spread. Then, we are commanded to evangelize His salvation, that is, Christ (for in Latin, to evangelize means to announce good news); and this not to a few listeners, but to all peoples among whom the Church is spread throughout the world; not that one individual can evangelize to all nations, but that all of us in our respective times and places can and should wish for the eternal salvation's joy for all, saying: Praise the Lord, all nations, and laud Him, all peoples. For His mercy is confirmed upon us (Psalm 116), etc.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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