Ezra 8:7

KJV

And of the sons of Elam; Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males.

KJV (with Strong's)

And of the sons {H1121} of Elam {H5867}; Jeshaiah {H3470} the son {H1121} of Athaliah {H6271}, and with him seventy {H7657} males {H2145}.

Complete Jewish Bible

of the descendants of 'Eilam: Yesha'yah the son of 'Atalyah, and with him 70 males;

Berean Standard Bible

from the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him 70 men;

American Standard Version

And of the sons of Elam, Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah; and with him seventy males.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Ezra 8:7 is a brief yet significant entry within the meticulous genealogical record of Jewish families and their leaders who returned from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem under the leadership of Ezra the scribe. This verse specifically identifies "Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah" from the "sons of Elam" as a prominent figure, noting that "with him seventy males" accompanied this crucial journey of restoration, underscoring the communal effort and divine orchestration involved in the rebuilding of post-exilic Judah.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Ezra 8:7 is situated within a detailed register of returning exiles in Ezra chapter 8, which serves as a crucial bridge between Ezra's personal account of his journey and the subsequent reforms he institutes in Jerusalem. Chapters 7 and 8 meticulously document Ezra's preparation, the divine favor he receives from King Artaxerxes, and the careful enumeration of the groups and their leaders who accompanied him on the second major wave of returnees from Babylon. This chapter is structured as a list of family heads, their paternal houses, and the number of males accompanying them, culminating in the total count of 1,496 males (excluding Levites and temple servants) who made the perilous journey. The specificity of each entry, including the mention of Jeshaiah and his seventy males, highlights the meticulous record-keeping essential for establishing legitimacy, land claims, and communal identity in the nascent post-exilic community. This detailed list precedes the account of their journey, the fasting and prayer at the Ahava Canal, and their safe arrival in Jerusalem, emphasizing the human and divine elements at play.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The return described in Ezra 8 takes place approximately 80 years after the first wave of returnees led by Zerubbabel and Jeshua (c. 538 BC) and nearly a century after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple by Babylon (586 BC). Ezra's expedition (c. 458 BC) occurred during the reign of Artaxerxes I, under Persian rule. The meticulous genealogical records, such as the one containing Ezra 8:7, were paramount in ancient Israelite and Jewish society. Lineage determined tribal affiliation, inheritance rights, eligibility for priestly service, and social standing. In the post-exilic context, preserving these records was vital for re-establishing the community's identity, ensuring the purity of worship, and preventing assimilation. The "sons of Elam" likely refers to a family or clan that had settled in the region of Elam (east of Babylonia) during the exile, indicating the diverse geographical origins of the returning exiles. The journey itself was fraught with danger from bandits and hostile populations, making the organization and protection of these groups, as detailed by Ezra, a testament to divine providence and careful human planning.
* **Key Themes:** The meticulous enumeration of individuals and family units, like the "sons of Elam" in Ezra 8:7, underscores the profound importance of **genealogy and lineage** in ancient Israel. This was not merely for historical record but was foundational for maintaining tribal identities, establishing claims to land, ensuring priestly succession, and preserving the purity of the community after generations in exile, as also seen in [Nehemiah's similar register](/nehemiah/7-5 "Nehemiah 7:5 - Genealogical Records"). Each group listed, including the seventy males with Jeshaiah, represented a vital component of the **community and restoration** effort. Their collective presence was essential for the daunting task of rebuilding the nation, its spiritual life, and the physical structures of Jerusalem, particularly the Temple, which had been completed earlier but needed ongoing support and a vibrant community to sustain its worship, as recorded in [Ezra 6:15](/ezra/6-15 "Ezra 6:15 - Completion of the Temple"). Furthermore, the successful organization and safe passage of these numerous groups back to their homeland highlights **divine providence and faithfulness** in fulfilling God's promises to restore His people to their land after the seventy years of exile, a theme powerfully articulated by the prophet Jeremiah in [Jeremiah 29:10](/jeremiah/29-10 "Jeremiah 29:10 - Promise of Return from Exile").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Elam (עֵילָם, _ʿêlām'_):** This refers to a historical region and ancient kingdom located east of Mesopotamia, now part of modern-day Iran. In the context of Ezra, "sons of Elam" designates a specific family or clan whose ancestral origins or place of residence during the Babylonian exile was in or near this region. The inclusion of this geographical identifier underscores the diverse origins of the returning exiles, who were scattered across various parts of the Persian Empire but maintained their distinct family identities.
* **Jeshaiah (יְשַׁעְיָה, _yəšaʿyāh'_):** A common Hebrew name meaning "Salvation of Yahweh" or "Yahweh is salvation." The name itself carries a theological weight, subtly reminding the reader of God's active role in the salvation and restoration of His people. In this context, Jeshaiah is identified as a leader, a head of a family unit, indicating his prominence and responsibility in the returning contingent.
* **Seventy males (שִׁבְעִים זְכָרִים, _šivʿîm zəḵārîm'_):** The precise number "seventy" is significant. While it could simply be an accurate count, the number seventy often holds symbolic weight in biblical numerology, representing completeness or a significant gathering (e.g., the seventy nations in Genesis 10, the seventy elders of Israel in Exodus 24, the seventy disciples sent out by Jesus in Luke 10). In this context, it signifies a substantial contribution of adult men, crucial for the physical labor, defense, and communal strength required for the arduous journey and the rebuilding efforts in Jerusalem. The mention of "males" (זְכָרִים) specifies adult men, likely heads of households or those capable of contributing to the physical and social demands of the return.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And of the sons of Elam;":** This initial clause serves to categorize and introduce a specific family or clan group among the returning exiles. It immediately establishes the lineage and tribal affiliation of the individuals who follow, emphasizing the importance of genealogical identity in the post-exilic community. This phrase is part of Ezra's meticulous cataloging, ensuring that each family's contribution to the restoration is recognized and recorded.
* **"Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah,":** This identifies the specific leader or head of the family unit from the "sons of Elam." The full patronymic ("son of Athaliah") provides a clear and unambiguous identification, distinguishing this Jeshaiah from others with the same common name. This naming convention is typical of ancient Near Eastern genealogical records, establishing authority and lineage.
* **"and with him seventy males.":** This final clause quantifies the contribution of Jeshaiah's family unit to the returning community. The "seventy males" represent the adult men who accompanied Jeshaiah, signifying a significant contingent of manpower. This detail highlights the communal nature of the return, where each family group contributed a specific number of individuals to the overall effort of repopulating and rebuilding Judah.

#### Literary Devices
Ezra 8:7, like the surrounding verses in this chapter, primarily employs **Enumeration** and **List** as its dominant literary devices. The entire chapter functions as a detailed register, systematically listing the family heads and the number of males accompanying them. This meticulous **Record-Keeping** serves to underscore the historical veracity and divine order of the return. The precise naming of individuals ("Jeshaiah the son of Athaliah") and the exact numerical count ("seventy males") contribute to a sense of **Verisimilitude**, lending credibility to Ezra's account and emphasizing the tangible reality of the restoration. While not overtly symbolic, the repetition of this listing pattern throughout the chapter creates a cumulative effect, highlighting the collective effort and the sheer scale of the return, reinforcing the theme of God's faithfulness in gathering His scattered people.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Ezra 8:7, seemingly a mere genealogical entry, is rich with theological implications. It speaks to God's meticulous care for His people, even in their scattered state, and His faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises of restoration. The careful enumeration of individuals and families underscores the divine value placed on each person's identity and contribution to the larger community of faith. It highlights that God's grand plan of redemption is often accomplished through the faithful, albeit sometimes seemingly small, actions of many individuals. The return from exile was not a chaotic migration but an organized, divinely orchestrated movement, where every family, every leader, and every "male" played a specific role in re-establishing the nation and its spiritual life. This attention to detail reflects the divine order and purpose behind the restoration, affirming that God is sovereign over history and the lives of His people.

* [Numbers 1:2-3](/numbers/1-2 "Numbers 1:2-3 - Census of Israel")
* [Nehemiah 7:4-5](/nehemiah/7-4 "Nehemiah 7:4-5 - Importance of Genealogies in Nehemiah")
* [Revelation 7:9-10](/revelation/7-9 "Revelation 7:9-10 - The Multitude from Every Nation")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Ezra 8:7, despite its brevity and seemingly dry nature as a genealogical record, offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. It reminds us that every individual, every family, and every seemingly small contribution is significant in God's grand narrative of redemption. Just as Jeshaiah and his seventy males were vital components of the physical and spiritual rebuilding of Israel, so too are we called to recognize our unique place and purpose within the body of Christ. This verse encourages us to value our spiritual heritage, understand our identity in Christ, and actively participate in the ongoing work of God's kingdom. It teaches us the importance of community, emphasizing that collective effort, even in seemingly mundane tasks like record-keeping or journeying, is essential for God's purposes to be realized. Our meticulousness in stewardship, our faithfulness in gathering, and our willingness to be counted among God's people contribute to the larger tapestry of His redemptive work in the world today.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does the meticulous record-keeping in Ezra 8:7 challenge my perception of what God values in His people and His work?**
* **In what ways am I, like Jeshaiah and his seventy males, being called to contribute my unique gifts and presence to the "rebuilding" work of God's kingdom today?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater appreciation for the role of community and the contributions of seemingly "small" individuals within the larger body of Christ?**

### FAQ
**Why is such a detailed list of names and numbers important in the book of Ezra?**

Answer: The detailed lists in Ezra, including Ezra 8:7, serve several crucial purposes. Firstly, they underscore the historical veracity of the return from exile, demonstrating that it was a real, tangible event involving specific individuals and families. Secondly, in ancient Israelite society, genealogy was paramount for establishing identity, tribal affiliation, land claims, and eligibility for priestly or Levitical service. After generations in exile, these records were vital for re-establishing the social, religious, and political order in Judah. They helped ensure the purity of the community and the integrity of the priesthood, preventing assimilation and preserving the distinct identity of God's people. Finally, the meticulousness of these records reflects God's own carefulness and faithfulness in fulfilling His promises to restore His people, showing that every individual was known and accounted for in His divine plan, much like the precise census details found in [Numbers 1](/numbers/1 "Numbers 1 - The Census of Israel").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Ezra 8:7 is a specific historical record of the post-exilic return, it finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ, who is the true and ultimate gatherer and restorer of God's people. Just as Ezra led a remnant back to Jerusalem to rebuild the physical temple and community, Jesus inaugurates a new covenant and builds a spiritual temple—the Church—composed of people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The meticulous counting of "seventy males" foreshadows the divine precision with which God gathers His elect into the new covenant community, where every individual is known by name and has a place, as Jesus himself states in [John 10:3](/john/10-3 "John 10:3 - The Good Shepherd Calls His Own Sheep by Name"). The restoration of Israel under Ezra points forward to the greater spiritual restoration accomplished by Christ, who brings reconciliation not just to a physical land but to God Himself, as described in [2 Corinthians 5:17-19](/2_corinthians/5-17 "2 Corinthians 5:17-19 - Reconciliation in Christ"). Ultimately, the "sons of Elam" and their seventy males are part of the unfolding narrative of God's faithfulness to His covenant people, a faithfulness that culminates in the sending of His Son, Jesus, who gathers all who believe into His eternal kingdom, fulfilling the promises of a new and everlasting community, as prophesied in [Jeremiah 31:31-34](/jeremiah/31-31 "Jeremiah 31:31-34 - The New Covenant") and realized through Christ's atoning work on the cross and His resurrection, which establishes the new spiritual Israel, the Church, as depicted in [Ephesians 2:19-22](/ephesians/2-19 "Ephesians 2:19-22 - Fellow Citizens with God's People").

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Nehemiah 7:12

The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

Ezra 2:31

The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

Ezra 2:7

The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

Nehemiah 7:34

The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.