These likewise cast lots along with their brethren the sons of Aaron in the presence of David the king, and Zadok, and Ahimelech, and the chief of the fathers of the priests and Levites, even the principal fathers along with their younger brethren.
And his kindred, men of valor, were two thousand seven hundred chief fathers, whom king David made rulers over the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, for every matter pertaining to God, and affairs of the king.
So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they were written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah, who were taken away to Babylon for their transgression.
Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, with all them whose spirit God had awakened, to go up to build the house of the LORD which is in Jerusalem.
Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, removed from the priesthood.
I make a decree, that all those of the people of Israel, and of his priests and Levites, in my realm, which are inclined of their own freewill to go up to Jerusalem, go with you.
And has extended mercy unto me before the king, and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty princes. And I was strengthened as the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.
This Ezra went up from Babylon; and he was a learned scribe in the law of Moses, which the LORD God of Israel had given: and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of the LORD his God upon him.
And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.