2 Kings 24:14The Message
|
These are the people from the province who now returned from the captivity, exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried off captive. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his hometown. They came in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. The numbers of the returning Israelites by families of origin were as follows: Parosh, 2,172 Shephatiah, 372 Arah, 775 Pahath-Moab (sons of Jeshua and Joab), 2,812 Elam, 1,254 Zattu, 945 Zaccai, 760 Bani, 642 Bebai, 623 Azgad, 1,222 Adonikam, 666 Bigvai, 2,056 Adin, 454 Ater (sons of Hezekiah), 98 Bezai, 323 Jorah, 112 Hashum, 223 Gibbar, 95. Israelites identified by place of origin were as follows: Bethlehem, 123 Netophah, 56 Anathoth, 128 Azmaveth, 42 Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743 Ramah and Geba, 621 Micmash, 122 Bethel and Ai, 223 Nebo, 52 Magbish, 156 Elam (the other one), 1,254 Harim, 320 Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725 Jericho, 345 Senaah, 3,630. Priestly families: Jedaiah (sons of Jeshua), 973 Immer, 1,052 Pashhur, 1,247 Harim, 1,017. Levitical families: Jeshua and Kadmiel (sons of Hodaviah), 74. Singers: Asaph’s family line, 128. Security guard families: Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, 139. Families of temple support staff: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, Keros, Siaha, Padon, Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, Besai, Asnah, Meunim, Nephussim, Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, Barkos, Sisera, Temah, Neziah, and Hatipha. Families of Solomon’s servants: Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and Ami. Temple support staff and Solomon’s servants added up to 392.
When the army leaders and their men, who had been hiding out in the fields, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor of the land, putting him in charge of the men, women, and children of the poorest of the poor who hadn’t been taken off to exile in Babylon, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah: Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite, accompanied by their men.
When the Babylonian exile ended, Jeconiah had Shealtiel, Shealtiel had Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel had Abiud, Abiud had Eliakim, Eliakim had Azor, Azor had Zadok, Zadok had Achim, Achim had Eliud, Eliud had Eleazar, Eleazar had Matthan, Matthan had Jacob, Jacob had Joseph, Mary’s husband, the Mary who gave birth to Jesus, the Jesus who was called Christ.
There wasn’t a blacksmith to be found anywhere in Israel. The Philistines made sure of that—“Lest those Hebrews start making swords and spears.” That meant that the Israelites had to go down among the Philistines to keep their farm tools—plowshares and mattocks, axes and sickles—sharp and in good repair. They charged a silver coin for the plowshares and mattocks, and half that for the rest. So when the battle of Micmash was joined, there wasn’t a sword or spear to be found anywhere in Israel—except for Saul and his son Jonathan; they were both well-armed.