Ezra 2 - Easy To Read Version

¹ These are the people of the province that came back from captivity. In the past, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took these people as prisoners to Babylon. These people came back to Jerusalem and Judah. Each person went back to his own town.

² These are the people who returned with Zerubbabel: {\cf2\super [6]} Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the list of names and numbers of men from Israel that came back:

³ The descendants of Parosh2,172\par

⁴ the descendants of Shephatiah372\par

⁵ the descendants of Arah775\par

⁶ the descendants of Pahath Moab of\par the family of Jeshua\par and Joab2,812\par

⁷ the descendants of Elam1,254\par

⁸ the descendants of Zattu945\par

⁹ the descendants of Zaccai760\par

¹⁰ the descendants of Bani642\par

¹¹ the descendants of Bebai623\par

¹² the descendants of Azgad1,222\par

¹³ the descendants of Adonikam666\par

¹⁴ the descendants of Bigvai2,056\par

¹⁵ the descendants of Adin454\par

¹⁶ the descendants of Ater through\par the family of Hezekiah98\par

¹⁷ the descendants of Bezai323\par

¹⁸ the descendants of Jorah112\par

¹⁹ the descendants of Hashum223\par

²⁰ the descendants of Gibbar95\par

²¹ from the town of Bethlehem123\par

²² from the town of Netophah56\par

²³ from the town of Anathoth128\par

²⁴ from the town of Azmaveth42\par

²⁵ from the towns of Kiriath Jearim,\par Kephirah, and Beeroth743\par

²⁶ from the towns of Ramah\par and Geba621\par

²⁷ from the town of Micmash122\par

²⁸ from the towns of Bethel\par and Ai223\par

²⁹ from the town of Nebo52\par

³⁰ from the town of Magbish156\par

³¹ from the other town named\par Elam1,254\par

³² from the town of Harim320\par

³³ from the towns of Lod, Hadid,\par and Ono725\par

³⁴ from the town of Jericho345\par

³⁵ from the town of Senaah3,630\par

³⁶ These are the priests:

³⁷ the descendants of Immer1,052\par

³⁸ the descendants of Pashhur1,247\par

³⁹ the descendants of Harim1,017\par

⁴⁰ These are the people from the family group of Levi:

⁴¹ These are the singers:

⁴² These are the descendants of the temple gatekeepers:

⁴³ These are the descendants of the special temple servants:

⁴⁴ Keros, Siaha, Padon,\par

⁴⁵ Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub,\par

⁴⁶ Hagab, Shalmai, Hanan,\par

⁴⁷ Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah,\par

⁴⁸ Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam,\par

⁴⁹ Uzza, Paseah, Besai,\par

⁵⁰ Asnah, Meunim, Nephussim,\par

⁵¹ Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,\par

⁵² Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,\par

⁵³ Barkos, Sisera, Temah,\par

⁵⁴ Neziah, and Hatipha.\par

⁵⁵ These are the descendants of Solomon’s servants:

⁵⁶ Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,\par

⁵⁷ Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth Hazzebaim,\par and Ami\par

⁵⁸ The temple servants and descendants\par of Solomon’s servants392\par

⁵⁹ Some people came to Jerusalem from these towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer. But these people could not prove that their families were from the family of Israel:

⁶⁰ The descendants of Delaiah,\par Tobiah, and Nekoda652\par

⁶¹ From the family of priests there were the descendants of:

⁶² These people searched for their family histories, but they could not find them. Their names were not included in the list of priests. They could not prove that their ancestors were priests, so they could not serve as priests.

^63-67 The governor ordered these people not to eat any of the holy food. They could not eat any of this food until there was a priest who could use the Urim and Thummim {\cf2\super [7]} to ask God what to do.

⁶⁸ That group arrived at the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. Then the family leaders gave their gifts for building the Lord’s temple. They would build the new temple in the same place as the temple that was destroyed.

⁶⁹ Those people gave as much as they were able. These are the things those people gave for building the temple: 1,100 pounds {\cf2\super [8]} of gold, 3 tons {\cf2\super [9]} of silver, and 100 coats that priests wear.

⁷⁰ So the priests, Levites, and some of the other people moved to Jerusalem and the area around it. This group included the \{temple\} singers, gatekeepers, and the temple servants. The other people of Israel settled in their own home towns.