The children of the province that went up out of the captivity. — They came from “the captivity,” which was now as it were a generic name — “Children of the captivity” in Babylon (Daniel 2:2), in Judah (Ezra 4:1) — and became “children of the province,” the Judæan province of Persia.
Every one unto his city. — So far, that is, as his city was known. The various cities, or villages, are more distinctly enumerated in Nehemiah.