Those Enrolled By Family Association (Nehemiah 7:8-24).
These submitted their numbers in terms of their clan. Those named would have been heads of clans centuries before, to whom the clan looked back with respect and awe. Compare Nehemiah 11:13 where a ‘son of Immer' (Nehemiah 7:40) is given a fuller genealogy. And there are indications that prominent returnees may have reverted to the names of their ancestors as a sign of their new beginning and the re-establishment of Israel. Note the names of those who signed Nehemiah's covenant (although it may have been signed in the clan name).
‘The sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy two.'
A further group of the sons of Parosh arrived under Ezra in 458 BC (Ezra 8:3). A few of the sons of Parosh were among those who took idolatrous foreign wives (Ezra 10:25). They seemingly assisted in the building of the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:25). One of their number was among those who signed Nehemiah's covenant as one of the chiefs of the people (Nehemiah 10:1; Nehemiah 10:14)
‘The sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy two.'
A further group of these returned under Ezra (Ezra 8:8).
‘The sons of Arah, six hundred and fifty two.'
In Ezra 2 the number is given as seven hundred and seventy five. This may indicate that some had returned to Babylon in disillusionment, or that meanwhile one hundred and twenty three had died through plague or massacre. Life was not easy in the new Israel.
‘The sons of Pahath-moab, of the sons of Jeshua (and) Joab, two thousand, eight hundred and eighteen.'
The sons of Pahath-moab (which means ‘governor of Moab') were divided into two sub-clans,, the sons of Jeshua and the sons of Joab. The increase by six as compared with Ezra 2:6 might indicate those who had since become adults, less possibly some who had died, or alternately it could be that a few sons of Pahath-moab had later arrived with a party which was mainly made up of sons of Azgad (Nehemiah 7:17). Further sons of Pahath-moab would return with Ezra (Ezra 8:4). Hashub, a ‘son of Pahath-moab' was named among those who oversaw the building of the walls of Jerusalem (Nehemiah 3:11). Pahath-moab is the name of one of the signatories of Nehemiah's covenant (Nehemiah 10:14), although it may have been signed in the name f the clan. Some of the sons of Pahath-moab took idolatrous foreign wives (Ezra 10:30).
Seemingly their ancestor Pahath-moab had been governor of Moab under one of the kings at a time when Moab was under Israel's jurisdiction.
‘The sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty four.'
Further members of the clan arrived with Ezra (Ezra 8:7), while others took idolatrous foreign wives (Ezra 10:26). One of their number, Shecaniah, was prominent in dealing with this latter problem. ‘Elam' signed Nehemiah's covenant (Nehemiah 10:1).
Further on in the list Elam Acher (or ‘the other Elam') is mentioned (Nehemiah 7:34), although there it appears to represent a town. Coincidentally the number returning there is also one thousand, two hundred and fifty four, and this is repeated in Ezra 2 demonstrating that if it is incorrect the error occurred very early on prior to the lists being used in Ezra and Nehemiah. But such remarkable coincidences have occurred in history so the number may well be correct. However, LXX has one thousand two hundred and fifty two in Nehemiah 7:34. On the other hand this may simply have been influenced by their not being willing to accept the coincidence. There are a number of possible explanations:
1) That it is simply a remarkable coincidence
2) That the compiler of the list wanted to enter the same clan/family in two places, one under family name and the other under district, indicating that he had done this by using the term ‘the other'. (The numbers were not intended to be added up).
3) That the compiler had asked for lists from both the family of Elam and from the town of Elam, with the submitter achieving this either by numbering the Elamites and halving the total, applying one half to the family and the other half to the town, or by submitting the same total in respect of each.
4) That a copy of the list was made very early on (prior to its use in these records) with the copyist consulting the original list and in one case selecting the wrong total as his eye ran down looking for Elam.
‘The sons of Zattu, eight hundred and forty five.'
Sons of Zattu were involved in marrying idolatrous foreign wives (Ezra 10:27) and one was a signatory to Nehemiah's covenant (Nehemiah 10:14). In Ezra 2 the number is nine hundred and forty five. Once again this may be the consequence of some becoming disillusioned and returning to a securer life in Babylon, or be the result of deaths by pestilence or violence. The round ‘one hundred' might suggest that in this case the one who submitted the alteration used ‘a hundred' in the regular way of signifying a fairly large group, without being exact (compare Exodus 18:25; Deuteronomy 1:15), this being subtracted from the original total.
‘The sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.'
This may be the same as the family of Zabbai (qere Zaccai) in Nehemiah 3:20, in relation to the repairing of the wall, and may be connected with the family of Bebai, one of whose sons was named Zabbai, who were involved with idolatrous foreign wives in Ezra 10:28.
‘The sons of Binnui, six hundred and forty eight.'
Binnui is called Bani in Ezra 2:10. In the earlier Ezra list we are told that they numbered six hundred and forty two. The numbered members of the family had clearly increased by six, probably due to more becoming adults during the period. Or some may have arrived with the sons of Azgad.
Bani was the name connected with one of the wall builders in Nehemiah 3:17 who was named Rehum, the son of Bani; and of a chief of the people who signed Nehemiah's covenant (Nehemiah 10:14).
It was also the name of a Levite who helped the people to understand the Law in Nehemiah 8:7; of a Levite involved in worship in Nehemiah 9:4 ff.; of a Levite who sealed the sure covenant of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:13); and of one whose son was an overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:22). It was thus a popular name.
The sons of Bani were involved in taking idolatrous foreign wives (Ezra 10:29), as were other ‘sons of Bani' (Ezra 10:34), one of those sons was named Bani and another Binnui (Nehemiah 10:38). The difference in name is minimal, the one being an alternative of the other.
‘The sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty eight.'
Ezra 2 has six hundred and twenty three, indicating another increased family, this time by five. A further group of the sons of Bebai arrived with Ezra (Ezra 8:11), while one who was named Bebai sealed the sure covenant of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:15). There would later be mention of a town called Bebai (Jdt 15:4).
‘The sons of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty two.'
The name means "strong is Gad". Ezra 2 has one thousand, two hundred and twenty two, an increase here of eleven hundred. This suggests that a further party of the sons of Azgad had arrived after the list in Ezra was made, but prior to this list. Further sons of Azgad arrived with Ezra (Ezra 8:12). An Azgad is named among the leaders who sealed Nehemiah's sure covenant (Nehemiah 10:15).
‘The sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty seven.'
Ezra 2:13 numbers them at six hundred and sixty six. The name means "my lord has risen up". There is thus an increase of one, possibly due to one more coming of age than possibly died. Further sons of Adonikam arrived with Ezra (Ezra 8:13).
‘The sons of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty seven.'
Ezra numbers them at two thousand and fifty six. There is thus an increase of eleven. Once more this could be an increase through men coming of age (less deaths), and/or as a result of some who had come with the later arrival of the additional sons of Azgad. A further seventy two males would arrive later under Ezra (Ezra 8:14). Bigvai was one of those who sealed Nehemiah's sure covenant.
‘The sons of Adin, six hundred and fifty five.'
The name means ‘adorned'. Ezra 2 numbers them at four hundred and fifty four, an increase here of one, probably as a result of a coming of age (or a combination of deaths and comings of age). A further group, led by Ebed, the son of Jonathan, arrived with Ezra (Ezra 8:6). An Adin also was one of those who sealed the covenant of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:16).
‘The sons of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety eight.'
‘Of Hezekiah' distinguishes the sons of Ater here from the sons of Ater who were gatekeepers (Nehemiah 7:45). We cannot identify the Hezekiah. An Ater was a sealant of the covenant of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:17).
‘The sons of Hashum, three hundred and twenty eight.'
In Ezra 2 they number two hundred and twenty three. There is thus an increase of one hundred and five. Possibly some had arrived from Babylon with the later arrival of sons of Azgad, or they may have come in their own party. Sons of Hashum were involved with idolatrous foreign wives (Ezra 10:33).
‘The sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty four.'
In Ezra 2 they number three hundred and twenty three. There is thus an increase meanwhile of one. Bezai was a sealant of the covenant of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:18). In Ezra 2 Bezai, along with Jorah/Hariph, comes before Hashum.
‘The sons of Hariph, a hundred and twelve.'
In the Ezra 2 list these are given the name ‘sons of Jorah'. Jorah (‘autumn rain') was probably Hariph's (‘harvest time') alternate name. An Hariph was a sealant of the covenant of Nehemiah (Nehemiah 10:19).