At a specific time, 538 B.C.,1 the Lord caused Cyrus to act in a way that fulfilled specific prophecies. Jeremiah (25:11–12; 29:10) had predicted that the Babylonian captivity would last for seventy years and then God would fulfill his “gracious promise to bring [them] back to this place.”2 The Hebrew word used in Ezra 1:1 suggests that the author was also familiar with Jer 51:1, 11 and the remarkable prophecies of Isa 41:2, 25; 44:28; 45:1, 13.3

our author saw here the providence of God, a theme that is prominent throughout the book. The author of Ezra-Nehemiah, with his biblical view of history, challenges us also to believe that God works within a specific time frame, that he has a plan, that he keeps his word, and that his prophecies will be fulfilled

Certainly God’s providence is evident here. “Let him go up” should be understood as permission, even encouragement to go, but not a command. The Jews were free to decide. A major theme of the book is introduced as their purpose for going: to “build the temple of the LORD, the God of Israel.”

Notice that those who went had to decide to go. This decision would result in insecurity, hardship, and suffering as the returnees started a new, precarious community. But they had a purpose: they were concerned that the faith of their community continue. Their faith, decision, and action were of great importance in the continuation of God’s plan of redemption, both in providing the Scriptures and in preparing the way for the Redeemer.

Here is a parallel with the exodus. The large section of the Book of Exodus dedicated to the construction of the tabernacle and the establishment of worship (chaps. 25–40) is often given little attention by the modern reader. Perhaps Ezra-Nehemiah is often neglected because it deals with the same theme

He included everyone under four genealogical headings: Judah, Benjamin, priests, and Levites. We do not hear of a return of the exiles from the Northern Kingdom, Israel. Thus in Jewish legend they are spoken of as the ten lost tribes. However, the author of Chronicles noted that some from the northern tribes went to live in Judah after the division of the kingdom (2 Chr 11:16) and even included some from Ephraim and Manasseh among those who resettled after the Babylonian captivity. Thus some descendants from other tribes were among those who returned from captivity (see 1 Chr 9:3).18

God’s work requires decision and faith, but it also calls for planning and preparation and demands a specific goal

Throughout chap. 1 the author’s purpose was clearly to show the small postexilic Jewish community their legitimate continuity with the preexilic community and with God’s plan of redemption. Therefore he used motifs from the exodus; he emphasized God’s providence; he mentioned Judah, Benjamin, priests, and Levites; and he explained that even the former articles from the temple had been returned.27

Having listed the “laymen” first, the author moved to the temple ministers in vv. 36–58. The priests constituted about 10 percent of the returnees. David had organized the priests into twenty-four family groups (1 Chr 24), but only four of the twenty-four are represented here.

There was a small number of Levites in relation to priests.47 Later, Ezra could get only thirty-eight to go with him to Jerusalem (Ezra 8:15–20). This may have been because Levites would have no inheritance to return to since their inheritance was the Lord

The term translated “temple servants” (nĕtînîm) literally means “the given” or “the dedicated ones.” Ezra 8:20 says they were given to assist the Levites to perform the more mundane temple duties. They

The many foreign names in the present list confirm that the group probably consisted of individuals of non-Israelite descent. According to Num 31:30–47, some war captives were given to serve the Levites

The names “Hassophereth” (“the scribe”) and “Pokereth-Hazzebaim” (“the gazelle keeper”) could be names of guilds and suggest that these servants, while similar to the temple servants, were involved in more secular tasks

The numbers in the lists add up to 29,818, but the “whole company” here is 42,360. Nehemiah 7 and 1 Esdras (5:41) have the same total of 42,360, although the totals of the other numbers add up to 31,089 in Neh 7 and 30,143 in 1 Esdras

More likely is the suggestion that since this is a composite list, some families simply were omitted; but the overall total remains correct.

This entire chapter serves as a prelude to the great event of building the temple and reestablishing worship as prescribed in the law of Moses. Although modern Western culture places considerably less emphasis on genealogy, it was very important to the community restored in Judah