Ezra 10:23
What does Ezra 10:23 mean?
A plain-English look at Ezra 10:23 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ezra 10:23 means
Attention turns to the Levites, where five are named: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. Even among those tasked with assisting in temple duties, compromise had taken root. By including alternate names, like Kelaiah/Kelita, the record demonstrates precision. The Levites’ inclusion reminds readers that holiness is not the burden of priests alone; all who serve in God’s house must be exemplary. Their naming signals that the commission addressed every rank without favoritism. The same repentance required of priests is expected of Levites, preserving the community’s worship from the inside out.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Also of the Levites; Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah, (the same is Kelita,) Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And of the Levites, Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (that is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah--he <FI>is<Fi> Kelita, --Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And of the sons of the Levites, Jozabed, and Semei, and Celaia, the same is Calita, Phataia, Juda, and Eliezer.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.
Context
Having finished with priests, the list proceeds to Levites. This maintains the pattern of cleansing temple-associated roles first. The next verse will mention singers and porters, completing the spectrum of temple service. After that, the roster will expand to lay Israelites by family groups, showing that the reform was not confined to leadership but embraced the whole people.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ezra 8:33
And on the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest (and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levites)—
- Nehemiah 11:16
and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the chiefs of the Levites, who had the oversight of the outward business of the house of God;
- Nehemiah 10:10
and their brethren, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan,