Ezra 2:41
What does Ezra 2:41 mean?
A plain-English look at Ezra 2:41 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ezra 2:41 means
The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight, are listed. Music was integral to temple worship—psalms, thanksgiving, and praise at daily offerings and festivals. Asaph’s line had a storied role in pre-exilic worship. Their presence shows that the return envisioned not a skeletal ritual but the full beauty of ordered praise. These 128 singers would lead the people in worship, reinforcing covenant truths and fostering communal joy before the Lord.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949The music-makers: the children of Asaph, a hundred and twenty-eight
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862The singers: sons of Asaph, a hundred twenty and eight.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752The singing men: the children of Asaph, a hundred twenty-eight.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred and twenty-eight.
Context
After priests and Levites, the chapter lists the specialized guild of singers, indicating attention to the full range of temple ministries. Next will come the porters (v. 42), responsible for gatekeeping and security, and then the Nethinim (vv. 43–54), who performed various support tasks. This builds a layered picture of a temple ready, in principle, to resume its full ministry once rebuilt.
v.40The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
v.41This passage
v.42The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all a hundred thirty and nine.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Nehemiah 7:44
The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred forty and eight.
- 1 Chronicles 25:1
Moreover David and the captains of the host set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of them that did the work according to their service was:
- 1 Chronicles 15:17
So the Levites appointed Heman the son of Joel; and of his brethren, Asaph the son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari their brethren, Ethan the son of Kushaiah;
- 1 Chronicles 6:39
And his brother Asaph, who stood on his right hand, even Asaph the son of Berechiah, the son of Shimea,
- Nehemiah 11:17
and Mattaniah the son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who was the chief to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brethren; and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.