Ezra 8:1
What does Ezra 8:1 mean?
A plain-English look at Ezra 8:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ezra 8:1 means
Ezra opens by naming the heads of fathers’ houses who returned with him from Babylon during Artaxerxes’ reign. This careful record shows that the return was not haphazard but ordered, rooted in family lines, and under recognized leadership. In Scripture, genealogies often serve to connect God’s people to His prior promises. Here, the list affirms continuity between those who had gone into exile and those now returning to reestablish life and worship in the land. Ezra’s first-person note, “went up with me,” underlines his eyewitness role and responsibility. The mention of Artaxerxes locates the event in real history and stresses God’s providence working through an earthly king’s reign.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Now these are the heads of their fathers’houses, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:
KJV
King James Version · 1611These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Now these are the heads of their fathers’houses, and this is the genealogy of them that went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Now these are the heads of families who were listed of those who went up with me from Babylon, when Artaxerxes was king.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And these <FI>are<Fi> heads of their fathers, and the genealogy of those going up with me, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king, from Babylon.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Now these are the chief of families, and the genealogy of them, who came up with me from Babylon in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And these are the chief fathers, and their genealogy, who went up with me from Babylon in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.
Context
Verse 1 serves as the heading for the list that follows in verses 2–14. It signals a transition from Artaxerxes’ decree and Ezra’s commission (earlier in Ezra) to the actual company that journeyed with Ezra. The chapter will first record names and numbers, then narrate the preparations, the fast, the custody of offerings, the journey, and the arrival in Jerusalem. This opening line frames what follows as a faithful catalog of leaders, establishing trust and continuity before describing the spiritual and logistical steps taken for the return.
v.1This passage
v.2Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ezra 7:13
I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, that are minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with thee.
- 1 Chronicles 9:34
These were heads of fathers’ houses of the Levites, throughout their generations, chief men: these dwelt at Jerusalem.
- Ezra 7:7
And there went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.
- 1 Chronicles 26:32
And his brethren, men of valor, were two thousand and seven hundred, heads of fathers’ houses, whom king David made overseers over the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites, for every matter pertaining to God, and for the affairs of the king.
- Nehemiah 7:70
And some from among the heads of fathers’ houses gave unto the work. The governor gave to the treasury a thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty priests’ garments.
- Ezra 1:5
Then rose up the heads of fathers’housesof Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up to build the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem.