Ezra 8:2
What does Ezra 8:2 mean?
A plain-English look at Ezra 8:2 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Ezra 8:2 means
The first names highlight significant lines: Phinehas and Ithamar are priestly, and David is royal. By including Gershom, Daniel, and Hattush, Ezra signals that the return included representatives from key families vital to Israel’s identity—priesthood and kingship among them. This underscores the restoration’s breadth: worship life (through priestly lines) and national memory (tied to David’s house) are both present. Though the numbers are not given here for these lines, the mere presence of such descendants strengthens the legitimacy of the community that will reestablish proper temple service and covenant life in Jerusalem.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush.
KJV
King James Version · 1611Of the sons of Phinehas; Gershom: of the sons of Ithamar; Daniel: of the sons of David; Hattush.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattush.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949Of the sons of Phinehas, Gershom; of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel; of the sons of David, Hattush;
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862From the sons of Phinehas: Gershom; from the sons of Ithamar: Daniel; from the sons of David: Hattush;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Of the sons of Phinees, Gersom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattus.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890Of the children of Phinehas, Gershom; of the children of Ithamar, Daniel; of the children of David, Hattush;
Context
Verse 2 begins the enumeration after the heading in verse 1. The chapter proceeds to list heads of families and accompanying males for various houses through verse 14. By starting with priestly and royal connections, the narrative sets a tone of rootedness in Israel’s sacred institutions. Soon, Ezra will discover a problem—the lack of Levites (verse 15)—which he will address. But first, he establishes who came, showing this was a representative group from within Israel’s historic lines.
v.1Now 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:
v.2This passage
v.3Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males a hundred and fifty.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- 1 Chronicles 6:3
And the children of Amram: Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam. And the sons of Aaron: Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
- 1 Chronicles 24:1
And the courses of the sons of Aaron were these. The sons of Aaron: Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
- 1 Chronicles 3:22
And the sons of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. And the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, and Igal, and Bariah, and Neariah, and Shaphat, six.
- 1 Chronicles 3:1
Now these were the sons of David, that were born unto him in Hebron: the first-born, Amnon, of Ahinoam the Jezreelitess; the second, Daniel, of Abigail the Carmelitess;