Ezra 2:4

Arabic Simplified (الكِتاب المُقَدَّس: التَّرْجَمَةُ العَرَبِيَّةُ المُبَسَّطَةُ)

بَنُو شَفَطْيَا وَعَدَدُهُمْ ثَلَاثُ مِئَةٍ وَاثْنَانِ وَسَبعُون.

What Does This Mean?

Ezra 2:4 lists the number of descendants of Shephatiah who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. The verse states that there were 372 of them. This record helps trace the lineage and number of people returning.

Explained for Children

Imagine you're counting the members of a big family coming to a party. This verse is like counting the number of cousins who came from one family. There were 372 cousins from the family of Shephatiah!

Historical Background

Ezra 2 is part of the Book of Ezra, which was written by Ezra the scribe around 450 BC. It lists the people who returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile. This census was important for re-establishing the community and its identity in their homeland.

Living It Out Today

Today, this verse can remind us of the importance of community and counting each individual as valuable. In a church or community group, each member counts and contributes to the whole, much like the 372 descendants of Shephatiah.

Topics

• community
• census
• return from exile
• lineage
• rebuilding
• identity

Related Verses

• Numbers 1:1-4
• Ezra 2:64-65
• Ezra 7:1-10
• Nehemiah 7:43
• Luke 2:3-5

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the number of descendants important?

Recording numbers was crucial for maintaining accurate genealogies, which helped in determining priestly and tribal lineage and for re-establishing community roles.

How does this verse relate to rebuilding Jerusalem?

The verse is part of a larger list of people returning from exile. Their numbers were important for planning and organizing the rebuilding effort.

What can this verse teach us about community?

It teaches us the importance of each individual in a community, as each person counted and contributed to the rebuilding and re-establishment of Jerusalem.

How is this census different from modern censuses?

This census was focused on lineage and tribal affiliations, crucial for religious and community roles, unlike modern censuses which often focus on demographics and statistical data for governance.