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The Names of Ezra 2
This study deals only with the genealogies in the second chapter of Ezra. More genealogical information in later chaptersand in Nehemiah warrants investigation.
Introduction
(much personal opinion)Ezra 1:5 says, “Then rose up the chief of the fathers of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, withall
them
whose spirit God had raised, to go up to build the house of the L
ORD
which
is
in Jerusalem.”The second chapter of Ezra proceeds with a litany of names who “rose up” to return to Judah to rebuild Yahveh’shouse that call for close examination. Many of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi did indeed return. Mixed in with them,however, were a number of unsavory characters such as Nethinims, non-priests who could nevertheless not proveIsraelite genealogy, and false priests who could not prove Levitical genealogy.The table below attempts to sort out peoples and places. Given the fact that Nebuchadnezzar gave Daniel himself a Babylonian name, it would come as no surprise that some true Israelites bore foreign names. Some wordsidentified as people or places can double as both, and educated guesses are given from context. Many instances of “person” refer to a family patriarch.Jeremiah gives few concrete clues as to how many children of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi, as well as the ever-present “inhabitants of Jerusalem,” went into captivity.Jeremiah 52:15 says, “Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive
certain
of the poor of thepeople, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude.” A total of 4,600 more were carried off in subsequent sieges per verses 28-30 of the same chapter.Per Ezra 2:64-65, 49,697 named and unnamed people returned to the then province of Judah in the Persiankingdom. A hodge-podge mix seems to have gone into captivity, and a hodge-podge mix came out. Given theambiguity of the numbers who went into captivity, one’s mind might ponder the possibilities of some who did notreturn to Judah and migrated elsewhere.Name meanings come primarily from
The Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
, but when it provided nodefinition, sometimes
Smith’s Bible Dictionary 
did. Names from Smith’s are only included if Strong’s had nodefinition.Finally, some interesting trivia gleaned from this study:*The porters’ name meanings are, on the whole, particularly morose*The number of the children of Adonikam who returned was 666*The Nethinims, combined with Solomon’s servants, numbered only 392. That was a small percentage of thegroup that returned, but their names are given in great detail. Other non-Israelites are not called out in suchextensive detail.*There are two “Elams” mentioned, one in verse 7, and “the other Elam” in verse 31. Both list identical numbers of 1,254 returning.
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Who Returned
VerseNameStrong’s NumberName MeaningNumber of PeopleNotes
1Nebuchadnezzar5019
of for. der.
; Smith’s
Nebothe mighty 
not listedfornumberingpurposesking2Zerubbabel2216
descended of (that is, from) Babylon, that is,born there
;
Babylon
 
894confusion
not listedfornumberingpurposesperson;Zerubbabelwas seedroyal of JudahJeshua3442
he will save
not listedfornumberingpurposesperson;helper toZerubbabeland amongthe chief of the fathers of Israel (Ezra4:3)Nehemiah5166
consolation of Yah
not listedfornumberingpurposesperson; aprince of JudahSeraiah8304
Yah has prevailed 
not listedfornumberingpurposesperson; theAzariah of Nehemiah7:7Reelaiah7480
made to tremble (that is, fearful) of Yah
not listedfornumberingpurposespersonMordecai4782
of for. der.
; Smith’s
littleman
not listedfornumberingpurposesperson;either thebad apple inEsther, or adifferentMordecaiBilshan1114
of uncert. der.
; Smith’s
eloquent 
not listedfornumberingpurposesperson
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Mispar4558
number 
not listedfornumberingpurposespersonBigvai902
 prob. of for. or.
; Smith’s
husbandman
not listedfornumberingpurposespersonRehum7348
compassionate
not listedfornumberingpurposespersonBaanah1196
in affliction
not listedfornumberingpurposesperson3Parosh6551
a flea (as the isolated insect)
2,172person4Shephatiah8203
Yah has judged 
372person5Arah733
way-faring
775person6Pahath-moab6355
 pit of Moab; Moab 4124 from (her [the mother’s]) father 
personJeshua3442
he will save
personJoab3097
Yahveh-fathered 
2,812person7Elam5867
hidden, i.e. distant 
1,254person8Zattu2240
of uncert. der.
; Smith’s
asprout 
945person9Zaccai2140
 pure
760person10Bani1137
built 
642person11Bebai893
 prob. of for. or.
623person12Azgad5803
stern troop
1,222person13 Adonikam140
lord of rising (i.e. high)
666person14Bigvai902
 prob. of for. or.
; Smith’s
husbandman
2,056person15Adin5720
voluptuous
454person16Ater333
maimed 
person
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