Question 1

Who are the Levites, singers, and porters listed in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The Levites in this passage are from the families of Jeshua and Kadmiel, from the line of Hodaviah, and they number seventy-four. Along with them are the singers, from the family of Asaph, with one hundred and twenty-eight men, and the porters or gatekeepers, from six families, with a total of one hundred and thirty-nine. All of these groups had jobs connected to the temple. The Levites helped with service around worship, the singers led praise to God, and the porters guarded and watched the gates of the house of God.

Question 2

What are the Nethinim and why are so many families named?

Accepted Answer

The Nethinim were temple servants who were given to help the Levites with the work around God’s house. Their name points to the idea of being “given” for this service. They likely did low and tiring tasks such as carrying water and wood for sacrifices. Many family groups of Nethinim are listed here, showing that this humble work was passed down through generations. Even though their jobs were simple, this passage treats them with respect by carefully recording their family names and total number.

Question 3

Who are the children of Solomon’s servants in this list?

Accepted Answer

The children of Solomon’s servants were descendants of people tied to Solomon’s house and work. Some may have come from peoples whom Solomon made into workers for building and maintaining his projects, including work related to the temple. Here they are grouped with the Nethinim, and together they number three hundred ninety-two. They are counted among those who served around God’s house. This shows that people with more humble or servant roots still had a valued place in the life and worship of the returned community.

Question 4

Why could some families not show whether they were of Israel?

Accepted Answer

Some who came from places like Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer could not show their father’s house or their family line. They claimed to belong with Israel, but they had no records to prove what tribe or family they were from, or even clearly if they were Israelites by birth. Their names, like Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, are given, and they total six hundred fifty-two. This underlines how much family lists and written records mattered for belonging and for certain roles among God’s people.

Question 5

What does this passage show about God’s house and service?

Accepted Answer

This passage shows that God’s house needed many different kinds of workers. There were priests in the larger context, but also Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants from the Nethinim and the children of Solomon’s servants. Every group had its own task, from leading songs to guarding doors to doing heavy work behind the scenes. The careful listing of their names and numbers shows that none of these roles were ignored. Serving God, even in small unnoticed jobs, is treated as something worth recording and remembering.

Question 6

Why are exact numbers and family names important in this list?

Accepted Answer

The exact numbers and many names show care for order and faithfulness to what God had set up earlier for worship. Certain roles around the temple were linked to certain families, and genealogy helped keep that clear. For the people returning from exile, restoring worship meant restoring these roles. Writing down each group and its count also protected the community, so that people could not simply claim a role, like priest or Levite, without proof. This list guarded both the purity of worship and the fairness of service.

Question 7

How does this passage relate to identity and belonging among God’s people?

Accepted Answer

Identity and belonging in this passage are tied closely to family lines and proven records. Those who could show their genealogy were clearly placed in certain groups, like Levites, singers, porters, or temple servants. Others who could not prove their background are still named, but their status is more uncertain. This reminds us that in that time, belonging to Israel and holding certain tasks depended on known ties. It also hints at the sadness and cost when records were lost during exile, affecting how people were seen afterward.

Ezra 2:40

¶ The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.

The List of Returning Exiles

Levites Returning

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Ezra 2:40

¶ The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.

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The List of Returning Exiles

Levites Returning

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