Question 1

Why does Ezra list all the family heads and numbers in this passage?

Accepted Answer

The list of family heads and numbers shows who willingly chose to leave Babylon and return to Jerusalem. It honors those who stepped forward to help restore worship and life in the land God had given them. These names also show that priestly and royal lines were still intact, tying this group back to Israel’s history and God’s promises. The count of men in each family helps show the size of the company and that this was a real, organized return, not just a vague story.

Question 2

Why was Ezra worried that there were no Levites among the people?

Accepted Answer

Levites were set apart to help with worship and work around the temple. When Ezra saw there were no Levites in the group, it meant there would be a lack of trained people to serve when they reached Jerusalem. This mattered because God’s worship was to be carried out in an ordered way, with the right people in the right roles. Ezra’s response shows he cared deeply that worship in Jerusalem would follow God’s pattern, so he sent trusted men to ask for Levites and temple servants to join them.

Question 3

Why did Ezra proclaim a fast at the river Ahava?

Accepted Answer

Ezra called a fast before starting the journey so that everyone could humble themselves and seek God’s help. They were traveling with families, children, and great amounts of silver and gold through dangerous territory. Instead of first looking for human protection, Ezra wanted their hearts set on God. Fasting here meant they went without food for a time, prayed, and asked God to show them the right way and guard them on the road. It was a way of saying, in action, that they depended on God more than anything else.

Question 4

Why did Ezra refuse to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen?

Accepted Answer

Ezra had already told the king that God’s hand is for good on those who seek Him, and that His power is against those who turn from Him. To then ask for soldiers might have looked like he doubted what he had said about God’s care. Ezra chose instead to trust God openly. He was not against ordinary means of safety in general, but in this case he felt it would weaken their witness. So he relied on prayer and fasting, and the passage shows that God protected them from enemies and ambushes on the way.

Question 5

What does “the hand of our God was upon us” mean in this passage?

Accepted Answer

When Ezra says “the hand of our God was upon us,” he is talking about God’s active care and guidance. It means God was directing events, giving them favor with people they needed help from, and keeping them safe on a dangerous road. They had prayed and fasted before traveling, and then they saw the result in real protection and a safe arrival in Jerusalem. The phrase reminds readers that God is not distant but involved, watching over those who seek Him and guiding their steps in very practical ways.

Question 6

Why does Ezra carefully weigh the silver, gold, and vessels before and after the journey?

Accepted Answer

Ezra weighs the silver, gold, and vessels into the hands of chosen priests and Levites so that everything is handled with honesty and respect. These items were offerings for God’s house, given by the king, his officials, and the people. By counting and weighing them in front of witnesses, both when they left and when they arrived, Ezra makes sure nothing is hidden or lost. He also reminds the priests and Levites that they and the vessels are holy, so they must guard them well. This shows careful stewardship in God’s service.

Question 7

Who are the Nethinims mentioned in this passage, and what did they do?

Accepted Answer

The Nethinims were a group of temple servants who helped the Levites with practical work connected to worship. Their name points to people who were “given” for service. In this passage, Ezra sends word to Iddo and his brothers, including the Nethinims, asking for ministers for God’s house. Later, two hundred and twenty Nethinims join the group. They are counted by name, which shows they were valued. Their role reminds us that even supporting tasks in God’s work matter and are seen by Him.

Question 8

What do the burnt offerings at the end of the passage show about the people’s hearts?

Accepted Answer

When the group reaches Jerusalem, the returned exiles offer burnt offerings and a sin offering: bulls, rams, lambs, and goats. Burnt offerings were fully burned on the altar as a sign of giving themselves to God. The sin offering showed their need for cleansing and forgiveness. By offering these gifts, they are not just saying “we made it safely,” but turning their arrival into worship. It shows they knew their journey, protection, and future in the land all depended on God’s mercy and favor.

Question 9

How can Ezra’s fasting and trust in God’s protection speak to believers today?

Accepted Answer

Ezra’s example shows that before big steps or risky moves, God’s people should first humble themselves and seek Him. He did not treat prayer and fasting as a last resort but as the starting point. He also held to what he had already said about God’s care, even when it might have seemed safer to rely on human protection. Today, believers can learn to bring their fears, families, and resources to God in honest prayer, to make practical plans, and yet keep their deepest trust in God’s hand over their lives.

Ezra 8:1

These 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.

The Exiles Who Returned with Ezra

Ezra Sends for the Levites

Fasting for Protection

Priests to Guard the Offerings

Arrival in Jerusalem

The Exiles Who Returned with Ezra

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Ezra 8:1

These 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.

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The Exiles Who Returned with Ezra

Ezra Sends for the Levites

Fasting for Protection

Priests to Guard the Offerings

Arrival in Jerusalem

The Exiles Who Returned with Ezra

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