Large groups of Jews had returned to Jerusalem in past years, but many faithful men and their families still lived in Babylonian territories, some of whom at this time packed their belongings and assembled with Ezra to return to Judea. The list in this part is a parallel to the famous Golah List ofEzra 2 and Nehemiah 7, but notable here is the predominance of priestly associations before any Davidic identification.
Verse 1
Emboldened by God’s involvement, Ezra recruited family heads and those registered with them to accompany him to Jerusalem .
Verse 2
The list begins with the priests, reflecting 'Ezra's own station as a priest', formed by two patriarchal families: the descendants of Phinehas and Ithamar, as the two descendants of Aaron the high priest. After listing the priestly line, Ezra registers the political line of Israel, which is the descendants of David, indicating that 'the memory of Davidic ancestry continued in the postexilic community'.. One family accompanying Ezra, Hattush, is a descendant of David, and he would be the fourth generation after Zerubbabel. The record of "Hattush" 'makes any other date than 458 difficult'.
Final preparations (8:15–30)
Before departing from Babylonia. Ezra enlisted Levites to join his caravan, as well as 'called for a general fast to petition God's protection, and entrusted the money and valuable articles to consecrated priests'.
Verse 15
The presence of the Levites was significant to Ezra because, under Law of Torah, the Levites were 'responsible for the transport of temple articles'.
Verse 22
In contrast to Nehemiah, who accepted an armed guard, Ezra chose to rely on God's protection.
The journey (8:31–32)
Completing all the preparations, Ezra and his caravan 'embarked on the journey' from Babylonia to Jerusalem.
Verse 31
"The river of Ahava": Vulgate: "the river Ahava"; Latin: "a fiumine Ahava"; the meeting place probably takes its name from the stream. Ahava was reached by Ezra and his company on the ninth day after they left Babylon, which helps Rawlinson to identify Ahava with "Is" as mentioned in Herodotus, which is eight days' journey from Babylon. The modern name of the place is "Hit", which is famous for its bitumen springs, and is situated on the Euphrates, at a distance of about 80 miles northwest from Babylon. The distance from Hit to Jerusalem is 618 miles using modern roads.
Verse [|32]
According to, Ezra and his caravan arrived on the first day of the fifth month.
"Three days": The same "three days' interval" to 'rest after the journey and to prepare plans' is also used by Nehemiah.
This part records that Ezra meticulously transferred the articles and finances, performed the required rituals of sacrifices, and delivered the edict of the Persian king.
Verse 35
After Ezra's group safely arrived in Jerusalem, they offered sacrifice, not because king Artaxerxes ordered them to do, nor as an "isolated act of thanksgiving", but because "they were reconstituted as the people of God and therefore must worship" God.
