The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
The roll is the register of those who had already returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel in the first year of Cyrus in answer to his proclamation to rebuild the temple. It is the list of the people who responded to the decree and went up to Jerusalem. The whole returned company numbered 42,360 persons in all. They stand distinct both from the Jews who still remained in Babylon and from the later company that went up with Ezra.
Nearly fifty thousand Jews accepted Cyrus's offer and returned to their land. His decree ended the captivity by making the people free to go. Even then many remained in exile.
The roll is the register of those who had already returned to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel in the first year of Cyrus in answer to his proclamation to rebuild the temple. It is the list of the people who responded to the decree and went up to Jerusalem. The whole returned company numbered 42,360 persons in all. They stand distinct both from the Jews who still remained in Babylon and from the later company that went up with Ezra.
Nearly fifty thousand Jews accepted Cyrus's offer and returned to their land. His decree ended the captivity by making the people free to go. Even then many remained in exile.