March 21 Daily Discovery - Read Ezra Chapter 2

This passage below is from the King James Version (ekjv.org).

Remarks from the Berean Fellowship follow the passage below.

[1] Now these are the children of the province that went up out of the captivity, of those which had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away unto Babylon, and came again unto Jerusalem and Judah, every one unto his city;
[2] Which came with Zerubbabel: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
[3] The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.
[4] The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
[5] The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.
[6] The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.
[7] The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
[8] The children of Zattu, nine hundred forty and five.
[9] The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
[10] The children of Bani, six hundred forty and two.
[11] The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and three.
[12] The children of Azgad, a thousand two hundred twenty and two.
[13] The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty and six.
[14] The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty and six.
[15] The children of Adin, four hundred fifty and four.
[16] The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
[17] The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.
[18] The children of Jorah, an hundred and twelve.
[19] The children of Hashum, two hundred twenty and three.
[20] The children of Gibbar, ninety and five.
[21] The children of Bethlehem, an hundred twenty and three.
[22] The men of Netophah, fifty and six.
[23] The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
[24] The children of Azmaveth, forty and two.
[25] The children of Kirjath-arim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty and three.
[26] The children of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one.
[27] The men of Michmas, an hundred twenty and two.
[28] The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
[29] The children of Nebo, fifty and two.
[30] The children of Magbish, an hundred fifty and six.
[31] The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
[32] The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
[33] The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and five.
[34] The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
[35] The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
[36] The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
[37] The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
[38] The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
[39] The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
[40] The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
[41] The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred twenty and eight.
[42] The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.
[43] The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
[44] The children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon,
[45] The children of Lebanah, the children of Hagabah, the children of Akkub,
[46] The children of Hagab, the children of Shalmai, the children of Hanan,
[47] The children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah,
[48] The children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam,
[49] The children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai,
[50] The children of Asnah, the children of Mehunim, the children of Nephusim,
[51] The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
[52] The children of Bazluth, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
[53] The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Thamah,
[54] The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
[55] The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda,
[56] The children of Jaalah, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
[57] The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Ami.
[58] All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.
[59] And these were they which went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsa, Cherub, Addan, and Immer: but they could not shew their father's house, and their seed, whether they were of Israel:
[60] The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred fifty and two.
[61] And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:
[62] These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
[63] And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.
[64] The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
[65] Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.
[66] Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;
[67] Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.
[68] And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:
[69] They gave after their ability unto the treasure of the work threescore and one thousand drams of gold, and five thousand pound of silver, and one hundred priests' garments.
[70] So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

They Gave after their Ability

In this chapter of ezra is recorded the total of the number of people that returned to jerusalem and judah from babylonian captivity. They are listed first genealogically and their counts are given, followed by a listing of people from places and regions.  

The phrase the children of precedes genealogical record, otherwise the phrase the men of precedes a regional record.

A grand total of 43,460 total returned,not counting servants and maids.

They returned with possessions. They gave what they could for the house of God.

Give to the Lord as you Can

We all have something that we can give to the Lord. We can give of our time, our talents and our treasure.  

God only expects us to give as we are able, and it starts with a willing heart. God loves a cheerful giver.

2 Cor. 8:7-15

[7] Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.
[8] I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.
[9] For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.
[10] And herein I give my advice: for this is expedient for you, who have begun before, not only to do, but also to be forward a year ago.
[11] Now therefore perform the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to will, so there may be a performance also out of that which ye have.
[12] For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.
[13] For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
[14] But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
[15] As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.

2 Cor. 9:1-7

[1] For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you:
[2] For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many.
[3] Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready:
[4] Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting.
[5] Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.
[6] But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
[7] Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.

Our Time

We've got 24 hours in every day. We can give some of our time to God.

Our Talents

Every ability that we have was a gift of the grace of God. We can use our God-given abilities to give back through our talents to His kingdom.

Our Treasure

We've all got stuff. Most of us have stuff that we don't need. Many Americans rent storage facilities to hold stuff that they can't put in closets or the garage at their home. Many American families have several automobiles. A nation that is blessed such as ours with such material wealth must take care not to become covetous. Some things that you own and you're not using could be a real blessing for somebody else that needs it. When you give something from a willing heart to someone else, God accepts it as if you were giving it to him.

Sometimes you can help to finance a kingdom project by selling something that you don't need.

Acts 4:32-37

[32] And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.
[33] And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
[34] Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
[35] And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.
[36] And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
[37] Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.

You can't do what other people can do, and that's okay, just do what you can.

Mark 14:1-9

[1] After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
[2] But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
[3] And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
[4] And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
[5] For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
[6] And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
[7] For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
[8] She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
[9] Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

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