References (21)
who came with Zerubbabel (Hebr. Zerobavel), Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rechom, Baana.
[The list given here bears great similarity to a corresponding list in . Many of the families are mentioned in both lists and the number of family members is often the same, but there are differences. Some consider these lists to be two different ones, but the chiastic pattern suggests that they are the same, but with different focuses. This list mentions just over 42,000 people, but the vast majority of the Jews never returned with Zerubbabel, Ezra, or Nehemiah, but remained in Babylon. Their descendants have remained there until modern times, when some of them moved back to Israel after the state was formed in 1948. Between 1948 and 2021, over 3 million Jews have made aliyah. In 2021, there were a total of 15 million Jews in the world (including about 15,000 in Sweden), and just under half (6.9 million) lived in Israel. In Sweden, rising anti-Semitism has led to more and more Jews choosing to move to Israel.]
The number of men of the people of Israel:
Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak and his brothers, the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers rose up and built the altar to offer burnt offerings to the God of Israel (Elohim) as it is written in the teaching of Moses the man of God.
In the second month [Iyar – April/May] of the second year [of Cyrus' reign – corresponding to 537 BC], after they had come to the house of the Lord (Elohim) in Jerusalem, Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers, the priests, the Levites, and all those who had returned from captivity to Jerusalem, began the work. They appointed the Levites from the age of 20 and older to supervise the work on the house of the Lord (Yahweh).
But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other prominent leaders of Israel said to them: "It is not for you and us (together) to build a house for the Lord (Yahweh) our God (Elohim); we ourselves will build it for the Lord (Yahweh), the God (Elohim) of Israel, just as Cyrus, king of Persia, has commanded us."
Then Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, son of Jozadak, began to build the house of God in Jerusalem. The prophets of God were with them and helped them.
Among the sons of the priests, the following were found to have married foreign women:
The sons of Jeshoa, son of Jotsadak, and his brothers, Maaseja, Eliezer, Jariv, and Gedalia.
Those who came with Zerubbabel (Hebr. Zerobavel) were Jeshoa, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispperet, Bigvai, Nechom, Baana.
The number of people of the people of Israel was:
Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah (Hebr. Chilqijaho), and Jedai. These were the leaders of the priests and their brothers in the time of Jeshua.
[The high priest] Jeshua became the father of Jojakim,
Jojakim became the father of Eljashib,
Eljashib became the father of Jojada,
These lived in the time of Jehoiakim, the son of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and in the time of Governor Nehemiah and Ezra the priest, the scribe.
In the second year of King Darius, in the sixth month [Elul], on the first day [August 29, 520 BC], the word of the Lord (Yahweh) came through the prophet Haggai (Hebr. Chaggai) to:
Zerubbabel (Hebr. Zerobavel), son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah [; ; ]
and to Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest [; ; ; ].
[The message is addressed first to the leaders, as it is primarily their responsibility, but the prophetic word is also addressed to the people, see verses 3-4.]
He said [Haggai prophesied]:
Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel,
and Joshua, son of Jehozadak (Jehotsadak), the high priest,
together with the remnant of the people
listened to the voice of the Lord (Yahweh) their God (Elohim) and to the words of the prophet Haggai, which the Lord (Yahweh) their God (Elohim) had sent to him, and the people came in reverence (fear of God) before (in the presence of) the Lord (Yahweh).
The Lord (Yahweh) stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people, and they came and worked on the house of their God (Elohim), the Lord of Hosts (Yahweh Sebaots).
Now speak to Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant [] of the people, saying:
[Encouragement:]
"Be strong (bold), Zerubbabel,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh).
"And be strong (courageous), Joshua, son of Jehozadak, high priest,
and be strong (courageous), all the people of the land,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord (Yahweh).
"And do (act, work) [without fear], for I am with you,"
declares (says, proclaims) the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot).
He [the Lord] then showed me [Zechariah in a vision] the high priest Joshua standing before the angel (messenger) of the Lord. At his right hand stood the Accuser [Hebr. ha-Satan; transliterated as Satan], ready to accuse him. [The high priest Joshua represents the sinful people of Jerusalem.]
Joshua was dressed in dirty clothes [literally "smelly clothes soaked in dung"] as he stood before the angel (the messenger).
The angel (messenger) of the Lord (Yahweh) assured Joshua, saying
Now listen, Joshua, the high priest, and your companions who are sitting before you, for they are men who are a sign, for behold, I will bring forth my servant, the Root (an image of the Messiah who is to come).
For behold, the stone that I have set before Joshua is a stone with seven facets. On it I will engrave an inscription, declares (says, proclaims) the Lord of hosts (Yahweh Sebaot), 'that I will remove the iniquity of this land in a single day.
Take silver and gold and make crowns, and set one on the head of Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest. [The Messiah will wear many crowns, see .]
