The Children of the Porters - Ezra 2:42

In the book of Ezra, Ezra shared about “the children of the province that went up out of the captivity” which included those who came with “Zerubabbel” among whom were “the men of Michmas, Bethel and Ai, and the children of Nebo, Magbish, the other Elam, Harim, Lod, Hadid, Ono, Jericho, Senaah and the priest's children of Jedaiah, the house of Jeshua, Immer, Pashur and Harim and the Levites; the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah and the singers: the children of Asaph”,and in chapter two and verse forty two of Ezra, Ezra shared about, “the children of the porters” where we read,

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.

The verse reads, “The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, ...”Ezra began with the words, “the children” which means “the offspring and progeny” “of the porters” which means “belonging to the gatekeepers, doorkeepers or janitors”: “the children” or “the offspring and progeny” “of Shallum”which means “belonging to Shallum whose name means retribution and was a Korahite Levite, son of Kore, father of Maaseiah, and in charge of the work of the service who had a foreign wife in the time of Ezra”, “the children” or “the offspring and progeny” “of Ater” which means “belonging to Ater whose name means binder and was an exiled Levite porter”, “the children” or “the offspring and progeny” “of Talmon” which means “belonging to Talmon whose name means oppressor and was the head of a family of doorkeepers in the temple”. Ezra shared how there were offspring of “Shallum, Ater and Talmon” who were servants in the temple who returned to Jerusalem with Zerubabbel. 

The verse goes on to say, “... the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all an hundred thirty and nine.” Ezra continued with the words, “the children” or “the offspring and progeny” “of Akkub” which means “belonging to Akkub whose name means insidious and was the head of a family of temple slaves returning from exile and a Levite gatekeeper”, “the children” or “the offspring and progeny” “of Hatita” which means “belonging to Hatita whose name means exploring and was the head of a family of Levitical porters or gate-keepers who returned from exile with Zerubbabel”, “the children” or “the offspring and progeny” “of Shobai” which means “belonging to Shobai whose name means glorious and was an ancestor of a family of doorkeepers of the temple who returned with Zerubbabel”, “in all an hundred thirty and nine” or “in total the number of these people was one hundred and thirty nine who were porters that returned to Jerusalem”. Ezra shared how there were one hundred and thirty-nine offspring of “Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai” who were among the “porters” and returned to Jerusalem in Judah.

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Ezra about another important group of people who went back to Jerusalem after being exiled in Babylon for seventy years. These people served as those who cared for the temple to be cleaned and kept, and because there was always much to do in these areas, it was necessary for them to go back to their homeland as well. God calls people to many areas of service, and when we have received His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins as our “Savior and Lord”, not only will He forgive our sins and grant us everlasting life, but He will also appoint us to a specific area of service in His Kingdom. 

Next time Ezra shares about, “the Nethinims”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".