Hashabiah and Jeshaiah - Ezra 8:19

In the book of Ezra, Ezra said of the “chief men” who returned to “Jerusalem” with him, “I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi. Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, men of understanding. And I sent them with commandment unto Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia, and I told them what they should say unto Iddo, and to his brethren the Nethinims, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring unto us ministers for the house of our God. And by the good hand of our God upon us they brought us a man of understanding, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brethren, eighteen”, and in chapter eight and verse nineteen of Ezra, Ezra shared about, “Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah” where we read,

And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, his brethren and their sons, twenty;

The verse reads, “And Hashabiah, and with him Jeshaiah of the sons of Merari, ...” Ezra began with the words, “and Hashabiah” whose name means “Jehovah has considered”, “and with him” or “and alongside and accompanying him, Hashabiah” “Jeshaiah” whose name means “Jehovah has saved” “the sons of Merari” or “the male offspring and progeny belonging to Merari whose name means bitter”. Ezra shared how the “Nethinims” also sent “Hashabiah and Merari's son Jeshaiah” to be among the servants within the temple. 

The verse continues, “... his brethren and their sons, twenty;” Ezra added the words, “his brethren” which means “his, Merari's, relatives, kinship and kindred”, “and their sons, twenty” or “and their, the brethren's, male offspring and progeny which numbered to twenty”. Ezra shared how the relatives of “Merari, their twenty kindred and male offspring”were also among the “Nethinims” who were sent to Ezra upon his request for ministers within the temple. 

When we think through Ezra's words in this verse, we discover through Ezra more of the names of the men who were dispatched by the “Nethinims” at Ezra and other “chief men's” request to be servants in the “house of God”. God was assembling His men who would work in the sacred worship place, and “Hashabiah, Jeshaiah and their kindred” would be a part of the service there. God calls everyone to be in His Kingdom through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and when we surrender our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and place us in a position of service in His Kingdom where we will serve in this life and in the eternal life to come. (See Mark 10:42-45)

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".