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;

EZRA 2:1KJV
Know the Bible

Ezra 2:1 (KJV)

What does Ezra 2:1 mean?

Ezra 2:1 introduces the list of people who returned from exile in Babylon to Jerusalem and Judah, each going back to their own city. The verse highlights that these were descendants of those taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, now coming home after many years away.

Ezra 2:1 sets the scene for the chapter by explaining who is being counted: the "children of the province," meaning the people of Judah who had lived under Babylonian rule and were now allowed to return. The verse is not spoken by a character but is part of the narrative, giving historical context for the detailed list that follows. It marks a turning point, showing the fulfillment of the promise that the exiles would be able to return to their homeland.

The Hebrew behind Ezra 2:1

  • "Children" (בְּנֵי, b'nei): This word often means "descendants" or "people belonging to," so the verse is talking about the families or groups coming back, not just literal children.
  • "Province" (מְדִינָה, m'dinah): This term refers to a district or administrative region under Persian rule, showing that Judah was now just one province among many in the empire.
  • "Captivity" (שְׁבִי, shevi): This word points to the state of being exiled or taken as prisoners, emphasizing the hardship and forced removal the people had experienced.
  • "Again" (שׁוּב, shuv): This verb means "to return" or "to come back," stressing the idea of restoration and coming home after a long absence.

Why Ezra 2:1 matters

  • Ezra 2:1 clarifies that the return from exile was organized and official, not just a random migration, and that people went back to their ancestral towns.
  • The verse connects the returnees directly to those who were taken away by Nebuchadnezzar, underlining the continuity of the Jewish people despite the exile.
  • By mentioning both Jerusalem and Judah, Ezra 2:1 shows that the restoration involved the whole community, not just the city of Jerusalem, and sets up the importance of identity and belonging in the chapters that follow.

Where else these words appear

“province” Hebrew H4082 · used in 40 verses

  • 1 Kings 20:14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.
  • Esther 3:8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.
  • Esther 9:3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

“away” Hebrew H1473 · used in 41 verses

  • 2 Kings 24:15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
  • Ezra 10:16 And the children of the captivity did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain chief of the fathers, after the house of their fathers, and all of them by their names, were separated, and sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.
  • Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

“captivity” Hebrew H7628 · used in 47 verses

  • Exodus 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
  • Ezra 9:7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.
  • Jeremiah 30:10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

“Nebuchadnezzar” Hebrew H5019 · used in 59 verses

  • 2 Kings 24:1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.
  • Jeremiah 25:9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.
  • Jeremiah 44:30 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.