Ezra 2:53 (KJV)

What does Ezra 2:53 mean?

Ezra 2:53 lists three families of temple servants—Barkos, Sisera, and Thamah—among the people who returned from exile in Babylon to Judah. The verse belongs to the list of temple servants that begins in Ezra 2:43.

The key is the repeated phrase “the children of.” The Hebrew is בְּנֵי (bene), from בֵּן (ben), “son.” In a family register, “sons of” identifies descendants or members of a family group. The KJV’s “children” therefore refers to returning families, including adults, rather than specifically to young children.

The Hebrew behind Ezra 2:53

• “Barkos” — בַּרְקוֹס (Barqos): A personal name identifying the first family group. The people are registered under the name Barkos; the verse does not present Barkos himself as an individual returning from exile.
• “Sisera” — סִיסְרָא (Sisera): The name identifying the second family group. The same name appears elsewhere in the Bible, but a shared name alone does not establish a connection between those people.
• “Thamah” — תָּמַח (Tamach): The name identifying the third family group. “Thamah” is the KJV’s spelling of this Hebrew name.

Why Ezra 2:53 matters

• The list counts people by family identity. Each repeated “the children of” introduces another group, rather than another individual.
• These families have a particular place in the returning community. Their placement under the temple servants in Ezra 2:43 identifies their group and distinguishes them from the priests and Levites listed earlier.