Ezra 2:28 — Word Study
WLCאַנְשֵׁ֤י בֵֽית־ אֵל֙ וְהָעָ֔י מָאתַ֖יִם עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ס
BSAofBêyth-ʼÊl BethelBêyth-ʼÊl [house of God, a sacred place] and AiʻAy [a city, heap of ruins] 223mêʼâh
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| אַנְשֵׁ֤י | [the] men of | Noun common, masculine plural construct |
| בֵֽית־ | Beth- | Noun proper |
| אֵל֙ | -el | Noun proper |
| וְהָעָ֔י | and Ai | Conjunction, particle, noun proper |
| מָאתַ֖יִם | two hundred | Adj |
| עֶשְׂרִ֥ים | twenty | |
| וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ס | and three | Conjunction |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | the men of Bethel and Ai, 223; |
| KJV | The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. |
| ASV | The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. |
| YLT | Men of Beth-El and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. |
| WEB | The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty-three. |
| BBE | The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three. |
Where they part company is in the specific wording of the towns and the number of men counted.
The sentence consists of a main clause identifying the men and a numeral phrase indicating their count.
2 commentators on this verse
Jamieson, Cambridge & more — read them ›
clause
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Ezra 2:28
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Census of Returning Exilesgenerated
Ezra 2:28 records the number of men from specific towns who returned from Babylonian exile. This verse highlights the men of Bethel and Ai, indicating their significance in the community of returning exiles. The census serves to establish the population and organization of the returning Israelites as they rebuilt their homeland.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 12:8 | From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD, and he called on the name of the LORD. |
| 2 | Joshua 7:2 | Meanwhile, Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven to the east of Bethel, and told them, “Go up and spy out the land.” So the men went up and spied out Ai. |
| 3 | Joshua 8:9–17 | So Joshua sent them out, and they went to the place of ambush and lay in wait between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai. But Joshua spent that night among the people. |
| 4 | Nehemiah 7:33 | the men of the other Nebo, 52; |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אַנְשֵׁ֤י, 'an.Sheigenerated
The word אַנְשֵׁ֤י ('an.Shei) is a masculine plural noun derived from אִישׁ (ish), meaning 'man' or 'human.' It emphasizes the individuals within a group, in this case, the men of Bethel and Ai. The grammatical form indicates a collective group of people, specifically males.
In this context, it signifies the men who were part of the returning exiles, highlighting their roles in the community's restoration. The use of this term reflects the importance of counting and recognizing the contributions of individuals in the rebuilding of Israel.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main clause is governed by the noun phrase אַנְשֵׁ֤י, 'an.Shei, meaning 'the men of,' followed by two noun phrases: בֵֽית־אֵל (Bethel) and הָעָ֔י (Ai). The numeral phrase מָאתַ֖יִם עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה (two hundred and twenty-three) completes the sentence, indicating the total count of men.
The structure emphasizes the identification of the groups and their numerical representation, showcasing the significance of these towns in the context of the returning exiles.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates אַנְשֵׁ֤י as ἄνδρες (G435), which means 'men.' This choice reflects a straightforward translation of the Hebrew term, maintaining the focus on the male individuals counted.
The other words in the verse have varying degrees of correspondence, but the translation of 'men' captures the essence of the Hebrew meaning without additional interpretation.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 2:28 lists the men who returned from exile, specifically noting the men of Bethel and Ai, with a total count of 223. This verse is part of a larger record of the returning exiles, emphasizing the importance of these communities.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
Bethel and Ai are significant towns in the context of the returning exiles, representing places of worship and community in ancient Israel.
The count of men signifies the strength and organization of the returning community, essential for rebuilding and restoring Israel.
Bethel means 'house of God' and is a place of great spiritual significance in the Bible.
Ai means 'heap of ruins,' reflecting its historical context and connection to the Israelites' conquest of Canaan.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What can we learn about the importance of community from the return of the men of Bethel and Ai?
- How does the counting of individuals contribute to our understanding of the rebuilding of Israel?
- In what ways do the names Bethel and Ai reflect the history and faith of the Israelite people?
- How can we apply the lessons from these communities to our own lives today?
Commentators on this verse — 2 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 2:28 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty and three. The men of Beth-el and Ai - (see the notes at Joshua 8:1-35.)
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezra 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges28. Beth-el] one of the most ancient towns in the country (cf. Joshua 12:9), called Luz ‘at the first’ and famous in the history of the Patriarch Jacob (Genesis 28:19; Genesis 35:15), captured from the Canaanites by Ephraim (Judges 1:22-26), situated on the borders of Ephraim and Benjamin (Joshua 16:1; Joshua 18:13; Joshua 18:22). It was reputed of special sanctity. We find the ark at Beth-el (Judges 20:18; Judges 20:26-27). It was included in Samuel’s circuit (1 Samuel 7:16). It was the home of one of ‘the schools of the prophets’ (2 Kings 2:3). It was selected by Jeroboam as the southern sanctuary for the calf-worship which he instituted (1 Kings 12:28 &c.). Thenceforth its name chiefly…
Read Cambridge on Ezra 2 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
the men of Bethel and Ai, 223;
The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred twenty-three.
the men of Bethel and Ai, 223;
the men of Bethel and Ai: 223;
Tyndale line
The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
The sonnes of Beth-el and Ai, two hundreth, and three and twentie:
Strictly literal
The men of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three.
Men of Beth-El and Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
men of Beth-El and Ai, two hundred twenty-three;
The men of Beth-el and 'Ai, two hundred twenty and three.
The men of Bethel and Ai: 223.
From the Latin
The men of Bethel and Hai, two hundred twenty-three.
Simplified
the people from Bethel and Ai, 223;
The men of Beth-el and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show agreement on the main terms, with four of the seven words matched. The Septuagint's word order differs, but the essential meaning remains consistent with the Hebrew text.
אַנְשֵׁ֤י בֵֽית־ אֵל֙ וְהָעָ֔י מָאתַ֖יִם עֶשְׂרִ֥ים וּשְׁלֹשָֽׁה׃ ס
4 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Ezra 2:28
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.
אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.
of individ.
coll. men
man, mankind
base
H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.
582 'enowsh en-oshe'
from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the
more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or
collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,
chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,
husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some
( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often
unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in
apposition with another word . Compare 376.
see HEBREW for 0605
see HEBREW for 0120
see HEBREW for 0376
אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.
1) man, mortal man, person, mankind
1a) of an individual
1b) men (collective)
1c) man, mankind
Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)
HNcmpc — Noun common · masculine plural constructHNcmpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
בֵּֽיתְאֵל (Bethel) means 'house of God' and refers to a significant ancient location in Palestine, identified with Luz. It is described as a seat of worship situated in Ephraim on the border of Benjamin, as well as a place in the southern region of Judah.
בֵּֽיתְאֵל 71 n.pr.loc. Bethel
ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identif. with Luz (former name)
place in south country of Judah, not far from Beersheba & Ziklag
base
H1008 בֵּֽיתְאֵל Bethel
1008 Beyth-'El bayth-ale'
from 1004 and 410; house of God; Beth-El, a place in
Palestine:--Beth-el.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 0410
בֵּֽיתְ־אֵל (bet-el) — Bethel.
§ Bethel = "house of God"
ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identified with Luz (former name)
בֵּֽיתְ־אֵל (bet-el) — Bethel.
§ Bethel = "house of God"
a place in south country of Judah
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
Beth
Occurs frequently as the appellation for a house, or dwelling-place, in such compounds as the words immediately following:
the most general word for a house or habitation. It has the special meaning of a temple or house of worship Beth is more frequently employed in compound names of places than any other word.
House, forms a part of many compounds names of places, and sometimes means the place or dwelling; and at others the temple. This word becomes Beit in modern Arabic.
בֵּֽיתְאֵל (Bethel) means 'house of God' and refers to a significant ancient location in Palestine, identified with Luz. It is described as a seat of worship situated in Ephraim on the border of Benjamin, as well as a place in the southern region of Judah.
בֵּֽיתְאֵל 71 n.pr.loc. Bethel
ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identif. with Luz (former name)
place in south country of Judah, not far from Beersheba & Ziklag
base
H1008 בֵּֽיתְאֵל Bethel
1008 Beyth-'El bayth-ale'
from 1004 and 410; house of God; Beth-El, a place in
Palestine:--Beth-el.
see HEBREW for 01004
see HEBREW for 0410
בֵּֽיתְ־אֵל (bet-el) — Bethel.
§ Bethel = "house of God"
ancient place and seat of worship in Ephraim on border of Benjamin, identified with Luz (former name)
בֵּֽיתְ־אֵל (bet-el) — Bethel.
§ Bethel = "house of God"
a place in south country of Judah
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
See GOD, NAMES OF.
Strength, one of the names of God, especially in poetry,
Ge 33:18-20. It is very often found in proper names, as Bethel, Daniel, Elijah, etc. Eloi, like Eli, means, My God.
עַי (Ay) refers to an ancient city in Canaan, known as Ai or Aija, which is described as a 'heap of ruins.' It is located east of Bethel and near Jericho, and it is mentioned as the second city taken during the invasion of Canaan. Additionally, it is noted as a city of the Ammonites east of the Jordan, associated with Heshbon.
עַי, עַיָּ֑ת, עַיָּה 40 n.pr.loc.
old Canaanit. city
E. Jordan city
base
H5857 עַי, עַיָּ֑ת, עַיָּה . old Canaanit. city
. E. Jordan city
5857 `Ay ah'ee
or (feminine) uAya( (Neh. 11:31) {ah-yaw'}; or eAyath (Isaiah
10:28) {ah-yawth'}; for 5856; Ai, Aja or Ajath, a place in
Palestine:--Ai, Aija, Aijath, Hai.
see HEBREW for 05856
עַי (ay) — Ai.
§ Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai = "heap of ruins"
a city lying east of Bethel and beside Bethaven near Jericho and the second city taken on the invasion of Canaan
עַי (ay) — Ai.
§ Ai or Aija or Aiath or Hai = "heap of ruins"
a city of the Ammonites on the east of the Jordan and apparently attached to Heshbon
Conj | Art | N-proper — Conjunction · particle · noun properHC/Td/Npl
a'-i (`ay, written always with the definite article, ha-`ay, probably meaning "the ruin," kindred root, `awah):
(1) A town of central Palestine, in the tribe of Benjamin, near and just east of Bethel (Ge 12:8). It is identified with the modern Haiyan, just south of the village Der Diwan (Conder in HDB; Delitzsch in Commentary on Ge 12:8) or with a mound, El-Tell, to the north of the modern village (Davis, Dict. Biblical). The name first appears in the earliest journey of Abraham through Palestine (Ge 12:8), where its location is given as east of Bethel, and near the altar which Abraham built between the two places. It is given similar mention as he returns from his sojourn in Egypt (
Ai
Ruins. (1.) One of the royal cities of the Canaanites (Josh. 10:1; Gen. 12:8; 13:3). It was the scene of Joshua’s defeat, and afterwards of his victory. It was the second Canaanite city taken by Israel (Josh. 7:2-5; 8:1-29). It lay rebuilt and inhibited by the Benjamites (Ezra 2:28; Neh. 7:32; 11:31). It lay to the east of Bethel, “beside Beth-aven.” The spot which is most probably the site of this ancient city is Haiyan, 2 miles east from Bethel. It lay up the Wady Suweinit, a steep, rugged valley, extending from the Jordan valley to Bethel.
(heap of ruins). A city lying east of Bethel and "beside Bethaven." (Joshua 7:2; 8:9) It was the second city taken by Israel after the passage of the Jordan, and was "utterly destroyed." (Joshua 7:3-5; 8:1; Joshua 9:3; 10:1,2; 12:9) A city of the Ammonites, apparently attached to Heshbon. (Jeremiah 49:3)
Called also Hai, Ge 12:8; Aija, Ne 11:31; and Aiath, Isa 10:28. A royal city of the Canaanites, east of Bethel, near which Abraham once sojourned and built an altar, Ge 12:8; 13:3. It is memorable for Joshua’s defeat on account of Achan, and his subsequent victory, Jos 7:2-5; 8:1-29. It was rebuilt, and is mentioned by Isaiah. Its ruins are spoken of by Eusebius and Jerome, but the exact site cannot now be fixed with certainty.
מֵאָה (me'ah) means 'hundred' in Hebrew. It can refer to a simple number, a component of a larger number, or a fraction representing one one-hundredth. The entries consistently describe its use as a numeral without significant disagreement.
מֵאָה 583 n.f. hundred
as simple number
as part of larger number
a hundredth part
base
H3967 מֵאָה hundred . as simple number
. as part of larger number
. a hundredth part
3967 me'ah may-aw'
or metyah {may-yaw'}; properly, a primitive numeral; a
hundred; also as a multiplicative and a
fraction:--hundred((-fold), -th), + sixscore.
מֵאָה (me.ah) — hundred.
1) hundred
1a) as simple number
1b) as part of larger number
1c) as a fraction-one one-hundredth (1/100)
Aramaic equivalent: me.ah (מְאָה "hundred" H3969)
Adj — AdjHAcfda
hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).
See NUMBER.
עֶשְׂרִים (esriym) means 'twenty' and can also refer to the ordinal 'twentieth.' It is derived from the root word for 'ten' and has an Aramaic equivalent, עֶשְׂרִין (es.rin). The entries consistently define the term without significant disagreement.
עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty
base
H6242 עֶשְׂרִים (a) twenty
6242 `esriym es-reem'
from 6235; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth:--(six-)score,
twenty(-ieth).
see HEBREW for 06235
עֶשְׂרִים (es.rim) — twenty.
twenty, twentieth
Aramaic equivalent: es.rin (עֶשְׂרִין "twenty" H6243)
HAcmpa — HAcmpa
twen'-ti.
See NUMBER.
The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.
שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad
base
H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad
7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'
or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};
or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;
occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,
+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.
Compare 7991.
see HEBREW for 07991
שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.
1) three, triad
1a) 3, 300, third
Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)
HC/Acbsa — ConjunctionHC/Acbsa
(shalosh; treis).
See NUMBER.
The phrase "three days and three nights," Mt 12:40, was equivalent in Hebrew to the English "three days;" the Jews employing the expression "a day and a night" to denote our "day" of twentyfour hours. Nor did "three days," 1Sa 30:13, literally "this third day," according to their usage, necessarily include the whole of three days, but a part of three days, a continuous period including one whole day of twenty-four hours, and a portion of the day preceding it and the day following it. Compare Ge 7:12,17 1Sa 30:12-13.