Ezra 2:64 — Word Study
WLCכָּל־ הַקָּהָ֖ל כְּאֶחָ֑ד אַרְבַּ֣ע רִבּ֔וֹא אַלְפַּ֖יִם שְׁלֹשׁ־ מֵא֥וֹת שִׁשִּֽׁים׃
BSAThe wholekôl [entire, complete] assemblyqâhâl [congregation, group of people] [numbered]ʼechâd [was counted as, totaled, forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, a large multitude] 42,360 {}ʼarbaʻ
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| כָּל־ | all | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| הַקָּהָ֖ל | the assembly | Particle, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| כְּאֶחָ֑ד | as one | Preposition |
| אַרְבַּ֣ע | four | Adj |
| רִבּ֔וֹא | ten thousand | |
| אַלְפַּ֖יִם | two thousand | |
| שְׁלֹשׁ־ | three | |
| מֵא֥וֹת | hundred | |
| שִׁשִּֽׁים׃ | sixty |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The whole assembly numbered 42,360, |
| KJV | ¶ The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, |
| ASV | The whole assembly together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, |
| YLT | All the assembly together [is] four myriad two thousand three hundred sixty, |
| WEB | The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, |
| BBE | The number of all the people together was forty-two thousand, three hundred and sixty, |
Where they part company is in the amplification of terms, particularly in how the assembly is described.
The sentence is straightforward, with one main clause followed by a numeral phrase indicating the count.
7 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & 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 2:64
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 Return from Exilegenerated
Ezra 2:64 describes the total number of the assembly of the returning exiles from Babylon, highlighting the unity and collective identity of the people as they return to their homeland. This count is part of a larger narrative about the restoration of Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple, as seen in the preceding and following verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ezra 9:8 | But now, for a brief moment, grace has come from the LORD our God to preserve for us a remnant and to give us a stake in His holy place. Even in our bondage, our God has given us new life and light to our eyes. |
| 2 | Nehemiah 7:66–69 | The whole assembly numbered 42,360, |
| 3 | Isaiah 10:20–22 | On that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer depend on him who struck them, but they will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 23:3 | Then I Myself will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands to which I have banished them, and I will return them to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and multiply. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — כֹּל, kol-generated
The Hebrew word כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It signifies totality and can refer to every person or thing. In this verse, it emphasizes the entire assembly, indicating that every individual in this group is counted as part of the whole.
The parsing as a masculine singular construct shows that it functions to describe a collective group. The term is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included, reinforcing the sense of completeness in the assembly.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered similarly across translations, with all versions agreeing on the total number of the assembly as 42,360.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The structure of the verse centers around the finite verb phrase that indicates the action of counting: נִסְפָּר (was counted). The noun phrase כָּל־ הַקָּהָ֖ל (the whole assembly) serves as the subject, while the numeral phrase אַרְבַּ֣ע רִבּוֹא אַלְפַּ֖יִם שְׁלֹשׁ־ מֵא֥וֹת שִׁשִּֽׁים (42,360) acts as the predicate.
The Hebrew word order emphasizes the unity of the assembly by placing כָּל־ (all) at the beginning, highlighting that the entire assembly is counted as one.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the term used for כָּל־ is πᾶσα (pasa), which also conveys the sense of totality. This choice reflects a consistent understanding of the assembly as a complete group.
The Greek term for הַקָּהָ֖ל is ἐκκλησία (ekklēsia), commonly used to denote an assembly or congregation, reinforcing the communal aspect of the returning exiles.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Ezra 2:64 tells us that the total number of the whole assembly of returning exiles was 42,360. This count emphasizes the unity of the people as they returned to Jerusalem, marking a significant moment in their history.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It represents the total number of the assembly of exiles returning to Jerusalem from Babylon.
This phrase emphasizes that every individual in the group is included in the count, highlighting their unity as a community.
It fits into the larger story of the return from exile and the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple, showing the collective effort of the people.
It signifies the restoration of the community and their shared purpose in returning to their homeland.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does it mean to be part of a community or assembly in your own life?
- How can we emphasize unity in our own groups or congregations today?
- What are some ways you can contribute to the rebuilding of your community, similar to the returning exiles?
- How does understanding the size of the assembly impact your view of the challenges they faced?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early commentators reflect on the significance of the assembly's unity, drawing connections to the early Church and the importance of community.
“A canticle of David, when the house was built after the captivity.” So far as the literal sense is concerned, the heading points to the time when the temple at Jerusalem is known to have been refurbished by Zerubbabel, son of Salathiel,Early Church Fathers on Ezra 2 →
The whole multitude as if one, etc. Note the grace of the early Church, in which the heart and soul of the multitude of believers was one (Acts IV), being found even in this group of exiles: so that even though there was such a large army,Early Church Fathers on Ezra 2 →
Forty-two thousand: Those who are reckoned up above of the tribes of Juda, Benjamin, and Levi, fall short of this number. The rest, who must be taken in to make up the whole sum, were of the other tribes.Early Church Fathers on Ezra 2 →
Commentators on this verse — 7 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Ezra 2:64 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred [and] threescore.
Read John Gill on Ezra 2 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore.
Read Robert Jamieson on Ezra 2 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe particular sums here recited come only 29,818; unto whom are added in this total sum, 12,542; which either were of the other tribes beside Judah and Benjamin, or were such as were supposed by themselves and others to be Israelites, but could not prove their pedigree by their genealogies, and therefore could not be so punctually and particularly described as the former.
Read Matthew Poole on Ezra 2 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsEzra 2:64 The whole congregation together [was] forty and two thousand three hundred [and] threescore,Ver. 64. Forty and two thousand] Ten or twelve thousand whereof seem to be of the ten tribes that were first carried captive, and, together with Judah and Benjamin, made up that Dωδεκαφυλον St Paul speaketh of, Acts 26:7.
Read John Trapp on Ezra 2 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(64) This sum total is the same in Nehemiah; but the several sums in Ezra make 29,818, and in Nehemiah 31,089. The apocryphal Esdras agrees in the total, but makes in the particulars 33,950, adding that children below twelve were not reckoned. Many expedients of reconciliation have been adopted; but it is better to suppose that errors had crept into the original documents.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Ezra 2 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges64. The same total i.e. 42,360 is given in Ezra, Nehemiah and 1 Esdras. The items however fail in all three lists to produce this figure. EzraNeh.1 Esdr.Men of the people of Israel 24,144 25,406 26,390 Priests 4289 4289 2388 Levites 74 74 74 Singers 128 148 128 Porters 139 138 139 Nethinim and Solomon’s servants 392 392 372 Unregistered 652 642 652 Total 29,818 31,089 30,143 other MSS. 30,678 These remarkable discrepancies from the sum total in which there is so much agreement have been variously accounted for. (a) Jewish interpreters have supposed that the sum total comprised members of the ten tribes who have not been enumerated: (b) 1Es 5:41 adds the words ‘of twelve years old and…
Read Cambridge on Ezra 2 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe sum total is given without any variation by Ezra, by Nehemiah (see the marginal reference), and by Esdras (1 Esdras 5:41), who adds, that in this reckoning only those of twelve years of age and upward were counted.
Read Albert Barnes 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 whole assembly numbered 42,360,
The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty,
The whole assembly numbered 42,360,
The entire group numbered 42,360,
Tyndale line
¶ The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
The whole assembly together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,
The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and sixty,
The whole Congregation together was two and fourtie thousande, three hundreth and threescore,
Strictly literal
The whole congregation together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty,
All the assembly together [is] four myriad two thousand three hundred sixty,
All the assembly together [is] forty-two thousand three hundred sixty,
The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and sixty.
The whole group totaled 42,360,
From the Latin
All the multitudes as one man, were forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty:
Simplified
The total of number of people returning was 42,360.
The number of all the people together was forty-two thousand, three hundred and sixty,
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 largely agree in the wording of this verse, with 7 of the 9 words matched. This suggests a strong consistency in the transmission of this particular count of the assembly.
כָּל־ הַקָּהָ֖ל כְּאֶחָ֑ד אַרְבַּ֣ע רִבּ֔וֹא אַלְפַּ֖יִם שְׁלֹשׁ־ מֵא֥וֹת שִׁשִּֽׁים׃
7 of the 9 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 2:64
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.
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
קָהָל (qahal) refers to an assembly or congregation, often used in contexts like religious gatherings or groups formed for specific purposes, including war or counsel. It is derived from a root meaning to assemble. The term encompasses various forms of organized groups, including returning exiles.
קָהָל 123 n.m. assembly, convocation, congregation
base
H6951 קָהָל assembly, convocation, congregation
6951 qahal kaw-hawl'
from 6950; assemblage (usually concretely):--assembly,
company, congregation, multitude.
see HEBREW for 06950
קָהָל (qa.hal) — assembly.
1) assembly, company, congregation, convocation
1a) assembly
1a1) for evil counsel, war or invasion, religious purposes
1b) company (of returning exiles)
1c) congregation
1c1) as organised body
Art | N-ms — Particle · noun common masculine singular absoluteHTd/Ncmsa
a-sem'-bli (qahal; ekklesia): The common term for a meeting of the people called together by a crier. It has reference therefore to any gathering of the people called for any purpose whatsoever (Ex 12:6; Ps 22:16 the King James Version; Ps 89:7 the King James Version; Ac 19:32,41). The solemn assemblies of the Jews were their feasts or religious gatherings of any kind (Isa 1:13). The word paneguris, "a general festal assembly" (Heb 12:23), is transferred from the congregation of the people of Israel to the Christian church of which the congregation of Israel was a…
אֶחָד (echad) means 'one' and is derived from a numeral. It encompasses meanings such as each, every, a certain, and can serve as an indefinite article. It is also used as an ordinal to denote 'first' and appears in various combinations, including eleven. The entries consistently emphasize its numerical and qualitative aspects.
אֶחָד 972 adj.num. one
one
= each, every
= a certain
= indef. art.
only, & (fem.) once
one … another, one … the other
as ordinal first
in combin.
base
H259 אֶחָד one . one
. = each, every
. = a certain
. = indef. art.
. only, & (fem.) once
. one … another, one … the other
. as ordinal first
. in combin.
259 'echad ekh-awd'
a numeral from 258; properly, united, i.e. one; or (as an
ordinal) first:--a, alike, alone, altogether, and,
any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-)ly, each (one), +
eleven, every, few, first, + highway, a man, once, one, only,
other, some, together,
see HEBREW for 0258
אֶחָד (e.chad) — one.
1) one (number)
1a) one (number)
1b) each, every
1c) a certain
1d) an (indefinite article)
1e) only, once, once for all
1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one
1g) first
1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
Prep | Adj — PrepositionHR/Acfsa
wun.
See NUMBER.
אַרְבַּע (arba) means 'four' in Hebrew. It is a masculine noun derived from the root associated with the number four. The entries consistently affirm this meaning without any significant disagreement among lexicons.
אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four
base
H702 אַרְבַּע, אַרְבָּעָה four
702 'arba` ar-bah'
masculine oarbaah {ar-baw-aw'}; from 7251; four:--four.
see HEBREW for 07251
אַרְבַּע (ar.ba) — four.
four
Adj — AdjHAcbsc
for ('arba`; tessares): "Four" (cardinal number) was a sacred and complete number with the Hebrews, as well as with several other peoples. It occurs very frequently in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
(1) It indicates completeness. We have the four rivers of Paradise (Ge 2:10); the four winds of heaven (Eze 37:9; Da 7:2; 8:8; 11:4; Zec 6:5, the Revised Version, margin "spirits"; /APC 2Esdras 13:5); "the four winds" (Mt 24:31; Mr 13:27); "the four corners of the earth" (Isa 11:12;
רִבּוֹ (ribbow) refers to a large number, specifically 'ten thousand' or 'myriad.' It is derived from the root word for 'many' and is used in various contexts to denote an indefinitely large quantity. The term appears in both Hebrew and Aramaic, with the Aramaic equivalent being רִבּוֹ (H7240).
רִבּוֹ, רִבּוֹא n.f. ten thousand, myriad
base
H7239 רִבּוֹ, רִבּוֹא
7239 ribbow rib-bo'
from 7231; or ribbow {rib-bo'} from 7231; a myriad, i.e.
indefinitely, large number:--great things, ten ((eight)-een,
(for)-ty, + sixscore, + threescore, X twenty, (twen)-ty)
thousand.
see HEBREW for 07231
see HEBREW for 07231
רִבּוֹ (rib.bo) — ten thousand.
ten thousand, myriad
Aramaic equivalent: rib.bo (רִבּוֹ "myriad" H7240)
HAcbsa — HAcbsa
thou'-zand ('eleph; chilioi).
See NUMBER.
אֶ֫לֶף (eleph) means 'thousand' in Hebrew. It can refer to the numeral itself or denote a company or clan, particularly a group of men under one leader. The word is built from the concept of a thousand, and it is associated with the ox's head, which is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
אֶ֫לֶף n.m. thousand
base
H505 אֶ֫לֶף thousand
505 'eleph eh'-lef
prop, the same as 504; hence (the ox's head being the first
letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral)
a thousand:--thousand.
see HEBREW for 0504
אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) — thousand.
: thousand
1) a thousand
1a) as numeral
2) a thousand, company
2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops
אֶ֫לֶף (e.leph) — thousand: clan.
: clan
1) a thousand
1a) as numeral
2) a thousand, company
2a) as a company of men under one leader, troops
HAcbda — HAcbda
thou'-zand ('eleph; chilioi).
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)
HAcbsc — HAcbsc
(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.
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)
HAcfpa — HAcfpa
hun'-dred (me'-ah; hekaton).
See NUMBER.
שִׁשִּׁים (shishshiym) means 'sixty' in Hebrew. It is a numeral derived from the root associated with the number 8337. The term is used in various contexts in the Old Testament to denote the quantity of sixty, also referred to as 'three score.' There is an Aramaic equivalent, שִׁתִּין (shit.tin), which also means sixty.
שִׁשִּׁים 59 n.indecl. sixty
base
H8346 שִׁשִּׁים sixty
8346 shishshiym shish-sheem'
multiple of 8337; sixty:--sixty, three score.
see HEBREW for 08337
שִׁשִּׁים (shish.shim) — sixty.
sixty, three score
Aramaic equivalent: shit.tin (שִׁתִּין "sixty" H8361)
HAcmpa — HAcmpa
siks'-ti (shishshim; hexekonta).
See NUMBER.