Ezra 2:70

So the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, along with some of the people, settled in their own towns; and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The narrator describes the post-exilic community's disposition after their return from Babylon. The text states that priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple servants, and the general populace took up residence in their respective assigned towns.

The words — וַ/יֵּשְב֣וּ (va/i.ye.she.vu) translates to "and they dwelt," marking the completion of the settlement process. הַ/נְּתִינִ֖ים (ha./ne.ti.nim) identifies the "temple servants," a distinct class assigned to auxiliary duties.

The thread — This distribution pattern repeats in Nehemiah 7:73, which lists the same groups settling in their towns. 1 Chronicles 9:2 also records the initial resettlement of Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants in their cities.

Why it lands — The verse requires the reader to recognize that organized settlement followed the financial contributions recorded in Ezra 2:69. It establishes that every group, from priests to common people, occupied designated locations to restore communal and religious order.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֵּשְׁב֣וּva/i.ye.she.Vuand/ they dwelt הַכֹּהֲנִ֣יםha./ko.ha.Nimthe/ priests וְ֠הַלְוִיִּםVe./ha/l.vi.yimand/ the/ Levites וּֽמִן־u./min-and/ some of הָעָ֞םha./'Amthe/ people וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִ֧יםve./ha/m.sho.re.Rimand/ the/ singers וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִ֛יםve./ha./sho.'a.Rimand/ the/ gatekeepers וְהַנְּתִינִ֖יםve./ha./ne.ti.Nimand/ the/ temple servants בְּעָרֵיהֶ֑םbe./'a.rei./Hemin/ cities/ their וְכָל־ve./kholand/ all יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElIsrael בְּעָרֵיהֶֽם׃ סbe./'a.rei./Hemin/ cities/ their

King James Version

So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinims, dwelt in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.

Cross-references

Nehemiah 7:73 So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with some of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns. And by the seventh month the Israelites had settled in their towns.
1 Chronicles 9:2 Now the first to resettle their own property in their cities were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.
1 Chronicles 11:2 Even in times past, while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And the LORD your God said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’”
Ezra 6:16 Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites, and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy.
Nehemiah 11:3 These are the heads of the provinces who settled in Jerusalem. (In the villages of Judah, however, each lived on his own property in their towns—the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants—