Ezra – Chapter 8

Old Testament36 Verses

Chapter Summary

"Now these are the chief of families, and the genealogy of them, who came up with me from Babylon in the reign of Artaxerxes the king." — so begins Ezra 8. The chapter centers on Zechariah, Isaiah and David. Across its 36 verses, two threads run through the text: family and covenant relationships and God's kingdom and kingship. Read slowly, this chapter rewards the kind of prayerful attention the Church calls lectio divina.

1Now these are the chief of families, and the genealogy of them, who came up with me from Babylon in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.

2Of the sons of Phinees, Gersom. Of the sons of Ithamar, Daniel. Of the sons of David, Hattus.

3Of the sons of Sechenias, the son of Pharos, Zacharias, and with him were numbered a hundred and fifty men.

4Of the sons of Phahath Moab, Eleoenai the son of Zareha, and with him two hundred men.

5Of the sons of Sechenias, the son of Ezechiel, and with him three hundred men.

6Of the sons of Adan, Abed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty men.

7Of the sons of Alam, Isaias the son of Athalias, and with him seventy men.

8Of the sons of Saphatia: Zebodia the son of Michael, and with him eighty men.

9Of the sons of Joab, Obedia the son of Jahiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen men.

10Of the sons of Selomith, the son of Josphia, and with him a hundred and sixty men.

11Of the sons of Bebai, Zacharias the son of Bebai: and with him eight and twenty men.

12Of the sons of Azgad, Joanan the son of Eccetan, and with him a hundred and ten men.

13Of the sons of Adonicam, who were the last: and these are their names: Eliphelet, and Jehiel, and Samaias, and with them sixty men.

14Of the sons of Begui, Uthai and Zachur, and with them seventy men.

15And I gathered them together to the river, which runneth down to Ahava, and we stayed there three days: and I sought among the people and among the priests for the sons of Levi, and found none there.

16So I sent Eliezer, and Ariel, and Semeias, and Elnathan, and Jarib, and another Elnathan, and Nathan, and Zacharias, and Mosollam, chief men: and Joiarib, and Elnathan, wise men.

17And I sent them to Eddo, who is chief in the place of Chasphia, and I put in their mouth the words that they should speak to Eddo, and his brethren the Nathinites in the place of Chasphia, that they should bring us ministers of the house of our God.

18And by the good hand of our God upon us, they brought us a most learned man of the sons of Moholi the son of Levi the son of Israel, and Sarabias and his sons, and his brethren eighteen,

19And Hasabias, and with him Isaias of the sons of Merari, and his brethren, and his sons twenty.

20And of the Nathinites, whom David, and the princes gave for the service of the Levites, Nathinites two hundred and twenty: all these were called by their names.

21And I proclaimed there a fast by the river Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before the Lord our God, and might ask of him a right way for us and for our children, and for all our substance.

22For I was ashamed to ask the king for aid and for horsemen, to defend us from the enemy in the way: because we had said to the king: The hand of our God is upon all them that seek him in goodness: and his power and strength, and wrath upon all them that forsake him.

23And we fasted, and besought our God for this: and it fell out prosperously unto us.

24And I separated twelve of the chief of the priests, Sarabias, and Hasabias, and with them ten of their brethren,

25And I weighed unto them the silver and gold, and the vessels consecrated for the house of our God, which the king and his counsellors, and his princes, and all Israel, that were found had offered.

26And I weighed to their hands six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and a hundred vessels of silver, and a hundred talents of gold,

27And twenty cups of gold, of a thousand solids, and two vessels of the best shining brass, beautiful as gold.

28And I said to them: You are the holy ones of the Lord, and the vessels are holy, and the silver and gold, that is freely offered to the Lord the God of our fathers.

29Watch ye and keep them, till you deliver them by weight before the chief of the priests, and of the Levites, and the heads of the families of Israel in Jerusalem, into the treasure of the house of the Lord.

30And the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and gold, and the vessels, to carry them to Jerusalem to the house of our God.

31Then we set forward from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month to go to Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was upon us, and delivered us from the hand of the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way.

32And we came to Jerusalem, and we stayed there three days.

33And on the fourth day the silver and the gold, and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God by the hand of Meremoth the son of Urias the priest, and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinees, and with them Jozabad the son of Josue, and Noadaia the son of Benoi, Levites.

34According to the number and weight of everything: and all the weight was written at that time.

35Moreover the children of them that had been carried away that were come out of the captivity, offered holocausts to the God of Israel, twelve calves for all the people of Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and twelve he goats for sin: all for a holocaust to the Lord.

36And they gave the king's edicts to the lords that were from the king's court, and the governors beyond the river, and they furthered the people and the house of God.

Important Verses in Ezra 8

Now these are the chief of families, and the genealogy of them, who came up with me from Babylon in the reign of Artaxerxes the king.

Ezra 8:1

And I proclaimed there a fast by the river Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before the Lord our God, and might ask of him a right way for us and for our children, and for all our substance.

Ezra 8:21

And I said to them: You are the holy ones of the Lord, and the vessels are holy, and the silver and gold, that is freely offered to the Lord the God of our fathers.

Ezra 8:28

And they gave the king's edicts to the lords that were from the king's court, and the governors beyond the river, and they furthered the people and the house of God.

Ezra 8:36

Historical Context

Ezra addresses the post-exilic community, called to holiness and fidelity to the Law within the broader story of God's covenant people. Chapter 8 of 10 moves toward the climax of the book as earlier promises and conflicts converge. It is a genealogical record linking earlier promises to later generations with 36 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Zechariah, Isaiah, David and Ezekiel appear at the center of the events recorded here. The passage starts with these words: "Now these are the chief of families, and the genealogy of them, who came up with me from Babylon in the reign of…" The chapter ends with: "And they gave the king's edicts to the lords that were from the king's court, and the governors beyond the river, and…" Read against its original backdrop, Ezra recounts two returns from Babylonian exile: the first under Zerubbabel (538 BC), which rebuilt the Temple despite opposition, and the second under Ezra himself (458 BC), who restored the community's fidelity to the… Catholic tradition dates the book to the period described in its introduction: About 440-400 BC.

Who Wrote It

Traditionally Ezra the priest and scribe

When It Was Written

About 440-400 BC

Catholic Commentary

The list of names is not mere record-keeping: it anchors the story of return from exile and Temple restoration in real families and real history. A pivotal line is verse 1: "Now these are the chief of families, and the genealogy of them, who came up with me from Babylon in the reign of Artaxerxes the king." The passage repeatedly touches on family and covenant relationships.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 958). Here, the restoration prefigures the Church's renewal (CIC 710). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize family and covenant relationships as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

Applied to the life of faith, the passage supports the Church's conviction that God restores His people. Whether read privately or heard in the liturgy, Ezra 8 calls for a response of faith, repentance, and charity.

Main Teachings

  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • 'Be holy, for I am holy': God calls His people to be set apart for Him in every area of life.

People in This Chapter

Zechariah3 mentionsIsaiah2 mentionsDavid2 mentionsEzekiel1 mentionJonathan1 mentionEleazar1 mention

Reflection for Today

Sacred Scripture presents Ezra Chapter 8 as a unique stage in salvation history, not merely as background to other books.

St. Leo the Great and other Fathers of the Church meditated on texts like this one, seeing in them instruction for the spiritual life. the restoration prefigures the Church's renewal (CIC 710). The passage calls believers to grasp that God restores His people.

May your reading of Ezra Chapter 8 become true lectio divina: read the words, meditate on their meaning, respond in prayer, and rest in God's presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to show how God restores His people applies to your life today.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Ezra Chapter 8 about?

Ezra 8 contains 36 verses. It opens with "Now these are the chief of families, and the genealogy of them, who came up with me from Babylon in the reign of…" and closes with "And they gave the king's edicts to the lords that were from the king's court, and the governors beyond the river, and…". The book as a whole is historical narrative with official documents.

What is a key verse in Ezra 8?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "Now these are the chief of families, and the genealogy of them, who came up with me from Babylon in the reign of Artaxerxes the king." It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in Ezra Chapter 8?

This chapter mentions Zechariah, Isaiah, David, Ezekiel, Jonathan, among others.

Who wrote Ezra and when?

Traditionally Ezra the priest and scribe. About 440-400 BC.

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