The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah), 74.
Parallel translations
- WEB The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy-four.
- KJV The Levites: the children of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodaviah, seventy and four.
- NKJV The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, seventy-four.
- NASB The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, 74.
- NLT These are the Levites who returned from exile: The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah) 74
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The Levites, descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel, numbered only 74. Strikingly few Levites returned compared with the priests.
Overview
The small number of returning Levites stands out against the thousands of priests. Levites assisted in temple service, teaching, and music, and their scarcity later prompted special effort to recruit them (Ezra 8:15-20). The contrast reminds us that willing service to God is not always abundant and must be sought and valued.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 2
- Ezra 3:9So Jeshua and his sons and brothers, Kadmiel and his sons (descendants of Yehudah), and the sons of Henadad and their sons and brothers—all Levites—joined together to supervise those working on the house of God.
- Neh 7:43The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel, through the line of Hodevah), 74.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The return from exile and the rebuilt altar keep alive the hope of a greater restoration — the true return from our deeper exile of sin accomplished by Christ.
How Ezra 2:40 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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