besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven; and they had two hundred singing men and singing women.
Parallel translations
- KJV Beside their servants and their maids, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and there were among them two hundred singing men and singing women.
- BSB in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers.
- NKJV besides their male and female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred men and women singers.
- NASB besides their male and female slaves who totaled 7,337; and they had two hundred singing men and women.
- NLT in addition to 7,337 servants and 200 singers, both men and women.
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
Besides the assembly, there were over 7,000 servants and 200 singers. Even the means for worship and daily life were accounted for.
Overview
The mention of singing men and women shows that joyful, ordered worship was part of the restored community's life. God's people returned not merely to survive but to praise Him. The detail underscores that worship was central to the rebuilding of Israel's identity.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 2 Sam 19:35I am eighty years old, today. Can I discern between good and bad? Can your servant taste what I eat or what I drink? Can I hear the voice of singing men and singing women any more? Why then should your servant be a burden to my lord the king?
- Ps 148:12–13both young men and maidens; old men and children:
- 2 Chr 35:25Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel. Behold, they are written in the lamentations.
- Exod 15:20–21Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.
- Isa 14:1–2For Yahweh will have compassion on Jacob, and will yet choose Israel, and set them in their own land. The foreigner will join himself with them, and they will unite with the house of Jacob.
- Matt 9:23When Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd in noisy disorder,
- Ps 68:25The singers went before, the minstrels followed after, among the ladies playing with tambourines,
- Neh 7:67besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven; and they had two hundred forty-five singing men and singing women.
- Eccl 2:8I also gathered silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and of the provinces. I got myself male and female singers, and the delights of the sons of men — musical instruments, and that of all sorts.
- Jer 9:17–18Yahweh of Armies says, “Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skillful women, that they may come.
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 2:65 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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