Ezra 8:13-14 · Bible study
Ezra 8:13-14 Commentary: The Last of the Clans Return
Hebrew · 5 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why only 60 from Adonikam? These verses show God's faithfulness in bringing a remnant, even the last members of a family, on the journey home.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The final members of the Adonikam and Bigvai clans join Ezra's return, completing those families' return from exile.
- Key words: 'last' (H0314 אַחֲרֹנִים), later or final; 'males' (H2145 זָכָר), adult men of fighting age.
- Main debate: Does 'last' mean 'remaining' (most commentators) or 'younger' (YLT)? The difference does not change the central point that these are the final groups.
- Theological theme: The faithful remnant, God restores his people gradually, and every individual counts.
- Best use: Preach on God's attention to small, delayed groups; teach about the gradual nature of biblical restoration.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
13from the later descendants of Adonikam, these were their names: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them 60 men;
14and from the descendants of Bigvai, both Uthai and Zaccur, and with them 70 men.
WEB World English Bible 2000
13Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last, their names are: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males.
14Of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males.
KJV King James Version 1769
13And of the last sons of Adonikam, whose names are these, Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them threescore males.
14Of the sons also of Bigvai; Uthai, and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
13And of the sons of Adonikam, that were the last; and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them threescore males.
14And of the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud; and with them seventy males.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
13And from the younger sons of Adonikam--and these are their names--Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty who are males.
14And from the sons of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud, and with them seventy who are males.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
13And of the children of Adonikam, the last ones, whose names are these: Eliphelet, Jeiel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty males.
14And of the children of Bigvai, Uthai and Zabbud, and with them seventy males.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
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.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Ezra 8:13
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree these two verses record the final members of the Adonikam and Bigvai clans who joined Ezra's return. Wesley notes that with Adonikam 'the rest came before; so that now all the sons of that family returned.' The Cambridge Bible observes that the Hebrew phrase 'the last' (אַחֲרֹנִים) refers to 'later descendants', the portion of the clan that had not yet gone up in earlier waves. The small numbers (60 males for Adonikam, 70 for Bigvai) stand in sharp contrast to the earlier census figures of 666 (Ezra 2:13) and 2,056 (Ezra 2:14). This is not a contradiction but a sign of the gradual, generation-by-generation nature of the restoration. Cambridge also points out that the list of twelve family heads in Ezra 8 was 'perhaps designedly taken to symbolize the united Israel,' so even these two modest groups contribute to the symbolic completeness of the returning community.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: These verses record that a small number from the clans of Adonikam and Bigvai—the final members of those families—joined Ezra's return, fulfilling the earlier promise of restoration in stages.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'the last' | Most commentators agree it refers to the later or remaining descendants of Adonikam who had not yet returned. | The Hebrew word can also mean 'younger' (YLT), leading some to suggest these were the junior branches of the family, while others see a chronological sense (the ones who came last). |
| The small numbers compared to Ezra 2 | All agree that the reduced numbers show only a portion of the clan returned with Ezra. | Wesley argues the rest had already returned earlier; no commentator suggests the clan had shrunk due to extinction or that the numbers are contradictory. |
| The significance of listing names | The naming of individuals demonstrates the personal nature of the return and the value of each participant. | Some read the names as mere administrative records; others see theological meanings in the names (e.g., Eliphelet 'God is deliverance'), though these are not stressed in the supplied commentaries. |
| Symbolism of the number 12 | Cambridge notes that the 12 households in the full list may symbolize the 12 tribes of Israel. | This is a suggestion, not a dogmatic claim; some may see it as coincidental or a later editorial framing, while others embrace the intentional symbolic structure. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Ezra chapter 8 belongs to the second major return from Babylon, under the Persian king Artaxerxes I (458 BC). Earlier, Zerubbabel had led a large group in 538 BC, and Ezra 2 preserves the census of that first return: 666 men from Adonikam and 2,056 from Bigvai. Now, some eighty years later, Ezra gathers a smaller company that includes the 'last' of those clans.
The phrase 'who were the last' (KJV: 'the last sons'; YLT: 'the younger sons') likely means the families that remained in Babylon after earlier groups had already departed. Genealogical records were vital in post-exilic Judah, they proved membership in Israel and secured rights to land, temple service, and community standing. The careful naming of each clan head (Eliphelet, Jeuel, Shemaiah for Adonikam; Uthai and Zabbud for Bigvai) underscores that every person mattered. The number 12 households in the full list (vv. 2, 14) may be a deliberate echo of the twelve tribes, signalling that the returning community represented all Israel, even if only in small numbers.
This historical context shows that the return from exile was not a single event but a process stretching over decades. God's promise to restore his people unfolded piece by piece, clan by clan, year by year.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note a minor variation in the parallel text of 1 Esdras (8:32). Instead of 60 males for Adonikam, 1 Esdras lists 70, which may represent a scribal harmonization with the number for Bigvai or a different textual tradition. The Hebrew manuscripts consistently read 60. No other significant variants are reported for these verses.
Reception History
Early Christian and Jewish readers saw the return from exile as a pattern of God's faithfulness. Though these two verses are seldom cited in major doctrinal works, the broader list of Ezra 8 has been used in lectionaries and sermons to illustrate the gradual restoration of God's people. Reformers like Matthew Henry and Wesley read the passage as a reminder that God notes every person who responds to his call, even those who come 'last.' The numbers have been employed devotionally to encourage small congregations: God's kingdom does not depend on large numbers but on faithful individuals who complete the picture of his redeemed community.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The last are not forgotten. Even the smallest and most delayed group receives a place in the record. God notes names and counts.
- Partial obedience still moves the story forward. These 130 men did not wait for a perfect moment; they joined the journey underway.
- Numbers do not measure worth. Sixty and seventy people seem ordinary, but they complete the families and the typology of twelve.
Five-point outline
- A list of names: God values individuals, not just crowds.
- “The last”: there is always time to respond, even late.
- Sixty and seventy: the remnant from each clan.
- Completion: with these, all the sons of Adonikam had returned (Wesley).
- Symbolism: the twelve households of Ezra 8 echo the twelve tribes.
Illustration hooks
- A family reunion where the last few cousins arrive just before the photo, everyone waits, and the picture finally feels complete.
- A church that considers itself small, only to discover that its faithful members represent generations of answered prayer.
- The slow restoration of an old house: each room finished one at a time, none less important than the others.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Does God care about me when I feel like last in line?”
- “Why does the Bible record such small numbers? Isn't bigger better?”
- “If my family or church is small, am I still part of God's plan?”
Leading a Discussion
Ezra 8:13, 14 lists the final groups from two clans that joined the return to Jerusalem. The numbers are tiny compared to earlier returns. This passage invites us to look at how God works in small, gradual ways and values every person who responds.
Discussion questions
- What do you notice about the way these two verses are written? Why do you think the names and numbers are included?
- Compare the 60 and 70 men here with the 666 and 2,056 listed in Ezra 2:13, 14. What might explain the difference?
- The Hebrew word for “last” (אַחֲרֹנִים) can also mean “later” or “younger.” What difference does that make in how we understand these families?
- Wesley says that with these, all the sons of Adonikam returned. What does it mean that God’s promise of restoration was completed in stages?
- How does this passage challenge our culture's focus on size, speed, and instant results?
- In what ways have you seen God work through a small group or a slow process in your own life?
- What might it look like for a church today to value the “last” or the “late” among them?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Ezra 2:13 | The children of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-six. |
| Nehemiah 7:18 | The children of Adonikam: six hundred sixty-seven. |
| Ezra 2:14 | The children of Bigvai, two thousand fifty-six. |
| Nehemiah 7:19 | The children of Bigvai: two thousand sixty-seven. |
| Nehemiah 10:12 | Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
5 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentary suggests that the list of twelve households returning with Ezra was not merely a census. The number twelve was probably chosen deliberately to symbolize the whole of Israel, the twelve tribes, now reunited under God's guidance. This symbolic reading frames the entire register as more than a simple record.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva notes highlight these as the last families recorded among the returning exiles, specifying the men of Adonikam and Bigvai by name and exact count. The precision underlines that every family and every person in the restoration was accounted for.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange observes that the listing of named household heads marks a shift: Israel's identity now rested on individual free choice, not merely nationality. The presence of exactly twelve families suggests Ezra's company represented the whole congregation, showing that personal commitment, not ancestry alone, now defined God's people.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry draws attention to Ezra's careful inspection of the returning exiles and his specific discovery that no Levites were among them. Ezra then took deliberate action to send for Levites, showing his concern that the temple service not be neglected for lack of appointed ministers.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley observes that the wording "whose names are" implies the others had already arrived. His point is that this phrase completes the picture: now every son of that family had come back.