Esdras 8 (Spanish RV 1909) - Bible Truth Library

Verse 14

Verse 16

Articles on

Ezra 8

Esd. 8:15 KJV (With Strong’s)

And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there ηabode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there noneo of the sons of Levi.

or, pitched.

Esd. 7:7• ⁷Y subieron con él á Jerusalem de los hijos de Israel, y de los sacerdotes, y Levitas, y cantores, y porteros, y Nethineos, en el séptimo año del rey Artajerjes. (Esd. 7:7)

More on:

Ahava,

Levi,

Priest; Priesthood,

River,

Tent,

Three

Cross References

Ministry on This Verse

the river that runneth.Ahava is supposed to be the river Adiava, which, with the Diava, is said by Ammianus to have given name to Adiabene, a province of Assyria, through which they flowed into the Tigris.

These rivers were also called respectively, Anzabas and Zabas, the Caprus and Lycus of Ptolemy; the former of which he places, at its source, in long. 79 degrees, lat. 39® degrees, and at its junction with the Tigris, in long. 79® degrees, lat. 36 degrees 6'; and the latter, at its source, in long 78 degrees, lat. 39 degrees; and where it falls into the Tigris, in long. 79 degrees, lat. 36® degrees.

They are now called the Great and Little Zab, or the Zabein, i.e., the two Zabs, which, says Ibn Haukal, "are considerable streams, each about half as large as the Dejleh (or Tigris).

They rise among the mountains of Azerbaijan:

of these, the larger is that which runs towards Haditheh.

These streams form part of the Tigris, and water the district of Semerah."

Sal. 137:1• ¹Junto á los ríos de Babilonia, Allí nos sentábamos, y aun llorábamos, Acordándonos de Sión. (Sal. 137:1)

;

Ez. 1:1• ¹Y fué que á los treinta años, en el mes cuarto, á cinco del mes, estando yo en medio de los trasportados junto al río de Chebar, los cielos se abrieron, y vi visiones de Dios. (Ez. 1:1)

;

Ez. 3:15• ¹⁵Y vine á los trasportados en Telabib, que moraban junto al río de Chebar, y asenté donde ellos estaban asentados, y allí permanecí siete días atónito entre ellos. (Ez. 3:15)

;

Hch. 16:13• ¹³Y un día de sábado salimos de la puerta junto al río, donde solía ser la oración; y sentándonos, hablamos á las mujeres que se habían juntado. (Hch. 16:13)

Ahava.

Esd. 8:21,31• ²¹Y publiqué ayuno allí junto al río de Ahava, para afligirnos delante de nuestro Dios, para solicitar de él camino derecho para nosotros, y para nuestros niños, y para toda nuestra hacienda.
³¹Y partimos del río de Ahava el doce del mes primero, para ir á Jerusalem: y la mano de nuestro Dios fué sobre nosotros, el cual nos libró de mano de enemigo y de asechador en el camino. (Esd. 8:21,31)

abode.

Heb. pitched.

and found.

Esd. 8:2• ²De los hijos de Phinees, Gersón; de los hijos de Ithamar, Daniel; de los hijos de David, Hattus; (Esd. 8:2)

;

Esd. 7:7,24• ⁷Y subieron con él á Jerusalem de los hijos de Israel, y de los sacerdotes, y Levitas, y cantores, y porteros, y Nethineos, en el séptimo año del rey Artajerjes.
²⁴Y á vosotros os hacemos saber, que á todos los sacerdotes y Levitas, cantores, porteros, Nethineos y ministros de la casa de Dios, ninguno pueda imponerles tributo, ó pecho, ó renta. (Esd. 7:7,24)

• This lack of ministers for the house of our God clearly disturbed Ezra — they were needed to handle the sacred vessels to be carried up to Jerusalem. Perhaps, compared to the priests, the Levites felt that their service was of little consequence — things were in a state of ruin, so why bother; or perhaps, since they did not have an inheritance in the land, there was nothing much to be gained in returning to Judah. All such thoughts — and we can arrive at many like excuses — are centered on self and not on God. (“Where Are the Levites? - Ezra 8:15-20” by N. Simon)

• There were two, but only two, priests; namely, Gershom, son of Phinehas, and Daniel, son of Ithamar; but of the Levitical family, outside of the priesthood, there was absolutely none. Well might Ezra have been concerned, for it was a sad symptom of the state into which the people had fallen. The priests alone enjoyed access to the holy place of the house of their God, and the Levites alone were the appointed ministers in all that appertained in its service. (“The Book of Ezra: Restoration From Babylon: Ezra 8” by E. Dennett)

J. N. Darby Translation

And I gathered them together at the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days; and I surveyed the people and the priests, and found none of the sons of Levi there.