SCRIPTURE: EZRA 2
THE LIST OF THE EXILES WHO RETURNED (vs. 1-70)
The exiles who returned to Jerusalem and Judah in the company of Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelalah, Mardecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum and Baanah were listed. The whole company numbered 42,360, besides their 7,337 menservants and maidservants and they also had 200 men and women singers. They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
When they arrived at the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings toward the rebuilding of the house of God on its site. According to their ability they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 drachmas of gold, 5,000 minas of silver and 100 priestly garments.
The priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers and the temple servants settled in their own towns, along with some of the other people, and the rest of the Israelites settled in their towns.
THOUGHTS:
Most of the Jews had settled down in Babylon and had no desire to return to their Promised land. Content with security and material gain, they abandoned the land of their fathers and stayed with the captive in Babylon.
Everyone contributed offering according to his ability for the temple construction. The people gave as much as they could and did it so generously. We should also not limit our giving to only 10% of our income. We should give from the heart all that we are able and not from the leftover amount.