Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Ezra 2:66
Their horses [were] seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;
66. horses ] The number mentioned here (736) appears in 1Es 5:43 as 7036, a fair sample of the way in which figures could easily undergo alteration by accident or intention.
Before this time we do not find mention of the use of the horse among the Israelites for peaceful purposes. Hitherto the horse had been used for war and for pomp. The considerable number here mentioned is another proof of the presence of considerable wealth. The horse was the possession of the rich and well armed.
mules ] About one-third the number of the horses. During the monarchy the mule is the royal animal (1Ki 1:33; 1Ki 1:38; 1Ki 1:44). The mule was scarce and precious like the horse (1Ki 18:5). To be carried by a mule is classed with being carried by a horse or on a litter or in a chariot (Isa 66:20). They were not bred in Palestine. Solomon imported them (1Ki 10:25; 2Ch 9:24). The mules here mentioned were probably ridden by the richest class. In the O.T. we do not read of the mule carrying loads.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 66. Their horses – seven hundred, c.] They went into captivity, stripped of every thing they now return from it, abounding in the most substantial riches, viz., horses 736, or, according to Esdras, 7036; mules, 245; camels, 435; asses, 6720; besides gold, and silver, and rich stuffs. See below.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Ver. 66,67 Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six, their mules two hundred forty and five, their camels four hundred thirty and five, [their] asses six thousand seven hundred and twenty. So that the far greatest part of them must walk on foot, since these can be thought to be little more than sufficient to carry their goods or baggage; some copies of the Vulgate Latin read six hundred and thirty six horses c.
c Ed. of Sixtus V. and the Lovain in James’s Contrariety of Popish Bibles, p. 295.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
7. Next is a listing of their livestock.
TEXT, Ezr. 2:66-67
66
Their horses were 736; their mules, 245;
67
their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720.
COMMENT
This is not a very large number of animals for the amount of people. All of the animals are beasts of burden, and at best there is but one for every six persons.
WORD STUDIES
ZERUBBABEL: a seed of Babylon: a reminder that God preserved a seed of His people through the Babylonian Captivity, from which His nation would once again spring to life,
TEMPLE SERVANTS (Ezr. 2:43): literally, the Nethinim: those given. The word is a plural form; it comes from the word Nathan. These were the persons given to the priests to assist with the menial tasks of preparing for sacrifice and worship.
JESHUA, or its variant, JOSHUA: Jehovah is Salvation, or Salvation from Jehovah. This is the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek name, Jesus.
MINA: the basic meaning is to divide out, or measure out, or number. Money originally had to be measured, or weighed, at each transaction. This is the word Mene in the handwriting on the wall, in Dan. 5:25 f. Note that the consonants are the same as those in our word money, and in reverse order, the first two consonants in number. Can you find the two letters hidden in the denomination of a bill? In numismatics? Now you are looking at the building blocks of language!
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
Enumeration Of The Beasts Of Burden ( Ezr 2:66-67 ).
Ezr 2:66-67
‘Their horses were seven hundred and thirty six; their mules, two hundred and forty five; their camels, four hundred and thirty five; their asses, six thousand, seven hundred and twenty.’
These are possibly enumerated as evidence of wealth, or because they were seen as having faithfully served the needs of the community on their journey. The camels and asses especially would have been necessary in order to carry the possessions of the emigrants. The horses and mules would have been for the most important to ride on. It is noteworthy that cattle, sheep and goats are unmentioned. This would tend to support the idea that there was in the statement an indication of their gratitude to God in providing them with means of transportation. It was an indication that God was with His people. He had not allowed them to struggle on without help.
It would not be felt necessary in revising the list to renumber the beasts of burden. They did not form a part of the covenant community. It was sufficient to indicate God’s satisfactory provision.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Their treasures of cattle make no inconsiderable figure, considering that they came out of a long captivity.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Reciprocal: Lev 19:19 – thy cattle gender 1Ki 10:25 – and mules Neh 7:68 – General