Ezra 8:15

Ezra 8:15 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava; and there abode we in tents three days: and I viewed the people, and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.
• New International Version (NIV)I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there.
• English Standard Version (ESV)I gathered them to the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the sons of Levi.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now I gathered them by the river that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And I looked among the people and the priests, and found none of the sons of Levi there.

Context of Ezra 8:15

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. Now I assembled these exiles at the canal that flows to Ahava, and we camped there three days. And when I searched among the people and priests, I found no Levites there. 16Then I summoned the leaders: Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, as well as the teachers Joiarib and Elnathan. 17And I sent them to Iddo, the leader at Casiphia, with a message for him and his kinsmen, the temple servants at Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.

Ezra 8:15 word by word

וָֽאֶקְבְּצֵ֗ם אֶל־הַנָּהָר֙ הַבָּ֣א אֶֽל־אַהֲוָ֔א וַנַּחֲנֶ֥ה שָׁ֖ם יָמִ֣ים שְׁלֹשָׁ֑ה וָאָבִ֤ינָה בָעָם֙ וּבַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וּמִבְּנֵ֥י לֵוִ֖י לֹא־מָצָ֥אתִי שָֽׁם׃Read the interlinear

• Now I assembledקָבַץqâbats · to gatherH6908
• atאֶל'êl 'el · to(wards)H413
• the canalנָהָרnâhâr · riverH5104
• that flowsבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• Ahavaאַהֲוָא'ahăvâ' · AhavaH163
• and we campedחָנָהchânâh · to campH2583
• thereשָׁםshâm · thereH8033
• threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• And when I searchedבִּיןbîyn · to understandH995
• among the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• and priestsכֹּהֵןkôhên · priestH3548
• I foundמָצָאmâtsâ' · to findH4672
• noלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
• Levitesבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• Levitesלֵוִיlêvîyîy lêvîy · LeviH3881

Cross-references for Ezra 8:15

• Ezra 8:6from the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him 50 men;
• Ezra 8:36They also delivered the king’s edicts to the royal satraps and governors of the region west of the Euphrates, who proceeded to assist the people and the house of God.
• Psalms 137:1By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.
• Ezekiel 1:1In the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was among the exiles by the River Kebar, the heavens opened and I saw visions of God.
• Ezekiel 3:15I came to the exiles at Tel-abib who dwelt by the River Kebar. And for seven days I sat where they sat and remained there among them, overwhelmed.
• Acts 16:13On the Sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river, where it was customary to find a place of prayer. After sitting down, we spoke to the women who had gathered there.
• Ezra 8:21And there by the Ahava Canal I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask Him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.
• Ezra 8:2from the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom; from the descendants of Ithamar, Daniel;
• Ezra 7:7So in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes, he went up to Jerusalem with some of the Israelites, including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants.

Commentaries on Ezra 8:15

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15The river that runneth to Ahava - Ahava was a river itself, which is supposed to be the same that is called Diava or Adiava, in the province of Adiabene; and perhaps the place whence the people of Ava came who were brought by the king of Assyria to Palestine, 2 Kings 17:24. None of the sons of Levi - None that were simply Levites. He found priests, and they were sons of Levi; but no Levites that were not priests.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15Ahava was both a town and a river Ezra 8:21. The modern name of the place is Hit. It is famous for its bitumen springs, and is situated on the Euphrates, at a distance of about 80 miles from Babylon, toward the northwest. None of the sons of Levi - The Levites appear to have been disinclined to return to Jerusalem (see Ezra 3:8 note).Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15The Ahava Canal branched off the Euphrates River near Babylon. I found no Levites there: Only a few Levites had come earlier with Sheshbazzar (Ezra 2:40). The reason why so few Levites returned to Jerusalem is unclear.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-2015. I gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava--This river has not been ascertained. It is probable that the Ahava was one of the streams or numerous canals of Mesopotamia communicating with the Euphrates [Cyclopædia of Biblical Literature]. But it was certainly in Babylonia on the banks of that stream; and perhaps the place appointed for general rendezvous was in the neighborhood of a town of the same name. The emigrants encamped there…Read the comment

Topics related to Ezra 8:15

• Ahava
• Genealogy

In the dictionaries

• Levi
• Euphrates River, the River
• Ahava
• Ezra
• Require
• Scribe
• Synagogue
• Esdras, the First Book of
• Genealogy
• Law in the Old Testament

Commentaries on Ezra 8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings