Ezra 2 (résumé): List of first exiles to return

This chapter contains a census of the 42,360 exiles initially returning to Jerusalem plus 7,337 slaves, male and female singers, 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys. The census focuses especially on the priests, Levites and musicians essential for the temple to function, which was the aim of this first group of returning exiles, but some would-be priests were excluded because they could not prove their priestly descent and credentials. Some gave freewill offerings totalling 500 kg of gold, 2.8 tons of silver and 100 priestly garments for the rebuilding and functioning of the temple.