John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 1. These are now the chief of their fathers, and this is the genealogy of them , etc.] Which follows from hence to the end of ( Ezra 8:14), that went up with me from Babylon ; with Ezra the priest and scribe, the writer of this book: in the reign of Artaxerxes the king ; that is, Darius Hystaspis, in the seventh year of his reign, (see Ezra 7:1,7), though many think Artaxerxes Longimanus is meant.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-20 - Ezra assembles the outcasts of Israel, and the dispersed of Judah. God raised up the spirits of a small remnant to accompany him. What a pit that good men should omit a good work, for want of being spoken to!
Original Hebrew ואלה428 ראשׁי7218 אבתיהם1 והתיחשׂם3187 העלים5927 עמי5973 במלכות4438 ארתחשׁסתא783 המלך4428 מבבל׃894
