My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be listed by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found this written in it:
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 5. Heart, inspired me to provide inhabitants for the city, as was afterwards done by lot. Calmet. 11. Tirinus.—Written. Hence it seems evident that Nehemias here only transcribes this ancient record, of those who came under Zorobabel, and consequently this chapter sought to agree with 1 Ezra 2. as well as with 3 Ezra 5:9, ( Bible.) which is now strangely corrupted; so that it can throw no light upon the matter. Calmet.—Some think that various catalogues were taken, at Babylon, at the first coming to Jerusalem, ( Menochius.) and at the dedication of the temple; ( Tirinus.) and that Nehemias refer to a different one from that of Esdras. Sa. Lucas. Tirinus.—Others suppose that changes were introduced, as the families were increased or diminished, in the time of Nehemias; ( Tirinus.) who, therefore, judged it necessary to write a fresh catalogue, but only adjusted the old one to the present circumstances, including probably the names of those who had returned with Esdras, or with himself. Calmet.—This seems contrary to the text, a book of, and so forth and it would perhaps be as well to allow that the variations arise from transcribers, as all allow that many of the names and numbers are corrupted. Bible.—The similarity of Hebrew letters for different numbers might easily occasion this; as we cannot suppose but Esdras would be able to give the total of sixty particular sums. Watson, let. 5.