Ezra 8:35

Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Ezra 8:35. Which were come out of the captivity — Namely, those new- comers whom God had safely conducted thither. Offered burnt-offerings unto the God of Israel — Whereby they acknowledged the Lord for their God, and expressed their gratitude for their restoration. Twelve he-goats for a sin-offering — For it is the atonement that secures every mercy to us, which will not be truly comfortable, unless iniquity be taken away, and our peace be made with God. They offer twelve bullocks, twelve he-goats, and ninety-six rams, (eight times twelve,) signifying the union of the two kingdoms. They did not any longer go two tribes one way, and ten tribes another; but all the twelve met by their representatives at the same altar.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

8:31-36 Enemies laid wait for the Jews, but God protected them. Even the common perils of journeys, call us to go out with prayer, and to return with praise and thanksgiving. But what shall we render when the Lord has led us safely through the pilgrimage of life, through the gloomy vale of death, out of the reach of all our enemies, into everlasting happiness! Among their sacrifices they had a sin-offering. The atonement sweetens and secures every mercy to us, which will not be truly comfortable, unless sin be taken away, and our peace made with God. Then had the church rest. The expressions here used, direct us to the deliverance of sinners from spiritual bondage, and their pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem, under the care and protection of their God and Saviour.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Compare the marginal reference. The idea of offerings for all Israel pervades in this case the entire sacrifice, with the exception of the lambs, whose number (77) is unique, and has not been accounted for.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

33-36. Now on the fourth day was the silver … weighed in the house of our God—The first three days after their arrival in Jerusalem were undoubtedly given to repose; on the next, the treasures were weighed and handed over to the custody of the officiating priests of the temple. The returned exiles offered burnt offerings, and Ezra delivered the royal commission to the satraps and inferior magistrates; while the Levitical portion of them lent all the assistance they could in performing the additional work which the arrival of so many new worshippers occasioned.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Which were come out of the captivity, to wit, these new comers, whom God had safely conducted hither.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity,.... Namely, those that now came along with Ezra:

offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel; by way of thankfulness for their deliverance from captivity, and for their safe journey:

twelve bullocks for all Israel: according to the number of the tribes; and there might be some of every tribe that now came up:

ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs; these and the bullocks were burnt offerings:

twelve he goats for a sin offering; according to the number of the twelve tribes, also to make atonement for sins they had been guilty of:

all this was a burnt offering unto the Lord; excepting the twelve he goats, which were a sin offering.

Geneva Study Bible

Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

35. Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity] R.V. The children of the captivity which were come out of exile.

By this term is intended Ezra’s company which had just returned. The sacrifices offered by them resembled those offered by Zerubbabel and his companions at the dedication of the Temple (Ezra 6:17). (1) They consisted of the same animals, bullocks, rams and lambs; (2) they were offered in the name of the whole people.

For the expression ‘the children of the captivity’ compare Ezra 6:19, and see note on chap. Ezra 2:1. The ‘exile’ (sh‘bhi) refers to the condition of captivity, the ‘captivity’ (haggôlah) to the community of exiles.

twelve bullocks … twelve he goats] i.e. for the twelve tribes, cf. on Ezra 6:17, ‘for all Israel’.

ninety and six rams] i.e. eight for each tribe.

seventy and seven lambs] a magnification of the perfect number (cf. Genesis 4:24; Matthew 18:22).

for a sin offering] The twelve he goats as in Ezra 6:17.

all this was a burnt offering] i.e. it was completely consumed.

An offering, of thanksgiving for protection in the journey, and of consecration of the new life.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 35. - Also the children of those who had been carried away. i.e. the newly-returned exiles. Like their predecessors under Zernbbabel, who had made an offering for all Israel (Ezra 6:17), so the present colonists under Ezra, assuming that they represented all Israel, offered for the whole nation. The classes of animals offered are the same on the two occasions, and the number of the he-goats is identical; but in every other case the victims are far less numerous now than on the former occasion. This is fully accounted for by the comparatively small number of those who returned under Ezra. Ezra 8:35

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

After the delivery of the dedicated gifts, those who had come up out of captivity (with Ezra), the sons of the captivity, offered burnt-offerings and sin-offerings, out of gratitude for the favour shown by God in the gracious restoration of His people Israel. This is implied in the words: "burnt-offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel" (the twelve tribes), and twelve he-goats for a sin-offering, as in Ezra 6:17. Ninety-six (8 x 12) lambs and seventy-seven lambs (77, the intensified seven) were likewise brought as a burnt-offering. "All this was a burnt-offering for the Lord," of which, therefore, nothing could be eaten by the offerers. The sin-offering preceded the burnt-offering, as the necessary basis of an acceptable burnt-offering. The sin-offerings availed as an atonement for the sins of all Israel, and the burnt-offerings typified the surrender of the entire nation to the service of the Lord. Thus the fact that these were offered for all Israel was an actual declaration that they who had now returned were henceforth resolved, together with all Israel, to dedicate their lives to the service of the Lord their God.