Ezra 2:55-58

The descendants of Solomon’s servants 2:55-58

These people seem to have been those who descended from the servants Solomon had appointed to serve in his temple during his administration. Other views are that they were the descendants of the Canaanites whom Solomon enslaved [Note: Yamauchi, "Ezra-Nehemiah," pp. 614, 615. Cf. Whitcomb, p. 425.] or the descendants of the royal officers who were merchants in Solomon’s service. [Note: B. A. Levine, "The Nethinim," Journal of Biblical Literature 82 (1963):209.] Since the grand total in Ezra 2:58 includes both the temple servants and this group, it appears that they cooperated closely in their work.