Ezra 2:42 - Exposition

The porters . Six families of doorkeepers returned; three of which bear old names, those of Shallum, Talmon, and Akkub ( 1 Chronicles 9:17 ), while the other three have names that are new to us. One hundred and thirty-nine . The smallness of this and the two preceding numbers is remarkable. While the returning priests numbered 4289, the returning Levites of all classes were no more than 341 (350, Nehemiah). It would seem as if some jealousy of the priests, like that which animated Korah and his followers ( Numbers 16:1-10 ), must have grown up during the captivity (comp. below, Ezra 8:15 ).