The numbering of Adonikam’s family underscores God’s faithfulness in restoring His people, reminding us that every believing household has an important role in God’s redemptive plan.
Ezra 2:13 reads, “the sons of Adonikam, 666.” (v.13) This short verse appears in the broader context of a genealogical record that lists the Israelite families who returned to Jerusalem and Judah after the Babylonian exile. The family of Adonikam was among these returning exiles, numbering 666 individuals who joined in the effort to reestablish the worship of God in Jerusalem. Adonikam himself, though not discussed at length in Scripture, seems to have been an ancestor or leader whose descendants chose to come back to the Promised Land when King Cyrus of Persia allowed exiled Judeans to return around 538 BC. The tally of 666 individuals indicates a sizable household devoted to rebuilding both their ancestral homeland and the covenant relationship with the LORD.
Ezra began his ministry in Jerusalem around 457 BC (Ezra 7:7), leading another wave of exiles after the first group’s return that included Adonikam’s family. “The sons of Adonikam” appear in Ezra’s detailed record of those who could prove their heritage and thus be officially recognized as part of the covenant community. Such precise genealogical records were vital for Israel, ensuring that priests, Levites, and other Israelites knew their rightful place among God’s chosen people (Ezra 2:59-63). This served as an affirmation that God was preserving the lineage of Israel, even through the hardships of exile, to fulfill His ongoing redemptive plans, which ultimately culminate in Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:17).
Moreover, these returning exiles were determined to restore proper worship in Jerusalem, following the temple’s destruction decades earlier. By highlighting groups like Adonikam’s family in the list, Scripture underscores each family’s contribution to the corporate work of reestablishing true worship (Ezra 3:1-2). Although it may be a simple numerical record, “the sons of Adonikam, 666” (v.13) underscores the significance of every family in fulfilling God’s promise to rebuild and renew His people’s relationship with Him (Ezra 1:1-4).
This verse shows that even those who may be lesser-known in biblical history played a key role in God’s grand design. The genealogical listings in books like Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles constantly remind readers that God’s covenant plan involves real families, real challenges, and a real call to obedience rooted in restoring worship.
They were a group determined to leave captivity, rebuild their homeland, and once again become a witness for the LORD among the nations (Isaiah 49:6). In the New Testament, Jesus fulfills the promise of John 1:14, dwelling among His people and restoring the broken relationship between God and humanity. The returning families in Ezra foreshadow this restoration on a smaller scale, anticipating the greater redemption.
The verse also reminds believers today that everyone is included in God’s story, whether recognized by name or numbered among the many faithful who come back from exile and join in the covenant community.
This verse is a concise snapshot, but it reveals the resolve of an entire household to commit to God’s work after a time of hardship.
Their inclusion reminds us that God cares for individuals and families within His grand redemption narrative.
The sons of Adonikam, 666 strong, show that when God’s people obey His call to return and rebuild, He uses each family’s part to accomplish His larger purpose.
This verse reflects that each family mattered and was recorded in the post-exilic restoration of Jerusalem.
God preserves each contribution to His plan in order to renew true worship among His people.
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Ezra 2:13 meaning
Ezra 2:13 reads, “the sons of Adonikam, 666.” (v.13) This short verse appears in the broader context of a genealogical record that lists the Israelite families who returned to Jerusalem and Judah after the Babylonian exile. The family of Adonikam was among these returning exiles, numbering 666 individuals who joined in the effort to reestablish the worship of God in Jerusalem. Adonikam himself, though not discussed at length in Scripture, seems to have been an ancestor or leader whose descendants chose to come back to the Promised Land when King Cyrus of Persia allowed exiled Judeans to return around 538 BC. The tally of 666 individuals indicates a sizable household devoted to rebuilding both their ancestral homeland and the covenant relationship with the LORD.
Ezra began his ministry in Jerusalem around 457 BC (Ezra 7:7), leading another wave of exiles after the first group’s return that included Adonikam’s family. “The sons of Adonikam” appear in Ezra’s detailed record of those who could prove their heritage and thus be officially recognized as part of the covenant community. Such precise genealogical records were vital for Israel, ensuring that priests, Levites, and other Israelites knew their rightful place among God’s chosen people (Ezra 2:59-63). This served as an affirmation that God was preserving the lineage of Israel, even through the hardships of exile, to fulfill His ongoing redemptive plans, which ultimately culminate in Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:17).
Moreover, these returning exiles were determined to restore proper worship in Jerusalem, following the temple’s destruction decades earlier. By highlighting groups like Adonikam’s family in the list, Scripture underscores each family’s contribution to the corporate work of reestablishing true worship (Ezra 3:1-2). Although it may be a simple numerical record, “the sons of Adonikam, 666” (v.13) underscores the significance of every family in fulfilling God’s promise to rebuild and renew His people’s relationship with Him (Ezra 1:1-4).
This verse shows that even those who may be lesser-known in biblical history played a key role in God’s grand design. The genealogical listings in books like Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 and 2 Chronicles constantly remind readers that God’s covenant plan involves real families, real challenges, and a real call to obedience rooted in restoring worship.
They were a group determined to leave captivity, rebuild their homeland, and once again become a witness for the LORD among the nations (Isaiah 49:6). In the New Testament, Jesus fulfills the promise of John 1:14, dwelling among His people and restoring the broken relationship between God and humanity. The returning families in Ezra foreshadow this restoration on a smaller scale, anticipating the greater redemption.
The verse also reminds believers today that everyone is included in God’s story, whether recognized by name or numbered among the many faithful who come back from exile and join in the covenant community.
This verse is a concise snapshot, but it reveals the resolve of an entire household to commit to God’s work after a time of hardship.
Their inclusion reminds us that God cares for individuals and families within His grand redemption narrative.
The sons of Adonikam, 666 strong, show that when God’s people obey His call to return and rebuild, He uses each family’s part to accomplish His larger purpose.
This verse reflects that each family mattered and was recorded in the post-exilic restoration of Jerusalem.
God preserves each contribution to His plan in order to renew true worship among His people.