Ezra 8:15

(b) 15 20. The Encampment of Ahava; the Absence of Levites

15. The Rendezvous

15. the river that runneth to Ahava -Ahava" is here the name of a place, which seems to have also given its name to the river. Ewald conjectured that the river Ahava (or Peleg-Ahava) was to be identified with the Palacopas, which flowed S. of Babylon. Rawlinson identifies with the river Is mentioned by Herodotus (i. 179) flowing from the E. into the Euphrates at a point, where stood a town of the same name (the modern Hit), an eight days" journey distant from Babylon. He points out that a well-known town upon the line of march would be a likely spot for a halting-place.

We do not however gather from the verse that Ezra's march had actually begun. The rendezvous at Ahava enabled Ezra to make the necessary preliminary review of his large company. It is hardly likely that this first review would be held at a great distance from Babylon, where the great majority of the Jews were settled. On the other hand it is equally unlikely that a gathering of 1500 men and of a caravan which must have comprised 7000 or 8000 souls would have met within the walls of Babylon.

The conjecture therefore that the Ahava was one of the many canals or artificial rivers in the vicinity of Babylon, appears to be the most probable. Perhaps there was a specially influential settlement of Jews on the banks of the Ahava, as there had been once on the banks of the Chebar (cf. Ezekiel 1:1 &c.). For purposes of lustration the pious Jews may have met with special frequency by the banks of rivers (cf. the proseuchæ and synagogues of later times), "By the rivers of Babylon," (Psalms 137:1). See Acts 16:13.

1Es 8:41 renders by -a river called Theras" (ἐπὶ τὸν λεγόμενον Θερὰν πόταμον). The LXX. gives πρὸς τὸν Εὐί (Ezra 8:21 Ἀουέ).

abode we in tents R.V. we encamped. The three days" encampment preceded the final move. The short interval was employed by Ezra in securing the services of Levites. As the camp was struck and the march begun on the 12th day (see Ezra 8:31), the encampment lasted from the 9th to the 12th. Ezra's preparations were begun on the 1st day (see Ezra 7:9 and note).

I viewed i.e. gave attention to. The same word occurs in Nehemiah 13:7, "I came to Jerusalem and understood ofthe evil." Cf. Proverbs 7:7, "I discernedamong the youths". Job 42:3; Daniel 12:8.

the people, and the priests i.e. the laity (cf. Ezra 2:2), and the priests.

and found there none of the sons of Levi On the occasion of Zerubbabel's journey from Babylon, only seventy-four Levites accompanied him, although over four thousand priests returned (cf. Ezra 2:36, &c.). The backwardness of the Levites to join in the return to the Temple-worship is probably to be explained by their having been especially concerned in (a) the worship at the high places, (b) the idolatrous forms of worship, which the reformation of Josiah had sought to abolish. See Introduction § 7. iv. C.