Ezra 8:20

Ezr 8:20 Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinims: all of them were expressed by name.

Ver. 20. Whom David and the princes had appointed] i.e. Continued, confirmed, and ordered them; for they were first appointed and designed to that service by Joshua; and thence called Nethinims.

All of them were expressed by name] Verbis non solum disertis, sed et exsertis. Words not only skilfully expressed, but even uncovered.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Ezr 8:20. Also of the Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed — The Gibeonites, who were devoted to the service of the Levites by Joshua and the princes of his time, (Jos 9:21,) and are said to have been appointed by David and his princes, because they were confirmed by them in their former office, and more particularly applied to the several services of the temple. Of them two hundred and twenty, upon this hasty summons, listed themselves, and had the honour to be expressed by name in Ezra’s muster-roll. This success Ezra ascribes to the good hand of God upon them. If, where ministers have been wanting, the vacancies are well supplied, let God have the glory, and his good hand, qualifying them for the service, inclining them to it, and then opening a door of opportunity for them.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

8:20 first instituted by King David and his officials: See 1 Chr 24–26.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Read Ezra 2:43.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(20) The Nethinims—It is here alone recorded that David appointed these to aid the Levites.

All of them were expressed by name.—Not, as some think, that they were all famous, but that Iddo sent their names in a list not given. The relief of their coming is gratefully ascribed to the “good hand of our God upon us.”

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. also of the Nethinims] R.V. and of the Nethinim.

whom David and the princes had appointed] R.V. whom David and the princes had given. ‘Given’, not ‘appointed’, more literal rendering and corresponds with meaning of Nethinim (=given). See on Ezr_2:55. The sentence illustrates the prevailing tradition as to the origin of the Nethinim.

for the service of] here as usually = “for ministration or service to”; cf. Exo_30:16 : frequent in Chron. in the phrase “the service of the house of God”. Sometimes = “service rendered by”, e.g. Exo_38:21. For its primary meaning cf. Neh_5:18 (bondage).

all … expressed by name] cf. the same phrase 1Ch_12:31; 1Ch_16:41; 2Ch_28:15; 2Ch_31:19. The metaphor of the original is that of being ‘pricked’ off on the list. The list was probably before the compiler, who does not think it worth while to occupy space with the names.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava,.... After the messengers to Iddo were returned with those they brought with them:

that we might afflict ourselves before our God; humble themselves before him for their sins, confess them, and declare their repentance of them, and ask forgiveness for them:

to seek of him a right way for us; to take from thence towards Jerusalem, to be directed by him in it: either by a prophet, or by a vision in a dream, as Eben Ezra; or rather by the guidance of his providence; this they sought in prayer by the river side, where it had been usual with them, and since has been, to perform religious exercises, see Eze 1:1, hence Tertullian (z) calls the prayers of the Jews "orationes littorales"; they sought not so much which was the shortest and easiest way for them to travel in, as which was the safest:

and for our little ones and for all our substance; for the safe conveyance of them; this shows, that though males only are numbered, as before, yet they had their wives and children with them; for little ones cannot be supposed without women to take care of them.

(z) Ad nationes, l. 1. c. 13. Vid. lib. de jejuniis, c. 16.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The Gibeonites, who were devoted to this service by Joshua and the princes of his time, Jos 9:21, and are said to be appointed by David and his princes, because they were confirmed by them in their former office, and more particularly applied to the several services of the temple; though this be not distinctly related in 1Ch 24; 1Ch 25; 1Ch 26, because his business there was to give an account only of the new constitutions and alterations made by David in those matters.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The Nethinims, whom David and the princes had appointed. We learn this fact from the present passage only; since neither in Kings nor Chronicles is there any mention made of David"s adding to the hieroduli, or temple servants. It is, however, quite in accordance with his other arrangements that he should have done so. The original Nethinims were the Gibeonites. (Jos_9:23) All were expressed by name.

Iddo sent to Ezra a list of the Nethinims, which, however, he does not think it necessary to insert.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And of the Nethinites And of the slaves, the Nethnites that King David had appointed, and the chefs of Israel ascended with them.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.