Once the service of the Temple came into play, the importance of the Levites became greater and greater. The reason being, that they were chosen by God to serve the Temple’s needs. Early in the history of Israel, and not long after the Lord had taken them out of captivity in Egypt, Israel rebelled and made themselves images of god, saying of these images, they were the god who brought them out of Egypt (Exodus 32:1-5). Moses stood in the gate of the camp and shouted: “Who is on the Lord’s side?” (Exodus 32:26). Those who came out of the camp and answered Moses’ call and gathered themselves around him were Levites and only Levites. They returned to the camp and slew everyone who had taken part in the rebellion, not even considering family ties (Exodus 32:27-28; cp. Numbers 3:6-9, 12; Deuteronomy 33:8-11). Because they had done this thing, God separated them from their brethren, Israel, and rewarded the Levites with the service of the Tabernacle/Temple instead of the first born of all the tribes of Israel (Exodus 32:29; cp. Numbers 25:13).
After leaving Babylon on the first day of the first month (Ezra 7:9), Ezra and company arrived at Ahava[1] after about nine days.[2] There, he made a search for the Levites and found none (Ezra 8:15). It has been conjectured that the Levites weren’t zealous to return with Ezra to serve the needs of the Temple, as their ancestors were (cp. Exodus 32:27-28).[3] However, I think this opinion may go too far. I believe Ezra had particular Levites in mind, when he organized the caravan of Jews to return to Jerusalem from the captivity. He was eager to obtain men who were zealous for the Law, and who were well trained to teach other Jews, what they needed to know about the covenant, their ancestors made with the Lord under Moses.
With the above in mind, therefore, Ezra gathered to himself certain leaders in the caravan and men of understanding (Ezra 8:16) and sent them with a command to Iddo the Chief at a place called Casphia. The location of Casphia is uncertain, but it had to have been close to Ahava on the road from Babylon. It is conjectured that Iddo the Chief may have been the head of a college of Levites and Nethinim (Ezra 8:17).[4] So, if this is logical and true, Ezra may have chosen this particular route from Babylon to Jerusalem, so the caravan would pass near this college. Here, he could recruit a number of zealous Levites and Nethinim, who were well equipped to teach the Law to other Jews, as well as fulfill the need of Temple service at Jerusalem. The immediate concern, however, was to carry the Temple vessels, which the king had given for Temple use, because bearing the vessels of the Temple was the exclusive responsibility of the Levites, according to the Law of Moses.
The men returned from Iddo with the men for whom they were sent. Not only had Iddo given them about 38 Levites and two-hundred and twenty Nethinim, but he also sent with them a man of understanding, probably a teacher at the college (Ezra 8:18-20). Therefore, the text claims that “the good hand of God” was upon them (Ezra 8:18). In other words, the Lord had given Ezra more than he expected.
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[1] The modern name for Ahava is “Hit” and is situated on the Euphrates about 80 miles northwest of Babylon, about an eight-day journey (10 miles per day). See Ezra 8 verse 31.
[2] If Ezra left Babylon on the first day of the first month (Ezra 7:9), and left Ahava for Jerusalem on the twelfth day of the first month (Ezra 8:31), after a stay of about three days (Ezra 8:15), then the caravan must have arrived at Ahava on the ninth day of the first month.
[3] See Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible on Ezra 8:15.
[4] See Cambridge Bible Commentary for Ezra 8:17.
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