1. Ezra 2:40 (ESV)
  2. Exposition

Why did only seventy-four Levites return?

Ezra 2:40 (ESV)

40 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodaviah, 74.

It is interesting that only 74 Levites came back compared to 4,289 priests. When Ezra returned to Jerusalem, he also had to find the Levites (Ezra 8:15). Perhaps not many Levites had been deported since they belonged to the poorer class of people or maybe they turned to secular jobs during the exile and were unwilling to become temple servants.1