The list is actually doing a few things. Firstly, it is showing the continuity between the Israel that returned from exile and the Israel that went into exile. In other words, this list legitimizes the people who are returning. The second thing that it does is it actually honours those who were stirred by the Lord and returned, because they returned by faith. What was in Jerusalem in 538 BC? Rubble! What were the walls like in 538 BC? They were all torn down. What was the temple like? It was destroyed. What were the cities like? There were just a few people, twenty thousand at the most and they lived scattered throughout the land of Judah. They were going back to a desolation, but it was a desolation that was their desolation, because God had given it to them. They were going back by faith and they are honoured.1
Brian Borgman
1 Voici ceux de la province qui revinrent de l'exil, ceux que Nebucadnetsar, roi de Babylone, avait emmenés captifs à Babylone, et qui retournèrent à Jérusalem et en Juda, chacun dans sa ville.