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Ezra 8:20

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

There were also 220 temple servants called Nethinims, whom David and his officials had assigned to help the Levites with their work. All of their names were written down.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

This verse shows that David had appointed special temple servants to help the Levites, and their descendants were still faithfully serving God generations later.

📚 Historical Context

In the Old Testament, the Nethinims were a group of individuals dedicated to supporting the Levites in temple duties, often handling practical tasks to allow the priests to focus on sacred responsibilities. They were originally appointed by King David and the Israelite leaders during the establishment of temple worship, as part of organizing God's service in Israel. By the time of Ezra, during the return from Babylonian exile around the 5th century BC, these servants were specifically listed by name to ensure accountability as the community rebuilt the temple in Jerusalem.

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