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- Though the sum total, both here and in Nehemiah, is equal, namely, 42,360, yet the particulars reckoned up only make 29,818 in Ezra, and 31,089 in Nehemiah; and we find that Nehemiah mentions 1,765 persons who are not in Ezra, and Ezra has 494 not mentioned in Nehemiah. This last circumstance, which seems to render all hope of reconciling them impossible, Mr. Alting thinks is the very point by which they can be reconciled; for, if we add Ezra's surplus to the sum in Nehemiah, and Nehemiah's surplus to the number in Ezra, they will both amount to 31,583; which subtracted from 42,360, leaves a deficiency of 10,777, which are not named because they did not belong to the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, or to the priests, but to the other Israelitish tribes. "And now¹ for a littleª spaceª graceª hath been¹ [shewed] from¹¹ the LORDª our God,ª to leaveª° us a remnant to escape,ª and to giveª° us a nailª in his holyª place,ª that our Godª may lightenª° our eyes,ª and giveª° us a littleª revivingª in our bondage.ª" {Ezr 9:8} + "The whole¹ congregationª togetherª [was] fortyªª and two thousandª threeª hundredª and threescore,ª ... [Their] camels,ª fourª hundredª thirtyª and five:ª sixª thousandª sevenª hundredª and twentyª asses.ª" {Neh 7:66-69} + "And it shall come to pass¹ in that¹ day,ª [that] the remnantª of Israel,ª and such as are escapedª of the houseª of Jacob,ª shall no¹ more¹ againª° stayª° upon¹ him that smoteª° them; but shall stayª° upon¹ the LORD,ª the Holy Oneª of Israel,ª in truth.ª ... For¹ though¹ thy peopleª Israelª be¹ as the sandª of the sea,ª [yet] a remnantª of them shall return:ª° the consumptionª decreedª° shall overflowª° with righteousness.ª" {Isa 10:20-22} + "And I¹ will gatherª°¹ the remnantª of my flockª out of all¹¹ countriesª whither¹¹ I have drivenª° them, and will bring them againª°¹ to¹ their folds;ª and they shall be fruitfulª° and increase.ª°" {Jer 23:3}
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