Also of the Nethinim, whom David and the princes had appointed for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim: all of them were registered by name.
All Commentaries on Ezra 8:20 Go To Ezra 8
Bede
AD 735
It is worth noting here that although historians write Caspian, Ezra in this passage calls it Casiphia. For the Hebrews, not having the letter p, use the letter ph in Greek or barbarian names, as in Phetrus or Philatus. Thus, as a result of the captivity of the Assyrians and Chaldeans, the descendants of Israel are shown to have reached even as far as the region of Casiphia, since Ezra sent to that place for ministers of the Lord’s house to be brought to him, namely, Levites and Nathinnites, whom Josephus calls “sacred servants.” Concerning these people it should be noted that they were living very freely and peacefully even among foreigners, since, at Ezra’s command or requests, they were immediately able to appoint so great an army. For the catalogue of them that follows shows that there were men chosen in that expedition; when these were added, Ezra is found to have had a total of nearly , men in his army.
