Ezra 2:35
The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty.
Original Language Analysis
בְּנֵ֣י
The children
H1121
בְּנֵ֣י
The children
Strong's:
H1121
Word #:
1 of 7
a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or
שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת
three
H7969
שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת
three
Strong's:
H7969
Word #:
3 of 7
three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice
אֲלָפִ֔ים
thousand
H505
אֲלָפִ֔ים
thousand
Strong's:
H505
Word #:
4 of 7
hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand
וְשֵׁ֥שׁ
and six
H8337
וְשֵׁ֥שׁ
and six
Strong's:
H8337
Word #:
5 of 7
six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ordinal, sixth
Historical Context
Senaah's location is uncertain, possibly near Jericho or in the hill country north of Jerusalem. The town appears only in post-exilic lists (here and Nehemiah 7:38), suggesting it may have been a settlement that grew during the exile period. Its obscurity makes its numerical dominance even more remarkable—God often works mightily through the unknown.
Questions for Reflection
- What does Senaah's obscurity combined with its numerical prominence teach about God's value system versus human recognition?
- How does God's use of forgotten towns and families challenge the modern church's celebrity culture and platform-building?
- In what ways might your own 'obscure' faithfulness contribute more to God's kingdom than you realize?
Analysis & Commentary
The children of Senaah, three thousand and six hundred and thirty—With 3,630 people, Senaah provided the largest single family contingent in the entire census, yet this town is otherwise unknown in Scripture. The Hebrew name Senaah (סְנָאָה) possibly means 'thorny' or 'hated,' making this massive representation remarkably significant—the despised became the most numerous.
This statistical prominence of an obscure town illustrates God's kingdom paradox: 'the last shall be first' (Matthew 20:16). While famous families like Jedaiah's priests (v. 36) numbered 973, unknown Senaah contributed nearly four times as many. God's restoration includes—and often prioritizes—the forgotten and marginalized. Their later work rebuilding Jerusalem's Fish Gate (Nehemiah 3:3) gave them strategic importance in the reconstruction.