Many of the exiles left the province of Babylon and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, all to their own hometowns. Their families had been living in exile in Babylonia ever since King Nebuchadnezzar had taken them there as prisoners.
Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the list of the clans of Israel, with the number of those from each clan who returned from exile:
People whose ancestors had lived in the following towns also returned: Bethlehem - 123; Netophah - 56; Anathoth - 128; Azmaveth - 42; Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth - 743; Ramah and Geba - 621; Michmash - 122; Bethel and Ai - 223; Nebo - 52; Magbish - 156; The other Elam - 1,254; Harim - 320; Lod, Hadid, and Ono - 725; Jericho - 345; Senaah - 3,630
Clans of Levites who returned from exile: Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah) - 74; Temple musicians (descendants of Asaph) - 128; Temple guards (descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai) - 139
Clans of Solomon's servants who returned from exile: Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth Hazzebaim, and Ami
There were 652 belonging to the clans of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda who returned from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not prove that they were descendants of Israelites.
The following priestly clans could find no record to prove their ancestry: Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai. (The ancestor of the priestly clan of Barzillai had married a woman from the clan of Barzillai of Gilead and had taken the name of his father-in-law's clan.) Since they were unable to prove who their ancestors were, they were not accepted as priests.
Total number of exiles who returned - 42,360; Their male and female servants - 7,337; Male and female musicians - 200; Horses - 736; Mules - 245; Camels - 435; Donkeys - 6,720
When the exiles arrived at the LORD's Temple in Jerusalem, some of the leaders of the clans gave freewill offerings to help rebuild the Temple on its old site.
The priests, the Levites, and some of the people settled in or near Jerusalem; the musicians, the Temple guards, and the Temple workers settled in nearby towns; and the rest of the Israelites settled in the towns where their ancestors had lived.