Ares
Who Was Ares?
Ares is the name given in 1 Esdras 5:10 to the ancestor of a large family that returned from Babylonian captivity to Jerusalem under the leadership of Zerubbabel. The name corresponds to Arah in the canonical parallel passages of Ezra 2:5 and Nehemiah 7:10. The family of Ares/Arah was one of the many Israelite clans that made the journey back to the promised land after the Persian king Cyrus issued his decree allowing the exiles to return (Ezra 1:1-4).
The Return from Exile
According to the records, 756 descendants of Ares joined the great return to Jerusalem. This was part of a massive migration that included tens of thousands of Israelites who chose to leave Babylon and return to their ancestral homeland. The journey was approximately 900 miles and took several months to complete. The return fulfilled the prophetic promises of Jeremiah, who had foretold that God would bring His people back to their land after seventy years of exile (Jeremiah 29:10).
The Census Lists
The detailed census lists found in Ezra 2, Nehemiah 7, and 1 Esdras 5 serve as a register of the returning families. These lists demonstrate the careful record-keeping of the Jewish community and their concern for maintaining genealogical identity. The family of Arah/Ares is mentioned early in the list, suggesting they were a prominent clan. Slight variations in numbers between the parallel lists likely reflect different stages of the return or different methods of counting.
The Family of Arah in Scripture
Beyond the census list, the name Arah appears again in Nehemiah 6:18, where Tobiah the Ammonite is identified as the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of Arah. This connection placed the family of Arah at the center of a political controversy, as Tobiah was one of the chief opponents of Nehemiah's rebuilding efforts. The intermarriage between a prominent Jewish family and a foreign adversary illustrates the complex social dynamics of the post-exilic period.
Significance for Biblical History
The inclusion of families like Ares/Arah in the return lists demonstrates God's faithfulness in preserving His people through exile and restoring them to their homeland. Each family name in the census represents real people who trusted God's promises and undertook the difficult journey back to a ruined city. Their willingness to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple laid the foundation for the continuation of Jewish worship and the eventual coming of the Messiah.
Biblical Context
Ares appears in 1 Esdras 5:10, with the canonical parallel being Arah in Ezra 2:5 and Nehemiah 7:10. The family is listed among those who returned from Babylon with Zerubbabel. The name Arah also appears in Nehemiah 6:18 in connection with Tobiah's family alliances.
Theological Significance
The return of families like Ares/Arah from exile demonstrates God's covenant faithfulness in fulfilling His promise to restore Israel. The detailed census records show that God knows His people by name and preserves their identity even through displacement and captivity. The return from Babylon is one of the great redemptive acts in the Old Testament.
Historical Background
The return from Babylonian exile began around 538 BC following the decree of Cyrus the Great of Persia, whose policy of allowing deported peoples to return home is confirmed by the famous Cyrus Cylinder. The returning community faced significant challenges in rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple amidst opposition from surrounding peoples. The census lists in Ezra, Nehemiah, and 1 Esdras provide valuable historical data about the size and composition of the post-exilic community.