Azgad עַזְגָּד

Azgad is mentioned in Ezr.2.12, 8:12, and Neh.7.17 as the ancestor of a group of exiles who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon. In Ezr.2.12 and Neh.7.17, it is recorded that 1,222 descendants of Azgad were among the first group of exiles to return under the leadership of Zerubbabel. In Ezr.8.12, an additional 110 men from the descendants of Azgad are mentioned as part of a later group that returned with Ezra. The variations in the numbers may be due to different counting methods or the inclusion of additional family members in the second count. The return of the exiles to Jerusalem and the rebuilding of the temple and the city were significant events in the history of Israel, marking the end of the Babylonian captivity and the restoration of Jewish worship and national identity. The mention of Azgad and his descendants demonstrates the importance of family lineage and the preservation of genealogical records in the post-exilic period.