1 gathered them together to the river that runneth to Ahava. The "river that runneth to Ahava" is now generally identified with the Is of Herodotus, a small stream flowing into the Euphrates from the east, at a point where stood a city of the same name, distant (according to Herodotus) eight days' journey from Babylon.
The city appears to be mentioned under the slightly variant forms of Ava ( עַוָּא) and Ivah ( עִוָּה) in the Second Book of Kings (17:24; 19:13). It is called Aia, or Aba, by the LXX.; Ihi in the Talmud; Aei by Isidore of Charax.
The modern name is Hit. The town has always been one of some importance in connection with the bitumen springs of the neighbourhood. Ezra s reason for selecting the place as a halting-point seems to have been the fact that many Jews were settled in the district (see verse 17).
We abode in tents. A large caravan, like Ezra's, even when it reached a town, would pitch its tents outside, and remain in them rather than scatter itself among the khans and caravanserais. The phrase is therefore to be understood literally.
I viewed the people. Rather, "I looked among the people"—I looked to see whether there were any Levites or no. ("Quaesivi in populo et in sacerdotibus de filiis Levi."—Vulg.) And found there none of the sons of Levi.
It is difficult to account for the fact; but there seems certainly to have been a special disinclination to return to Jerusalem on the part of the Levites. Only seventy-four went up with Zerubbabel, when the priests who returned were 4289 (Ezra 2:36-40); and now there was not a single one in the whole of Ezra's band.
Did the jealous spirit of Korah (Numbers 16:8-10) still animate the great body of the tribe?