The number of descendants of Pashhur who returned from the Babylonian exile
The number 1247 appears in the major lists of returnees in Ezra 2:38 and Nehemiah 7:41, where it indicates the number of descendants of the priest Pashhur who returned to Judah after the Babylonian exile. The family of Pashhur was one of the four prominent priestly families mentioned in these lists, alongside Jedaiah, Immer, and Harim. That so many of Pashhur's descendants returned testifies to the central role of the priesthood in rebuilding the temple and restoring Jerusalem's worship life. The return of the priestly families was essential for resuming the sacrifices and the liturgical order prescribed in the Torah. The identical number in both Ezra and Nehemiah confirms the reliability of these lists and shows the careful recording of genealogies in the post-exilic period. Pashhur is an Egyptian-influenced name meaning "portion of (the god) Horus" or possibly "child of Horus." The name appears several times in the Old Testament, including in Jeremiah 20:1–6, where another Pashhur, son of Immer, struck the prophet Jeremiah with iron. The four priestly families in Ezra 2:36–39 (Jedaiah, Immer, Pashhur, and Harim) totaled 4,289 people, a significant portion of the approximately 42,360 returnees (Ezra 2:64). This shows the disproportionately large representation of the priesthood among those who returned. In rabbinic tradition, accurate genealogical records were considered absolutely essential for determining who had the right to serve as priests in the rebuilt temple. Those unable to document their ancestry were excluded from priestly service (Ezra 2:62).*