The number of descendants of Elam who returned from the Babylonian exile, mentioned in the censuses of Ezra and Nehemiah.
The number 1254 appears four times in the Bible, all in connection with the censuses of those who returned to Judah after the Babylonian exile. In Ezra 2:7 and Nehemiah 7:12, the number of descendants of Elam is given as 1254, and in Ezra 2:31 and Nehemiah 7:34, the same number is given for the descendants of "the other Elam". That both groups have exactly the same count – 1254 – is striking and has been a subject of discussion among Bible scholars. The repetition of this number in these texts underscores the precise record-keeping that characterized the return and rebuilding of the Jewish community after the exile, a time when identity, lineage, and legitimacy were of crucial importance to the restored fellowship. Elam is mentioned as a son of Shem in Genesis 10:22 and is also the name of an ancient kingdom east of Mesopotamia. However, the family name 'Elam' in Ezra and Nehemiah refers to a Judahite lineage, not to the Elamite people. The fact that both 'Elam' and 'the other Elam' have exactly 1254 descendants has led some scholars to ask whether this might be a scribal error or if the two groups were originally one and the same family. Others believe that the identical count confirms the accuracy of the lists, since a scribe would unlikely repeat the same number by chance. The censuses in Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 are closely parallel lists that served as credentials for those who returned from Babylon under Persian rule (around 538 BC and onward). The lists were important for determining who had rights to land, temple access, and priesthood.*