Nehemiah
Select chapter 7

Nehemiah 7

1After the wall was finished and I had set up the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. 2 I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most. 3 I said to them, “Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day.[a] And even while the gatekeepers are on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at sentry posts and some in front of their own homes.”

Nehemiah Registers the People

4 At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt. 5 So my God gave me the idea to call together all the nobles and leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration. I had found the genealogical record of those who had first returned to Judah. This is what was written there:

6 Here is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity. King Nebuchadnezzar had deported them to Babylon, but now they returned to Jerusalem and the other towns in Judah where they originally lived. 7 Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah,[b] Reelaiah,[c] Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar,[d] Bigvai, Rehum,[e] and Baanah.

This is the number of the men of Israel who returned from exile:

8 The family of Parosh2,172
9 The family of Shephatiah372
10 The family of Arah652
11 The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab)2,818
12 The family of Elam1,254
13 The family of Zattu845
14 The family of Zaccai760
15 The family of Bani[f]648
16 The family of Bebai628
17 The family of Azgad2,322
18 The family of Adonikam667
19 The family of Bigvai2,067
20 The family of Adin655
21 The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah)98
22 The family of Hashum328
23 The family of Bezai324
24 The family of Jorah[g]112
25 The family of Gibbar[h]95
26 The people of Bethlehem and Netophah188
27 The people of Anathoth128
28 The people of Beth-azmaveth42
29 The people of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth743
30 The people of Ramah and Geba621
31 The people of Micmash122
32 The people of Bethel and Ai123
33 The people of West Nebo[i]52
34 The citizens of West Elam[j]1,254
35 The citizens of Harim320
36 The citizens of Jericho345
37 The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono721
38 The citizens of Senaah3,930

39 These are the priests who returned from exile:

The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua)973
40 The family of Immer1,052
41 The family of Pashhur1,247
42 The family of Harim1,017

43 These are the Levites who returned from exile:

The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah[k])74
44 The singers of the family of Asaph148
45 The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai138

46 The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile:

Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
47 Keros, Siaha,[l] Padon,
48 Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,
49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
52 Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,[m]
53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
54 Bazluth,[n] Mehida, Harsha,
55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
56 Neziah, and Hatipha.

57 The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile:

Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,[o]
58 Jaalah,[p] Darkon, Giddel,
59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.[q]

60 In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants numbered 392.

61 Another group returned at this time from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Kerub, Addan,[r] and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families were descendants of Israel. 62 This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda—a total of 642 people.

63 Three families of priests—Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai—also returned. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.) 64 They searched for their names in the genealogical records, but they were not found, so they were disqualified from serving as priests. 65 The governor told them not to eat the priests’ share of food from the sacrifices until a priest could consult the Lord about the matter by using the Urim and Thummim—the sacred lots.

66 So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah, 67 in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women. 68 They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,[s] 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

70 Some of the family leaders gave gifts for the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold coins,[t] 50 gold basins, and 530 robes for the priests. 71 The other leaders gave to the treasury a total of 20,000 gold coins[u] and some 2,750 pounds[v] of silver for the work. 72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 pounds[w] of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.

73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Temple servants, and some of the common people settled near Jerusalem. The rest of the people returned to their own towns throughout Israel.

Ezra Reads the Law

In October,[x] when the Israelites had settled in their towns,

Footnotes

  1. 7:3 Or Keep the gates of Jerusalem closed until the sun is hot.
  2. 7:7a As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Azariah.
  3. 7:7b As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Raamiah.
  4. 7:7c As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Mispereth.
  5. 7:7d As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Nehum.
  6. 7:15 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:10; Hebrew reads Binnui.
  7. 7:24 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:18; Hebrew reads Hariph.
  8. 7:25 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:20; Hebrew reads Gibeon.
  9. 7:33 Or of the other Nebo.
  10. 7:34 Or of the other Elam.
  11. 7:43 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:40; Hebrew reads Hodevah.
  12. 7:47 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:44; Hebrew reads Sia.
  13. 7:52 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:50; Hebrew reads Nephushesim.
  14. 7:54 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:52; Hebrew reads Bazlith.
  15. 7:57 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:55; Hebrew reads Sotai, Sophereth, Perida.
  16. 7:58 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:56; Hebrew reads Jaala.
  17. 7:59 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:57; Hebrew reads Amon.
  18. 7:61 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:59; Hebrew reads Addon.
  19. 7:68 As in some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts lack this verse. Verses 7:69-73 are numbered 7:68-72 in Hebrew text.
  20. 7:70 Hebrew 1,000 darics of gold, about 19 pounds or 8.6 kilograms in weight.
  21. 7:71a Hebrew 20,000 darics of gold, about 375 pounds or 170 kilograms in weight; also in 7:72.
  22. 7:71b Hebrew 2,200 minas [1,300 kilograms].
  23. 7:72 Hebrew 2,000 minas [1,200 kilograms].
  24. 7:73 Hebrew In the seventh month. This month of the ancient Hebrew lunar calendar occurred within the months of October and November 445 B.c.
Nehemiah 7