Nehemiah 7

NLT — New Living Translation Bible (NLT)

NIVUK — New International Version - UK Bible (NIVUK)

Verse 1

After the wall was finished and I had set up the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.

After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed.

Verse 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.

I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.

Verse 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

I said to them, ‘The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, make them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.’

The list of the exiles who returned

Verse 4

At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt.

Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.

Verse 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:

So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:

Verse 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.

These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,

Verse 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:

in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):

The list of the men of Israel:

Verse 8 The family of Parosh	2,172
the descendants of Parosh	2,172
Verse 9 The family of Shephatiah	372
of Shephatiah	372
Verse 10 The family of Arah	652
of Arah	652
Verse 11 The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab)	2,818
of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Joshua and Joab)	2,818
Verse 12 The family of Elam	1,254
of Elam	1,254
Verse 13 The family of Zattu	845
of Zattu	845
Verse 14 The family of Zaccai	760
of Zakkai	760
Verse 15 The family of Bani^[f]	648
of Binnui	648
Verse 16 The family of Bebai	628
of Bebai	628
Verse 17 The family of Azgad	2,322
of Azgad	2,322
Verse 18 The family of Adonikam	667
of Adonikam	667
Verse 19 The family of Bigvai	2,067
of Bigvai	2,067
Verse 20 The family of Adin	655
of Adin	655
Verse 21 The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah)	98
of Ater (through Hezekiah)	98
Verse 22 The family of Hashum	328
of Hashum	328
Verse 23 The family of Bezai	324
of Bezai	324
Verse 24 The family of Jorah^[g]	112
of Hariph	112
Verse 25 The family of Gibbar^[h]	95
of Gibeon	95
Verse 26 The people of Bethlehem and Netophah	188
the men of Bethlehem and Netophah	188
Verse 27 The people of Anathoth	128
of Anathoth	128
Verse 28 The people of Beth-azmaveth	42
of Beth Azmaveth	42
Verse 29 The people of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth	743
of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth	743
Verse 30 The people of Ramah and Geba	621
of Ramah and Geba	621
Verse 31 The people of Micmash	122
of Mikmash	122
Verse 32 The people of Bethel and Ai	123
of Bethel and Ai	123
Verse 33 The people of West Nebo^[i]	52
of the other Nebo	52
Verse 34 The citizens of West Elam^[j]	1,254
of the other Elam	1,254
Verse 35 The citizens of Harim	320
of Harim	320
Verse 36 The citizens of Jericho	345
of Jericho	345
Verse 37 The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono	721
of Lod, Hadid and Ono	721
Verse 38 The citizens of Senaah	3,930

of Senaah

3,930

Verse 39

These are the priests who returned from exile:

The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua)

973

The priests:

the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua)	973
Verse 40 The family of Immer	1,052
of Immer	1,052
Verse 41 The family of Pashhur	1,247
of Pashhur	1,247
Verse 42 The family of Harim	1,017

of Harim

1,017

Verse 43

These are the Levites who returned from exile:

The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah^[k])

The Levites:

the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah)

Verse 44

The singers of the family of Asaph

148

The musicians:

the descendants of Asaph

148

Verse 45

The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai

138

The gatekeepers:

the descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai	138

Verse 46

The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile:

Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,

The temple servants:

the descendants of

Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,

Verse 47

Keros, Siaha,^[l] Padon,

Keros, Sia, Padon,

Verse 48

Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,

Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai,

Verse 49

Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,

Verse 50

Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,

Verse 51

Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

Verse 52

Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,^[m]

Besai, Meunim, Nephussim,

Verse 53

Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

Verse 54

Bazluth,^[n] Mehida, Harsha,

Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,

Verse 55

Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

Verse 56

Neziah, and Hatipha.

Neziah and Hatipha

Verse 57

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

Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,^[o]

The descendants of the servants of Solomon:

the descendants of
Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
Verse 58 Jaalah,^[p] Darkon, Giddel, Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
Verse 59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.^[q] Shephatiah, Hattil,
Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon
Verse 60 In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants numbered 392. The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon	392

Verse 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.

The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:

Verse 62 This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda—a total of 642 people. the descendants of
Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda	642

Verse 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.)

And from among the priests:

the descendants of

Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).

Verse 64

They searched for their names in the genealogical records, but they were not found, so they were disqualified from serving as priests.

These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

Verse 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.

The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.

Verse 66

So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah,

The whole company numbered 42,360,

Verse 67

in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women.

besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 245 male and female singers.

Verse 68

They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,^[s]

There were 736 horses, 245 mules,^[a]

Verse 69

435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

Verse 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.

Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics^[b] of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests.

Verse 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.

Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics^[c] of gold and 2,200 minas^[d] of silver.

Verse 72

The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 pounds^[w] of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.

The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas^[e] of silver and 67 garments for priests.

Verse 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,

The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants, along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.

Ezra reads the Law

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,