Nehemiah 7
New Living Translation
7 After 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 Parosh | 2,172 |
9 The family of Shephatiah | 372 |
10 The family of Arah | 652 |
11 The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) | 2,818 |
12 The family of Elam | 1,254 |
13 The family of Zattu | 845 |
14 The family of Zaccai | 760 |
15 The family of Bani[f] | 648 |
16 The family of Bebai | 628 |
17 The family of Azgad | 2,322 |
18 The family of Adonikam | 667 |
19 The family of Bigvai | 2,067 |
20 The family of Adin | 655 |
21 The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah) | 98 |
22 The family of Hashum | 328 |
23 The family of Bezai | 324 |
24 The family of Jorah[g] | 112 |
25 The family of Gibbar[h] | 95 |
26 The people of Bethlehem and Netophah | 188 |
27 The people of Anathoth | 128 |
28 The people of Beth-azmaveth | 42 |
29 The people of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth | 743 |
30 The people of Ramah and Geba | 621 |
31 The people of Micmash | 122 |
32 The people of Bethel and Ai | 123 |
33 The people of West Nebo[i] | 52 |
34 The citizens of West Elam[j] | 1,254 |
35 The citizens of Harim | 320 |
36 The citizens of Jericho | 345 |
37 The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono | 721 |
38 The citizens of Senaah | 3,930 |
39 These are the priests who returned from exile:
The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua) | 973 |
40 The family of Immer | 1,052 |
41 The family of Pashhur | 1,247 |
42 The family of Harim | 1,017 |
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 Asaph | 148 |
45 The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai | 138 |
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
- 7:3 Or Keep the gates of Jerusalem closed until the sun is hot.
- 7:7a As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Azariah.
- 7:7b As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Raamiah.
- 7:7c As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Mispereth.
- 7:7d As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Nehum.
- 7:15 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:10; Hebrew reads Binnui.
- 7:24 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:18; Hebrew reads Hariph.
- 7:25 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:20; Hebrew reads Gibeon.
- 7:33 Or of the other Nebo.
- 7:34 Or of the other Elam.
- 7:43 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:40; Hebrew reads Hodevah.
- 7:47 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:44; Hebrew reads Sia.
- 7:52 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:50; Hebrew reads Nephushesim.
- 7:54 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:52; Hebrew reads Bazlith.
- 7:57 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:55; Hebrew reads Sotai, Sophereth, Perida.
- 7:58 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:56; Hebrew reads Jaala.
- 7:59 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:57; Hebrew reads Amon.
- 7:61 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:59; Hebrew reads Addon.
- 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.
- 7:70 Hebrew 1,000 darics of gold, about 19 pounds or 8.6 kilograms in weight.
- 7:71a Hebrew 20,000 darics of gold, about 375 pounds or 170 kilograms in weight; also in 7:72.
- 7:71b Hebrew 2,200 minas [1,300 kilograms].
- 7:72 Hebrew 2,000 minas [1,200 kilograms].
- 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
New International Version
7 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers,(A) the musicians(B) and the Levites(C) were appointed. 2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani,(D) along with Hananiah(E) the commander of the citadel,(F) because he was a man of integrity and feared(G) God more than most people do. 3 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, have 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(H)
4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,(I) and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 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:
6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles(J) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 7 in company with Zerubbabel,(K) Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):
The list of the men of Israel:
8 the descendants of Parosh | 2,172 |
9 of Shephatiah | 372 |
10 of Arah | 652 |
11 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab) | 2,818 |
12 of Elam | 1,254 |
13 of Zattu | 845 |
14 of Zakkai | 760 |
15 of Binnui | 648 |
16 of Bebai | 628 |
17 of Azgad | 2,322 |
18 of Adonikam | 667 |
19 of Bigvai | 2,067 |
20 of Adin(L) | 655 |
21 of Ater (through Hezekiah) | 98 |
22 of Hashum | 328 |
23 of Bezai | 324 |
24 of Hariph | 112 |
25 of Gibeon | 95 |
26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah(M) | 188 |
27 of Anathoth(N) | 128 |
28 of Beth Azmaveth | 42 |
29 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah(O) and Beeroth(P) | 743 |
30 of Ramah and Geba | 621 |
31 of Mikmash | 122 |
32 of Bethel and Ai(Q) | 123 |
33 of the other Nebo | 52 |
34 of the other Elam | 1,254 |
35 of Harim | 320 |
36 of Jericho(R) | 345 |
37 of Lod, Hadid and Ono(S) | 721 |
38 of Senaah | 3,930 |
39 The priests:
the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua) | 973 |
40 of Immer | 1,052 |
41 of Pashhur | 1,247 |
42 of Harim | 1,017 |
43 The Levites:
the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah) | 74 |
44 The musicians:(T)
the descendants of Asaph | 148 |
45 The gatekeepers:(U)
the descendants of | |
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai | 138 |
46 The temple servants:(V)
the descendants of |
Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, |
47 Keros, Sia, Padon, |
48 Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai, |
49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, |
50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, |
51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, |
52 Besai, Meunim, Nephusim, |
53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, |
54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, |
55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, |
56 Neziah and Hatipha |
57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:
the descendants of |
Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, |
58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, |
59 Shephatiah, Hattil, |
Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon |
60 The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon(W) | 392 |
61 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:
62 the descendants of | |
Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda | 642 |
63 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). |
64 These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 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.(X)
66 The whole company numbered 42,360, 67 besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 245 male and female singers. 68 There were 736 horses, 245 mules,[a] 69 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
70 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. 71 Some of the heads of the families(Y) gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics[c] of gold and 2,200 minas[d] of silver. 72 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.(Z)
73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants,(AA) along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.(AB)
Ezra Reads the Law
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,(AC)
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts do not have this verse.
- Nehemiah 7:70 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
- Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 375 pounds or about 170 kilograms; also in verse 72
- Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 1 1/3 tons or about 1.2 metric tons
- Nehemiah 7:72 That is, about 1 1/4 tons or about 1.1 metric tons
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