Nehemiah 7
Chapter 7
1 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.t 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,t Reelaiah,t Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar,t Bigvai, Rehum,t and Baanah.
This is the number of the men of Israel who returned from exile:8 The family of Parosh2,1729 The family of Shephatiah37210 The family of Arah65211 The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab)2,81812 The family of Elam1,25413 The family of Zattu84514 The family of Zaccai76015 The family of Banit64816 The family of Bebai62817 The family of Azgad2,32218 The family of Adonikam66719 The family of Bigvai2,06720 The family of Adin65521 The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah)9822 The family of Hashum32823 The family of Bezai32424 The family of Joraht11225 The family of Gibbart9526 The people of Bethlehem and Netophah18827 The people of Anathoth12828 The people of Beth-azmaveth4229 The people of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth74330 The people of Ramah and Geba62131 The people of Micmash12232 The people of Bethel and Ai12333 The people of West Nebot5234 The citizens of West Elamt1,25435 The citizens of Harim32036 The citizens of Jericho34537 The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono72138 The citizens of Senaah3,93039 These are the priests who returned from exile:
The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua)97340 The family of Immer1,05241 The family of Pashhur1,24742 The family of Harim1,01743 These are the Levites who returned from exile:
The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviaht)7444 The singers of the family of Asaph14845 The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai13846 The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile:
Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,47 Keros, Siaha,t Padon,48 Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,52 Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,t53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,54 Bazluth,t 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,t58 Jaalah,t Darkon, Giddel,59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.t60 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,t 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,t69 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 coinst and some 2,750 poundst of silver for the work.72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 poundst 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. In October,t when the Israelites had settled in their towns, In print editions of the NLT, the preceding sentence fragment is included at the beginning of 8:1
Nehemiah 7
1 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed.2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along withHananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most men 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
4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, 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 whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,
7 in company with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, 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 Zaccai 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 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 188
27 of Anathoth 128
28 of Beth Azmaveth 42
29 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth 743
30 of Ramah and Geba 621
31 of Micmash 122
32 of Bethel and Ai 123
33 of the other Nebo 52
34 of the other Elam 1,254
35 of Harim 320
36 of Jericho 345
37 of Lod, Hadid and Ono 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 singers:
the descendants of Asaph 148
45 The gatekeepers:
the descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai 138
46 The temple servants:
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, Nephussim,
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 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.
66 The whole company numbered 42,360,67 besides their 7,337 menservants and maidservants; and they also had 245 men and women singers.68 There were 736 horses, 245 mules,
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 drachmas of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests.71 Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 drachmas of gold and 2,200 minas of silver.
72 The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 drachmas of gold, 2,000 minas of silver and 67 garments for priests.
73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers and the temple servants, along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,
