Nehemiah 7
Contemporary English Version
7 After the wall had been rebuilt and the gates hung, then the temple guards, the singers, and the other Levites were assigned their work. 2 I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, because Hananiah could be trusted, and he respected God more than most people did. 3 I said to them, “Don't let the gates to the city be opened until the sun has been up for a while. And make sure that they are closed and barred before the guards go off duty at sunset. Choose people from Jerusalem to stand guard at different places around the wall and others to stand guard near their own houses.”
A List of Exiles Who Returned
(Ezra 2.1-70)
4 Although Jerusalem covered a large area, not many people lived there, and no new houses had been built. 5-6 So God gave me the idea to bring together the people, their leaders, and officials and to check the family records of those who had returned from captivity in Babylonia, after having been taken there by King Nebuchadnezzar.[a] About this same time, I found records of those who had been the first to return to Jerusalem from Babylon Province.[b] By reading these records, I learned that they settled in their own hometowns, 7 and that they had come with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
8-25 This is a list of how many returned from each family group: 2,172 from Parosh; 372 from Shephatiah; 652 from Arah; 2,818 from Pahath Moab, who were all descendants of Jeshua and Joab; 1,254 from Elam; 845 from Zattu; 760 from Zaccai; 648 from Binnui; 628 from Bebai; 2,322 from Azgad; 667 from Adonikam; 2,067 from Bigvai; 655 from Adin; 98 from Ater, also known as Hezekiah; 328 from Hashum; 324 from Bezai; 112 from Hariph; and 95 from Gibeon.
26-38 This is a list of how many returned whose ancestors had come from the following towns: 188 from Bethlehem and Netophah; 128 from Anathoth; 42 from Beth-Azmaveth; 743 from Kiriath-Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth; 621 from Ramah and Geba; 122 from Michmas; 123 from Bethel and Ai; 52 from Nebo;[c] 1,254 from Elam;[d] 320 from Harim; 345 from Jericho; 721 from Lod, Hadid, and Ono; and 3,930 from Senaah.
39-42 This is a list of how many returned from each family of priests: 973 descendants of Jeshua from Jedaiah; 1,052 from Immer; 1,247 from Pashhur; and 1,017 from Harim.
43-45 This is a list of how many returned from the families of Levites: 74 descendants of Hodevah from the families of Jeshua and Kadmiel; 148 descendants of Asaph from the temple musicians; and 138 descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai from the temple guards.
46-56 These are the names of the families of temple workers whose descendants returned: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, Keros, Sia, Padon, Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai, Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, Besai, Meunim, Nephushesim, Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, Bazlith, Mehida, Harsha, Barkos, Sisera, Temah, Neziah, and Hatipha.
57-59 Here are the names of Solomon's servants whose descendants returned: Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth Hazzebaim, and Amon.
60 A total of 392 descendants of temple workers and of Solomon's servants returned.
61-62 There were 642 who returned from the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, though they could not prove they were Israelites. They had lived in the Babylonian towns of Tel-Melah, Tel-Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer.
63-64 The families of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai could not prove they were priests. The ancestor of the family of Barzillai had married the daughter of Barzillai from Gilead and had taken his wife's family name. But the records of these three families could not be found, and none of them were allowed to serve as priests. 65 (A) In fact, the governor told them, “You cannot eat the food offered to God until he lets us know if you really are priests.”[e]
66-69 There were 42,360 who returned, in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 musicians, counting both men and women. Altogether, they brought with them 736 horses, 245 mules,[f] 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
70-72 Many people gave gifts to help pay for the materials to rebuild the temple. The governor himself gave 8 kilograms of gold, 50 bowls to be used in the temple, and 530 robes for the priests. Family leaders gave 153 kilograms of gold and 1,458 kilograms of silver. The rest of the people gave 153 kilograms of gold, 1,325 kilograms of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.
73 (B) And so, by the seventh month,[g] priests, Levites, temple guards, musicians, workers, and many of the ordinary people had settled in the towns of Judah.
Footnotes
- 7.5,6 Nebuchadnezzar: Known as Nebuchadnezzar II, who ruled Babylonia from 605 to 562 b.c. In 586 b.c. he destroyed Jerusalem and took many of its people to Babylonia.
- 7.5,6 first to return … Province: Probably 539 b.c., when Cyrus, the ruler of Persia, captured the city of Babylon.
- 7.26-38 Nebo: Hebrew “the other Nebo.”
- 7.26-38 Elam: Hebrew “the other Elam.”
- 7.65 until … priests: The Hebrew text has “until a priest comes with the urim and thummim,” sacred objects which were used in some way to receive answers from God.
- 7.66-69 736 horses, 245 mules: A few Hebrew manuscripts; this is not found in most Hebrew manuscripts of verse 68.
- 7.73 seventh month: Tishri (also called Ethanim), the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-September to mid-October.
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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