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Nehemiah 7
Easy-to-Read Version

7 After we finished building the wall and put the doors in the gates, we chose the men who would guard the gates and the men to sing in the Temple and help the priests. 2 Next, I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem. I chose another man named Hananiah to be the commander of the fort. I picked Hanani because he was a very honest man and he feared God more than most people do. 3 Then I said to Hanani and Hananiah, “Each day you must wait until the sun has been up for several hours before you open the gates of Jerusalem. You must shut and lock the gates before the sun goes down. Also choose people who live in Jerusalem as guards. Put some of them at special places to guard the city, and put the other people near their own houses.”

The List of Captives Who Returned

4 Now the city was large and there was plenty of room. But there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it in my heart to have all the people meet together. I called together all the important people, the officials, and the common people. I did this so that I could make a list of all the families. I found the family lists[a] of the people who had been the first to return from captivity. This is what I found written there:

6 These are the people of the province who came back from captivity. In the past, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took them as prisoners to Babylon. These people came back to Jerusalem and Judah. They all went to their own towns. 7 They returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. This is the list of names and numbers of men from Israel who came back:

8 the descendants of Parosh 2172

9 the descendants of Shephatiah 372

10 the descendants of Arah 652

11 the descendants of Pahath Moab of the family line of Jeshua and Joab 2818

12 the descendants of Elam 1254

13 the descendants of Zattu 845

14 the descendants of Zaccai 760

15 the descendants of Binnui 648

16 the descendants of Bebai 628

17 the descendants of Azgad 2322

18 the descendants of Adonikam 667

19 the descendants of Bigvai 2067

20 the descendants of Adin 655

21 the descendants of Ater through the family of Hezekiah 98

22 the descendants of Hashum 328

23 the descendants of Bezai 324

24 the descendants of Hariph 112

25 the descendants of Gibeon 95

26 from the towns of Bethlehem and Netophah 188

27 from the town of Anathoth 128

28 from the town of Beth Azmaveth 42

29 from the towns of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth 743

30 from the towns of Ramah and Geba 621

31 from the town of Micmash 122

32 from the towns of Bethel and Ai 123

33 from the other town of Nebo 52

34 from the other town of Elam 1254

35 from the town of Harim 320

36 from the town of Jericho 345

37 from the towns of Lod, Hadid, and Ono 721

38 from the town of Senaah 3930

39 These are the priests:

the descendants of Jedaiah through the family of Jeshua 973

40 the descendants of Immer 1052

41 the descendants of Pashhur 1247

42 the descendants of Harim 1017

43 These are the people from the tribe of Levi:

the descendants of Jeshua through Kadmiel through the family of Hodeiah[b] 74

44 These are the singers:

the descendants of Asaph 148

45 These are the gatekeepers:

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

46 These are the special 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 These are the descendants of the servants of Solomon:

Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,

58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,

59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth Hazzebaim, and Amon,

60 the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants 392

61 Some people came to Jerusalem from these towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer. But these people could not prove that their families really came from the Israelites:

62 the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda 642

63 From the family of priests there were the descendants of

Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai. (If a man married a daughter of Barzillai from Gilead, he was counted as a descendant of Barzillai.)

64 These people searched for their family histories, but they could not find them. They could not prove that their ancestors were priests, so they could not serve as priests. Their names were not included in the list of priests. 65 The governor ordered them not to eat any of the most holy food until a priest could use the Urim and Thummim to ask God what to do.

66-67 All together, there were 42,360 people in the group who came back. This is not counting their 7337 men and women slaves. They also had 245 men and women singers with them. 68-69 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 435 camels, and 6720 donkeys.

70 Some of the family leaders gave money to support the work. The governor gave 19 pounds[c] of gold to the treasury. He also gave 50 bowls and 530 pieces of clothing for the priests. 71 The family leaders gave 375 pounds[d] of gold to the treasury to support the work. They also gave 2750 pounds[e] of silver. 72 All together the other people gave 375 pounds of gold, 2500 pounds[f] of silver, and 67 pieces of clothing for the priests.

73 So the priests, the people from the tribe of Levi, the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Temple servants settled down in their own towns. And all the other Israelites settled down in their own towns. By the seventh month[g] of the year, all the Israelites had settled down in their own towns.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 7:5 family lists See Ezra 2.
  2. Nehemiah 7:43 Hodeiah Or “Hodaviah.”
  3. Nehemiah 7:70 19 pounds Literally, “1000 drachmas” (8.63 kg).
  4. Nehemiah 7:71 375 pounds Literally, “20,000 drachmas” (172.5 kg).
  5. Nehemiah 7:71 2750 pounds Literally, “2200 minas” (1265 kg).
  6. Nehemiah 7:72 2500 pounds Literally, “2000 minas” (1150 kg).
  7. Nehemiah 7:73 seventh month That is, September–October. Also in 8:1, 14-15.
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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 Parosh2,172
9 of Shephatiah372
10 of Arah652
11 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab)2,818
12 of Elam1,254
13 of Zattu845
14 of Zakkai760
15 of Binnui648
16 of Bebai628
17 of Azgad2,322
18 of Adonikam667
19 of Bigvai2,067
20 of Adin(L)655
21 of Ater (through Hezekiah)98
22 of Hashum328
23 of Bezai324
24 of Hariph112
25 of Gibeon95
26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah(M)188
27 of Anathoth(N)128
28 of Beth Azmaveth42
29 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah(O) and Beeroth(P)743
30 of Ramah and Geba621
31 of Mikmash122
32 of Bethel and Ai(Q)123
33 of the other Nebo52
34 of the other Elam1,254
35 of Harim320
36 of Jericho(R)345
37 of Lod, Hadid and Ono(S)721
38 of Senaah3,930

39 The priests:

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

43 The Levites:

the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah)74

44 The musicians:(T)

the descendants of Asaph148

45 The gatekeepers:(U)

the descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai138

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 Nekoda642

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

  1. Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts do not have this verse.
  2. Nehemiah 7:70 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
  3. Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 375 pounds or about 170 kilograms; also in verse 72
  4. Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 1 1/3 tons or about 1.2 metric tons
  5. Nehemiah 7:72 That is, about 1 1/4 tons or about 1.1 metric tons
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Nehemiah 6
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