Nehemiah 7
International Children’s Bible
7 After the wall had been rebuilt, I had set the doors in place. Then the gatekeepers, singers and Levites were chosen. 2 I put my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, in charge of Jerusalem. Hananiah was commander of the palace. He was honest, and he feared God more than most men. 3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem should not be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut and bolt the doors. Appoint people who live in Jerusalem as guards. Put some at guard posts and some near their own houses.”
The Captives Who Returned
4 The city was large and full of room. But there were few people in it. And the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God caused me to gather the people. I gathered the important men, the leaders and the common people. This was so I could register them by families. I found the family history of those who had returned first. This is what I found written there:
6 These are the people of the area who returned from captivity. Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken them captive. Now they returned to Jerusalem and Judah. Each one went back to his own town. 7 These people returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah.
These are the men from Israel: 8 the descendants of Parosh—2,172; 9 the descendants of Shephatiah—372; 10 the descendants of Arah—652; 11 the descendants of Pahath-Moab (through the family of Jeshua and Joab)—2,818; 12 the descendants of Elam—1,254; 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—2,322; 18 the descendants of Adonikam—667; 19 the descendants of Bigvai—2,067; 20 the descendants of Adin—655; 21 the descendants of Ater (through 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 These are the men from the towns of Bethlehem and Netophah—188; 27 the men from Anathoth—128; 28 the men from Beth Azmaveth—42; 29 the men from Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth—743; 30 the men from Ramah and Geba—621; 31 the men from Micmash—122; 32 the men from Bethel and Ai—123; 33 the men from the other Nebo—52; 34 the men from the other Elam—1,254; 35 the men from Harim—320; 36 the men from Jericho—345; 37 the men from Lod, Hadid and Ono—721; 38 the men from Senaah—3,930.
39 These are the priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua)—973; 40 the descendants of Immer—1,052; 41 the descendants of Pashhur—1,247; 42 the descendants of Harim—1,017.
43 These are the Levites: the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the family of Hodaviah)—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 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, Nephusim, 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: 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 totaled 392 people.
61 Some people came to Jerusalem from these towns: Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer. But they could not prove that their families came from the family of Israel. Here are their names and their number: 62 the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda—642.
63 And these priests could not prove that their families came from Israel: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai. (He had married a daughter of Barzillai from Gilead and was called by her family name.)
64 These people searched for their family records. But they could not find them. So they could not be priests because they were thought to be unclean. 65 So the governor ordered them not to eat any of the food offered to God. First a priest had to settle this matter by using the Urim and Thummim.
66 The total number of those who returned was 42,360. 67 This is not counting their 7,337 male and female servants. They also had 245 men and women singers with them. 68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 69 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
70 Some of the family leaders gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury about 19 pounds of gold. He also gave 50 bowls and 530 pieces of clothing for the priests. 71 Some of the family leaders gave about 375 pounds of gold to the treasury for the work. They also gave about 2,660 pounds of silver. 72 This is the total of what the other people gave: about 375 pounds of gold, about 2,250 pounds of silver and 67 pieces of clothing for the priests. 73 So these people all settled in their own towns: the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Temple servants and all the other people of Israel.
Ezra Reads the Teachings
By the seventh month the Israelites were settled in their own towns.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
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