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Now it came to pass, when the chomah was rebuilt, and I had set up the dalatot, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levi’im were appointed,

That I gave my brother Chanani, along with Chananyah (the commander of the citadel), charge over Yerushalayim, for he was an ish emes, and feared HaElohim more than many.

And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Yerushalayim be opened until the shemesh be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the dalatot, and bar them, and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, every one in his watch, and every one to be near his bais.

Now the Ir was large and gedolah, but HaAm were few therein, and the batim (houses) were not rebuilt.

And Elohai put into mine lev to gather together the nobles, and the officials, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a Sefer HaYachash (record of the genealogy) of them which came up at the first, and found written therein:

These are the people of the province, that went up out of the Golus captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nevuchadnetzar Melech Bavel had carried away, and came again to Yerushalayim and to Yehudah, everyone unto his town;

Who came with Zerubavel, Yeshua, Nechemyah, Azaryah, Ra’amyah, Nachmani, Mordechai, Bilshan, Misperet, Bigvai, Nechum, and Ba’anah. The number of the men of the people of Yisroel was this:

The Bnei Parosh, 2,172.

The Bnei Shephatyah, 372.

10 The Bnei Arach, 652.

11 The Bnei Pachat-Moav, of the Bnei Yeshua and Yoav, 2,818.

12 The Bnei Elam, 1,254.

13 The Bnei Zattu, 845.

14 The Bnei Zaccai, 760.

15 The Bnei Binnui, 648.

16 The Bnei Bevai, 628.

17 The Bnei Azgad, 2,322.

18 The Bnei Adonikam, 667.

19 The Bnei Bigvai, 2,067.

20 The Bnei Adin, 655.

21 The Bnei Ater of Yechizkiyah, 98.

22 The Bnei Chashum, 328.

23 The Bnei Betzai, 324.

24 The Bnei Chariph, 112.

25 The Bnei Giveon, 95.

26 The men of Beit-Lechem and Netophah, 188.

27 The men of Anatot, 128.

28 The men of Beit-Azmavet, 42.

29 The men of Kiryat-Yearim, Kephirah, and Be’erot, 743.

30 The men of Ramah and Geva, 621.

31 The men of Michmas, 122.

32 The men of Beit-El and Ai, 123.

33 The men of the other Nevo, 52.

34 The people of the other Elam, 1,254.

35 The Bnei Charim, 320.

36 The Bnei Yericho, 345.

37 The Bnei Lod, Chadid, and Ono, 721.

38 The Bnei Senaah, 3,930.

39 The kohanim; the Bnei Yedayah, of the Bais Yeshua, 973.

40 The Bnei Immer, 1,052.

41 The Bnei Pashchur, 1,247.

42 The Bnei Charim, 1,017.

43 The Levi’im; the Bnei Yeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the Bnei Hodvah, 74.

44 The singers; the Bnei Asaph, 148.

45 The gatekeepers; the Bnei Shallum, the Bnei Ater, the Bnei Talmon, the Bnei Akuv, the Bnei Chatita, the Bnei Shovai, 138.

46 The Netinim [servants of the Beis Hamikdash]; the Bnei Tzicha, the Bnei Chasupha, the Bnei Tabbaot,

47 The Bnei Keros, the Bnei Sia, the Bnei Padon,

48 The Bnei Levanah, the Bnei Chagava, the Bnei Salmai,

49 The Bnei Chanan, the Bnei Giddel, the Bnei Gachar,

50 The Bnei Reayah, the Bnei Retzin, the Bnei Nekoda,

51 The Bnei Gazzam, the Bnei Uzza, the Bnei Paseach,

52 The Bnei Besai, the Bnei Meunim, the Bnei Nephishesim,

53 The Bnei Bakbuk, the Bnei Chakupha, the Bnei Charchur,

54 The Bnei Batzlit, the Bnei Mechida, the Bnei Charsha,

55 The Bnei Barkos, the Bnei Sisra, the Bnei Tamach,

56 The Bnei Netziach, the Bnei Chatipha.

57 The Bnei Avdei Sh’lomo; the Bnei Sotai, the Bnei Sopheret, the Bnei Perida, [T.N. This book teaches that the work of G-d is so difficult, that no one person can do it alone. People working together is a picture of what is involved in being in a Messianic kehillah or any ministry for G-d. We are inspired as we see how the wall came together in only 52 days (see Neh 6:15) when Nehemiah arrived in 445. However, everything was not accomplished quite so fast. The Mizbe’ach and the Beis Hamikdash were restored and the work took place from 538-515 B.C.E. and was finally completed after Darius I (522-486 B.C.E.) gave his official permission, though the foundation of the Beis Hamikdash was laid as early as 536 B.C.E. Then came the reforming work of Ezra in 458 B.C.E. during the reign of Artaxerxes I (465-424).

58 The Bnei Yaala, the Bnei Darkon, the Bnei Giddel,

59 The Bnei Shephatyah, the Bnei Chattil, the Bnei Pocheret-Hatzvayim, the Bnei Amon.

60 All the Netinim, and the Bnei Avdei Sh’lomo, were three hundred ninety and two.

61 And these were they which went up also from Tel-Melach, Tel-Charsha, Keruv, Addon, and Immer, but they could not show their bais avot, nor their zera, whether they were of Yisroel.

62 The Bnei Delayah, the Bnei Toviyah, the Bnei Nekoda, 642.

63 And of the kohanim; the Bnei Chavayah, the Bnei Hakotz, the Bnei Barzillai, which took one of the banot of Barzillai the Gileadi to wife, and was named after their shem.

64 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found; therefore were they, as polluted, put from the Kehunah (Priesthood).

65 And the Tirshata said unto them that they should not eat of the kodesh hakodashim until there stood up a kohen with Urim and Tummim.

66 The kol hakahal together was 42,360,

67 not counting their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 meshorarim (singing men) and meshorarot (singing women).

68 Their susim, seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;

69 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; six thousand seven hundred and twenty donkeys.

70 And some of the chief of the avot gave unto the work. The Tirshata (governor) gave to the treasury a thousand drachmas of zahav, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty kasenos (garments) for the Kohanim.

71 And some of the chief of the avot gave to the treasury of the work twenty thousand drachmas of zahav, and two thousand and two hundred manim of kesef.

72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drachmas of zahav, and two thousand manim of kesef, and threescore and seven kasenos for the Kohanim.

73 So the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, and the gatekeepers, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Netinim, and kol Yisroel, dwelt in their towns; |8:1| and when the seventh month [Tishri] came, the Bnei Yisroel were in their towns.

List of Returning Exiles

Then it was, when the wall was built and I had (A)hung the doors, when the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, that I gave the charge of Jerusalem to my brother (B)Hanani, and Hananiah the leader (C)of the [a]citadel, for he was a faithful man and (D)feared God more than many.

And I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut and bar the doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his watch station and another in front of his own house.”

The Captives Who Returned to Jerusalem(E)

Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were (F)few, and the houses were not rebuilt. Then my God put it into my heart to gather the nobles, the rulers, and the people, that they might be registered by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of those who had come up in the first return, and found written in it:

(G)These are the people of the province who came back from the captivity, of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city.

Those who came with (H)Zerubbabel were Jeshua, Nehemiah, [b]Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, [c]Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel: the sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;

the sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two;

10 the sons of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two;

11 the sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen;

12 the sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;

13 the sons of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five;

14 the sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty;

15 the sons of [d]Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight;

16 the sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight;

17 the sons of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two;

18 the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven;

19 the sons of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven;

20 the sons of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five;

21 the sons of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety-eight;

22 the sons of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight;

23 the sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four;

24 the sons of [e]Hariph, one hundred and twelve;

25 the sons of [f]Gibeon, ninety-five;

26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight;

27 the men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight;

28 the men of [g]Beth Azmaveth, forty-two;

29 the men of [h]Kirjath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three;

30 the men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one;

31 the men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two;

32 the men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three;

33 the men of the other Nebo, fifty-two;

34 the sons of the other (I)Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;

35 the sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty;

36 the sons of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five;

37 the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one;

38 the sons of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

39 The priests: the sons of (J)Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three;

40 the sons of (K)Immer, one thousand and fifty-two;

41 the sons of (L)Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven;

42 the sons of (M)Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel,

and of the sons of [i]Hodevah, seventy-four.

44 The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight.

45 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum,

the sons of Ater,

the sons of Talmon,

the sons of Akkub,

the sons of Hatita,

the sons of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight.

46 The Nethinim: the sons of Ziha,

the sons of Hasupha,

the sons of Tabbaoth,

47 the sons of Keros,

the sons of [j]Sia,

the sons of Padon,

48 the sons of [k]Lebana,

the sons of [l]Hagaba,

the sons of [m]Salmai,

49 the sons of Hanan,

the sons of Giddel,

the sons of Gahar,

50 the sons of Reaiah,

the sons of Rezin,

the sons of Nekoda,

51 the sons of Gazzam,

the sons of Uzza,

the sons of Paseah,

52 the sons of Besai,

the sons of Meunim,

the sons of [n]Nephishesim,

53 the sons of Bakbuk,

the sons of Hakupha,

the sons of Harhur,

54 the sons of [o]Bazlith,

the sons of Mehida,

the sons of Harsha,

55 the sons of Barkos,

the sons of Sisera,

the sons of Tamah,

56 the sons of Neziah,

and the sons of Hatipha.

57 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai,

the sons of Sophereth,

the sons of [p]Perida,

58 the sons of Jaala,

the sons of Darkon,

the sons of Giddel,

59 the sons of Shephatiah,

the sons of Hattil,

the sons of Pochereth of Zebaim,

and the sons of [q]Amon.

60 All the Nethinim, and the sons of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred and ninety-two.

61 And these were the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, [r]Addon, and Immer, but they could not identify their father’s house nor their lineage, whether they were of Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah,

the sons of Tobiah,

the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two;

63 and of the priests: the sons of Habaiah,

the sons of [s]Koz,

the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name.

64 These sought their listing among those who were registered by genealogy, but it was not found; therefore they were excluded from the priesthood as defiled. 65 And the [t]governor said to them that they should not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and Thummim.

66 Altogether the whole assembly was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred and forty-five men and women singers. 68 Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five, 69 their camels four hundred and thirty-five, and donkeys six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

70 And some of the heads of the fathers’ houses gave to the work. (N)The [u]governor gave to the treasury one thousand gold drachmas, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priestly garments. 71 Some of the heads of the fathers’ houses gave to the treasury of the work (O)twenty thousand gold drachmas, and two thousand two hundred silver minas. 72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand gold drachmas, two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priestly garments.

73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the Nethinim, and all Israel dwelt in their cities.

Ezra Reads the Law

(P)When the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

Now when the wall had been built (A)and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, I gave (B)my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of (C)the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was (D)a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.” The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.

Lists of Returned Exiles

Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of (E)those who came up at the first, and I found written in it:

(F)These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, (G)Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.

The number of the men of the people of Israel: the sons of Parosh, 2,172. The sons of Shephatiah, 372. 10 The sons of Arah, (H)652. 11 The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818. 12 The sons of (I)Elam, 1,254. 13 The sons of Zattu, 845. 14 The sons of Zaccai, 760. 15 The sons of (J)Binnui, 648. 16 The sons of Bebai, 628. 17 The sons of Azgad, 2,322. 18 The sons of Adonikam, 667. 19 The sons of Bigvai, 2,067. 20 The sons of Adin, 655. 21 The sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. 22 The sons of Hashum, 328. 23 The sons of (K)Bezai, 324. 24 The sons of Hariph, 112. 25 The sons of (L)Gibeon, 95. 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188. 27 The men of Anathoth, 128. 28 The men (M)of Beth-azmaveth, 42. 29 The men of (N)Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743. 30 The men of Ramah and Geba, 621. 31 The men of Michmas, 122. 32 The men of Bethel and Ai, 123. 33 The men of the other Nebo, 52. 34 The sons of (O)the other Elam, 1,254. 35 The sons of Harim, 320. 36 The sons of Jericho, 345. 37 The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721. 38 The sons of Senaah, 3,930.

39 The priests: the sons of (P)Jedaiah, namely the house of Jeshua, 973. 40 The sons of (Q)Immer, 1,052. 41 The sons of (R)Pashhur, 1,247. 42 The sons of (S)Harim, 1,017.

43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the sons of (T)Hodevah, 74. 44 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. 45 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.

46 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 47 the sons of Keros, the sons of (U)Sia, the sons of Padon, 48 the sons of Lebana, the sons of (V)Hagaba, the sons of (W)Shalmai, 49 the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, 50 the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, 51 the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, 52 the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of (X)Nephushesim, 53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54 the sons of (Y)Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 55 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 56 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.

57 The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of (Z)Perida, 58 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 59 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of (AA)Amon.

60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392.

61 (AB)The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, (AC)Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers' houses nor their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 (AD)The (AE)governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.

Totals of People and Gifts

66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female. 68 Their horses were 736, their mules 245,[a] 69 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720.

70 Now some of the heads of fathers' houses gave to the work. The (AF)governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics[b] of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests' garments and 500 minas[c] of silver.[d] 71 And some of the heads of fathers' houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 (AG)And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests' garments.

73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.

(AH)And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 7:68 Compare Ezra 2:66 and the margins of some Hebrew manuscripts; Hebrew lacks Their horses… 245
  2. Nehemiah 7:70 A daric was a coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams
  3. Nehemiah 7:70 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram
  4. Nehemiah 7:70 Probable reading; Hebrew lacks minas of silver