Nehemiah 7
Expanded Bible
7 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in ·place [the gates], the gatekeepers, ·singers [musicians], and Levites were chosen. 2 I put my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the ·palace [fortress; citadel], ·in charge of [to administer] Jerusalem. Hananiah was ·honest [L a faithful man] and feared God more than ·most [many] people. 3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem should not be opened ·until [or while] the sun is hot [C either don’t open until later in the day, or shut them at midday while people are resting from the heat]. ·While [Even while] the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut and bolt the doors. Appoint people who live in Jerusalem as guards, and put some at guard posts and some near their own houses.”
The Captives Who Returned
4 The city was large and ·roomy [spacious; spread out; L wide of two hands], but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 Then my God ·caused me [L put it in my heart/mind] to ·gather [assemble] the ·important people [nobles], ·leaders [officials], and the common people so I could ·register [enroll] them by ·families [genealogy]. I found the ·family history [genealogical records] of those who had returned first. This is what I found written there:
6 These are the people of the ·area [province] who returned from ·captivity [exile], whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had ·taken [carried] ·away [into exile]. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each 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 [L men from the; C the following numbers likely reflect only males] people from Israel: 8 the ·descendants [sons; C and so throughout the following list] 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 [line; sons] 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 ·people [or men] from the towns 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 These are the priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the ·family [L house] 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 [line; sons] 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 [L the descendants/sons of] Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai, 49 [L the descendants/sons of] Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, 50 [L the descendants/sons of] Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, 51 [L the descendants/sons of] Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, 52 [L the descendants/sons of] Besai, Meunim, Nephussim, 53 [L the descendants/sons of] Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, 55 [L the descendants/sons of] Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 56 [L the descendants/sons of] Neziah, and Hatipha.
57 These are the descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, 58 [L the descendants/sons of] Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, 59 [L the descendants/sons of] 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 the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove that ·their ancestors [L the house of their fathers] came from Israel. They were as follows: 62 the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda—642.
63 And these priests were in that group: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai. (He had married a daughter of Barzillai from Gilead and ·was called by [adopted; took] her family name.)
64 These people searched ·for [in] their ·family [genealogical] records, but they could not find ·them [themselves there]. So they ·could not be priests [were excluded/disqualified from the priesthood], because they were ·thought to be unclean [L desecrated]. 65 The governor ordered them not to eat any of the ·holy [sacred; L most holy; Lev. 2:3; 7:21–36] food until a priest settled this matter by using the Urim and Thummim [C sacred lots used to determine God’s will; Ex. 28:30].
66 The total ·number of those who returned was [assembly/group numbered] 42,360. 67 This is not counting their 7,337 male and female servants and the 245 male and female singers with them. 68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
70 Some of the ·family leaders [L heads of the fathers] ·gave [contributed] to the work. The governor gave to the treasury ·about 19 pounds [L 1,000 drachmas/or darics] of gold, 50 ·bowls [basins], and 530 ·pieces of clothing [robes; garments] for the priests. 71 Some of the family ·leaders [heads] gave ·about 375 pounds [20,000 drachmas/or darics] of gold and ·about 2,660 pounds [2,200 minas] of silver to the treasury for the work. 72 The total of what the other people gave was ·about 375 pounds [2,000 drachmas/or darics] of gold, about ·2,250 pounds [2,000 minas] of silver, and 67 ·pieces of clothing [robes; garments] 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.
By the seventh month [C October-November 445 bc] the Israelites were settled in their own towns.
Nehemiah 7
New American Standard Bible
Census of First Returned Exiles
7 Now when (A)the wall was rebuilt and I had installed the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites were appointed, 2 then I put (B)Hanani my brother, and (C)Hananiah the commander of (D)the citadel, in charge of Jerusalem, for he was (E)a faithful man and feared God more than many. 3 Then I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot, and while they are standing guard, the gatekeepers are to [a]keep the doors shut and bolted. Also appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at his post, and each in front of his own house.” 4 Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the houses were not built.
5 (F)Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the other people to be enrolled by genealogies. Then I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up first, [b]in which I found the following record:
6 (G)These are the [c]people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had taken into exile, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his city, 7 who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, [d]Azariah, [e]Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, [f]Mispereth, Bigvai, [g]Nehum, and Baanah.
The number of men of the people of Israel: 8 the sons of Parosh, 2,172; 9 the sons of Shephatiah, 372; 10 the sons of Arah, 652; 11 the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818; 12 the sons of Elam, 1,254; 13 the sons of Zattu, 845; 14 the sons of Zaccai, 760; 15 the sons of [h]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, of Hezekiah, 98; 22 the sons of Hashum, 328; 23 the sons of Bezai, 324; 24 the sons of [i]Hariph, 112; 25 the sons of [j]Gibeon, 95; 26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188; 27 the men of Anathoth, 128; 28 the men of [k]Beth-azmaveth, 42; 29 the men of [l]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 the other Elam, 1,254; 35 the sons of Harim, 320; 36 the [m]men 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 Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973; 40 the sons of Immer, 1,052; 41 the sons of Pashhur, 1,247; 42 the sons of Harim, 1,017.
43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the sons of [n]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 [o]Sia, the sons of Padon, 48 the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of 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 [p]Nephushesim, 53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54 the sons of [q]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 [r]Sophereth, the sons of [s]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, and the sons of [t]Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants totaled 392.
61 These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, [u]Addon, and Immer; but they could not provide evidence for their fathers’ households or their [v]descendants, whether they were of Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 And of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and was named after them. 64 These searched among their ancestral registration, but it could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and disqualified from the priesthood. 65 And (H)the [w]governor said to them that they were not to eat from the most holy things until a priest arose with (I)Urim and Thummim.
Total of People and Gifts
66 The whole assembly together totaled 42,360, 67 besides their male slaves and their female slaves, [x]of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers. 68 [y](J)Their horses were 736; their mules, 245; 69 their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720.
70 Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The [z](K)governor gave to the treasury a thousand gold drachmas, fifty basins, and 530 priests’ garments. 71 And some of the heads of fathers’ households gave to the treasury for the work twenty thousand gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas. 72 What the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand gold drachmas, two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priests’ garments.
73 Now (L)the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel lived in their cities.
(M)And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 7:3 Lit shut the doors and bolt
- Nehemiah 7:5 Lit and I found written in it
- Nehemiah 7:6 Lit sons
- Nehemiah 7:7 In Ezra 2:2, Seraiah
- Nehemiah 7:7 In Ezra 2:2, Reelaiah
- Nehemiah 7:7 In Ezra 2:2, Mispar
- Nehemiah 7:7 In Ezra 2:2, Rehum
- Nehemiah 7:15 In Ezra 2:10, Bani
- Nehemiah 7:24 In Ezra 2:18, Jorah
- Nehemiah 7:25 In Ezra 2:20, Gibbar
- Nehemiah 7:28 In Ezra 2:24, Azmaveth
- Nehemiah 7:29 In Ezra 2:25, Kiriath-arim
- Nehemiah 7:36 Lit sons
- Nehemiah 7:43 In Ezra 2:40, Hodaviah, in Ezra 3:9, Judah
- Nehemiah 7:47 In Ezra 2:44, Siaha
- Nehemiah 7:52 In Ezra 2:50, Nephisim
- Nehemiah 7:54 In Ezra 2:52, Bazluth
- Nehemiah 7:57 In Ezra 2:55, Hassophereth
- Nehemiah 7:57 In Ezra 2:55, Peruda
- Nehemiah 7:59 In Ezra 2:57, Ami
- Nehemiah 7:61 In Ezra 2:59, Addan
- Nehemiah 7:61 Lit seed
- Nehemiah 7:65 Heb Tirshatha, a Persian title
- Nehemiah 7:67 Lit these
- Nehemiah 7:68 As in some ancient mss and LXX; verse not in MT
- Nehemiah 7:70 Heb Tirshatha, a Persian title
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