Nehemiah 7
New English Translation
7 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had positioned the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I then put in charge over Jerusalem my brother Hanani and Hananiah[a] the chief of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many do. 3 I[b] said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning,[c] until those who are standing guard close the doors and lock them.[d] Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard stations and some near their homes.” 4 Now the city was spread out[e] and large, and there were not a lot of people in it.[f] At that time houses had not been rebuilt. 5 My God placed it on my heart to gather the leaders,[g] the officials, and the ordinary people so they could be enrolled on the basis of genealogy. I found the genealogical records[h] of those who had formerly returned. Here is what I found written in that record:[i]
6 These are the people[j] of the province who returned[k] from the captivity of the exiles, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile.[l] They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his own city. 7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
The number of Israelite men[m] was as follows:
8 the descendants[n] of Parosh: 2,172;
9 the descendants of Shephatiah: 372;
10 the descendants of Arah: 652;
11 the descendants of Pahath Moab (from the line[o] 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 Harif: 112;
25 the descendants of Gibeon: 95;
26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah: 188;
27 the men of Anathoth: 128;
28 the men of the family[p] of Azmaveth: 42;
29 the men of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth: 743;
30 the men of Ramah and Geba: 621;
31 the men of Micmash: 122;
32 the men of Bethel and Ai: 123;
33 the men of the other Nebo: 52;
34 the descendants of the other Elam: 1,254;
35 the descendants of Harim: 320;
36 the descendants of Jericho: 345;
37 the descendants of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 721;
38 the descendants of Senaah: 3,930;
39 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family[q] 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 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel, through the line of Hodaviah): 74.
44 The singers: the descendants of Asaph: 148.
45 The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, the descendants of Ater, the descendants of Talmon, the descendants of Akkub, the descendants of Hatita, and the descendants of Shobai: 138.
46 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, 47 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Sia, the descendants of Padon, 48 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Shalmai, 49 the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar, 50 the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda, 51 the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah, 52 the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim, 53 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur, 54 the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha, 55 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah, 56 the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha.
57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, 58 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel, 59 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon, 392.
61 These are the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certify[r] their family connection[s] or their ancestry,[t] as to whether they were really from Israel):
62 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, 642.
63 And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a woman from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name). 64 They searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but none were found. They were therefore excluded[u] from the priesthood. 65 The governor[v] instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult[w] the Urim and Thummim.
66 The entire group numbered 42,360— 67 not counting their 7,337 male and female servants. They also had 245 male and female singers. 68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 69 (7:68)[x] 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 70 Some of the family leaders[y] contributed to the work. The governor contributed to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas,[z] 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments. 71 Some of the family leaders gave to the project treasury 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas. 72 What the rest of the people gave amounted to 20,000 gold drachmas, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments.
73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all the rest of Israel lived in their cities.
The People Respond to the Reading of the Law
When the seventh month arrived and the Israelites[aa] were settled in their towns,[ab]
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 7:2 tn Some have suggested that “Hananiah” is another name for Hanani, Nehemiah’s brother, so that only one individual is mentioned here. However, the third person plural in v. 3 indicates two people are in view.
- Nehemiah 7:3 tc The present translation (along with most English versions) reads with the Qere, a Qumran text, and the ancient versions וָאֹמַר (vaʾomar, “and I said”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, which reads וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyoʾmer, “and he said”).
- Nehemiah 7:3 tn Heb “until the heat of the sun.” The phrase probably means that the gates were to be opened only after the day had progressed a bit, not at the first sign of morning light (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV). It is possible, however, that the Hebrew preposition עַד (ʿad), here translated as “until,” has a more rare sense of “during.” If so, this would mean that the gates were not to be left open and unattended during the hot part of the day when people typically would be at rest (cf. NLT).
- Nehemiah 7:3 tn Presumably this would mean the gates were not to be opened until later in the morning and were to remain open until evening. Some, however, have understood Nehemiah’s instructions to mean that the gates were not to be left open during the hottest part of the day, but must be shut and locked while the guards are still on duty. See J. Barr, “Hebrew עַד, especially at Job i.18 and Neh vii.3, ” JJS 27 (1982): 177-88.
- Nehemiah 7:4 tn Heb “wide of two hands.”
- Nehemiah 7:4 tn Heb “the people were few in its midst.”
- Nehemiah 7:5 tn Heb “nobles”; NCV “important men.”
- Nehemiah 7:5 tn Heb “the book of genealogy.”
- Nehemiah 7:5 tn Heb “in it”; the referent (the genealogical record) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
- Nehemiah 7:6 tn Heb “the sons of”; KJV, ASV “the children of”; NAB “the inhabitants of.”
- Nehemiah 7:6 tn Heb “who were going up.”
- Nehemiah 7:6 tc One medieval Hebrew manuscript has “to Babylon.” Cf. Ezra 2:1.
- Nehemiah 7:7 tn Heb “the men of the people of Israel.” Some English versions translate as “the people from Israel” (NCV) or “the Israelite people” (NRSV), but “men” should be retained because the following numbers presumably include only adult males.
- Nehemiah 7:8 tn Heb “the sons of.”
- Nehemiah 7:11 tn Heb “to the sons of.”
- Nehemiah 7:28 tc The translation reads בְּנֵי (bene, “the sons of”) rather than the MT reading אַנְשֵׁי בֵית (ʾanshe vet, “men of the house of”). Cf. Ezra 2:24.
- Nehemiah 7:39 tn Heb “to the house of.”
- Nehemiah 7:61 tn Heb “relate.”
- Nehemiah 7:61 tn Heb “the house of their fathers.”
- Nehemiah 7:61 tn Heb “their seed.”
- Nehemiah 7:64 tn Heb “they were desecrated.”
- Nehemiah 7:65 tn The Hebrew term תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshataʾ; KJV “Tirshatha”) is the official title of a Persian governor in Judea. In meaning it may be similar to “excellency” (cf. NAB). See further BDB 1077 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395; HALOT 1798 s.v.
- Nehemiah 7:65 tn Heb “stood.”
- Nehemiah 7:69 tc Most Hebrew mss omit 7:68 ET, which reads “They had 736 horses, 245 mules,” and thus have one less verse in chap. 7, ending the chapter at 7:72. This verse is included in the LXX and most English versions. Cf. Ezra 2:66.
- Nehemiah 7:70 tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”
- Nehemiah 7:70 tn Heb “darics” (also in vv. 71, 72).
- Nehemiah 7:73 tn Heb “the sons of Israel.” So also in vv. 14, 17; 9:1.
- Nehemiah 7:73 tn The traditional understanding of the chapter and verse division here is probably incorrect. The final part of v. 73 is best understood as belonging with 8:1.
Nehemiah 7
World English Bible
7 Now when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed, 2 I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many. 3 I said to them, “Don’t let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, with everyone near his house.”
4 Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built.
5 My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be listed by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found this written in it:
6 These are the children of the province who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to his city, 7 who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.
The number of the men of the people of Israel:
8 The children of Parosh: two thousand one hundred seventy-two.
9 The children of Shephatiah: three hundred seventy-two.
10 The children of Arah: six hundred fifty-two.
11 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab: two thousand eight hundred eighteen.
12 The children of Elam: one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
13 The children of Zattu: eight hundred forty-five.
14 The children of Zaccai: seven hundred sixty.
15 The children of Binnui: six hundred forty-eight.
16 The children of Bebai: six hundred twenty-eight.
17 The children of Azgad: two thousand three hundred twenty-two.
18 The children of Adonikam: six hundred sixty-seven.
19 The children of Bigvai: two thousand sixty-seven.
20 The children of Adin: six hundred fifty-five.
21 The children of Ater: of Hezekiah, ninety-eight.
22 The children of Hashum: three hundred twenty-eight.
23 The children of Bezai: three hundred twenty-four.
24 The children of Hariph: one hundred twelve.
25 The children of Gibeon: ninety-five.
26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah: one hundred eighty-eight.
27 The men of Anathoth: one hundred twenty-eight.
28 The men of Beth Azmaveth: forty-two.
29 The men of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth: seven hundred forty-three.
30 The men of Ramah and Geba: six hundred twenty-one.
31 The men of Michmas: one hundred twenty-two.
32 The men of Bethel and Ai: one hundred twenty-three.
33 The men of the other Nebo: fifty-two.
34 The children of the other Elam: one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
35 The children of Harim: three hundred twenty.
36 The children of Jericho: three hundred forty-five.
37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: seven hundred twenty-one.
38 The children of Senaah: three thousand nine hundred thirty.
39 The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua: nine hundred seventy-three.
40 The children of Immer: one thousand fifty-two.
41 The children of Pashhur: one thousand two hundred forty-seven.
42 The children of Harim: one thousand seventeen.
43 The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah: seventy-four.
44 The singers: the children of Asaph: one hundred forty-eight.
45 The gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai: one hundred thirty-eight.
46 The temple servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, 47 the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon, 48 the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai, 49 the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, 50 the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, 51 the children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, 52 the children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephushesim, 53 the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, 54 the children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, 55 the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, 56 the children of Neziah, and the children of Hatipha.
57 The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, 58 the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, 59 the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, and the children of Amon. 60 All the temple servants and the children of Solomon’s servants were three hundred ninety-two.
61 These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses, nor their offspring,[a] whether they were of Israel:
62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda: six hundred forty-two.
63 Of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.
64 These searched for their genealogical records, but couldn’t find them. Therefore they were deemed disqualified and removed from the priesthood. 65 The governor told them not to eat of the most holy things until a priest stood up to minister with Urim and Thummim.
66 The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, 67 in addition to their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven. They had two hundred forty-five singing men and singing women. 68 Their horses were seven hundred thirty-six; their mules, two hundred forty-five; 69 their camels, four hundred thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred twenty.
70 Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold,[b] fifty basins, and five hundred thirty priests’ garments. 71 Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand two hundred minas[c] of silver. 72 That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, plus two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven 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 cities.
When the seventh month had come, the children of Israel were in their cities.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.
by Public Domain. The name "World English Bible" is trademarked.