Historical
7 Now when the wall had been built and I had erected the doors and appointed the gatekeepers, singers, and the Levites, 2 I gave command over Jerusalem to my brother Hanani and Hananiah the commander of the citadel. For he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. 3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While they are standing guard let them shut and fasten the doors. And appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, one at his post and another opposite his house.” 4 The city was widespread and large, but the people in it were few and no houses were rebuilt.
Lists of the Exiles Who Returned
5 Then my God put into my heart to assemble the nobles, the prefects, and the people to be enrolled. I found the book of the genealogy of those who first came back, and I found this written upon it:
6 These are the people of the province who came up from captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each one to his city. 7 These came with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.
The number of the men of the people of Israel: 8 the descendants[a] of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two. 9 The descendants[b] of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. 10 The descendants[c] of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two. 11 The descendants[d] of Pahath-Moab, of the descendants[e] of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. 12 The descendants[f] of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 13 The descendants[g] of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five. 14 The descendants[h] of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. 15 The descendants[i] of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight. 16 The descendants[j] of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight. 17 The descendants[k] of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two. 18 The descendants[l] of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven. 19 The descendants[m] of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven. 20 The descendants[n] of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five. 21 The descendants[o] of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 22 The descendants[p] of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight. 23 The descendants[q] of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four. 24 The descendants[r] of Hariph, one hundred and twelve. 25 The descendants[s] of 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 Beth-azmaveth, forty-two. 29 The men of Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. 30 The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one. 31 The men of Micmash, 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 people[t] of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. 35 The people[u] of Harim, three hundred and twenty. 36 The people[v] of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. 37 The people[w] of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one. 38 The people[x] of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
39 The priests: The descendants[y] of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. 40 The descendants[z] of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. 41 The descendants[aa] of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. 42 The descendants[ab] of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.
43 The Levites: the descendants[ac] of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the descendants[ad] of Hodaviah, seventy-four. 44 The singers: the descendants[ae] of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. 45 The gatekeepers: the descendants[af] of Shallum, the descendants[ag] of Ater, the descendants[ah] of Talmon, the descendants[ai] of Akkub, the descendants[aj] of Hatita, the descendants[ak] of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight.
46 The temple servants: the descendants[al] of Ziha, the descendants[am] of Hasupha, the descendants[an] of Tabbaoth, 47 the descendants[ao] of Keros, the descendants[ap] of Siaha, the descendants[aq] of Padon, 48 the descendants[ar] of Lebanah, the descendants[as] of Hagaba, the descendants[at] of Shalmai, 49 the descendants[au] of Hanan, the descendants[av] of Giddel, the descendants[aw] of Gahar, 50 the descendants[ax] of Reaiah, the descendants[ay] of Rezin, the descendants[az] of Nekoda, 51 the descendants[ba] of Gazzam, the descendants[bb] of Uzza, the descendants[bc] of Paseah, 52 the descendants[bd] of Besai, the descendants[be] of Meunim, the descendants[bf] of Nephushesim, 53 the descendants[bg] of Bakbuk, the descendants[bh] of Hakupha, the descendants[bi] of Harhur, 54 the descendants[bj] of Bazlith, the descendants[bk] of Mehida, the descendants[bl] of Harsha, 55 the descendants[bm] of Barkos, the descendants[bn] of Sisera, the descendants[bo] of Temah, 56 the descendants[bp] of Neziah, the descendants[bq] of Hatipha.
57 The descendants[br] of Solomon’s servants: the descendants[bs] of Sotai, the descendants[bt] of Sophereth, the descendants[bu] of Perida, 58 the descendants[bv] of Jaala, the descendants[bw] of Darkon, the descendants[bx] of Giddel, 59 the descendants[by] of Shephatiah, the descendants[bz] of Hattil, the descendants[ca] of Pochereth-Hazzebaim, the descendants[cb] of Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the descendants[cc] of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.
61 These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they were not able to prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they were from Israel: 62 the descendants[cd] of Delaiah, the descendants[ce] of Tobiah, the descendants[cf] of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. 63 And from the priests: the descendants[cg] of Hobaiah, the descendants[ch] of Hakkoz, the descendants[ci] of Barzillai (who had taken as a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their record among those enrolled in the genealogy, but it was not found there, so they were excluded as unclean from the priesthood. 65 So the governor said to them that they could not eat the most holy food until a priest could come with Urim and Thummim.
66 All of the assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, 67 besides their servants and female slaves—these were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. And the male and female singers were two hundred and forty-five,[cj] 69 [ck] there were four hundred and thirty-five camels and six thousand seven hundred and twenty male donkeys.
70 Now some from the heads of the families[cl] gave to the work. The governor gave to the storehouse one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priestly tunics. 71 Now some of the heads of the families[cm] gave to the storehouse of the work twenty thousand gold darics and two thousand two hundred silver minas. 72 And what the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priestly tunics.
73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their cities. When the seventh month came, the Israelites[cn] were in their cities.
Ezra Reads the Law to the People
8 All of the people gathered as one to the public square before the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law[co] of Moses that Yahweh had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the law[cp] before the assembly for each man and woman to hear with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 He read from it facing the public square before the Water Gate from dawn until noon that day, opposite the men, women, and those with understanding. The ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law.[cq] 4 Then Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden podium that had been made for the occasion. And beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right. On his left was Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, because he was above all of the people. When he opened it all the people stood up. 6 Then Ezra blessed Yahweh the great God, and all of the people answered, “Amen! Amen!” while lifting their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped Yahweh with their noses to the ground. 7 And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, and the Levites were teaching the people from the law[cr] while the people were in their places. 8 So they read the book from the law[cs] of God, making it clear and giving the meaning so that they could understand the reading.
9 Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all of the people, “This day is holy to Yahweh your God. Do not mourn nor weep.” For all of the people wept when they heard the words of the law.[ct] 10 Then he said to them, “Go, eat festive food and drink sweet drinks, and send a share to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our lord. Do not be grieved because the joy of Yahweh is your refuge.” 11 So the Levites silenced all of the people, saying, “Silence, for this day is holy. Do not be grieved.” 12 All of the people went to eat, to drink, to send a share, and to have great joy because they understood the words that they had made known to them.
Festival of Booths
13 On the second day the heads of the families[cu] of all the people, the priests, and the Levites gathered together to Ezra the scribe to study the words of the law.[cv] 14 They found written in the law,[cw] which Yahweh had commanded by the hand of Moses, that the Israelites[cx] should live in booths during the festival of the seventh month, 15 and that they should proclaim and give voice in all of their cities in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill and bring olive tree branches, olive oil wood branches, myrtle shrub branches, palm tree branches, and other leafy tree branches to make booths, as it is written.” 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, in their courtyards, in the courtyards of the house of God, in the public square of the Water Gate, and in the public square of the Gate of Ephraim. 17 And all of the assembly of those who returned from captivity made booths and lived in the booths because the Israelites[cy] had not done it from the days of Jeshua son of Nun until that day. And there was very great joy. 18 And he read from the scroll of the law[cz] of God day by day from the first day up to the last day. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly according to the rule.
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