Nehemiah 7
7
Nehemiah Places Hanani and Hananiah in Charge of Guarding the City Gates
1The gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites were assigned their duties after the wall had been rebuilt and I had hung the doors. 2I put my brother Hanani and Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem. Hananiah was a trustworthy man, and he feared God more than most people do. 3I told them, “The gates of Jerusalem should not be opened at the hottest time of the day. While the ⌞gatekeepers⌟ are still standing there, they should shut the doors and bar them. Order some of the men in Jerusalem to stand guard, some at their posts and others in front of their homes.” 4The city was large and wide-open. Few people were in it, and no houses were being built.
The First Jewish Exiles Who Returned to Jerusalem
5Then my God put the idea into my head that I should gather the nobles, leaders, and people so that they could check their genealogy. I found the book with the genealogy of those who came back the first time. I found the following written in it:
6These were the people in the province. They were the ones who left the place where the exiles had been taken captive. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had taken them captive. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah. All of them went to their own cities. 7They went with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
Families Listed by Ancestor
(Ezra 2:3–20)
This is the number of Israelite men from the people in exile:
8the descendants of Parosh … 2,172
9of Shephatiah … 372
10of Arah … 652
11of Pahath Moab, that is, of Jeshua and Joab … 2,818
12of Elam … 1,254
13of Zattu … 845
14of Zaccai … 760
15of Binnui … 648
16of Bebai … 628
17of Azgad … 2,322
18of Adonikam … 667
19of Bigvai … 2,067
20of Adin … 655
21of Ater, that is, Hezekiah … 98
22of Hashum … 328
23of Bezai … 324
24of Hariph … 112
25of Gibeon … 95
Families Listed by Towns
(Ezra 2:21–35)
26the people of Bethlehem and Netophah … 188
27of Anathoth … 128
28of Beth Azmaveth … 42
29of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth … 743
30of Ramah and Geba … 621
31of Michmas … 122
32of Bethel and Ai … 123
33of the other Nebo … 52
34of the other Elam … 1,254
35of Harim … 320
36of Jericho … 345
37of Lod, Hadid, and Ono … 721
38of Senaah … 3,930
Priests
(Ezra 2:36–39)
39These priests returned from exile:
the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua) … 973
40of Immer … 1,052
41of Pashhur … 1,247
42of Harim … 1,017
Levites
(Ezra 2:40–42)
43These Levites returned from exile:
the descendants of Jeshua, that is, of Kadmiel ⌞and⌟ of Hodeiah … 74
44These singers returned from exile:
the descendants of Asaph … 148
45These gatekeepers returned from exile:
the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai … 138
Temple Servants
(Ezra 2:43–54)
46These temple servants returned from exile: the descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 47Keros, Sia, Padon, 48Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai, 49Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, 50Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, 51Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, 52Besai, Meunim, Nephusheshim, 53Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 54Bazlith, Mehida, Harsha, 55Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 56Neziah, and Hatipha.
Descendants of Solomon’s Servants
(Ezra 2:55–58)
57These descendants of Solomon’s servants returned from exile: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, 58Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, 59Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth Hazzebaim, and Amon.
60The temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants totaled 392.
Those of Unknown Origin
(Ezra 2:59–63)
61The following people came from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they couldn’t prove they were Israelites on the basis of their father’s family or their genealogy: 62the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda. These people totaled 642.
63These priests ⌞couldn’t prove they were Israelites⌟: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai from Gilead and took that ⌞family⌟ name). 64These people searched for their ⌞family⌟ names in the genealogical records, but their names couldn’t be found there. For this reason they were considered contaminated and couldn’t be priests. 65The governor told them not to eat any of the most holy food until a priest could use the Urim and Thummim #7:65 The Urim and Thummim were used by the chief priest to determine God’s answer to questions. ⌞to settle the problem⌟.
The Total of the People and Animals Returning from Exile
(Ezra 2:64–67)
66The whole assembly totaled 42,360. 67In addition to the male and female servants who numbered 7,337, they also had 245 male and female singers. 68They had 736 horses, 245 mules,#7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts omit “They had … mules.” In those manuscripts verses 69–73 are numbered as 68–72. 69435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
Gifts Given for the Temple
(Ezra 2:68–70)
70Some of the heads of the families contributed to this work. The governor contributed the following to the treasury: nearly 18 pounds of gold, 50 bowls, and 530 robes for the priests. 71Some of the heads of the families contributed to the treasury for this work: 337 pounds of gold and 3,215 pounds of silver. 72The rest of the people contributed 337 pounds of gold, 2,923 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.
73The priests, Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and the rest of Israel settled in their own cities. When the seventh month came, the people of Israel were in their own cities.
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Nehemiah 7: GW
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