Nehemiah

CHAPTER 7

1Now that the wall had been rebuilt, I had the doors set up, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites were put in charge of them.
2Over Jerusalem I placed Hanani, my brother, and Hananiah, the commander of the citadel, who was more trustworthy and God-fearing than most.
3I said to them: “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot, and while the sun is still shining they shall shut and bar the doors. Appoint as sentinels the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their watch posts, and others in front of their own houses.”

Census of the Province.

4Now, the city was quite wide and spacious, but its population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt.
5When my God had inspired me to gather together the nobles, the magistrates, and the people, and to examine their family records, I came upon the family list of those who had returned in the earliest period. There I found the following written:

6* a These are the inhabitants of the province who returned from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried away, and who came back to Jerusalem and Judah, to their own cities:
7They returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

The census of the people of Israel:

8descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;
9descendants of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two;
10descendants of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two;
11descendants of Pahath-moab who were descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen;
12descendants of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;
13descendants of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five;
14descendants of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty;
15descendants of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight;
16descendants of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight;
17descendants of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two;
18descendants of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven;
19descendants of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven;
20descendants of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five;
21descendants of Ater who were descendants of Hezekiah, ninety-eight;
22descendants of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight;
23descendants of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four;
24descendants of Hariph, one hundred and twelve;
25descendants of Gibeon, ninety-five;
26people of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight;
27people of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight;
28people of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two;
29people of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three;
30people of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one;
31people of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two;
32people of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three;
33people of Nebo, fifty-two;
34descendants of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;
35descendants of Harim, three hundred and twenty;
36descendants of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five;
37descendants of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one;
38descendants of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

39The priests: descendants of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three;
40descendants of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two;
41descendants of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven;
42descendants of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

43The Levites: descendants of Jeshua, Kadmiel of the descendants of Hodeviah, seventy-four.

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

45The gatekeepers: descendants of Shallum, descendants of Ater, descendants of Talmon, descendants of Akkub, descendants of Hatita, descendants of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight.

46The temple servants: descendants of Ziha, descendants of Hasupha, descendants of Tabbaoth,
47descendants of Keros, descendants of Sia, descendants of Padon,
48descendants of Lebana, descendants of Hagaba, descendants of Shalmai,
49descendants of Hanan, descendants of Giddel, descendants of Gahar,
50descendants of Reaiah, descendants of Rezin, descendants of Nekoda,
51descendants of Gazzam, descendants of Uzza, descendants of Paseah,
52descendants of Besai, descendants of the Meunites, descendants of the Nephusites,
53descendants of Bakbuk, descendants of Hakupha, descendants of Harhur,
54descendants of Bazlith, descendants of Mehida, descendants of Harsha,
55descendants of Barkos, descendants of Sisera, descendants of Temah,
56descendants of Neziah, descendants of Hatipha.

57Descendants of Solomon’s servants: descendants of Sotai, descendants of Sophereth, descendants of Perida,
58descendants of Jaala, descendants of Darkon, descendants of Giddel,
59descendants of Shephatiah, descendants of Hattil, descendants of Pochereth-hazzebaim, descendants of Amon.
60The total of the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants was three hundred and ninety-two.

61The following who returned from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer were unable to prove that their ancestral houses and their descent were Israelite:
62descendants of Delaiah, descendants of Tobiah, descendants of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two.
63Also, of the priests: descendants of Hobaiah, descendants of Hakkoz, descendants of Barzillai (he had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was named after him).
64These men searched their family records, but their names could not be found written there; hence they were disqualified from the priesthood,
65and the governor* ordered them not to partake of the most holy foods until there should be a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.

66The entire assembly taken together came to forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty,
67not counting their male and female servants, who were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. They also had two hundred male and female singers. Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five,
68their camels four hundred and thirty-five, their donkeys six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

69Certain of the heads of ancestral houses contributed to the temple service. The governor put into the treasury one thousand drachmas of gold, fifty basins, thirty vestments for priests, and five hundred minas of silver.
70Some of the heads of ancestral houses contributed to the treasury for the temple service: twenty thousand drachmas of gold and two thousand two hundred minas of silver.
71The contributions of the rest of the people amounted to twenty thousand drachmas of gold, two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven vestments for priests.

72The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all Israel took up residence in their cities.

* [7:6–72] See note on Ezr 2:1–67.

* [7:65, 69] The governor: see note on Ezr 2:63.

a. [7:6] Ezr 2:1–70.

II. PROMULGATION OF THE LAW

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