Nehemiah 7

1 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.

After the wall had been finished and we had put the gates in their places, we assigned to the temple guards and to the members of the [sacred] choir and the other descendants of Levi the work that they were to do.

2 Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.

I appointed two men to [help me to] govern Jerusalem, my brother Hanani and Hananiah who was the commander of the fortress [in Jerusalem]. Hananiah always did his work reliably, and he revered God more than most other people do.

3 And I told them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While the guards are on duty, keep the doors shut and securely fastened. And appoint the residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their own homes.”

I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until late each morning. And close the gates and put the bars across the doors [(late in each afternoon/before sunset)] while the gatekeepers are still guarding the gates.” I also told them to appoint some people who lived in Jerusalem to be guards [on the wall], and to assign some of them to be guards at certain other places and to assign others to guard the area close to their own houses.

4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.

The city [of Jerusalem] covered a large area, but [at that time] not many people lived in the city, and they had not built many new houses yet [HYP].

5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. I found the genealogical register of those who had first returned, and I found the following written in it:

[To defend the city, we needed more people there.] Then God gave me the idea to summon the leaders and officials and [other] people, and to look in the books [in which were written the names] of all the people and their clans. So I found the records of the people who had first returned from Babylonia. This is what I found written in those records:

6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,

(This is a list/Here are the names) of the people who returned to Jerusalem and to other places in Judea. They had been living in Babylonia since King Nebuchadnezzar’s army had captured their relatives/ancestors and took them to Babylonia. But they had returned to Judea and were living in the towns [where their ancestors had lived].

7 accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. This is the count of the men of Israel:

Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Joshua, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah, and me. This is a list of the number of men in each clan who returned:

8 the descendants of Parosh, 2,172;

2,172 men from the clan of Parosh;

9 the descendants of Shephatiah, 372;

372 men from the clan of Shephatiah;

10 the descendants of Arah, 652;

652 men from the clan of Arah;

11 the descendants of Pahath-moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818;

2,818 men from the clan of Pahath-Moab, who are descendants of Jeshua and Joab;

12 the descendants of Elam, 1,254;

1,254 men from the clan of Elam;

13 the descendants of Zattu, 845;

845 men from the clan of Zattu;

14 the descendants of Zaccai, 760;

760 men from the clan of Zaccai;

15 the descendants of Binnui, 648;

648 men from the clan of Bani (OR, Binnui);

16 the descendants of Bebai, 628;

628 men from the clan of Bebai;

17 the descendants of Azgad, 2,322;

2,322 men from the clan of Azgad;

18 the descendants of Adonikam, 667;

667 men from the clan of Adonikam;

19 the descendants of Bigvai, 2,067;

2,067 men from the clan of Bigvai;

20 the descendants of Adin, 655;

655 men from the clan of Adin;

21 the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;

98 men from the clan of Ater, whose other name is Hezekiah;

22 the descendants of Hashum, 328;

328 men from the clan of Hashum;

23 the descendants of Bezai, 324;

324 men from the clan of Bezai;

24 the descendants of Hariph, 112;

112 men from the clan of Hariph, [whose other name is Jorah];

25 the descendants of Gibeon, 95;

95 men from the clan of Gibeon, [whose other name is Gibbar].

26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;

Men whose ancestors had lived in these towns also returned: 188 men from Bethlehem and Netophah

27 the men of Anathoth, 128;

128 men from Anathoth;

28 the men of Beth-azmaveth, 42;

42 men from Beth-Azmaveth

29 the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743;

743 men from Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth;

30 the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;

621 men from Ramah and Geba;

31 the men of Michmash, 122;

122 men from Micmash;

32 the men of Bethel and Ai, 123;

123 men from Bethel and Ai;

33 the men of the other Nebo, 52;

52 men from Nebo;

34 the descendants of the other Elam, 1,254;

1,254 from Elam;

35 the descendants of Harim, 320;

320 from Harim;

36 the men of Jericho, 345;

345 from Jericho;

37 the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721;

721 from Lod, Hadid, and Ono;

38 and the descendants of Senaah, 3,930.

3,930 from Senaah. The following priests also returned:

39 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah (through the house of Jeshua), 973;

973 from the clan of Jedaiah who are descendants of Jeshua;

40 the descendants of Immer, 1,052;

1,052 from the clan of Immer;

41 the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247;

1,247 from the clan of Pashhur;

42 and the descendants of Harim, 1,017.

1,017 from the clan of Harim.

43 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel, through the line of Hodevah ), 74.

[Other] descendants of Levi who returned were: 74 from the clan of Jeshua and Kadmiel, who are descendants of Hodevah [who is also known as Hodaviah];

44 The singers: the descendants of Asaph, 148.

148 singers who are descendants of Asaph.

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 in all.

Also 138 temple gatekeepers from the clans of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai returned.

46 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth,

Temple workers who returned were descendants of these men: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,

47 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Sia, the descendants of Padon,

Keros, Sia [who is also known as Siaha], Padon,

48 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Shalmai,

Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,

49 the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar,

Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,

50 the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda,

Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,

51 the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzza, the descendants of Paseah,

Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

52 the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephushesim,

Besai, Meunim, Ephusesim [who is also called Nephusim],

53 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur,

Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

54 the descendants of Bazlith, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha,

Bazlith [who is also called Bazluth], Mehida, Harsha,

55 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah,

Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

56 the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha.

Neziah, and Hatipha.

57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida,

Descendants of the servants of King Solomon who returned were: Sotai, Sophereth [who is also called Hassophereth], Perida [who is also known as Peruda],

58 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel,

Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,

59 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pochereth-hazzebaim, and the descendants of Amon.

Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Amon.

60 The temple servants and descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392 in all.

Altogether, there were 392 temple workers and descendants of Solomon’s servants who returned.

61 The following came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but could not prove that their families were descended from Israel:

Another group of 642 people from the clans of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda also returned. They came from the towns of Tel-Melah, Tel-Harsha, Kerub, Addan ([which is also known as Addon]), and Immer [in Babylonia]. But they could not prove that they were descendants of Israelis.

62 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, 642 in all.

63 And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).

Priests from the clans of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai also returned. Barzillai had married a woman who is a descendant of [a man named] Barzillai from [the] Gilead [region], and he had taken his wife’s family name.

64 These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

They searched in the records that contained the names of people’s ancestors, but they could not find the names of those clans, so they were not allowed to have the rights and duties that priests have right away.

65 The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.

The governor told them that before they could eat the food offered as sacrifices, a priest should use the marked stones [to find out what God said about their being priests].

66 The whole assembly numbered 42,360,

Altogether, there were 42,360 people who returned to Judea.

67 in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 245 male and female singers.

There were also 7,337 of their servants, and 245 singers, which included men and women.

68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,

The Israelis also brought back [from Babylonia] 736 horses, 245 mules,

69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

70 Some of the heads of the families contributed to the project. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments.

Some of the leaders of the clans gave gifts for the work [of rebuilding the temple]. I, being the governor, gave (17 pounds/8.6 kg.) of gold, 50 bowls [to be used in the temple], and 530 robes for the priests.

71 And some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the project 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver.

Some of the leaders of the clans gave a total of (337 pounds/153 kg.) of gold, and (3,215 pounds/1,460 kg.) of silver.

72 The rest of the people gave a total of 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priestly garments.

The rest of the people gave a total of (337 pounds/153 kg.) of gold, (2,923 pounds/1,330 kg.) of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.

73 So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with some of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns. And by the seventh month the Israelites had settled in their towns.

So the priests, the [other] descendants of Levi [who helped the priests], the temple guards, the musicians, the temple workers, and many ordinary people, who were all Israelis, started to live in the towns and cities of Judea [where their ancestors had lived].