Nehemiah 7

1 Now after the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and numbered the porters and singing men, and Levites:

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 I commanded Hanani my brother, and Hananias ruler of the house of Jerusalem, (for he seemed as a sincere man, and one that feared God above the rest, )

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 said to them: Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened till the sun be hot. And while they were yet standing by, the gates were shut, and barred: and I set watchmen of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one by their courses, and every mall over against his house.

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 And the city was very wide and great, and the people few in the midst thereof, and the houses were not built.

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 But God had put in my heart, and I assembled the princes and magistrates, and common people, to number them: and I found a book of the number of them who came up at first, and therein it was found written:

[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 children of the province, who came up from the captivity of them that had been carried away, whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned into Judea, every one into his own city.

(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 Who came with Zorobabel, Josue, Nehemias, Azarias, Raamias, Nahamani, Mardochai, Belsam, Mespharath, Begoia, Nahum, Baana. The number of the men of the people 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 children of Pharos, two thousand one hundred seventy-two.

2,172 men from the clan of Parosh;

9 The children of Sephatia, three hundred seventy-two.

372 men from the clan of Shephatiah;

10 The children of Area, six hundred fifty-two.

652 men from the clan of Arah;

11 The children of Phahath Moab of the children of Josue and Joab, two thousand eight hundred eighteen.

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

12 The children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.

1,254 men from the clan of Elam;

13 The children of Zethua, eight hundred forty-five.

845 men from the clan of Zattu;

14 The children of Zachai, seven hundred sixty.

760 men from the clan of Zaccai;

15 The children of Bannui, six hundred forty-eight.

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

16 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty-eight.

628 men from the clan of Bebai;

17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty-two.

2,322 men from the clan of Azgad;

18 The children of Adonicam, six hundred sixty-seven.

667 men from the clan of Adonikam;

19 The children of Beguai, two thousand sixty-seven.

2,067 men from the clan of Bigvai;

20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty-five.

655 men from the clan of Adin;

21 The children of Ater, children of Hezechias, ninety-eight.

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

22 The children of Hasem, three hundred twenty-eight.

328 men from the clan of Hashum;

23 The children of Besai, three hundred twenty-four.

324 men from the clan of Bezai;

24 The children of Hareph, a hundred and twelve.

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

25 The children of Gabaon, ninety-five.

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

26 The children of Bethlehem, and Netupha, a hundred eighty-eight.

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

27 The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty-eight.

128 men from Anathoth;

28 The men of Bethazmoth, forty-two.

42 men from Beth-Azmaveth

29 The men of Cariathiarim, Cephira, and Beroth, seven hundred forty-three.

743 men from Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth;

30 The men of Rama and Geba, six hundred twenty-one.

621 men from Ramah and Geba;

31 The men of Machmas, a hundred twenty-two.

122 men from Micmash;

32 The men of Bethel and Hai, a hundred twenty-three.

123 men from Bethel and Ai;

33 The men of the other Nebo, fifty-two.

52 men from Nebo;

34 The men of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.

1,254 from Elam;

35 The children of Harem, three hundred and twenty.

320 from Harim;

36 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty-five.

345 from Jericho;

37 The children of Led, of Hadid and One, seven hundred twenty-one.

721 from Lod, Hadid, and Ono;

38 The children of Senaa, three thousand nine hundred thirty.

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

39 The priests: the children of Idaia in the house of Josue, nine hundred and seventy-three.

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

40 The children of Emmer, one thousand fifty-two.

1,052 from the clan of Immer;

41 The children of Phashur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven.

1,247 from the clan of Pashhur;

42 The children of Arem, one thousand and seventeen. The Levites:

1,017 from the clan of Harim.

43 The children of Josue and Cedmihel, the sons

[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 Of Oduia, seventy-four. The singing men:

148 singers who are descendants of Asaph.

45 The children of Asaph, a hundred forty-eight.

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

46 The porters: the children of Sellum, the children of Ater, the children of Telmon, the children of Accub, the children of Hatita, the children of Sobai: a hundred thirty-eight.

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

47 The Nathinites: the children of Soha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tebbaoth,

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

48 The children of Ceros, the children of Siaa, the children of Phadon, the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Selmai,

Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,

49 The children of Hanan, the children of Geddel, the children of Gaher,

Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,

50 The children of Raaia, the children of Rasin, the children of Necoda,

Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,

51 The children of Gezem, the children of Asa, the children of Phasea,

Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

52 The children of Besai, the children of Munim, the children of Nephussim,

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

53 The children of Bacbuc, the children of Hacupha, the children of Harhur,

Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

54 The children of Besloth, the children of Mahida, the children of Harsa,

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

55 The children of Bercos, the children of Sisara, the children of Thema,

Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

56 The children of Nasia, the children of Hatipha,

Neziah, and Hatipha.

57 The children of the servants of Solomon, the children of Sothai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Pharida,

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 children of Jahala, the children of Darcon, the children of Jeddel,

Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,

59 The children of Saphatia, the children of Hatil, the children of Phochereth, who was born of Sabaim, the son of Amon.

Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Amon.

60 All the Nathinites, and the children of the servants of Solomon, three hundred ninety-two.

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

61 And these are they that came up from Telmela, Thelharsa, Cherub, Addon, and Emmer: and could not shew the house of their fathers, nor their seed, whether they were of 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 children of Dalaia, the children of Tobia, the children of Necoda, six hundred forty-two.

63 And of the priests, the children of Habia, the children of Accos, the children of Berzellai, who took a wife of the daughters of Berzellai the Galaadite, and he 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 sought their writing in the record, and found it not: and they were cast out of the priesthood.

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 And Athersatha said to them, that they should not eat of the holies of holies, until there stood up a priest learned and skillful.

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 All the multitude as it were one man, forty-two thousand three hundred sixty,

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

67 Beside their menservants and womenservants, who were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven: and among them singing men, and singing women, two hundred forty-five.

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

68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty-six: their mules two hundred forty-five:

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

69 Their camels, four hundred thirty-five, their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

70 And some of the heads of the families gave unto the work. Athersatha gave into the treasure a thousand drama of gold, fifty bowls, and five hundred and thirty garments for priests.

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 families gave to the treasure of the work, twenty thousand drama of gold, and two thousand two hundred pounds 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 And that which the rest of the people gave, was twenty thousand drama of gold, and two thousand pounds of silver, and sixty-seven garments for priests.

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 And the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singing men, and the rest of the common people, and the Nathinites, and all Israel dwelt in their cities.

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].