Nehemiah 7

1 Once the wall had been rebuilt and I had put up the doors, I appointed the gatekeepers, singers, 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 put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, together with Hananiah the commander of the fortress, because he was an honest man who respected God more than many others.

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 I told them, “Don't allow the gates of Jerusalem to be opened until the sun is hot, and make sure the guards shut and bolt the doors while they're still on duty. Appoint some of the residents of Jerusalem as guards, to be at their posts, standing in front of their own houses.”

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 In those times the city was large with plenty of space, but there weren't many people in it, and the houses hadn't 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 My God encouraged me to have everyone—the nobles, the officials, and the people—all come to be registered according to their family genealogy. I found the genealogical register of those who had returned first. This what I discovered written there.

[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 This is a list of the people of the province who returned from the captivity. These were the exiles who had been taken away to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to their home towns.

(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 They were led by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. This is the number of 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 sons of Parosh, 2,172;

2,172 men from the clan of Parosh;

9 the sons of Shephatiah, 372;

372 men from the clan of Shephatiah;

10 the sons of Arah, 652;

652 men from the clan of Arah;

11 the sons of Pahath-moab, (the sons of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818;

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

12 the sons of Elam, 1,254;

1,254 men from the clan of Elam;

13 The sons of Zattu, 845;

845 men from the clan of Zattu;

14 the sons of Zaccai, 760;

760 men from the clan of Zaccai;

15 the sons of Binnui, 648;

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

16 the sons of Bebai, 628;

628 men from the clan of Bebai;

17 the sons of Azgad, 2,322;

2,322 men from the clan of Azgad;

18 the sons of Adonikam, 667;

667 men from the clan of Adonikam;

19 the sons of Bigvai, 2,067.

2,067 men from the clan of Bigvai;

20 The sons of Adin, 655.

655 men from the clan of Adin;

21 The sons of Ater, (sons of Hezekiah), 98;

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

22 the sons of Hashum, 328;

328 men from the clan of Hashum;

23 the sons of Bezai, 324;

324 men from the clan of Bezai;

24 the sons of Hariph, 112;

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

25 the sons of Gibeon, 95;

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

26 the people from Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;

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

27 the people from Anathoth, 128;

128 men from Anathoth;

28 the people from Beth-azmaveth 42;

42 men from Beth-Azmaveth

29 the people from Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743;

743 men from Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth;

30 the people from Ramah and Geba, 621;

621 men from Ramah and Geba;

31 the people from Michmas, 122;

122 men from Micmash;

32 the people from Bethel and Ai, 123;

123 men from Bethel and Ai;

33 the people from the other Nebo, 52;

52 men from Nebo;

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

1,254 from Elam;

35 the sons of Harim, 320;

320 from Harim;

36 the sons of Jericho, 345;

345 from Jericho;

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

721 from Lod, Hadid, and Ono;

38 the sons of Senaah, 3,930.

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

39 This is the number of the priests: the sons of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua), 973;

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

40 the sons of Immer, 1,052;

1,052 from the clan of Immer;

41 the sons of Pashhur, 1,247;

1,247 from the clan of Pashhur;

42 the sons of Harim, 1,017.

1,017 from the clan of Harim.

43 This is the number of the Levites: the sons of Jeshua through Kadmiel (sons of Hodaviah), 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 of the sons of Asaph, 148;

148 singers who are descendants of Asaph.

45 the gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, 138.

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

46 The descendants of these Temple servants: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,

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

47 Keros, Sia, Padon,

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

48 Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,

Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,

49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,

Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,

50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,

Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,

51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

52 Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,

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

53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,

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

55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

56 Neziah, and Hatipha.

Neziah, and Hatipha.

57 The descendants of King Solomon's servants: Sotai, Sophereth, 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 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,

Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,

59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon.

Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Amon.

60 The total of the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants was 392.

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

61 Those who came from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer could not prove their family genealogy, or even that they were descendants 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 They included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, 642 in total.

63 In addition there three priestly families, sons of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai. (Barzillai had married a woman descended from Barzillai of Gilead, and he was called by that 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 They searched for a record of them in the genealogies, but their names weren't found, so they were barred from serving as priests.

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 instructed them not to eat anything from the sanctuary sacrifices until a priest could ask the Lord about the issue by using 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 total of number of people returning was 42,360.

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

67 In addition there were 7,337 servants and 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 family leaders made voluntary contributions toward the work. The governor presented to the treasury 1,000 gold darics, 50 bowls and 530 sets of clothes for the 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 Some of the family leaders donated to the treasury for the work 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 donated 20,000 gold darics, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 sets of clothes for the 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 The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and Temple servants, as well as some of the people and the rest of the Israelites, went back to live in their specific towns. By the seventh month the Israelites were living 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].