Nehemiah 7

1 Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the 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 That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he [was] a faithful man, and feared God above many.

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 unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar [them: ] and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one [to be] 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 Now the city [was] large and great: but the people [were] few therein, and the houses [were] not builded.

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 And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,

[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, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his 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 Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, [I say], of the men of the people of Israel [was this; ]

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 Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.

2,172 men from the clan of Parosh;

9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.

372 men from the clan of Shephatiah;

10 The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.

652 men from the clan of Arah;

11 The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred [and] eighteen.

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

12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

1,254 men from the clan of Elam;

13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.

845 men from the clan of Zattu;

14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.

760 men from the clan of Zaccai;

15 The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.

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

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

628 men from the clan of Bebai;

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

2,322 men from the clan of Azgad;

18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.

667 men from the clan of Adonikam;

19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.

2,067 men from the clan of Bigvai;

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

655 men from the clan of Adin;

21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

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

22 The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.

328 men from the clan of Hashum;

23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.

324 men from the clan of Bezai;

24 The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve.

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

25 The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.

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

26 The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.

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

27 The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.

128 men from Anathoth;

28 The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty and two.

42 men from Beth-Azmaveth

29 The men of Kirjath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.

743 men from Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth;

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

621 men from Ramah and Geba;

31 The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty and two.

122 men from Micmash;

32 The men of Beth-el and Ai, an hundred twenty and three.

123 men from Bethel and Ai;

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

52 men from Nebo;

34 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

1,254 from Elam;

35 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

320 from Harim;

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

345 from Jericho;

37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one.

721 from Lod, Hadid, and Ono;

38 The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

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

39 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.

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

40 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

1,052 from the clan of Immer;

41 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

1,247 from the clan of Pashhur;

42 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

1,017 from the clan of Harim.

43 The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, [and] of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.

[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 children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight.

148 singers who are descendants of Asaph.

45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.

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

46 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

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

47 The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,

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

48 The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,

Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,

49 The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,

Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,

50 The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,

Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,

51 The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,

Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

52 The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,

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

53 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,

Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

54 The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,

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

55 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,

Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

56 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

Neziah, and Hatipha.

57 The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children 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 children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,

Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,

59 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.

Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Amon.

60 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants, [were] three hundred ninety and two.

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

61 And these [were] they which went up [also] from Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their father’s house, 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 Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.

63 And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took [one] of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after 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 register [among] those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from 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 the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood [up] a priest with 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 congregation together [was] forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,

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

67 Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom [there were] seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.

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

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

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

69 [Their] camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.

435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests’ 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 chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound 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 drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven priests’ 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, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and [some] of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel [were] 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].