Nehemiah 7

1 Now when the wall was built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers 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 I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the fortress, in charge of 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 I said to them, “Don’t let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them; and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, with everyone near 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 wide and large; but the people were few therein, 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 My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be listed by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found this 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 children of the province who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to 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, and Baanah. 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 Parosh: two thousand one hundred seventy-two.

2,172 men from the clan of Parosh;

9 The children of Shephatiah: three hundred seventy-two.

372 men from the clan of Shephatiah;

10 The children of Arah: six hundred fifty-two.

652 men from the clan of Arah;

11 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua 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 Zattu: eight hundred forty-five.

845 men from the clan of Zattu;

14 The children of Zaccai: seven hundred sixty.

760 men from the clan of Zaccai;

15 The children of Binnui: 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 Adonikam: six hundred sixty-seven.

667 men from the clan of Adonikam;

19 The children of Bigvai: 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: of Hezekiah, ninety-eight.

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

22 The children of Hashum: three hundred twenty-eight.

328 men from the clan of Hashum;

23 The children of Bezai: three hundred twenty-four.

324 men from the clan of Bezai;

24 The children of Hariph: one hundred twelve.

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

25 The children of Gibeon: ninety-five.

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

26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah: one hundred eighty-eight.

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

27 The men of Anathoth: one hundred twenty-eight.

128 men from Anathoth;

28 The men of Beth Azmaveth: forty-two.

42 men from Beth-Azmaveth

29 The men of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth: seven hundred forty-three.

743 men from Kiriath-Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth;

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

621 men from Ramah and Geba;

31 The men of Michmas: one hundred twenty-two.

122 men from Micmash;

32 The men of Bethel and Ai: one hundred twenty-three.

123 men from Bethel and Ai;

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

52 men from Nebo;

34 The children of the other Elam: one thousand two hundred fifty-four.

1,254 from Elam;

35 The children of Harim: three hundred twenty.

320 from Harim;

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

345 from Jericho;

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

721 from Lod, Hadid, and Ono;

38 The children of Senaah: three thousand nine hundred 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-three.

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

40 The children of Immer: one thousand fifty-two.

1,052 from the clan of Immer;

41 The children of Pashhur: one thousand two hundred forty-seven.

1,247 from the clan of Pashhur;

42 The children of Harim: one thousand seventeen.

1,017 from the clan of Harim.

43 The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah: seventy-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: one hundred forty-eight.

148 singers who are descendants of Asaph.

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

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

46 The temple servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, 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 Salmai,

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 Paseah,

Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

52 the children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephushesim,

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 Temah,

Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

56 the children of Neziah, and 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 Hazzebaim, and the children of Amon.

Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Amon.

60 All the temple servants and the children of Solomon’s servants were three hundred ninety-two.

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

61 These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers’ houses, nor their offspring, 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-two.

63 Of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, 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 searched for their genealogical records, but couldn’t find them. Therefore they were deemed disqualified and removed 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 The governor told them not to eat of the most holy things until a priest stood up to minister 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 assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty,

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

67 in addition to their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven. They had two hundred forty-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 were 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 donkeys, six thousand seven hundred twenty.

435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

70 Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred 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 Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand two hundred 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 That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, plus two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-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, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel lived in their cities. When the seventh month had come, 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].