The Exiles Return
1 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed,(A) the gatekeepers,(B) singers, and Levites were appointed.
2 Then I put my brother Hanani(C) in charge of Jerusalem,(D) along with Hananiah,(E) commander of the fortress,(F) because he was a faithful man who feared God(G) more than most.
3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.”(H)
4 The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet.(I)
5 Then my God put it into my mind(J) to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found the following written in it:(K)
6 These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar(L) of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his own town.(M)
7 They came with Zerubbabel,(N) Jeshua,(O) Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
The number of the Israelite men included:
The number of the Israelite men included:
45 The gatekeepers(AB) included:
Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants 138.
Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants 138.
46 The temple servants(AC) included:
Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants,
Tabbaoth’s descendants,
47 Tabbaoth’s descendants,
Keros’s descendants,
Sia’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,
48 Sia’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,
Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants,
Shalmai’s descendants,
49 Shalmai’s descendants,
Hanan’s descendants,
Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants,
50 Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants,
Reaiah’s descendants, Rezin’s descendants,
Nekoda’s descendants,
51 Nekoda’s descendants,
Gazzam’s descendants,
Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants,
Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants,
52
53
Bakbuk’s descendants,
Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants,
54 Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants,
Bazlith’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants,
Harsha’s descendants,
55 Harsha’s descendants,
Barkos’s descendants,
Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants,
56 Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants,
Neziah’s descendants, Hatipha’s descendants.
57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants(AD) included:
Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants,
Perida’s descendants,
58 Perida’s descendants,
Jaala’s descendants,
Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants,
59 Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants,
Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants,
Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, Amon’s descendants.
Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, Amon’s descendants.
61 The following(AF) are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their families and ancestors were Israelite:
63 and from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai—who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name.
64 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood.
65 The governor(AG) ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.(AH)
67 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves, as well as their 245 male and female singers.
70 Some of the family leaders gave to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins,(d) 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury.
71 Some of the family leaders gave 20,000 gold coins and 2,200 silver minas(e) to the treasury for the project.
72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments.
Public Reading of the Law
Footnotes:
a.
Nehemiah 7:25: Gibbar’s in Ezr 2:20
b.
Nehemiah 7:52: Alt Hb tradition reads Nephushesim’s
c.
Nehemiah 7:68: Some Hb mss, LXX; Ezr 2:66; other Hb mss omit v. 68
d.
Nehemiah 7:70: Or drachmas, or darics; also in vv. 71-72
e.
Nehemiah 7:71: A Babylonian coin worth 50 shekels
f.
Nehemiah 7:73: The second half of v. 73 is better understood when placed with 8:1.
Cross references:
M.
Nehemiah 7:6:
Ezra 2:1
AD.
Nehemiah 7:57:
Ezra 2:55
AE.
Nehemiah 7:60:
Ezra 2:58