Nehemiah Chapter 7

The Walls Are Finished

1 The wall had been rebuilt, and I’d set up the doors and appointed gatekeepers, singers, and Levites. 2 I put Hanani my brother—along with Hananiah commander of the fortress—in charge of Jerusalem because he was a reliable man that respected God more than most. 3 I told them,

“Don’t open the gates till the sun is hot. While they’re standing guard, shut and bolt the doors. Appoint guards from the people that live inside Jerusalem, each at his post by his own house.”  

4 The city was big and open, but there weren’t many people in it, and houses hadn’t been built.

5 Then God put it in my heart to gather the nobles, the officials, and the people to be enrolled by genealogies. I found the scroll with the genealogies for the ones that came up first; it read as follows:

Neh 7:1-5

Lists of Returning Exiles

6-7 the number of Israelites that came back to Jerusalem and Judah with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah:

                                    8the family of Parosh                 2,172

                                    9the family of Shephatiah                               372

                                    10the family of Arah                     652

                                    11the family of Pahath-moab

                              (descendants of Jeshua and

Joab)                                    2,818

Neh 7:6-11

                                    12the family of Elam                  1,254

                                    13the family of Zattu                     845

                                    14the family of Zaccai                   760

                                    15the family of Binnui                  648

                                    16the family of Bebai                    628

                                    17the family of Azgad                2,322

                                    18the family of Adonikam            667

                                    19the family of Bigvai                2,067

                                    20the family of Adin                     655

                                    21the family of Ater

                              (descendants of Hezekiah)        98

                                    22the family of Hashum,               328

                                    23the family of Bezai                    324

                                    24the family of Hariph                  112

                                    25the family of Gibeon                    95

                                    26the people from Bethlehem

                              and Netophah                         188

Neh 7:12-26

                                    27the people from Anathoth          128

                                    28the people from Beth-azmaveth 42

                                    29the people from Kiriath-jearim,

                              Chephirah, and Beeroth          743

                                    30the people from Rama and

                              Geba                                        621

                                    31the people from Michmas          122

                                    32the people from Bethel and Ai 123

                                    33the people from the other Nebo  52

                                    34the people from the other

                              Elam                                     1,254

                                    35the people from Harim              320

                                    36the people from Jericho             345

                                    37the people from Lod, Hadid,

                              And Ono                                 721

                                    38 the people from Senaah         3,930

                                    39the priests

                              the family of Jehaiah

(through Jeshua)               973

Neh 7:27-39

                                             40the family of Immer          1,052

                                             41the family of Passhur        1,247

                                             42the family of Harim          1,017

                                    43the Levites

                              the families of Jeshua and Kadmiel

                              (descendants of Hodevah)        74

                                    44the singers: the family of Asaph 148

                                    45the gatekeepers: the families of

                              Shallum, Ater, Talmon,

                              Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai     138

46 the Temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 47 Keros, Sia, Padon,

48 Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai, 49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, 50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, 51 Gazzam, Uzza,

Paseah, 52 Besai, Meunim, Nephushesim, 53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 54 Bazlith, Mahida,

Harsha, 55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 56 Neziah, and Hatipha.

57 the sons of Solomon’s servants: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, 58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, 59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-hazzebaim, and Amon. 60 All the Temple servants and sons of Solomon’s servants numbered                                       392.

Neh 7:40-60

61 These were the ones that came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but couldn’t show that their ancestors’ houses or their descendants were from Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda,             642.

63 from the priests: the families of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, Barzillai. (This Barzillai had married a daughter of Barzillai from Gileadite and took his name.) 64 They searched the genealogical records but couldn’t find their names. So they were considered unqualified and excluded from the priesthood. 65 The governor told them not to eat the priests’ portion of the sacrifices till a priest arose with Urim and Thummim.

Totals of People and Gifts

66 The whole assembly numbered       42,360,

67 plus the male and female servants   (7,337)           

and male and female singers                 (245).

68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

70 The governor donated to the treasury 19 lbs 1,000 drachmas of gold, 50 basins, and 530 priests’ vestments.

71 For the work, some leaders of families donated to the treasury 375 lbs 20,000 darics of gold and 2,750 lbs 2,200 minas of silver.                         

72 The rest of the people gave 375 lbs 20,000 drachmas of gold, 2,500 lbs 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests’ vestments.

73 The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, some of the people, the Temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.

By the seventh month, the Israelites were in their towns.                                  

Neh 7:61-73

From the CNT translation by Virgil Warren, PhD