Explore

Search the CEB

  • Nehemiah 7

    The wall is complete

    When the wall had been built and I had hung the doors, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. Then I put my brother Hanani and Hananiah the commander of the fortress in charge of Jerusalem. Hananiah was a faithful man who revered God more than many.

    I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem aren’t to be opened during the hottest time of the day. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Also, appoint guards from among those who live in Jerusalem. Station some at their watch posts and some in front of their own houses.”

    Nehemiah registers the families

    Now although the city was wide and large, only a few people were living within it, and no houses had been rebuilt. My God then prompted me to assemble the officials, the officers, and the people so that they could be registered by families. I found the record of the families who were the first to return, and I found the following written in it:

    These are the people of the province who returned from the captivity of those exiles whom Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile. They all returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to their own town.

    They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

    The number of the people of Israel:

    The family of Parosh2,172
    of Shephatiah372
    10 of Arah652
    11 of Pahath-moab, that is, of the descendants of Jeshua and Joab2,818
    12 of Elam1,254
    13 of Zattu845
    14 of Zaccai760
    15 of Binnui648
    16 of Bebai628
    17 of Azgad2,322
    18 of Adonikam667
    19 of Bigvai2,067
    20 of Adin655
    21 of Ater, that is, of the descendants of Hezekiah98
    22 of Hashum328
    23 of Bezai324
    24 of Hariph112
    25 of Gibeon95
    26 The people of Bethlehem and Netophah188
    27 of Anathoth128
    28 of Beth-azmaveth42
    29 of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth743
    30 of Ramah and Geba621
    31 of Michmas122
    32 of Bethel and Ai123
    33 of the other Nebo52
    34 the inhabitants of the other Elam1,254
    35 of Harim320
    36 of Jericho345
    37 of Lod, Hadid, and Ono721
    38 of Senaah3,930
    39 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, that is, of the house of Jeshua973
    40 of Immer1,052
    41 of Pashhur1,247
    42 of Harim1,017
    43 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua, that is, of Kadmiel, of the descendants of Hodaviah74
    44 The singers: the descendants of Asaph148
    45 The descendants of gatekeepers: of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai138

    46 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,

    47 Keros, Sia, Padon,
    48 Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,
    49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
    50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
    51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
    52 Besai, Meunim, Nephushesim,
    53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
    54 Bazlith, Mehida, Harsha,
    55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
    56 Neziah, and Hatipha.

    57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants: Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,

    58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, 59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-hazzebaim, and Amon.

    60 All of the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants totaled 392.

    61 The following came up from Tel-Melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their family or their descent was from Israel:

    62 the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, 642.

    63 And of the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by his name) 64 looked for their entries in the genealogical records, but they weren’t found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

    65 The governor ordered that they shouldn’t eat of the most holy food until a priest arose who could consult Urim and Thummim.

    66 The whole assembly together totaled 42,360. 67 This number doesn’t include their 7,337 male and female servants; they also had 245 male and female singers, 68 736 horses, 245 mules, 69  435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

    70  Some of the heads of families made a donation for the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 bowls, and 530 priestly robes. 71 Some of the heads of families gave 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 manehs of silver to the treasury for the work. 72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 manehs of silver, and 67 priestly robes.

    73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.