Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
Nehemiah 7
Jerusalem Is Secured
When the wall had been rebuilt and I had set up the doors, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. I gave my brother Hanani and Hananiah, commander of the fortress, charge over Jerusalem, because he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. While the guards are still standing, let them shut the doors and bar them. Appoint guards from the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each at a watch and each opposite their own house.” The city was wide and large, but the people in it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.
The Genealogical Record
My God put it into my heart to gather the nobles, officials, and people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of people who had first returned, and I found written in it: These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to their own city. They 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:
The People of Israel
the descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two; the descendants of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two; the descendants of Arah, six hundred fifty-two; the descendants of Pahath-moab, of the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred eighteen; the descendants of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four; the descendants of Zattu, eight hundred forty-five; the descendants of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty; the descendants of Binnui, six hundred forty-eight; the descendants of Bebai, six hundred twenty-eight; the descendants of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty-two; the descendants of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-seven; the descendants of Bigvai, two thousand sixty-seven; the descendants of Adin, six hundred fifty-five; the descendants of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight; the descendants of Hashum, three hundred twenty-eight; the descendants of Bezai, three hundred twenty-four; the descendants of Hariph, one hundred twelve; the descendants of Gibeon, ninety-five.
The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred eighty-eight; the men of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight; the men of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two; the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three; the men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one; the men of Michmas, one hundred twenty-two; the men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred twenty-three; the men of the other Nebo, fifty-two; the descendants of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four; the descendants of Harim, three hundred twenty; the descendants of Jericho, three hundred forty-five; the descendants of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-one; the descendants of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred thirty.
Priests, Levites, Singers, and Gatekeepers
The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three; the descendants of Immer, one thousand fifty-two; the descendants of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven; the descendants of Harim, one thousand seventeen. The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the descendants of Hodevah, seventy-four. The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred forty-eight. The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, one hundred thirty-eight.
The Temple Servants
The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, and Tabbaoth; the descendants of Keros, Sia, and Padon; the descendants of Lebana, Hagaba, and Salmai; the descendants of Hanan, Giddel, and Gahar; the descendants of Reaiah, Rezin, and Nekoda; the descendants of Gazzam, Uzza, and Paseah; the descendants of Besai, Meunim, and Nephushesim; the descendants of Bakbuk, Hakupha, and Harhur; the descendants of Bazlith, Mehida, and Harsha; the descendants of Barkos, Sisera, and Temah; the descendants of Neziah and Hatipha.
The Descendants of Solomon’s Servants
The descendants of Solomon’s servants: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, and Perida; the descendants of Jaala, Darkon, and Giddel; the descendants of Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-hazzebaim, and Amon. All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants were three hundred ninety-two.
Those Whose Genealogy Could Not Be Established
These were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not show their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they were from Israel: the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, six hundred forty-two. And from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai, who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name. These sought their registration among those enrolled by genealogy, but it was not found, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. The governor told them not to eat from the most holy things until a priest should stand with Urim and Thummim.
The Assembly and Its Gifts
The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, besides their male and female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven. They had two hundred forty-five male and female singers. their camels, four hundred thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand seven hundred twenty. Some of the heads of ancestral houses gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty bowls, and five hundred thirty priestly garments. Some of the heads of ancestral houses gave to the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold and two thousand two hundred minas of silver. What the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priestly garments. So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel lived in their cities. When the seventh month came, the Israelites were in their cities.