Nehemiah 7

Securing the City

1When the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.

2Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most. 3And I told them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While the guards are on duty, keep the doors shut and securely fastened. And appoint the residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their own homes.”

The List of Returning Exiles

(Ezra 2:1–67)

4Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. I found the genealogical register of those who had first returned, and I found the following written in it:

6These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 7accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.1

This is the count of the men of Israel:

8the descendants of Parosh, 2,172;

9the descendants of Shephatiah, 372;

10the descendants of Arah, 652;

11the descendants of Pahath-moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818;

12the descendants of Elam, 1,254;

13the descendants of Zattu, 845;

14the descendants of Zaccai, 760;

15the descendants of Binnui,2 648;

16the descendants of Bebai, 628;

17the descendants of Azgad, 2,322;

18the descendants of Adonikam, 667;

19the descendants of Bigvai, 2,067;

20the descendants of Adin, 655;

21the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;

22the descendants of Hashum, 328;

23the descendants of Bezai, 324;

24the descendants of Hariph,3 112;

25the descendants of Gibeon,4 95;

26the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;

27the men of Anathoth, 128;

28the men of Beth-azmaveth,5 42;

29the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743;

30the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;

31the men of Michmash, 122;

32the men of Bethel and Ai, 123;

33the men of the other Nebo,6 52;

34the descendants of the other Elam,7 1,254;

35the descendants of Harim, 320;

36the men 8 of Jericho, 345;

37the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721;

38and the descendants of Senaah, 3,930.

39The priests:

the descendants of Jedaiah (through the house of Jeshua), 973;

40the descendants of Immer, 1,052;

41the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247;

42and the descendants of Harim, 1,017.

43The Levites:

the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel, through the line of Hodevah 9), 74.

44The singers:

the descendants of Asaph, 148.

45The gatekeepers:

the descendants of Shallum,

the descendants of Ater,

the descendants of Talmon,

the descendants of Akkub,

the descendants of Hatita,

and the descendants of Shobai,

138 in all.

46The temple servants:10

the descendants of Ziha,

the descendants of Hasupha,

the descendants of Tabbaoth,

47the descendants of Keros,

the descendants of Sia,11

the descendants of Padon,

48the descendants of Lebanah,

the descendants of Hagabah,

the descendants of Shalmai,

49the descendants of Hanan,

the descendants of Giddel,

the descendants of Gahar,

50the descendants of Reaiah,

the descendants of Rezin,

the descendants of Nekoda,

51the descendants of Gazzam,

the descendants of Uzza,

the descendants of Paseah,

52the descendants of Besai,

the descendants of Meunim,

the descendants of Nephushesim,12

53the descendants of Bakbuk,

the descendants of Hakupha,

the descendants of Harhur,

54the descendants of Bazlith,13

the descendants of Mehida,

the descendants of Harsha,

55the descendants of Barkos,

the descendants of Sisera,

the descendants of Temah,

56the descendants of Neziah,

and the descendants of Hatipha.

57The descendants of the servants of Solomon:

the descendants of Sotai,

the descendants of Sophereth,

the descendants of Perida,14

58the descendants of Jaala,

the descendants of Darkon,

the descendants of Giddel,

59the descendants of Shephatiah,

the descendants of Hattil,

the descendants of Pochereth-hazzebaim,

and the descendants of Amon.15

60The temple servants and descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392 in all.

61The following came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon,16 and Immer, but could not prove that their families were descended from Israel:

62the descendants of Delaiah,

the descendants of Tobiah,

and the descendants of Nekoda,

642 in all.

63And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah,

the descendants of Hakkoz,

and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).

64These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.17

66The whole assembly numbered 42,360, 67in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 245 male and female singers. 68They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 18 69435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

Offerings by the Exiles

(Exodus 38:21–31; Ezra 2:68–70)

70Some of the heads of the families contributed to the project. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold,19 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments. 71And some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the project 20,000 darics of gold 20 and 2,200 minas of silver.21 72The rest of the people gave a total of 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver,22 and 67 priestly garments.

73So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with some of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns. And by the seventh month the Israelites had settled in their towns.