The Exiles Return
1 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed, 7:1 Neh 6:1 the gatekeepers, 7:1 Ezr 2:40–42; Neh 7:43–45 singers, and Levites were appointed. 2 Then I put my brother Hanani 7:2 Neh 1:2 in charge of Jerusalem, 7:2 Neh 3:9,12 along with Hananiah, 7:2 Neh 10:23 commander of the fortress, 7:2 Neh 2:8 because he was a faithful man who feared God 7:2 1Kg 18:3; Neh 5:9,15 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." 7:3 Neh 4:13,16,22–23
4 The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet. 7:4 Neh 11:15 Then my God put it into my mind 7:5 Pr 2:6 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: 7:5–73 Ezr 2:1–70
6 These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar 7:6 2Ch 36:20 of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his own town. 7:6 Ezr 2:17 They came with Zerubbabel, 7:7 Hg 1:1 Jeshua, 7:7 Ezr 2:2; 5:2; Zch 3:3,8 Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
The number of the Israelite men included 7:7 Lit the men of the people of Israel
8 Parosh’s descendants 7:8 Ezr 2:3; 8:3; 10:25; Neh 3:252,172
9 Shephatiah’s descendants 372
10 Arah’s descendants 652
11 Pahath-moab’s descendants:
Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants 2,818
12 Elam’s descendants 1,254
13 Zattu’s descendants 845
14 Zaccai’s descendants 760
15 Binnui’s descendants 648
16 Bebai’s descendants 628
17 Azgad’s descendants 2,322
18 Adonikam’s descendants 7:18 Ezr 2:13; 8:13667
19 Bigvai’s descendants 2,067
20 Adin’s descendants 7:20 Ezr 2:15; 8:6655
21 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah 98
22 Hashum’s descendants 328
23 Bezai’s descendants 324
24 Hariph’s descendants 112
25 Gibeon’s 7:25 = Gibbar’s in Ezr 2:20 descendants 95
26 Bethlehem’s 7:26 Ezr 2:21; Mc 5:2 and Netophah’s 7:26 2Sm 23:28; 2Kg 25:23; Ezr 2:22 men 188
27 Anathoth’s 7:27 Ezr 2:23; Neh 11:32; Jr 1:1 men 128
28 Beth-azmaveth’s men 42
29 Kiriath-jearim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s men 743
30 Ramah’s and Geba’s men 621
31 Michmas’s men 122
32 Bethel’s and Ai’s men 7:32 Gn 12:8; Jos 7:2; Ezr 2:28123
33 the other Nebo’s men 52
34 the other Elam’s people 1,254
35 Harim’s people 320
36 Jericho’s people 7:36 Jos 6:1; Ezr 2:34; Neh 3:2345
37 Lod’s, 7:37 1Ch 8:12; Ezr 2:33; Ac 9:32 Hadid’s, and Ono’s people 721
38 Senaah’s people 3,930.
39 The priests included
Jedaiah’s 7:39 1Ch 24:7; Ezr 2:36 descendants of the house of Jeshua 973
40 Immer’s descendants 1,052
41 Pashhur’s descendants 1,247
42 Harim’s descendants 1,017.
43 The Levites 7:43 Ezr 2:40; 7:7; 8:15; Neh 13:30 included
Jeshua’s descendants: of Kadmiel
Hodevah’s descendants 74.
44 The singers 7:44 1Ch 15:16; Ezr 2:41–43 included
Asaph’s descendants 148.
45 The gatekeepers 7:45 1Ch 9:17–27 included
Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants,
Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants,
Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants 138.
46 The temple servants 7:46 Neh 11:21 included
Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants,
Tabbaoth’s descendants, 47 Keros’s descendants,
Sia’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,
48 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants,
Shalmai’s descendants, 49 Hanan’s descendants,
Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants,
50 Reaiah’s descendants, Rezin’s descendants,
Nekoda’s descendants, 51 Gazzam’s descendants,
Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants,
52 Besai’s descendants, Meunim’s descendants,
Nephishesim’s 7:52 Alt Hb tradition reads Nephushesim’s descendants, 53 Bakbuk’s descendants,
Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants,
54 Bazlith’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants,
Harsha’s descendants, 55 Barkos’s descendants,
Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants,
56 Neziah’s descendants, Hatipha’s descendants.
57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants 7:57 1Kg 9:21; Ezr 2:55 included
Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants,
Perida’s descendants, 58 Jaala’s descendants,
Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants,
59 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants,
Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, Amon’s descendants.
60 All the temple servants
and the descendants of Solomon’s servants 7:60 Ezr 2:58392.
61 The following 7:61–62 Ezr 2:59–60 are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their ancestral families 7:61 Lit the house of their fathers and their lineage were Israelite:
62 Delaiah’s descendants,
Tobiah’s descendants,
and Nekoda’s descendants 642
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 who bore 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 7:65 Ezr 2:63; 5:14 ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim. 7:65 Ex 28:30; Lv 8:8; Ezr 2:63
66 The whole combined assembly numbered 42,360
67 not including their 7,337 male and female servants,
as well as their 245 male and female singers.
68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 7:68 Some Hb mss, LXX; Ezr 2:66; other Hb mss omit v. 68
69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 7:69–72 Ezr 2:64–70
70 Some of the family heads contributed to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins, 7:70 Or drachmas, or darics; also in vv. 71,72 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury. 71 Some of the family heads gave 20,000 gold coins and 2,200 silver minas 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. 73 The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns. 7:73 1Ch 9:2; Ezr 2:70; Neh 7:6
Public Reading of the Law
When the seventh month 7:73 Lv 23:23–43; Ezr 3:1 came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,