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Now it came to pass, when the chomah was rebuilt, and I had set up the dalatot, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levi’im were appointed,

That I gave my brother Chanani, along with Chananyah (the commander of the citadel), charge over Yerushalayim, for he was an ish emes, and feared HaElohim more than many.

And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Yerushalayim be opened until the shemesh be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the dalatot, and bar them, and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, every one in his watch, and every one to be near his bais.

Now the Ir was large and gedolah, but HaAm were few therein, and the batim (houses) were not rebuilt.

And Elohai put into mine lev to gather together the nobles, and the officials, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a Sefer HaYachash (record of the genealogy) of them which came up at the first, and found written therein:

These are the people of the province, that went up out of the Golus captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nevuchadnetzar Melech Bavel had carried away, and came again to Yerushalayim and to Yehudah, everyone unto his town;

Who came with Zerubavel, Yeshua, Nechemyah, Azaryah, Ra’amyah, Nachmani, Mordechai, Bilshan, Misperet, Bigvai, Nechum, and Ba’anah. The number of the men of the people of Yisroel was this:

The Bnei Parosh, 2,172.

The Bnei Shephatyah, 372.

10 The Bnei Arach, 652.

11 The Bnei Pachat-Moav, of the Bnei Yeshua and Yoav, 2,818.

12 The Bnei Elam, 1,254.

13 The Bnei Zattu, 845.

14 The Bnei Zaccai, 760.

15 The Bnei Binnui, 648.

16 The Bnei Bevai, 628.

17 The Bnei Azgad, 2,322.

18 The Bnei Adonikam, 667.

19 The Bnei Bigvai, 2,067.

20 The Bnei Adin, 655.

21 The Bnei Ater of Yechizkiyah, 98.

22 The Bnei Chashum, 328.

23 The Bnei Betzai, 324.

24 The Bnei Chariph, 112.

25 The Bnei Giveon, 95.

26 The men of Beit-Lechem and Netophah, 188.

27 The men of Anatot, 128.

28 The men of Beit-Azmavet, 42.

29 The men of Kiryat-Yearim, Kephirah, and Be’erot, 743.

30 The men of Ramah and Geva, 621.

31 The men of Michmas, 122.

32 The men of Beit-El and Ai, 123.

33 The men of the other Nevo, 52.

34 The people of the other Elam, 1,254.

35 The Bnei Charim, 320.

36 The Bnei Yericho, 345.

37 The Bnei Lod, Chadid, and Ono, 721.

38 The Bnei Senaah, 3,930.

39 The kohanim; the Bnei Yedayah, of the Bais Yeshua, 973.

40 The Bnei Immer, 1,052.

41 The Bnei Pashchur, 1,247.

42 The Bnei Charim, 1,017.

43 The Levi’im; the Bnei Yeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the Bnei Hodvah, 74.

44 The singers; the Bnei Asaph, 148.

45 The gatekeepers; the Bnei Shallum, the Bnei Ater, the Bnei Talmon, the Bnei Akuv, the Bnei Chatita, the Bnei Shovai, 138.

46 The Netinim [servants of the Beis Hamikdash]; the Bnei Tzicha, the Bnei Chasupha, the Bnei Tabbaot,

47 The Bnei Keros, the Bnei Sia, the Bnei Padon,

48 The Bnei Levanah, the Bnei Chagava, the Bnei Salmai,

49 The Bnei Chanan, the Bnei Giddel, the Bnei Gachar,

50 The Bnei Reayah, the Bnei Retzin, the Bnei Nekoda,

51 The Bnei Gazzam, the Bnei Uzza, the Bnei Paseach,

52 The Bnei Besai, the Bnei Meunim, the Bnei Nephishesim,

53 The Bnei Bakbuk, the Bnei Chakupha, the Bnei Charchur,

54 The Bnei Batzlit, the Bnei Mechida, the Bnei Charsha,

55 The Bnei Barkos, the Bnei Sisra, the Bnei Tamach,

56 The Bnei Netziach, the Bnei Chatipha.

57 The Bnei Avdei Sh’lomo; the Bnei Sotai, the Bnei Sopheret, the Bnei Perida, [T.N. This book teaches that the work of G-d is so difficult, that no one person can do it alone. People working together is a picture of what is involved in being in a Messianic kehillah or any ministry for G-d. We are inspired as we see how the wall came together in only 52 days (see Neh 6:15) when Nehemiah arrived in 445. However, everything was not accomplished quite so fast. The Mizbe’ach and the Beis Hamikdash were restored and the work took place from 538-515 B.C.E. and was finally completed after Darius I (522-486 B.C.E.) gave his official permission, though the foundation of the Beis Hamikdash was laid as early as 536 B.C.E. Then came the reforming work of Ezra in 458 B.C.E. during the reign of Artaxerxes I (465-424).

58 The Bnei Yaala, the Bnei Darkon, the Bnei Giddel,

59 The Bnei Shephatyah, the Bnei Chattil, the Bnei Pocheret-Hatzvayim, the Bnei Amon.

60 All the Netinim, and the Bnei Avdei Sh’lomo, were three hundred ninety and two.

61 And these were they which went up also from Tel-Melach, Tel-Charsha, Keruv, Addon, and Immer, but they could not show their bais avot, nor their zera, whether they were of Yisroel.

62 The Bnei Delayah, the Bnei Toviyah, the Bnei Nekoda, 642.

63 And of the kohanim; the Bnei Chavayah, the Bnei Hakotz, the Bnei Barzillai, which took one of the banot of Barzillai the Gileadi to wife, and was named after their shem.

64 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found; therefore were they, as polluted, put from the Kehunah (Priesthood).

65 And the Tirshata said unto them that they should not eat of the kodesh hakodashim until there stood up a kohen with Urim and Tummim.

66 The kol hakahal together was 42,360,

67 not counting their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 meshorarim (singing men) and meshorarot (singing women).

68 Their susim, seven hundred thirty and six; their mules, two hundred forty and five;

69 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five; six thousand seven hundred and twenty donkeys.

70 And some of the chief of the avot gave unto the work. The Tirshata (governor) gave to the treasury a thousand drachmas of zahav, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty kasenos (garments) for the Kohanim.

71 And some of the chief of the avot gave to the treasury of the work twenty thousand drachmas of zahav, and two thousand and two hundred manim of kesef.

72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drachmas of zahav, and two thousand manim of kesef, and threescore and seven kasenos for the Kohanim.

73 So the Kohanim, and the Levi’im, and the gatekeepers, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Netinim, and kol Yisroel, dwelt in their towns; |8:1| and when the seventh month [Tishri] came, the Bnei Yisroel were in their towns.

After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers,(A) the musicians(B) and the Levites(C) were appointed. I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani,(D) along with Hananiah(E) the commander of the citadel,(F) because he was a man of integrity and feared(G) God more than most people do. I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”

The List of the Exiles Who Returned(H)

Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,(I) and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:

These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles(J) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, in company with Zerubbabel,(K) Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):

The list of the men of Israel:

the descendants of Parosh2,172
of Shephatiah372
10 of Arah652
11 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab)2,818
12 of Elam1,254
13 of Zattu845
14 of Zakkai760
15 of Binnui648
16 of Bebai628
17 of Azgad2,322
18 of Adonikam667
19 of Bigvai2,067
20 of Adin(L)655
21 of Ater (through Hezekiah)98
22 of Hashum328
23 of Bezai324
24 of Hariph112
25 of Gibeon95
26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah(M)188
27 of Anathoth(N)128
28 of Beth Azmaveth42
29 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah(O) and Beeroth(P)743
30 of Ramah and Geba621
31 of Mikmash122
32 of Bethel and Ai(Q)123
33 of the other Nebo52
34 of the other Elam1,254
35 of Harim320
36 of Jericho(R)345
37 of Lod, Hadid and Ono(S)721
38 of Senaah3,930

39 The priests:

the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua)973
40 of Immer1,052
41 of Pashhur1,247
42 of Harim1,017

43 The Levites:

the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah)74

44 The musicians:(T)

the descendants of Asaph148

45 The gatekeepers:(U)

the descendants of
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai138

46 The temple servants:(V)

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, Nephusim,
53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
56 Neziah and Hatipha

57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:

the descendants of
Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
59 Shephatiah, Hattil,
Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon
60 The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon(W)392

61 The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:

62 the descendants of
Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda642

63 And from among the priests:

the descendants of
Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).

64 These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.(X)

66 The whole company numbered 42,360, 67 besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 245 male and female singers. 68 There were 736 horses, 245 mules,[a] 69 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

70 Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics[b] of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. 71 Some of the heads of the families(Y) gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics[c] of gold and 2,200 minas[d] of silver. 72 The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas[e] of silver and 67 garments for priests.(Z)

73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants,(AA) along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.(AB)

Ezra Reads the Law

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,(AC)

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts do not have this verse.
  2. Nehemiah 7:70 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
  3. Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 375 pounds or about 170 kilograms; also in verse 72
  4. Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 1 1/3 tons or about 1.2 metric tons
  5. Nehemiah 7:72 That is, about 1 1/4 tons or about 1.1 metric tons