Nehemiah 7:2-4

EasyEnglish Bible

² I gave authority over Jerusalem to my brother Hanani and to Hananiah. Hananiah was the leader of the men in Jerusalem's strong building. He was a faithful man who respected God more than many men do. ³ I said to them, ‘Do not open Jerusalem's gates until the sun is high in the sky. Shut the gates and lock them while the guards are still there. Choose people who live in Jerusalem to be guards for the city. Some guards must stand at the city's gates. Other guards must stand near their own houses.’

People who came back from the exile

⁴ Jerusalem was a large city, but not many people lived in it. We had not yet built many houses.