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I put two men in charge of governing the city of Jerusalem: my brother Hanani and Hananiah, commanding officer of the fortress. Hananiah was a reliable and God-fearing man without equal. I told them not to have the gates of Jerusalem opened in the morning until well after sunrise and to have them closed and barred before the guards went off duty at sunset. I also told them to appoint guards from among the people who lived in Jerusalem and to assign some of them to specific posts and others to patrol the area around their own houses.

The List of Those Who Returned from Exile(A)

Jerusalem was a large city, but not many people were living in it, and not many houses had been built yet.

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I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani,(A) along with Hananiah(B) the commander of the citadel,(C) because he was a man of integrity and feared(D) 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(E)

Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,(F) and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.

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