Nehemiah 7:4-73
Good News Translation
The List of Those Who Returned from Exile(A)
4 Jerusalem was a large city, but not many people were living in it, and not many houses had been built yet. 5 God inspired me to assemble the people and their leaders and officials and to check their family records. I located the records of those who had first returned from captivity, and this is the information I found:
6 Many of the exiles left the province of Babylon and returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own hometown. Their families had been living in exile in Babylonia ever since King Nebuchadnezzar had taken them there as prisoners. 7 Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
8-25 This is the list of the clans of Israel, with the number of those from each clan who returned from exile:
- Parosh - 2,172
- Shephatiah - 372
- Arah - 652
- Pahath Moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) - 2,818
- Elam - 1,254
- Zattu - 845
- Zaccai - 760
- Binnui - 648
- Bebai - 628
- Azgad - 2,322
- Adonikam - 667
- Bigvai - 2,067
- Adin - 655
- Ater (also called Hezekiah) - 98
- Hashum - 328
- Bezai - 324
- Hariph - 112
- Gibeon - 95
26-38 People whose ancestors had lived in the following towns also returned:
- Bethlehem and Netophah - 188
- Anathoth - 128
- Beth Azmaveth - 42
- Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth - 743
- Ramah and Geba - 621
- Michmash - 122
- Bethel and Ai - 123
- The other Nebo - 52
- The other Elam - 1,254
- Harim - 320
- Jericho - 345
- Lod, Hadid, and Ono - 721
- Senaah - 3,930
39-42 This is the list of the priestly clans that returned from exile:
- Jedaiah (descendants of Jeshua) - 973
- Immer - 1,052
- Pashhur - 1,247
- Harim - 1,017
43-45 Clans of Levites who returned from exile:
- Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah) - 74
- Temple musicians (descendants of Asaph) - 148
- Temple guards (descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai) - 138
46-56 Clans of Temple workers who returned from exile:
- Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
- Keros, Sia, Padon,
- Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai,
- Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
- Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
- Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
- Besai, Meunim, Nephushesim,
- Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
- Bazlith, Mehida, Harsha,
- Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
- Neziah, and Hatipha.
57-59 Clans of Solomon's servants who returned from exile:
- Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
- Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,
- Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth Hazzebaim, and Amon.
60 The total number of descendants of the Temple workers and of Solomon's servants who returned from exile was 392.
61-62 There were 642 belonging to the clans of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda who returned from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not prove that they were descendants of Israelites.
63-64 The following priestly clans could find no record to prove their ancestry: Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai. (The ancestor of the priestly clan of Barzillai had married a woman from the clan of Barzillai of Gilead and taken the name of his father-in-law's clan.) Since they were unable to prove who their ancestors were, they were not accepted as priests. 65 (B)The Jewish governor told them that they could not eat the food offered to God until there was a priest who could use the Urim and Thummim.[a]
66-69 Total number of exiles who returned - 42,360.
- Their male and female servants - 7,337
- Male and female musicians - 245
- Horses - 736
- Mules - 245
- Camels - 435
- Donkeys - 6,720
70-72 Many of the people contributed to help pay the cost of restoring the Temple:
The governor | 270 | ounces of gold |
50 | ceremonial bowls | |
530 | robes for priests | |
Heads of clans | 337 | pounds of gold |
3,215 | pounds of silver | |
The rest of the people | 337 | pounds of gold |
2,923 | pounds of silver | |
67 | robes for priests |
73 (C)The priests, the Levites, the Temple guards, the musicians, many of the ordinary people, the Temple workers—all the people of Israel—settled in the towns and cities of Judah.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Nehemiah 7:65 Two objects used by the priest to determine God's will; it is not known precisely how they were used.
Nehemiah 7:4-73
New International Version
The List of the Exiles Who Returned(A)
4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,(B) and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 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:
6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles(C) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 7 in company with Zerubbabel,(D) Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):
The list of the men of Israel:
8 the descendants of Parosh | 2,172 |
9 of Shephatiah | 372 |
10 of Arah | 652 |
11 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab) | 2,818 |
12 of Elam | 1,254 |
13 of Zattu | 845 |
14 of Zakkai | 760 |
15 of Binnui | 648 |
16 of Bebai | 628 |
17 of Azgad | 2,322 |
18 of Adonikam | 667 |
19 of Bigvai | 2,067 |
20 of Adin(E) | 655 |
21 of Ater (through Hezekiah) | 98 |
22 of Hashum | 328 |
23 of Bezai | 324 |
24 of Hariph | 112 |
25 of Gibeon | 95 |
26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah(F) | 188 |
27 of Anathoth(G) | 128 |
28 of Beth Azmaveth | 42 |
29 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah(H) and Beeroth(I) | 743 |
30 of Ramah and Geba | 621 |
31 of Mikmash | 122 |
32 of Bethel and Ai(J) | 123 |
33 of the other Nebo | 52 |
34 of the other Elam | 1,254 |
35 of Harim | 320 |
36 of Jericho(K) | 345 |
37 of Lod, Hadid and Ono(L) | 721 |
38 of Senaah | 3,930 |
39 The priests:
the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua) | 973 |
40 of Immer | 1,052 |
41 of Pashhur | 1,247 |
42 of Harim | 1,017 |
43 The Levites:
the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah) | 74 |
44 The musicians:(M)
the descendants of Asaph | 148 |
45 The gatekeepers:(N)
the descendants of | |
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai | 138 |
46 The temple servants:(O)
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(P) | 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 Nekoda | 642 |
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.(Q)
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(R) 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.(S)
73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants,(T) along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.(U)
Ezra Reads the Law
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,(V)
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts do not have this verse.
- Nehemiah 7:70 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
- Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 375 pounds or about 170 kilograms; also in verse 72
- Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 1 1/3 tons or about 1.2 metric tons
- Nehemiah 7:72 That is, about 1 1/4 tons or about 1.1 metric tons
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