Nehemiah 7-8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
7 Now when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed,(A) 2 I gave my brother Hanani charge over Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many.(B) 3 And I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened while the sun is hot; while the gatekeepers[a] are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their watch posts, and others before their own houses.” 4 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been built.
Lists of the Returned Exiles
5 Then my God put it into my mind to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who were the first to come back, and I found the following written in it:
6 These are the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried into exile; they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town.(C) 7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.
The number of the Israelite people:(D) 8 the descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred seventy-two. 9 Of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy-two. 10 Of Arah, six hundred fifty-two. 11 Of Pahath-moab, namely, the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred eighteen. 12 Of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.(E) 13 Of Zattu, eight hundred forty-five. 14 Of Zaccai, seven hundred sixty. 15 Of Binnui, six hundred forty-eight. 16 Of Bebai, six hundred twenty-eight. 17 Of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty-two.(F) 18 Of Adonikam, six hundred sixty-seven. 19 Of Bigvai, two thousand sixty-seven. 20 Of Adin, six hundred fifty-five. 21 Of Ater, namely, of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. 22 Of Hashum, three hundred twenty-eight. 23 Of Bezai, three hundred twenty-four.(G) 24 Of Hariph, one hundred twelve. 25 Of Gibeon, ninety-five. 26 The people of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred eighty-eight. 27 Of Anathoth, one hundred twenty-eight.(H) 28 Of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two. 29 Of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty-three. 30 Of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty-one. 31 Of Michmas, one hundred twenty-two. 32 Of Bethel and Ai, one hundred twenty-three. 33 Of the other Nebo, fifty-two. 34 The descendants of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.(I) 35 Of Harim, three hundred twenty. 36 Of Jericho, three hundred forty-five. 37 Of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty-one. 38 Of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred thirty.
39 The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, namely, the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy-three.(J) 40 Of Immer, one thousand fifty-two. 41 Of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred forty-seven. 42 Of Harim, one thousand seventeen.
43 The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua, namely, of Kadmiel of the descendants of Hodevah, seventy-four.(K) 44 The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred forty-eight. 45 The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, of Ater, of Talmon, of Akkub, of Hatita, of Shobai, one hundred thirty-eight.
46 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, of Hasupha, of Tabbaoth,(L) 47 of Keros, of Sia, of Padon, 48 of Lebana, of Hagaba, of Shalmai, 49 of Hanan, of Giddel, of Gahar, 50 of Reaiah, of Rezin, of Nekoda, 51 of Gazzam, of Uzza, of Paseah, 52 of Besai, of Meunim, of Nephushesim, 53 of Bakbuk, of Hakupha, of Harhur, 54 of Bazlith, of Mehida, of Harsha, 55 of Barkos, of Sisera, of Temah, 56 of Neziah, of Hatipha.
57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants: of Sotai, of Sophereth, of Perida,(M) 58 of Jaala, of Darkon, of Giddel, 59 of Shephatiah, of Hattil, of Pochereth-hazzebaim, of Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants were three hundred ninety-two.(N)
61 The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 62 the descendants of Delaiah, of Tobiah, of Nekoda, six hundred forty-two. 63 Also, of the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, of Hakkoz, of Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).(O) 64 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean; 65 the governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should come.(P)
66 The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred sixty, 67 besides their male and female slaves, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty-seven, and they had two hundred forty-five singers, male and female. 68 They had seven hundred thirty-six horses, two hundred forty-five mules,[b] 69 [c]four hundred thirty-five camels, and six thousand seven hundred twenty donkeys.
70 Now some of the heads of ancestral houses contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred thirty priestly robes.(Q) 71 And some of the heads of ancestral houses gave into the building fund twenty thousand darics of gold and two thousand two hundred minas of silver.(R) 72 And what the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priestly robes.
73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.
Ezra Summons the People to Obey the Law
When the seventh month came, the Israelites being settled in their towns,(S) 8 1
9 And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law.(X) 10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord, and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”(Y) 11 So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, “Be quiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.” 12 And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.(Z)
The Festival of Booths Celebrated
13 On the second day the heads of ancestral houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to Ezra the scribe in order to study the words of the law. 14 And they found it written in the law that the Lord had commanded by Moses that the Israelites should live in booths[d] during the festival of the seventh month(AA) 15 and that they should publish and proclaim in all their towns and in Jerusalem as follows, “Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths,[e] as it is written.”(AB) 16 So the people went out and brought them and made booths[f] for themselves, each on the roofs of their houses, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.(AC) 17 And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made booths[g] and lived in them, for from the days of Jeshua son of Nun to that day the Israelites had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing.(AD) 18 And day by day, from the first day to the last day, Ezra[h] read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival seven days, and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.(AE)
Nehemiah 7-8
New International Version
7 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. 2 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. 3 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)
4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,(I) 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(J) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 7 in company with Zerubbabel,(K) 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(L) | 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(M) | 188 |
27 of Anathoth(N) | 128 |
28 of Beth Azmaveth | 42 |
29 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah(O) and Beeroth(P) | 743 |
30 of Ramah and Geba | 621 |
31 of Mikmash | 122 |
32 of Bethel and Ai(Q) | 123 |
33 of the other Nebo | 52 |
34 of the other Elam | 1,254 |
35 of Harim | 320 |
36 of Jericho(R) | 345 |
37 of Lod, Hadid and Ono(S) | 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:(T)
the descendants of Asaph | 148 |
45 The gatekeepers:(U)
the descendants of | |
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai | 138 |
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 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.(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) 8 1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate.(AD) They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses,(AE) which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month(AF) Ezra the priest brought the Law(AG) before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate(AH) in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.
4 Ezra the teacher of the Law stood on a high wooden platform(AI) built for the occasion. Beside him on his right stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and on his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
5 Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing(AJ) above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands(AK) and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
7 The Levites(AL)—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed(AM) the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear[f] and giving the meaning so that the people understood what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites(AN) who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”(AO) For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing(AP) prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy(AQ) of the Lord is your strength.”
11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a holy day. Do not grieve.”
12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy,(AR) because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.
13 On the second day of the month, the heads of all the families, along with the priests and the Levites, gathered around Ezra the teacher to give attention to the words of the Law. 14 They found written in the Law, which the Lord had commanded through Moses, that the Israelites were to live in temporary shelters(AS) during the festival of the seventh month 15 and that they should proclaim this word and spread it throughout their towns and in Jerusalem: “Go out into the hill country and bring back branches from olive and wild olive trees, and from myrtles, palms and shade trees, to make temporary shelters”—as it is written.[g]
16 So the people went out and brought back branches and built themselves temporary shelters on their own roofs, in their courtyards, in the courts of the house of God and in the square by the Water Gate(AT) and the one by the Gate of Ephraim.(AU) 17 The whole company that had returned from exile built temporary shelters and lived in them.(AV) From the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day, the Israelites had not celebrated(AW) it like this. And their joy was very great.
18 Day after day, from the first day to the last, Ezra read(AX) from the Book of the Law(AY) of God. They celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day, in accordance with the regulation,(AZ) there was an assembly.(BA)
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
- Nehemiah 8:8 Or God, translating it
- Nehemiah 8:15 See Lev. 23:37-40.
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