Loading…
GOD’S WORD Translation
Restore columns
Exit Fullscreen

7TH CHAPTER

Nehemiah Places Hanani and Hananiah in Charge of Guarding the City Gates

The gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites were assigned their duties after the wall had been rebuilt and I had hung the doors. I put my brother Hanani and Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem. Hananiah was a trustworthy man, and he feared God more than most people do. I told them, “The gates of Jerusalem should not be opened at the hottest time of the day. While the ⸤gatekeepers⸥ are still standing there, they should shut the doors and bar them. Order some of the men in Jerusalem to stand guard, some at their posts and others in front of their homes.” The city was large and wide-open. Few people were in it, and no houses were being built. 

The First Jewish Exiles Who Returned to Jerusalem

Then my God put the idea into my head that I should gather the nobles, leaders, and people so that they could check their genealogy. I found the book with the genealogy of those who came back the first time. I found the following written in it: 

These were the people in the province. They were the ones who left the place where the exiles had been taken captive. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had taken them captive. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah. All of them went to their own cities. They went with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. 

Families Listed by AncestorEzra 2:3–20

This is the number of Israelite men from the people in exile: 

the descendants of Parosh 

2,172 

of Shephatiah 

372 

10 

of Arah 

652 

11 

of Pahath Moab, that is, of Jeshua and Joab 

2,818 

12 

of Elam 

1,254 

13 

of Zattu 

845 

14 

of Zaccai 

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 

655 

21 

of Ater, that is, Hezekiah 

98 

22 

of Hashum 

328 

23 

of Bezai 

324 

24 

of Hariph 

112 

25 

of Gibeon 

95 

Families Listed by TownsEzra 2:21–35

26 the people of Bethlehem 

and Netophah 

188 

27 

of Anathoth 

128 

28 

of Beth Azmaveth 

42 

29 

of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth 

743 

30 

of Ramah and Geba 

621 

31 

of Michmas 

122 

32 

of Bethel and Ai 

123 

33 

of the other Nebo 

52 

34 

of the other Elam 

1,254 

35 

of Harim 

320 

36 

of Jericho 

345 

37 

of Lod, Hadid, and Ono 

721 

38 

of Senaah 

3,930 

PriestsEzra 2:36–39

39 These priests returned from exile: 

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 

LevitesEzra 2:40–42

43 These Levites returned from exile: 

the descendants of Jeshua, that is, of Kadmiel ⸤and⸥ of Hodeiah 

74 

44 These singers returned from exile: 

the descendants of Asaph 

148 

45 These gatekeepers returned from exile: 

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

138 

Temple ServantsEzra 2:43–54

46 These temple servants returned from exile: the descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, 47 Keros, Sia, Padon, 48 Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai, 49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar, 50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda, 51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah, 52 Besai, Meunim, Nephusheshim, 53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, 54 Bazlith, Mehida, Harsha, 55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah, 56 Neziah, and Hatipha. 

Descendants of Solomon’s ServantsEzra 2:55–58

57 These descendants of Solomon’s servants returned from exile: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, 58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel, 59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth Hazzebaim, and Amon. 

60 The temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants totaled 392. 

Those of Unknown OriginEzra 2:59–63

61 The following people came from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, but they couldn’t prove they were Israelites on the basis of their father’s family or their genealogy: 62 the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda. These people totaled 642. 

63 These priests ⸤couldn’t prove they were Israelites⸥: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai from Gilead and took that ⸤family⸥ name). 64 These people searched for their ⸤family⸥ names in the genealogical records, but their names couldn’t be found there. For this reason they were considered contaminated and couldn’t be priests. 65 The governor told them not to eat any of the most holy food until a priest could use the Urim and Thummima ⸤to settle the problem⸥. 

The Total of the People and Animals Returning from ExileEzra 2:64–67

66 The whole assembly totaled 42,360. 67 In addition to the male and female servants who numbered 7,337, they also had 245 male and female singers. 68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,b 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 

Gifts Given for the TempleEzra 2:68–70

70 Some of the heads of the families contributed to this work. The governor contributed the following to the treasury: nearly 18 pounds of gold, 50 bowls, and 530 robes for the priests. 71 Some of the heads of the families contributed to the treasury for this work: 337 pounds of gold and 3,215 pounds of silver. 72 The rest of the people contributed 337 pounds of gold, 2,923 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the priests. 

73 The priests, Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and the rest of Israel settled in their own cities. When the seventh month came, the people of Israel were in their own cities. 

GW

About GOD’S WORD Translation

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW) communicates the saving, life-changing Good News about Jesus in clear, natural English. Translated directly from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek by a committee of scholars, GOD’S WORD is an exceptional Bible that consciously combines scholarly fidelity with natural English.

By implementing the translation principles of Closest Natural Equivalence, the translation committee seeks to translate the best available texts into English with the closest possible accuracy. This commitment to accurately translating the Bible includes expressing the meaning naturally and in a style that preserves the characteristics of the source text.

The combination of accuracy and readability makes GOD’S WORD ideally suited for the following:

Devotional reading and in-depth study

Preaching, teaching, and worship

Memorization

Discipleship

Copyright

Scripture references from GOD’S WORD are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society. All rights reserved.

Up to 500 verses from GOD’S WORD may be quoted in any form (printed, written, visual, electronic, or audio) without written permission, provided that no more than half of any one book is quoted, and the verses quoted do not amount to more than 25% of the text of the work in which they are quoted.

The designation (GOD’S WORD) must always appear after each quotation. In addition, if the quotation is used in a work that is not for sale, the work must bear the following notice either on the title page or reverse thereof of each copy, or in a location where it can be readily perceived by the reader:

GOD’S WORD is a copyrighted work of God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society. Quotations are used by permission.

If used in a work that is for sale, the following copyright notice must be used:

GOD’S WORD is a copyrighted work of God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society. Quotations are used by permission. Copyright 1995 by God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society. All rights reserved.

For quotation of over 500 verses and/or questions about these policies, contact God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society, P.O. Box 26343, Cleveland, Ohio 44126-0343, U.S.A.

Support Info

godsword

Table of Contents