Nehemiah Chapter 7
1 Now when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
2 I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
3 I said to them, "Don't let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, with everyone near his house."
4 Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built.
5 My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be listed by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found this written in it:
6 These are the children of the province who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to his city,
7 who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
8 The children of Parosh: two thousand and one hundred and seventy-two.
9 The children of Shephatiah: three hundred and seventy-two.
10 The children of Arah: six hundred and fifty-two.
11 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab: two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.
12 The children of Elam: one thousand and two hundred and fifty-four.
13 The children of Zattu: eight hundred and forty-five.
14 The children of Zaccai: seven hundred and sixty.
15 The children of Binnui: six hundred and forty-eight.
16 The children of Bebai: six hundred and twenty-eight.
17 The children of Azgad: two thousand and three hundred and twenty-two.
18 The children of Adonikam: six hundred and sixty-seven.
19 The children of Bigvai: two thousand and sixty-seven.
20 The children of Adin: six hundred and fifty-five.
21 The children of Ater: of Hezekiah, ninety-eight.
22 The children of Hashum: three hundred and twenty-eight.
23 The children of Bezai: three hundred and twenty-four.
24 The children of Hariph: one hundred and twelve.
25 The children of Gibeon: ninety-five.
26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah: one hundred and eighty-eight.
27 The men of Anathoth: one hundred and twenty-eight.
28 The men of Beth Azmaveth: forty-two.
29 The men of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth: seven hundred and forty-three.
30 The men of Ramah and Geba: six hundred and twenty-one.
31 The men of Michmas: one hundred and twenty-two.
32 The men of Bethel and Ai: one hundred and twenty-three.
33 The men of the other Nebo: fifty-two.
34 The children of the other Elam: one thousand and two hundred and fifty-four.
35 The children of Harim: three hundred and twenty.
36 The children of Jericho: three hundred and forty-five.
37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: seven hundred and twenty-one.
38 The children of Senaah: three thousand and nine hundred and thirty.
39 The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua: nine hundred and seventy-three.
40 The children of Immer: one thousand and fifty-two.
41 The children of Pashhur: one thousand and two hundred and forty-seven.
42 The children of Harim: one thousand and seventeen.
43 The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah: seventy-four.
44 The singers: the children of Asaph: one hundred and forty-eight.
45 The gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai: one hundred and thirty-eight.
46 The temple servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
47 the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,
48 the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai,
49 the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,
50 the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,
51 the children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah.
52 The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephushesim,
53 the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
54 the children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
55 the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah,
56 the children of Neziah, and the children of Hatipha.
57 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
58 the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
59 the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, and the children of Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the children of Solomon's servants were three hundred and ninety-two.
61 These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers' houses, nor their offspring, whether they were of Israel:
62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda: six hundred and forty-two.
63 Of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.
64 These searched for their genealogical records, but couldn't find them. Therefore they were deemed disqualified and removed from the priesthood.
65 The governor told that they should not eat of the most holy things until a priest stood up to minister with Urim and Thummim.
66 The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand and three hundred and sixty,
67 in addition to their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand and three hundred and thirty-seven. They had two hundred and forty-five singing men and singing women.
68 Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six; their mules, two hundred and forty-five;
69 their camels, four hundred and thirty-five; their donkeys, six thousand and seven hundred and twenty.
70 Some from amongst the heads of fathers' households gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priests' garments.
71 Some of the heads of fathers' households gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand and two hundred minas of silver.
72 That which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, plus two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priests' garments.
73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their cities. When the seventh month had come, the children of Israel were in their cities.
Footnotes
- Verse 61 (offspring)
- or, seed
- Verse 70 (Daric)
- a daric was a gold coin issued by a Persian king, weighing about 8.4 grams or about 0.27 troy ounces each.
- Verse 71 (Mina)
- A mina is about 600 grams or 1.3 U. S. pounds, so 2,200 minas is about 1.3 metric tonnes.
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Nehemiah Chapter 7 Guide
At last the wall was completed by setting up the doors, and placing in order porters, singers, and Levites. In the first few verses of this chapter we have an account of the arrangements for the safety of the city. They are characterized by statesmanlike caution. Through all the country round about there were enemies, and the position of the partially restored city, therefore, was one of perpetual peril. Nehemiah was conscious of this, and made the most careful provision for the hour for opening and closing the city gates, and the arrangement of the watchers.
No greater mistake can ever be made in connection with work for God in difficult places than to lack caution. carelessness is never a sign of courage. True bravery perpetually prepares for attack. The man who, sword in hand, has built to completion does not imagine that swinging doors indicate that the time for relaxing watchfulness has come.
The rest of the chapter is occupied with a register, which is almost undoubtedly a copy of that in the Book of Ezra. The alterations are few and unimportant, and it is distinctly stated that the register was found.
From "An Exposition of the Whole Bible" by G. Campbell Morgan.
Nehemiah Chapter 7 Commentary
Chapter Outline
- The city committed to Hananiah. -- (1-4)
- Register of those that first returned. -- (5-73)
Verses 1-4
Nehemiah, having finished the wall, returned to the Persian court, and came to Jerusalem again with a new commission. The public safety depends on every one's care to guard himself and his family against sin.
Verses 5-73
Nehemiah knew that the safety of a city, under God, depends more upon the inhabitants than upon its walls. Every good gift and every good work are from above. God gives knowledge, he gives grace; all is of him, and therefore all must be to him. What is done by human prudence, must be ascribed to the direction of Divine Providence. But woe to those who turn back from the Lord, loving this present world! and happy those who dedicate themselves, and their substance, to his service and glory!
From the "Concise Commentary on the Bible" by Matthew Henry.