Nehemiah 7

The empty city

1When the wall had been rebuilt and I had hung the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the singers and the Levites were appointed to their posts. 2I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, together with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, for he was a trustworthy man and feared God more than most. 3And I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot, and while the gatekeepers are still on duty let them shut the doors and bar them. Post guards from among the residents of Jerusalem, each at his station, each in front of his own house.” 4Now the city was wide and large, but the people in it were few, and no houses had yet been rebuilt. 5So my God put it into my heart to gather the nobles, the officials and the people to be enrolled by families. I found the register of those who had come up first, and this is what I found written in it:

The register of those who came back first

6These are the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of the exiles, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town. 7They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah. The count of the men of the people of Israel: 8the sons of Parosh, 2,172; 9the sons of Shephatiah, 372; 10the sons of Arah, 652; 11the sons of Pahath-Moab, by way of the line of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818; 12the sons of Elam, 1,254; 13the sons of Zattu, 845; 14the sons of Zaccai, 760; 15the sons of Binnui, 648; 16the sons of Bebai, 628; 17the sons of Azgad, 2,322; 18the sons of Adonikam, 667; 19the sons of Bigvai, 2,067; 20the sons of Adin, 655; 21the sons of Ater, by way of Hezekiah, 98; 22the sons of Hashum, 328; 23the sons of Bezai, 324; 24the sons of Hariph, 112; 25the sons of Gibeon, 95; 26the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188; 27the men of Anathoth, 128; 28the men of Beth-azmaveth, 42; 29the men of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth, 743; 30the men of Ramah and Geba, 621; 31the men of Michmas, 122; 32the men of Bethel and Ai, 123; 33the men of the other Nebo, 52; 34the sons of the other Elam, 1,254; 35the sons of Harim, 320; 36the sons of Jericho, 345; 37the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721; 38the sons of Senaah, 3,930.

Priests, Levites and temple servants

39The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, 973; 40the sons of Immer, 1,052; 41the sons of Pashhur, 1,247; 42the sons of Harim, 1,017. 43The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, by way of Kadmiel, of the line of Hodevah, 74. 44The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. 45The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita and the sons of Shobai, 138. 46The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 47the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon, 48the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai, 49the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, 50the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, 51the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, 52the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephushesim, 53the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 55the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 56the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha. 57The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, 58the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 59the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pokereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Amon. 60All the temple servants together with the sons of Solomon’s servants: 392.

Those who could not prove their descent

61These are the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon and Immer, but who could not show that their families and their descent were of Israel: 62the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah and the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63And among the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai — who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name. 64These searched for their entry in the register of families, but it was not to be found, so they were ruled unclean and barred from the priesthood. 65The Tirshatha told them that they were not to eat any of the most holy food until a priest should stand up with Urim and Thummim.

The totals and the gifts

66The whole assembly counted together came to 42,360, 67apart from their male and female slaves, of whom there were 7,337. They also had 245 male and female singers. 68Their camels numbered 435, their donkeys 6,720. 69Some of the heads of families made gifts toward the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasury 1,000 gold darics, 50 sprinkling bowls and 530 priestly garments. 70Some of the heads of families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 gold darics and 2,200 silver minas. 71What the rest of the people gave came to 20,000 gold darics, 2,000 silver minas and 67 priestly garments. 72So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants and all Israel settled in their own towns. And when the seventh month arrived, the Israelites were in their towns.