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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 Elohim 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 Elohim 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 Ancestor(A)

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

the descendants of Parosh2,172
of Shephatiah372
10 of Arah652
11 of Pahath Moab, that is, of Jeshua and Joab2,818
12 of Elam1,254
13 of Zattu845
14 of Zaccai760
15 of Binnui648
16 of Bebai628
17 of Azgad2,322
18 of Adonikam667
19 of Bigvai2,067
20 of Adin655
21 of Ater, that is, Hezekiah98
22 of Hashum328
23 of Bezai324
24 of Hariph112
25 of Gibeon95

Families Listed by Towns(B)

26 the people of Bethlehem and Netophah188
27 of Anathoth128
28 of Beth Azmaveth42
29 of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth743
30 of Ramah and Geba621
31 of Michmas122
32 of Bethel and Ai123
33 of the other Nebo52
34 of the other Elam1,254
35 of Harim320
36 of Jericho345
37 of Lod, Hadid, and Ono721
38 of Senaah3,930

Priests(C)

39 These priests returned from exile:

the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua)973
40 of Immer1,052
41 of Pashhur1,247
42 of Harim1,017

Levites(D)

43 These Levites returned from exile:

the descendants of Jeshua, that is, of Kadmiel and of Hodeiah74

44 These singers returned from exile:

the descendants of Asaph148

45 These gatekeepers returned from exile:

the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai138

Temple Servants(E)

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 Servants(F)

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 Origin(G)

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 Thummim[a] to settle the problem.

The Total of the People and Animals Returning from Exile(H)

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 Temple(I)

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.

Footnotes

  1. Nehemiah 7:65 The Urim and Thummim were used by the chief priest to determine God’s answer to questions.
  2. Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts omit “They had . . . mules.” In those manuscripts verses 69–73 are numbered as 68–72.

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