Nehemiah 7-8
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Exiles Return
7 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed,(A) the gatekeepers,(B) singers, and Levites were appointed. 2 Then I put my brother Hanani(C) in charge of Jerusalem,(D) along with Hananiah,(E) commander of the fortress,(F) because he was a faithful man who feared God(G) more than most. 3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.”(H)
4 The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet.(I) 5 Then my God put it into my mind(J) to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found the following written in it:(K)
6 These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar(L) of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his own town.(M) 7 They came with Zerubbabel,(N) Jeshua,(O) Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.
The number of the Israelite men included:
| 8 Parosh’s descendants(P) | 2,172 |
| 9 Shephatiah’s descendants | 372 |
| 10 Arah’s descendants | 652 |
| 11 Pahath-moab’s descendants: | |
| Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants | 2,818 |
| 12 Elam’s descendants | 1,254 |
| 13 Zattu’s descendants | 845 |
| 14 Zaccai’s descendants | 760 |
| 15 Binnui’s descendants | 648 |
| 16 Bebai’s descendants | 628 |
| 17 Azgad’s descendants | 2,322 |
| 18 Adonikam’s descendants(Q) | 667 |
| 19 Bigvai’s descendants | 2,067 |
| 20 Adin’s descendants(R) | 655 |
| 21 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah | 98 |
| 22 Hashum’s descendants | 328 |
| 23 Bezai’s descendants | 324 |
| 24 Hariph’s descendants | 112 |
| 25 Gibeon’s[a] descendants | 95 |
| 26 Bethlehem’s(S) and Netophah’s(T) men | 188 |
| 27 Anathoth’s(U) men | 128 |
| 28 Beth-azmaveth’s men | 42 |
| 29 Kiriath-jearim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s men | 743 |
| 30 Ramah’s and Geba’s men | 621 |
| 31 Michmas’s men | 122 |
| 32 Bethel’s and Ai’s men(V) | 123 |
| 33 the other Nebo’s men | 52 |
| 34 the other Elam’s people | 1,254 |
| 35 Harim’s people | 320 |
| 36 Jericho’s people(W) | 345 |
| 37 Lod’s,(X) Hadid’s, and Ono’s people | 721 |
| 38 Senaah’s people | 3,930. |
39 The priests included:
| Jedaiah’s(Y) descendants of the house of Jeshua | 973 |
| 40 Immer’s descendants | 1,052 |
| 41 Pashhur’s descendants | 1,247 |
| 42 Harim’s descendants | 1,017. |
43 The Levites(Z) included:
| Jeshua’s descendants: of Kadmiel | |
| Hodevah’s descendants | 74. |
44 The singers(AA) included:
| Asaph’s descendants | 148. |
45 The gatekeepers(AB) included:
| Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, | |
| Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, | |
| Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants | 138. |
46 The temple servants(AC) included:
Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants,
Tabbaoth’s descendants, 47 Keros’s descendants,
Sia’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,
48 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants,
Shalmai’s descendants, 49 Hanan’s descendants,
Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants,
50 Reaiah’s descendants, Rezin’s descendants,
Nekoda’s descendants, 51 Gazzam’s descendants,
Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants,
52 Besai’s descendants, Meunim’s descendants,
Nephishesim’s[b] descendants, 53 Bakbuk’s descendants,
Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants,
54 Bazlith’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants,
Harsha’s descendants, 55 Barkos’s descendants,
Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants,
56 Neziah’s descendants, Hatipha’s descendants.
57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants(AD) included:
Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants,
Perida’s descendants, 58 Jaala’s descendants,
Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants,
59 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants,
Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, Amon’s descendants.
| 60 All the temple servants | |
| and the descendants of Solomon’s servants(AE) | 392. |
61 The following(AF) are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their families and ancestors were Israelite:
| 62 Delaiah’s descendants, | |
| Tobiah’s descendants, | |
| and Nekoda’s descendants | 642 |
63 and from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai—who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name. 64 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood. 65 The governor(AG) ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.(AH)
| 66 The whole combined assembly numbered | 42,360 |
| 67 not including their 7,337 male and female slaves, | |
| as well as their 245 male and female singers. | |
| 68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,[c] | |
| 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.(AI) |
70 Some of the family leaders gave to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins,[d] 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury. 71 Some of the family leaders gave 20,000 gold coins and 2,200 silver minas[e] to the treasury for the project. 72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments. 73 So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.[f](AJ)
Public Reading of the Law
When the seventh month(AK) came and the Israelites had settled in their towns, 8 1 all the people gathered together(AL) at the square in front of the Water Gate.(AM) They asked Ezra the scribe(AN) to bring the book of the law of Moses(AO) that the Lord had given Israel. 2 On the first day of the seventh month,(AP) Ezra the priest(AQ) brought the law(AR) before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding. 3 While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate,(AS) he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively[g] to the book of the law.(AT) 4 Ezra the scribe stood on a high wooden platform(AU) made for this purpose. Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah stood beside him on his right; to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam. 5 Ezra opened the book in full view of all the people, since he was elevated above everyone. As he opened it, all the people stood up. 6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and with their hands uplifted(AV) all the people said, “Amen, Amen!”(AW) Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.(AX)
7 Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, and Pelaiah,(AY) who were Levites,[h](AZ) explained the law(BA) to the people as they stood in their places. 8 They read out of the book of the law of God, translating and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was read. 9 Nehemiah the governor,(BB) Ezra the priest and scribe,(BC) and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day(BD) is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.”(BE) For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the law. 10 Then he said to them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send portions to those who have nothing prepared,(BF) since today(BG) is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, because the joy of the Lord is your stronghold.”(BH) 11 And the Levites quieted all the people, saying, “Be still,(BI) since today(BJ) is holy. Do not grieve.” 12 Then all the people began to eat and drink, send portions, and have a great celebration,(BK) because they had understood the words that were explained to them.
Festival of Booths Observed
13 On the second day, the family leaders of all the people, along with the priests and Levites,(BL) assembled before Ezra the scribe(BM) to study the words of the law. 14 They found written in the law how the Lord had commanded through Moses that the Israelites should dwell in booths during the festival of the seventh month.(BN) 15 So they proclaimed and spread this news throughout their towns and in Jerusalem, saying, “Go out to the hill country and bring back branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths, just as it is written.”(BO) 16 The people went out, brought back branches, and made booths for themselves on each of their rooftops,(BP) and courtyards, the court of the house of God, the square by the Water Gate,(BQ) and the square by the Gate of Ephraim.(BR) 17 The whole community that had returned from exile(BS) made booths and lived in them. They had not celebrated like this from the days of Joshua son of Nun until that day.(BT) And there was tremendous joy.(BU) 18 Ezra[i] read out of the book of the law of God(BV) every day, from the first day to the last. The Israelites celebrated the festival for seven days, and on the eighth day there was an assembly, according to the ordinance.(BW)
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 7:25 = Gibbar’s in Ezr 2:20
- Nehemiah 7:52 Alt Hb tradition reads Nephushesim’s
- Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hb mss, LXX; Ezr 2:66; other Hb mss omit v. 68
- Nehemiah 7:70 Or drachmas, or darics; also in vv. 71-72
- Nehemiah 7:71 A Babylonian coin worth 50 shekels
- Nehemiah 7:73 The second half of v. 73 is better understood when placed with 8:1.
- Nehemiah 8:3 Lit The ears of all the people listened
- Nehemiah 8:7 Vg, 1 Esdras 9:48; MT reads Pelaiah and the Levites
- Nehemiah 8:18 Some Hb mss, Syr read They
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