Nehemiah

Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,

1The wall was finished. I put the doors in place. Then gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were given their jobs. Levites were men from one family group who helped at God's house.

2That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.

2I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem. Hananiah, the leader of the fort, helped him. Hananiah could be trusted, and he honored God more than most people did.

3And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.

3I told them, "Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While the guards are still there, shut the doors and lock them. Choose people who live here to keep watch. Give each one a place to guard. Some will watch near their own homes."

4Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.

4The city was big and wide. But only a few people lived there. Most of the houses had not been built again yet.

5And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,

5Then God put an idea in my heart. I would gather the important men, the leaders, and the people. I would write down their family lines. I found the family record of the people who came home first. Here is what it said.

6These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;

6These are the people of this area who came home from Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had taken them away as prisoners. They came back to Jerusalem and Judah. Each one went to his own town.

7Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this;

7They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. Here is the count of the men of Israel.

8The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.

8The family of Parosh: 2,172.

9The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.

9The family of Shephatiah: 372.

10The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.

10The family of Arah: 652.

11The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.

11The family of Pahath-moab, through the sons Jeshua and Joab: 2,818.

12The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

12The family of Elam: 1,254.

13The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.

13The family of Zattu: 845.

14The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.

14The family of Zaccai: 760.

15The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.

15The family of Binnui: 648.

16The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.

16The family of Bebai: 628.

17The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.

17The family of Azgad: 2,322.

18The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.

18The family of Adonikam: 667.

19The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.

19The family of Bigvai: 2,067.

20The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five.

20The family of Adin: 655.

21The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.

21The family of Ater, through Hezekiah: 98.

22The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.

22The family of Hashum: 328.

23The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.

23The family of Bezai: 324.

24The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve.

24The family of Hariph: 112.

25The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.

25The family of Gibeon: 95.

26The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.

26The men of Bethlehem and Netophah: 188.

27The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.

27The men of Anathoth: 128.

28The men of Bethazmaveth, forty and two.

28The men of Beth-azmaveth: 42.

29The men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.

29The men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth: 743.

30The men of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.

30The men of Ramah and Geba: 621.

31The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty and two.

31The men of Michmash: 122.

32The men of Bethel and Ai, an hundred twenty and three.

32The men of Bethel and Ai: 123.

33The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two.

33The men of the other town called Nebo: 52.

34The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.

34The family of the other Elam: 1,254.

35The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

35The family of Harim: 320.

36The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.

36The men of Jericho: 345.

37The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one.

37The men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono: 721.

38The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

38The family of Senaah: 3,930.

39The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.

39Next came the priests, the men who led worship at God's house. The family of Jedaiah, from the house of Jeshua: 973.

40The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.

40The family of Immer: 1,052.

41The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

41The family of Pashhur: 1,247.

42The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.

42The family of Harim: 1,017.

43The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.

43Next came the Levites, who helped the priests. The family of Jeshua, through Kadmiel and the sons of Hodevah: 74.

44The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight.

44The singers, who sang at God's house. The family of Asaph: 148.

45The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.

45The gatekeepers, who guarded the doors. The families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai: 138 in all.

46The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

46Next came the temple servants, who did the work at God's house. They were the families of Ziha, Hasupha, and Tabbaoth,

47The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,

47and the families of Keros, Sia, and Padon,

48The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,

48and the families of Lebanah, Hagabah, and Shalmai,

49The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,

49and the families of Hanan, Giddel, and Gahar,

50The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,

50and the families of Reaiah, Rezin, and Nekoda,

51The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,

51and the families of Gazzam, Uzza, and Paseah,

52The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,

52and the families of Besai, Meunim, and Nephushesim,

53The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,

53and the families of Bakbuk, Hakupha, and Harhur,

54The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,

54and the families of Bazlith, Mehida, and Harsha,

55The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,

55and the families of Barkos, Sisera, and Temah,

56The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.

56and the families of Neziah and Hatipha.

57The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,

57Next came the sons of Solomon's servants. Their families had worked for King Solomon long ago. They were the families of Sotai, Sophereth, and Perida,

58The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,

58and the families of Jaala, Darkon, and Giddel,

59The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.

59and the families of Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-hazzebaim, and Amon.

60All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred ninety and two.

60The temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants added up to 392.

61And these were they which went up also from Telmelah, Telharesha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not shew their father’s house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.

61Some people came home from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer. But they could not show that their families came from Israel.

62The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.

62They were the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda: 642 in all.

63And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.

63Some priests could not show this either. They were the families of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai. That last man had married a daughter of Barzillai from Gilead. So he was called by her family's name.

64These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.

64These men looked for their family records, but no one could find them. So they were treated as unclean and were not allowed to serve as priests.

65And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.

65The governor told them not to eat the most holy food. They had to wait until a priest could ask God with the Urim and Thummim.

Note"Urim and Thummim" were two objects a chief priest kept and used to ask God a question. Nobody today knows exactly what they looked like.

66The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,

66The whole group of people added up to 42,360.

67Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.

67They also had 7,337 servants, both men and women. And they had 245 singers, both men and women.

68Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:

68They had 736 horses and 245 mules.

69Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.

69They had 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

70And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests’ garments.

70Some leaders of the families gave gifts for the work. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins, 50 bowls, and 530 robes for the priests.

NoteThe old word here is "drams," which means gold coins called darics. One daric was worth many days of work.

71And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver.

71Other family leaders gave 20,000 gold coins for the work. They also gave about 2,200 pounds of silver.

NoteThe silver was weighed in units called minas. Each mina was about a pound, so this was a very large gift.

72And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven priests’ garments.

72The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,000 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.

73So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

73So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, and the temple servants settled in their towns. Some of the other people did too, and all Israel. By the seventh month of the year, everyone was living in their own towns.