Nehemiah 7

1 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed. 2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do. 3 I said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses.”

The List of the Exiles Who Returned

4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:

6 These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 7 in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):

The list of the men of the people of Israel:

8 the descendants of

Parosh 2,172

9 Shephatiah 372

10 Arah 652

11 Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab) 2,818

12 Elam 1,254

13 Zattu 845

14 Zakkai 760

15 Binnui 648

16 Bebai 628

17 Azgad 2,322

18 Adonikam 667

19 Bigvai 2,067

20 Adin 655

21 Ater (through Hezekiah) 98

22 Hashum 328

23 Bezai 324

24 Hariph 112

25 Gibeon 95

26 the men of

Bethlehem and Netophah 188

27 Anathoth 128

28 Beth Azmaveth 42

29 Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth 743

30 Ramah and Geba 621

31 Mikmash 122

32 Bethel and Ai 123

33 the other Nebo 52

34 the other Elam 1,254

35 Harim 320

36 Jericho 345

37 Lod, Hadid and Ono 721

38 Senaah 3,930

39 The priests:

the descendants of

Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua) 973

40 Immer 1,052

41 Pashhur 1,247

42 Harim 1,017

43 The Levites:

the descendants of

Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah) 74

44 The musicians:

the descendants of

Asaph 148

45 The gatekeepers of the temple:

the descendants of

Shallum, Ater, Talmon,

Akkub, Hatita and Shobai 138

46 The temple servants:

the descendants of

Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,

47 Keros, Sia, Padon,

48 Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai,

49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,

50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,

51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

52 Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,

53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,

55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

56 Neziah and Hatipha

57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:

the descendants of

Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,

58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,

59 Shephatiah, Hattil,

Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon

60 The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon 392

61 The following came up from the towns of Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon and Immer, but they could not show that their families were descended from Israel:

62 the descendants of

Delaiah, Tobiah and Nekoda 642

63 And from among the priests:

the descendants of

Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).

64 These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 The governor, therefore, ordered them not to eat any of the most sacred food until there should be a priest ministering with the Urim and Thummim.

66 The whole company numbered 42,360, 67 besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 245 male and female singers. 68 There were 736 horses, 245 mules, 69 435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.

70 Some of the heads of the families contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. 71 Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver and 67 garments for priests.

73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants, along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.

Ezra Reads the Law

When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,