Nehemiah 7 - Meaning, Themes & Application

Now when the wall was built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers and the singers and the Levites were appointed,

I put my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the governor of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem; for he was a faithful man and feared God above many.

I said to them, “Don’t let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let them shut the doors, and you bar them; and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, everyone in his watch, with everyone near his house.”

Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built.

My God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be listed by genealogy. I found the book of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and I found this written in it:

These are the children of the province who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to his city,

who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:

The children of Parosh: two thousand one hundred seventy-two.

The children of Shephatiah: three hundred seventy-two.

The children of Arah: six hundred fifty-two.

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

The children of Elam: one thousand two hundred fifty-four.

The children of Zattu: eight hundred forty-five.

The children of Zaccai: seven hundred sixty.

The children of Binnui: six hundred forty-eight.

The children of Bebai: six hundred twenty-eight.

The children of Azgad: two thousand three hundred twenty-two.

The children of Adonikam: six hundred sixty-seven.

The children of Bigvai: two thousand sixty-seven.

The children of Adin: six hundred fifty-five.

The children of Ater: of Hezekiah, ninety-eight.

The children of Hashum: three hundred twenty-eight.

The children of Bezai: three hundred twenty-four.

The children of Hariph: one hundred twelve.

The children of Gibeon: ninety-five.

The men of Bethlehem and Netophah: one hundred eighty-eight.

The men of Anathoth: one hundred twenty-eight.

The men of Beth Azmaveth: forty-two.

The men of Kiriath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth: seven hundred forty-three.

The men of Ramah and Geba: six hundred twenty-one.

The men of Michmas: one hundred twenty-two.

The men of Bethel and Ai: one hundred twenty-three.

The men of the other Nebo: fifty-two.

The children of the other Elam: one thousand two hundred fifty-four.

The children of Harim: three hundred twenty.

The children of Jericho: three hundred forty-five.

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

The children of Senaah: three thousand nine hundred thirty.

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

The children of Immer: one thousand fifty-two.

The children of Pashhur: one thousand two hundred forty-seven.

The children of Harim: one thousand seventeen.

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

The singers: the children of Asaph: one hundred forty-eight.

The gatekeepers: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai: one hundred thirty-eight.

The temple servants: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth,

the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,

the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai,

the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,

the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,