1 When the wall had been rebuilt and I had positioned the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed,

2 I then put in charge over Jerusalemmap For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. my brother Hanani and Hananiahtn Some have suggested that “Hananiah” is another name for Hanani, Nehemiah’s brother, so that only one individual is mentioned here. However, the third person plural in v. 3 indicates two people are in view. the chief of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many do.

3 Itc The present translation (along with most English versions) reads with the Qere, a Qumran text, and the ancient versions וָאֹמַר (va’omar, “and I said”) rather than the Kethib of the MT, which reads וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyo’mer, “and he said”). said to them, “The gates of Jerusalem must not be opened in the early morning,tn Heb “until the heat of the sun.” The phrase probably means that the gates were to be opened only after the day had progressed a bit, not at the first sign of morning light (cf. KJV, NAB, NASB, NIV, NRSV, TEV, CEV). It is possible, however, that the Hebrew preposition עַד (’ad), here translated as “until,” has a more rare sense of “during.” If so, this would mean that the gates were not to be left open and unattended during the hot part of the day when people typically would be at rest (cf. NLT). until those who are standing guard close the doors and lock them.tn Presumably this would mean the gates were not to be opened until later in the morning and were to remain open until evening. Some, however, have understood Nehemiah’s instructions to mean that the gates were not to be left open during the hottest part of the day, but must be shut and locked while the guards are still on duty. See J. Barr, “Hebrew עַד, especially at Job i.18 and Neh vii.3,” JJS 27 (1982): 177-88. Position residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their guard stations and some near their homes.”

4 Now the city was spread outtn Heb “wide of two hands.” and large, and there were not a lot of people in it.tn Heb “the people were few in its midst.” At that time houses had not been rebuilt.

5 My God placed it on my heart to gather the leaders,tn Heb “nobles”; NCV “important men.” the officials, and the ordinary people so they could be enrolled on the basis of genealogy. I found the genealogical recordstn Heb “the book of genealogy.” of those who had formerly returned. Here is what I found written in that record:tn Heb “in it”; the referent (the genealogical record) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

6 These are the peopletn Heb “the sons of”; KJV, ASV “the children of”; NAB “the inhabitants of.” of the province who returnedtn Heb “who were going up.” from the captivity of the exiles, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had forced into exile.tc One medieval Hebrew manuscript has “to Babylon.” Cf. Ezra 2:1. They returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his own city.

7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah.

8 the descendantstn Heb “the sons of.” of Parosh, 2,172;

9 the descendants of Shephatiah, 372;

10 the descendants of Arah, 652;

11 the descendants of Pahath-Moab (from the linetn Heb “to the sons of.” of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818;

12 the descendants of Elam, 1,254;

13 the descendants of Zattu, 845;

14 the descendants of Zaccai, 760;

15 the descendants of Binnui, 648;

16 the descendants of Bebai, 628;

17 the descendants of Azgad, 2,322;

18 the descendants of Adonikam, 667;

19 the descendants of Bigvai, 2,067;

20 the descendants of Adin, 655;

21 the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;

22 the descendants of Hashum, 328;

23 the descendants of Bezai, 324;

24 the descendants of Harif, 112;

25 the descendants of Gibeon, 95;

26 The men of Bethlehemmap For location see Map5-B1; Map7-E2; Map8-E2; Map10-B4. and Netophah, 188;

27 the men of Anathoth, 128;

28 the men of the familytc The translation reads בְּנֵי (bÿne, “the sons of”) rather than the MT reading בֵית אַנְשֵׁי (’anshey vet, “men of the house of”). Cf. Ezra 2:24. of Azmaveth, 42;

29 the men of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743;

30 the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;

31 the men of Micmash, 122;

32 the men of Bethelmap For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3. and Ai, 123;

33 the men of the other Nebo, 52;

34 the descendants of the other Elam, 1,254;

35 the descendants of Harim, 320;

36 the descendants of Jericho, 345;

37 the descendants of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721;

38 the descendants of Senaah, 3,930.

39 The priests:

40 the descendants of Immer, 1,052;

41 the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247;

42 the descendants of Harim, 1,017.

43 The Levites:

44 The singers:

45 The gatekeepers:

46 The temple servants:

47 the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Sia, the descendants of Padon,

48 the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Shalmai,

49 the descendants of Hanan, the descendants of Giddel, the descendants of Gahar,

50 the descendants of Reaiah, the descendants of Rezin, the descendants of Nekoda,

51 the descendants of Gazzam, the descendants of Uzzah, the descendants of Paseah,

52 the descendants of Besai, the descendants of Meunim, the descendants of Nephussim,

53 the descendants of Bakbuk, the descendants of Hakupha, the descendants of Harhur,

54 the descendants of Bazluth, the descendants of Mehida, the descendants of Harsha,

55 the descendants of Barkos, the descendants of Sisera, the descendants of Temah,

56 the descendants of Neziah, the descendants of Hatipha.

57 The descendants of the servants of Solomon:

58 the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel,

59 the descendants of Shephatiah, the descendants of Hattil, the descendants of Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and the descendants of Amon.

60 All the temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon, 392.

61 These are the ones who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer (although they were unable to certifytn Heb “relate.” their family connectiontn Heb “the house of their fathers.” or their ancestry,tn Heb “their seed.” as to whether they were really from Israel):

62 the descendants of Delaiah, the descendants of Tobiah, and the descendants of Nekoda, 642.

63 And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a woman from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).

64 They searched for their records in the genealogical materials, but none were found. They were therefore excludedtn Heb “they were desecrated.” from the priesthood.

65 The governortn The Hebrew term תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshata’; KJV “Tirshatha”) is the official title of a Persian governor in Judea. In meaning it may be similar to “excellency” (cf. NAB). See further BDB 1077 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395; HALOT 1798 s.v. instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consulttn Heb “stood.” the Urim and Thummim.

66 The entire group numbered 42,360,

67 not counting their 7,337 male and female servants. They also had 245 male and female singers.

68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules,

69 (7:68)tc Most Hebrew MSS omit 7:68 ET, which reads “They had 736 horses, 245 mules,” and thus have one less verse in chap. 7, ending the chapter at 7:72. This verse is included in the LXX and most English versions. Cf. Ezra 2:66. 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

70 Some of the family leaderstn Heb “the heads of the fathers.” contributed to the work. The governor contributed to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas,tn Heb “darics” (also in vv. 71, 72). 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments.

71 Some of the family leaders gave to the project treasury 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas.

72 What the rest of the people gave amounted to 20,000 gold drachmas, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments.

73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all the rest of Israel lived in their cities.