Nehemiah 7:6,7

Nehemiah copied the register of the people who returned from *exile in Babylonia. These people came back to *Judah about 90 years before the time of Nehemiah. Zerubbabel and Jeshua led this group of people. Jeshua was the chief priest. The people went back to the towns that God had given to their *ancestors.

We can read about the return of the *Jews from *exile in Ezra chapter 2. Ezra also recorded the list of the people who returned. Ezra’s list is nearly the same as Nehemiah’s list. Perhaps some people did not actually return, although they planned to do so. Perhaps Nehemiah spelt some names in a different way. This might explain why the lists are slightly different.

Most families that went into *exile never returned to *Judah. But those *Jews who returned were part of God’s plan. God had promised by the *prophets that the *Jews would live again in *Judah after the *exile. God would use their *descendants to bless (show his kindness to) every nation. And Jesus, who would save people from the punishment for their *sins, would be among their *descendants. So it was important for *Jews to know about their *ancestors. Then they would know that they really were *Jews.

This is a list of the men of *Israel:

v8 The *descendants of Parosh, 2172.

v9 The *descendants of Shephatiah, 372.

v10 The *descendants of Arah, 652.

v11 The *descendants of Pahath-Moab (the *descendants of Jeshua’s and Joab’s parts of this family), 2818.

v12 The *descendants of Elam, 1254.

v13 The *descendants of Zattu, 845.

v14 The *descendants of Zaccai, 760.

v15 The *descendants of Binnui, 648.

v16 The *descendants of Bebai, 628.

v17 The *descendants of Azgad, 2322.

v18 The *descendants of Adonikam, 667.

v19 The *descendants of Bigvai, 2067.

v20 The *descendants of Adin, 655.

v21 The *descendants of Ater (the *descendants of Hezekiah’s part of this family), 98.

v22 The *descendants of Hashum, 328.

v23 The *descendants of Bezai, 324.

v24 The *descendants of Hariph, 112.

v25 The *descendants of Gibeon, 95.

v26 The men who lived in Bethlehem and Netophah, 188.

v27 The men who lived in Anathoth, 128.

v28 The men who lived in Beth Azmaveth, 42.

v29 The men who lived in Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth, 743.

v30 The men who lived in Ramah and Geba, 621.

v31 The men who lived in Michmash, 122.

v32 The men who lived in Bethel and Ai, 123.

v33 The men who lived in the other town called Nebo, 52.

v34 The *descendants of the other Elam, 1254.

v35 The *descendants of Harim, 320.

v36 The *descendants of Jericho, 345.

v37 The *descendants of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721.

v38 The *descendants of Senaah, 3930.

v39 This is a list of the priests:

The *descendants of Jedaiah (the *descendants of Jeshua’s part of this family), 973.

v40 The *descendants of Immer, 1052.

v41 The *descendants of Pashhur, 1247.

v42 The *descendants of Harim, 1017.

v43 These are the *Levites:

The *descendants of Jeshua; in fact, the *descendants of Kadmiel (the *descendants of Hodaviah’s part of Kadmiel’s family), 74.

v44 These are the singers:

The *descendants of Asaph, 148.

v45 These are the men who guarded the gates:

The *descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai, 138.

v46 These are the people who served in the *temple:

The *descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,

v47 Keros, Sia, Padon,

v48 Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai,

v49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,

v50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,

v51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

v52 Besai, Meunim, Nephussim,

v53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

v54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,

v55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

v56 Neziah and Hatipha.

v57 These are the *descendants of Solomon’s servants:

The *descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,

v58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,

v59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim and Amon.

v60 The total number of men who served in the *temple and those who were the *descendants of Solomon’s servants, 392.