THE WALL IS COMPLETED
Key verse: 6:16
NIV
15 So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.
Opposition to the Completed Wall
16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.
17 Also, in those days the nobles of Judah were sending many letters to Tobiah, and replies from Tobiah kept coming to them. 18 For many in Judah were under oath to him, since he was son-in-law to Shekaniah son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berekiah. 19 Moreover, they kept reporting to me his good deeds and then telling him what I said. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.
7 After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers,(A) the musicians(B) and the Levites(C) were appointed. 2 I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani,(D) along with Hananiah(E) the commander of the citadel,(F) because he was a man of integrity and feared(G) 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(H)
4 Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it,(I) 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(J) whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town, 7 in company with Zerubbabel,(K) Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah):
The list of the men of Israel:
8 the descendants of Parosh | 2,172 |
9 of Shephatiah | 372 |
10 of Arah | 652 |
11 of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab) | 2,818 |
12 of Elam | 1,254 |
13 of Zattu | 845 |
14 of Zakkai | 760 |
15 of Binnui | 648 |
16 of Bebai | 628 |
17 of Azgad | 2,322 |
18 of Adonikam | 667 |
19 of Bigvai | 2,067 |
20 of Adin(L) | 655 |
21 of Ater (through Hezekiah) | 98 |
22 of Hashum | 328 |
23 of Bezai | 324 |
24 of Hariph | 112 |
25 of Gibeon | 95 |
26 the men of Bethlehem and Netophah(M) | 188 |
27 of Anathoth(N) | 128 |
28 of Beth Azmaveth | 42 |
29 of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah(O) and Beeroth(P) | 743 |
30 of Ramah and Geba | 621 |
31 of Mikmash | 122 |
32 of Bethel and Ai(Q) | 123 |
33 of the other Nebo | 52 |
34 of the other Elam | 1,254 |
35 of Harim | 320 |
36 of Jericho(R) | 345 |
37 of Lod, Hadid and Ono(S) | 721 |
38 of Senaah | 3,930 |
39 The priests:
the descendants of Jedaiah (through the family of Jeshua) | 973 |
40 of Immer | 1,052 |
41 of Pashhur | 1,247 |
42 of Harim | 1,017 |
43 The Levites:
the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel through the line of Hodaviah) | 74 |
44 The musicians:(T)
the descendants of Asaph | 148 |
45 The gatekeepers:(U)
the descendants of | |
Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai | 138 |
46 The temple servants:(V)
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(W) | 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.(X)
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,[a] 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[b] of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests. 71 Some of the heads of the families(Y) gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics[c] of gold and 2,200 minas[d] of silver. 72 The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas[e] of silver and 67 garments for priests.(Z)
73 The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants,(AA) along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns.(AB)
Ezra Reads the Law
When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,(AC)
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 7:68 Some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts do not have this verse.
- Nehemiah 7:70 That is, about 19 pounds or about 8.4 kilograms
- Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 375 pounds or about 170 kilograms; also in verse 72
- Nehemiah 7:71 That is, about 1 1/3 tons or about 1.2 metric tons
- Nehemiah 7:72 That is, about 1 1/4 tons or about 1.1 metric tons
Cross references
- Nehemiah 7:1 : 1Ch 9:27; S 26:12-19
- Nehemiah 7:1 : Ps 68:25
- Nehemiah 7:1 : Ne 8:9
- Nehemiah 7:2 : Ne 1:2
- Nehemiah 7:2 : Ne 10:23
- Nehemiah 7:2 : Ne 2:8
- Nehemiah 7:2 : 1Ki 18:3
- Nehemiah 7:4 : 7:6-73pp — Ezr 2:1-70
- Nehemiah 7:4 : Ne 11:1
- Nehemiah 7:6 : S 2Ch 36:20; S Ne 1:2
- Nehemiah 7:7 : S 1Ch 3:19
- Nehemiah 7:20 : S Ezr 8:6
- Nehemiah 7:26 : S 2Sa 23:28; S 1Ch 2:54
- Nehemiah 7:27 : S Jos 21:18
- Nehemiah 7:29 : S Jos 18:26
- Nehemiah 7:29 : S Jos 18:25
- Nehemiah 7:32 : S Ge 12:8
- Nehemiah 7:36 : Ne 3:2
- Nehemiah 7:37 : S 1Ch 8:12
- Nehemiah 7:44 : Ne 11:23
- Nehemiah 7:45 : S 1Ch 9:17
- Nehemiah 7:46 : S Ne 3:26
- Nehemiah 7:60 : S 1Ch 9:2
- Nehemiah 7:65 : S Ex 28:30
- Nehemiah 7:71 : S 1Ch 29:7
- Nehemiah 7:72 : S Ex 25:2
- Nehemiah 7:73 : Ne 1:10; Ps 34:22; 103:21; 113:1; 135:1
- Nehemiah 7:73 : S Ezr 3:1; Ne 11:1
- Nehemiah 7:73 : Ezr 3:1
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Wall Is Finished
15 So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. 16 And (A)when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraid and fell greatly in their own esteem, (B)for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. 17 Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah's letters came to them. 18 For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah the son of (C)Arah: and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of (D)Meshullam the son of Berechiah as his wife. 19 Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid.
7 Now when the wall had been built (E)and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, 2 I gave (F)my brother Hanani and Hananiah the governor of (G)the castle charge over Jerusalem, for he was (H)a more faithful and God-fearing man than many. 3 And I said to them, “Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot. And while they are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their guard posts and some in front of their own homes.” 4 The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.
Lists of Returned Exiles
5 Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of (I)those who came up at the first, and I found written in it:
6 (J)These were the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. 7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, (K)Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.
The number of the men of the people of Israel: 8 the sons of Parosh, 2,172. 9 The sons of Shephatiah, 372. 10 The sons of Arah, (L)652. 11 The sons of Pahath-moab, namely the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818. 12 The sons of (M)Elam, 1,254. 13 The sons of Zattu, 845. 14 The sons of Zaccai, 760. 15 The sons of (N)Binnui, 648. 16 The sons of Bebai, 628. 17 The sons of Azgad, 2,322. 18 The sons of Adonikam, 667. 19 The sons of Bigvai, 2,067. 20 The sons of Adin, 655. 21 The sons of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, 98. 22 The sons of Hashum, 328. 23 The sons of (O)Bezai, 324. 24 The sons of Hariph, 112. 25 The sons of (P)Gibeon, 95. 26 The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188. 27 The men of Anathoth, 128. 28 The men (Q)of Beth-azmaveth, 42. 29 The men of (R)Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743. 30 The men of Ramah and Geba, 621. 31 The men of Michmas, 122. 32 The men of Bethel and Ai, 123. 33 The men of the other Nebo, 52. 34 The sons of (S)the other Elam, 1,254. 35 The sons of Harim, 320. 36 The sons of Jericho, 345. 37 The sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721. 38 The sons of Senaah, 3,930.
39 The priests: the sons of (T)Jedaiah, namely the house of Jeshua, 973. 40 The sons of (U)Immer, 1,052. 41 The sons of (V)Pashhur, 1,247. 42 The sons of (W)Harim, 1,017.
43 The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the sons of (X)Hodevah, 74. 44 The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148. 45 The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.
46 The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth, 47 the sons of Keros, the sons of (Y)Sia, the sons of Padon, 48 the sons of Lebana, the sons of (Z)Hagaba, the sons of (AA)Shalmai, 49 the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, 50 the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda, 51 the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah, 52 the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of (AB)Nephushesim, 53 the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, 54 the sons of (AC)Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, 55 the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah, 56 the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
57 The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of (AD)Perida, 58 the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, 59 the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of (AE)Amon.
60 All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392.
61 (AF)The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, (AG)Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their fathers' houses nor their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: 62 the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642. 63 Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). 64 These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean. 65 (AH)The (AI)governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food until a priest with Urim and Thummim should arise.
Totals of People and Gifts
66 The whole assembly together was 42,360, 67 besides their male and female servants, of whom there were 7,337. And they had 245 singers, male and female. 68 Their horses were 736, their mules 245,[a] 69 their camels 435, and their donkeys 6,720.
70 Now some of the heads of fathers' houses gave to the work. The (AJ)governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics[b] of gold, 50 basins, 30 priests' garments and 500 minas[c] of silver.[d] 71 And some of the heads of fathers' houses gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver. 72 (AK)And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 priests' garments.
73 So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel, lived in their towns.
(AL)And when the seventh month had come, the people of Israel were in their towns.
Footnotes
- Nehemiah 7:68 Compare Ezra 2:66 and the margins of some Hebrew manuscripts; Hebrew lacks Their horses… 245
- Nehemiah 7:70 A daric was a coin weighing about 1/4 ounce or 8.5 grams
- Nehemiah 7:70 A mina was about 1 1/4 pounds or 0.6 kilogram
- Nehemiah 7:70 Probable reading; Hebrew lacks minas of silver
Cross references
- Nehemiah 6:16 : ch. 2:10; 4:1, 7
- Nehemiah 6:16 : [Ps. 126:2]
- Nehemiah 6:18 : Ezra 2:5
- Nehemiah 6:18 : Ezra 8:16
- Nehemiah 7:1 : [ch. 6:1]
- Nehemiah 7:2 : ch. 1:2
- Nehemiah 7:2 : ch. 2:8
- Nehemiah 7:2 : [ch. 13:13]
- Nehemiah 7:5 : Ezra 1:11
- Nehemiah 7:6 : For ver. 6-73, see Ezra 2:1-70
- Nehemiah 7:7 : [Ezra 2:2]
- Nehemiah 7:10 : [Ezra 2:5]
- Nehemiah 7:12 : [ver. 34]
- Nehemiah 7:15 : [Ezra 2:10]
- Nehemiah 7:23 : [Ezra 2:17]
- Nehemiah 7:25 : [Ezra 2:20]
- Nehemiah 7:28 : [Ezra 2:24]
- Nehemiah 7:29 : [Ezra 2:25]
- Nehemiah 7:34 : [ver. 12]
- Nehemiah 7:39 : 1 Chr. 9:10; 24:7
- Nehemiah 7:40 : 1 Chr. 9:12; 24:14
- Nehemiah 7:41 : 1 Chr. 9:12
- Nehemiah 7:42 : 1 Chr. 24:8
- Nehemiah 7:43 : [Ezra 2:40; 3:9]
- Nehemiah 7:47 : [Ezra 2:44]
- Nehemiah 7:48 : [Ezra 2:46]
- Nehemiah 7:48 : [Ezra 2:46]
- Nehemiah 7:52 : [Ezra 2:50]
- Nehemiah 7:54 : [Ezra 2:52]
- Nehemiah 7:57 : [Ezra 2:55]
- Nehemiah 7:59 : [Ezra 2:57]
- Nehemiah 7:61 : Ezra 2:59
- Nehemiah 7:61 : [Ezra 2:59]
- Nehemiah 7:65 : Ezra 2:63
- Nehemiah 7:65 : ch. 8:9; 10:1
- Nehemiah 7:70 : [See ver. 65 above]; ch. 8:9; 10:1
- Nehemiah 7:72 : [Ezra 2:69]
- Nehemiah 7:73 : Ezra 3:1
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. With the help of our God (6:15-7:3)
With the help of God, the wall was completed without a gap in 52 days. When the enemies of God and of his people saw the completed wall, they lost their self-confidence. Nehemiah put a man of integrity who feared God in charge of opening and closing the gates. He appointed men to serve God in the temple and in the city. Spiritual order was restored to God's people.
2. The registration exposes the enemy (7:4-73a)
It became clear why Tobiah opposed God's work, and why he had not wanted God's people to have unity and spiritual order. He and his family were not Levites; he was not even an Israelite (7:62). He had exercised leadership and had power because of his wealth, but now men with spiritual and Biblical qualifications would be leaders, and he was excluded.
Prayer: Lord, give us courage to appoint as leaders people with spiritual qualifications--not just people with human ability, money or clever minds.
One Word: Have integrity and fear God