American King James Version - AKJV - 1999
Nehemiah 7
1
Now it came to pass, when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, and the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed,
Reference
2
That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.
Reference
People
Faith
Psalm 101:6
Matthew 25:21
Parallel theme
Nehemiah 10:23
1 Kings 18:3
References God
Nehemiah 2:8
References Jerusalem
Nehemiah 1:2
3
And I said to them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun be hot; and while they stand by, let them shut the doors, and bar them: and appoint watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, every one in his watch, and every one to be over against his house.
4
Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built.
5
And my God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,
6
These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one to his city;
Reference
Kingdom
Ezra 5:8
7
Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this;
Reference
People
8
The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.
9
The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
11
The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:6
12
The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
14
The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and three score.
16
The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.
17
The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:12
18
The children of Adonikam, six hundred three score and seven.
19
The children of Bigvai, two thousand three score and seven.
21
The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.
24
The children of Hariph, an hundred and twelve.
26
The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.
27
The men of Anathoth, an hundred twenty and eight.
30
The men of Ramah and Gaba, six hundred twenty and one.
31
The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty and two.
33
The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two.
34
The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
Reference
Parallel theme
Nehemiah 7:12
35
The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.
36
The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.
37
The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Chronicles 8:12
38
The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.
39
The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.
40
The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Chronicles 24:14
41
The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Chronicles 9:12
42
The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.
Reference
Parallel theme
1 Chronicles 24:8
43
The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:40
44
The singers: the children of Asaph, an hundred forty and eight.
45
The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.
46
The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,
47
The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:44
48
The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,
49
The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,
50
The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,
51
The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,
52
The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:50
53
The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,
54
The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:52
55
The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,
56
The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.
57
The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:55
58
The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,
59
The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:57
60
All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.
61
And these were they which went up also from Telmelah, Telharesha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not show their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.
Reference
References Israel
Ezra 2:59
62
The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:60
63
And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.
64
These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.
Reference
65
And the Tirshatha said to them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.
Reference
Holy
Nehemiah 8:9
Deuteronomy 33:8
Ezra 2:63
Parallel theme
Exodus 28:30
Nehemiah 10:1
Numbers 27:21
66
The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and three score,
Reference
Parallel theme
Ezra 2:64
67
Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.
Reference
Sin
Ezra 2:65
68
Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:
69
Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.
70
And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty priests' garments.
Reference
Parallel theme
Nehemiah 8:9
71
And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver.
72
And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and three score and seven priests' garments.
73
So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelled in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.
Summary of Nehemiah 7
Nehemiah Chapter 7 describes the organization and repopulation of Jerusalem after the city's wall had been completed. The previous chapters focused heavily on construction and opposition, but this chapter shows that rebuilding the wall was only one part of restoring the city. Jerusalem now needed trustworthy leadership, secure gates, religious organization, and a stable population.
Nehemiah appointed Hanani and Hananiah to oversee Jerusalem, choosing Hananiah because he was considered trustworthy and feared God. Strict instructions were established for opening and closing the city gates because the newly rebuilt walls did not automatically eliminate the city's vulnerability. Nehemiah also recognized that Jerusalem was still sparsely populated. The city had been physically restored more quickly than it had been socially and economically restored.
God then placed it in Nehemiah's heart to gather the people and register them according to their ancestry. Nehemiah discovered a record of the first major group that had returned from the Babylonian exile. The register provides a long list of families, towns, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, together with the number of people associated with each group.
The genealogical record was more than a historical list. Family identity was extremely important in the restored community. It helped establish who belonged to Israel and, especially, who was qualified to serve as a priest. Some individuals could not prove their ancestry, including several people who claimed priestly descent. Because their genealogical records could not be found, they were temporarily excluded from priestly service until the matter could be resolved.
The chapter records a total community population of 42,360, in addition to thousands of servants and singers and large numbers of animals. The people also gave substantial financial and material contributions toward the restoration. Their gifts included gold, silver, bowls, priestly garments, and other resources. These contributions demonstrate that restoration required not only physical labor but also financial sacrifice.
The chapter concludes by describing the people settling in their towns, with the religious leaders and other service groups organized throughout the community. When the seventh month arrived, the people gathered in Jerusalem, preparing for a major season of worship that would become the focus of the following chapters.
The larger message of the chapter is that restoration requires more than rebuilding physical structures. Jerusalem needed trustworthy leaders, secure administration, a defined population, legitimate religious service, financial resources, and a renewed sense of community identity. Nehemiah's work was therefore moving from construction toward long-term nation and community building.
The genealogical register also connects the people living in Nehemiah's time with those who had returned generations earlier. By preserving their names and ancestry, the community maintained continuity with its past while preparing for its future. The rebuilt wall gave Jerusalem protection, but the organized people living behind that wall gave the city its renewed life.
Nehemiah appointed Hanani and Hananiah to oversee Jerusalem, choosing Hananiah because he was considered trustworthy and feared God. Strict instructions were established for opening and closing the city gates because the newly rebuilt walls did not automatically eliminate the city's vulnerability. Nehemiah also recognized that Jerusalem was still sparsely populated. The city had been physically restored more quickly than it had been socially and economically restored.
God then placed it in Nehemiah's heart to gather the people and register them according to their ancestry. Nehemiah discovered a record of the first major group that had returned from the Babylonian exile. The register provides a long list of families, towns, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and Temple servants, together with the number of people associated with each group.
The genealogical record was more than a historical list. Family identity was extremely important in the restored community. It helped establish who belonged to Israel and, especially, who was qualified to serve as a priest. Some individuals could not prove their ancestry, including several people who claimed priestly descent. Because their genealogical records could not be found, they were temporarily excluded from priestly service until the matter could be resolved.
The chapter records a total community population of 42,360, in addition to thousands of servants and singers and large numbers of animals. The people also gave substantial financial and material contributions toward the restoration. Their gifts included gold, silver, bowls, priestly garments, and other resources. These contributions demonstrate that restoration required not only physical labor but also financial sacrifice.
The chapter concludes by describing the people settling in their towns, with the religious leaders and other service groups organized throughout the community. When the seventh month arrived, the people gathered in Jerusalem, preparing for a major season of worship that would become the focus of the following chapters.
The larger message of the chapter is that restoration requires more than rebuilding physical structures. Jerusalem needed trustworthy leaders, secure administration, a defined population, legitimate religious service, financial resources, and a renewed sense of community identity. Nehemiah's work was therefore moving from construction toward long-term nation and community building.
The genealogical register also connects the people living in Nehemiah's time with those who had returned generations earlier. By preserving their names and ancestry, the community maintained continuity with its past while preparing for its future. The rebuilt wall gave Jerusalem protection, but the organized people living behind that wall gave the city its renewed life.