Public-Spirited Citizens. Nehemiah 7:1-73
THE BUILDING OF THE WALL, Nehemiah 1:7-7:73
5. The Completion of the Wall and Census of the City, Neh_7:1-73
7. Why was the registration of the returned Jewish exiles necessary?
Now when the wall had been rebuilt and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites had been appointed,
I put my brother Hanani, with Hananiah the commander of the fortress, in charge of Jerusalem, for Hananiah was a more faithful and God-fearing man than many [of the others].
I said to them, “Do not let the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while the watchmen are still standing guard, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from the residents of Jerusalem, each at his post [on the wall], and each in front of his own house.”
Now the city was spacious and large, but there were few people in it and the houses had not [yet] been built.
LISTS OF RETURNED EXILES
Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. Then I found the register of the genealogy of those who came [from Babylon] first, and I found the following record:
These are the sons (descendants, people) of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had deported [to Babylon]; they returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his city,
the ones who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The men of the people of Israel numbered:
the sons of Parosh, 2,172;
the sons of Shephatiah, 372;
the sons of Arah, 652;
the sons of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818;
the sons of Elam, 1,254;
the sons of Zattu, 845;
the sons of Zaccai, 760;
the sons of Binnui, 648;
the sons of Bebai, 628;
the sons of Azgad, 2,322;
the sons of Adonikam, 667;
the sons of Bigvai, 2,067;
the sons of Adin, 655;
the sons of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98;
the sons of Hashum, 328;
the sons of Bezai, 324;
the sons of Hariph, 112;
the sons of Gibeon, 95;
the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;
the men of Anathoth, 128;
the men of Beth-azmaveth, 42;
the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah and Beeroth, 743;
the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;
the men of Michmas, 122;
he men of Bethel and Ai, 123;
the men of the other Nebo, 52;
the sons of the other Elam, 1,254;
the sons of Harim, 320;
the sons of Jericho, 345;
the sons of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721;
the sons of Senaah, 3,930.
These are the priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973;
the sons of Immer, 1,052;
the sons of Pashhur, 1,247;
the sons of Harim, 1,017.
These are the Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodevah, 74.
The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148.
The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, and the sons of Shobai, 138.
The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha, the sons of Tabbaoth,
the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon,
the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Shalmai,
the sons of Hanan, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar,
the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin, the sons of Nekoda,
the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah,
the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephushesim,
the sons of Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur,
the sons of Bazlith, the sons of Mehida, the sons of Harsha,
the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons of Temah,
the sons of Neziah, the sons of Hatipha.
The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida,
the sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel,
the sons of Shephatiah, the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the sons of Amon.
All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon’s servants, totaled 392.
And these were the ones who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon and Immer; but they [had no birth records and] could not prove their fathers’ houses or their descent, whether they were of Israel:
the sons of Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, 642.
Of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, and the sons of Barzillai, who [was so named because he had] married one of the daughters of Barzillai, the [well-known] Gileadite, and was named after them.
These men searched for their ancestral registration among those recorded in the genealogies, but it was not located; so they were excluded from the priesthood as [ceremonially] unclean.
The governor told them that they should not eat any of the most holy food until a priest arose with Urim and Thummim [to determine God’s will in the matter].
TOTALS OF PEOPLE AND GIFTS
The entire assembly together was 42,360,
besides their male and their female servants, of whom there were 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers.
Their horses were 736; their mules, 245;
their camels, 435; their donkeys, 6,720.
Some from among the heads of fathers’ households gave to the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 basins, 530 priests’ garments.
Some of the heads of fathers’ households gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,200 silver minas.
And what the rest of the people gave was 20,000 gold drachmas, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priests’ garments.
So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, along with all Israel, lived in their cities. And when the seventh month came, the sons (descendants) of Israel (Jacob) were in their cities.
It is probable that Nehemiah returned to the Persian court on the completion of the first part of his enterprise, the building of the walls, and that he left Hananiah and his brother in charge until he had been able to obtain a prolongation of his mission. Hananiah’s character is very aptly described in Neh_7:2. These are splendid characteristics-the fear of God and faithfulness, 1Co_4:2. Sound common sense, through which God wrought, dictated the policy of appointing each man to guard his own property, Neh_7:3; Neh_7:5. The extent of the city walls had evidently been marked out in faith, as directed in Zec_8:1-23. Registration seems to have engrossed much of the care of these returned exiles, and it was necessary, not only that each might inherit his ancestral property, but that the descent of our Lord might be easily traced to David. We ought to be very sure that we and our dear ones are included in God’s register. We cannot lay claim to our inheritance, unless we are heirs through the new birth, Rom_8:16-17.
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