Nehemiah 7

After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed. Nehemiah 7:1

Several commentators see this section plus the genealogical listing as part of Nehemiah’s memoirs. [1] The original appointments of gatekeepers, musicians and Levites were prescribed in the Bible, and they regarded only the temple (1 Chron. 26:1-13), but at this point, Nehemiah gives them expanded duties. They are now not just watching over the temple but watching over the defense of the whole city. Obviously, Nehemiah was preparing things for his immediate return to Persia and to the king. Wiersbe asks, “What good are walls if the gates are open to every foe who wants to enter the city?” [2] This unusual appointment reflects the severe shortage of people living in the Holy City at that time (cf. Neh. 7:4).

“I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do” (7:2). Both names have the meaning of God being gracious. While some have tried to say that the names are in reference only to one person, we see that two persons are indicated in the next verse. [3] These two would no doubt have to share some authority with Rephaiah and Shallum who were previously appointed rulers of half-districts in Jerusalem (3:9 & 12).

We spoke earlier (1:2) of Hanani probably being a relative of Nehemiah. If he was indeed an actual brother, this verse would offer some indication of that. Nehemiah was leaving Hanani in a great position of leadership so he must have had a lot of confidence in him. After all, everything that Nehemiah had accomplished could be lost in a matter of weeks because of the many vicious enemies that were still around.

It seems that Nehemiah was preparing well for his approaching absence. This reminds us of Ephesians 6:13 where Paul says: “…and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then…” Nehemiah could return to Shushan and the King of Persia knowing that Jerusalem was in good hands.

“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’” (7:3). A few commentators feel that this instruction has to do with closing the gates at the hot siesta time in Jerusalem when residents are still prone to eat a bite and take a nap. However, the plain sense seems to be that the gates would be opened late and closed early. [4] Nehemiah must have been troubled after the working crowds left to realize that the population of Jerusalem was quite small. Walls and gates alone could not defend the city, it took people. Much earlier the Jebusites (2 Sam. 5:6) had made the tragic mistake of depending upon walls and gates alone. “The final strength or weakness of a city is its people.” [5] Nehemiah was determined that the city would be inhabited by a truly Jewish population.

“Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt” (7:4). Clearly, the houses had not been rebuilt because there was no wall of defense around the city and people were afraid of invaders. Now that could at last be corrected. We have seen earlier that some houses were built all around next to the wall but there was still a lot of open space. [6]

“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:” (7:5). God put it on Nehemiah’s heart to do a registration of families. Without truly Jewish families living in the city all the other work of building the city was in vain. Fortunately for Nehemiah, the early listing of returnees from Zerubbabel’s time was located. It was most likely stored in the temple archives. [7] While genealogies are boring to most folks today, this was by no means true in Bible times. “Genealogies were ‘lifelines’ that linked the Jews not only to the heritage of the past but also to their hope for the future.” [8] Coffman says, “When Mary cradled the Son of God in the Bethlehem manger, it was absolutely necessary that all men should have been certain that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed that Seed.” [9]

McGee asks, “Why in the world would God waste so much printer’s ink and give us the same genealogy again? I will tell you why. The Word of God says, ‘…the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance (Ps. 112:6).’…‘This genealogy is just a leaf out of God’s memorial book.’” [10]

When we take a close look at the following list we will note that there are some small differences between it and the genealogy in Ezra 2:1-70. Jamieson and company comment: “The lapse of so many years might well be expected to make a difference appear in the catalogue, through death or other causes; in particular, one person being, according to Jewish custom, called by different names.” [11] If we copied a one-hundred-year-old document today and put it into modern expressions it would surely show some small differences.

The Listing Of Those Who Returned

These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken captive (they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah): The list of the men of Israel:” Nehemiah 7:6-7

McConville says that this list, “to all intents and purposes [is] identical with Ezra 2:1-70” [12] Pett comments: “A far better explanation for some, if not all, of the differences is that the two accounts represent the list of returnees as prepared on different dates during the first months of arrival, the second one being updated as a result of information submitted from the various clans, because of the arrival of further exiles (e.g. the sons of Azgad, compare Nehemiah 7:17 with Ezra 2:12).” [13] The listing opens with names of leaders, beginning with Zerubbabel the governor, Joshua the high priest and various others.

Here we have not dealt again with the peculiarities of the two lists but with more information regarding their small differences can be found by looking at our commentary on Ezra 2:1-70.

“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 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 188

[27] of Anathoth 128

[28] of Beth Azmaveth 42

[29] of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth 743

[30] of Ramah and Geba 621

[31] of Mikmash 122

[32] of Bethel and Ai 123

[33] of the other Nebo 52

[34] of the other Elam 1,254

[35] of Harim 320

[36] of Jericho 345

[37] of Lod, Hadid and Ono 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: the descendants of Asaph 148

[45] The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai 138

[46] The temple servants: 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 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.

[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,

[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 of gold, 50 bowls and 530 garments for priests.

[71] Some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the work 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver.

[72] The total given by the rest of the people was 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver and 67 garments for priests.

[73] The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the temple servants, along with certain of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns. When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,” (7:8-73).

We may make some final comments on these last few verses beginning with verse 70. Jamieson and company say: “With Nehemiah 7:69, the register ends, and the thread of Nehemiah’s history is resumed…” [14] However when we note the ending of verse 73 the whole section seems to be applicable to the original settlement under Zerubbabel. There does appear to be some difference in the amounts of gold and silver. Ezra 2:69 speaks of 1100 pounds of gold (500 kg.) and 3 tons of silver (2.8 metric tons), while Nehemiah 7:71-72 speaks of 769 pounds of gold (307 kg.) and about 3.3 tons of silver (2.9 metric tons). [15] Perhaps these figures are close enough when we consider that some one hundred years of history had passed with all its events and adjustments.

Wiersbe closes this chapter by saying: “One of the key lessons we can learn from this long chapter is that people are important to God…He used common people who were willing to risk their futures on the promises of God. Today, God is still calling people to leave their personal ‘Babylon’ and follow him by faith. The church is living in a day of reproach (Neh. 2:17), and there are ‘ruins’ all around that need to be rebuilt.” [16]

Footnotes

1. Breneman, Ezra, Nehemiah & Esther, The New American Commentary, p. 215.

2. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 772.

3. Utley, Bible Lessons International, Nehemiah, v. 7:20.

4. Guzik, Enduring Word Bible Commentary, Ezra, v. 7:3.

5. Kidner, Ezra & Nehemiah, p. 102.

6. Guthrie, et. al., The New Bible Commentary, p. 407.

7. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 773.

8. Coffman, Commentary on Nehemiah, Coffman Commentaries on the Bible, v. 7:5.

9. McGee, History of Israel, Ezra Nehemiah, Esther, pp. 135-136.

10. Jamieson, et. al., Commentary on Nehemiah, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, v. 7:5.

11. McConville, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, p. 110.

12. Pett, Commentary on Nehemiah, Peter Pett’s Commentary on the Bible, v. 7:3.

13. Jamieson, et. al., Commentary on Nehemiah, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, v. 7:70.

14. Footnotes from New International Version (NIV) ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.

15. Wiersbe, The Wiersbe Bible Commentary, OT, p. 774.