7:2Faithfulness and fear of God were the key character traits that qualified these men to govern Jerusalem. Faithful people can be trusted to carry out their work; God-fearing people can be expected to do so in line with God’s priorities. These men had both qualities. If you are in a position of selecting leaders, look for faithfulness and reverence as two of the most important qualifications. Although other qualities may seem more impressive, faithfulness and reverence pass the test of time.
Life Application Study BibleNehemiahChapter 7
Nehemiah 7
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 753, 754, 755
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7Nehemiah 7
1After the wall was finished and I had set up the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. 2I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most. 3I said to them, “Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day.* And even while the gatekeepers are on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at sentry posts and some in front of their own homes.”
Nehemiah Registers the People
44At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt. 5So my God gave me the idea to call together all the nobles and leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration. I had found the genealogical record of those who had first returned to Judah. This is what was written there: SHere is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity. King Nebuchadnezzar had deported them to Babylon, but now they returned to Jerusalem and the other towns in Judah where they originally lived. 7Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah,* Reelaiah,* Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar,* Bigvai, Rehum,* and Baanah.
39These are the priests who returned from exile:The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua)
40The family of Immer.4 The family of Pashhur
42The family of Harim.
43These are the Levites who returned from exile: The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah*) 44The singers of the family of Asaph..........-..---2-%5 45The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita,andShobai... 2... 2.0.2.0 eee ee eee
46The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile:Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
47Keros, Siaha,* Padon,
48Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,
49Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
50Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
51Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
52Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,*
53Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
54Bazluth,* Mehida, Harsha,
55Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
56Neziah, and Hatipha.
57The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile:
Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,*
5858 Jaalah,* Darkon, Giddel,
59Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.*
60Jn all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392. 6tAnother group returned at this time from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Kerub, Addan,* and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families 7:24 As in parailel text at Ezra 2:18; Hebrew reads Hariph. 7:25 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:20; Hebrew reads Gibeon. 7:43 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:40; Hebrew reads Hodevah. 7:47 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:44; Hebrew reads Sia. 7:52 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:50; Hebrew reads Nephushesim. 7:54 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:52; Hebrew reads Bazlith. 7:57 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:55; Hebrew reads Sotai, Sophereth, Perida. 7:58 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:56; Hebrew reads Jaala._ 7:59 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:57; Hebrew reads Amon. 7:61 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:59; Hebrew reads Addon. were descendants of Israel. 6° This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda—a total of 642 people. 63Three families of priests—Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai—also returned. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.) 64They searched for their names in the genealogical records, but they were not found, so they were disqualified from serving as priests. 65The governor told them not to eat the priests’ share of food from the sacrifices until a priest could consult the LORD about the matter by using the Urim and Thummim— the sacred lots. 66So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah, in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women. 68They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,* 69435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 70Some of the family leaders gave gifts for the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold coins,* 50 gold basins, and 530 robes for the priests. 71The other leaders gave to the treasury a total of 20,000 gold coins* and some 2,750 pounds* of silver for the work. 72The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 pounds* of silver, and 67 robes for the priests. 73So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Temple servants, and some of the common people settled near Jerusalem. The rest of the people returned to their own towns throughout Israel. B. REFORMING THE PEOPLE (7:73—13-31) When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem he found more than just broken walls; he found broken lives. In response, Nehemiah gathers the people together to hear Ezra read God’s law. The people repent and promise to change their lives by obeying God’s words. No matter where we live, backsliding in an ever-present danger. We must constantly check our behavior against God's standards in the Bible so that we do not slide back into sinful ways of living.
Textual footnotes
- 7:3 Or Keep the gates of Jerusalem closed until the sun is hot.
- 7:7a As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Azariah.
- 7:7b As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Raamiah.
- 7:7c As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Mispereth.
- 7:7d As in parallel text at Ezra 2:2; Hebrew reads Nehum.
- 7:15 As in parallel text at Ezra 2:10; Hebrew reads Binnui.
- 7:68 As in some Hebrew manuscripts (see also Ezra 2:66); most Hebrew manuscripts lack this verse. Verses 7:69-73
- 7:70 Hebrew 1,000 darics of gold, about 19 pounds or 8.6 kilograms in weight.
- 7:71 Hebrew
- 7:71a Hebrew 20,000 darics of gold, about 375 pounds or 170 kilograms in weight; also in 7:72.
- 7:72 Hebrew 2,000 minas [1,200 kilograms].
- 7:73 Hebrew in the seventh month.
Life Application Notes 6 notes
7:3City gates were usually opened at sunrise, enabling merchants to enter and set up their tent-stores. Nehemiah didn’t want Jerusalem to be caught unprepared by an enemy attack, so he ordered the gates closed unti! well after sunrise when the people were sure to be awake and alert.
7:3The wall was complete, but the work was not finished. Nehemiah assigned each family the task of protecting the section of wall next to their home. It is tempting to relax our guard and rest on past accomplishments after we have completed a large task. But we must continue to serve and to take care of all that God has entrusted to us. Following through after a project is completed is as vital as doing the project itself.
7:5ffNehemiah found the genealogical record. Because this genealogy is almost identical to Ezra’s (Ezra 2), most likely Ezra’s list was stored in the Temple archives and was the one Nehemiah found.
7:61Genealogies were greatly valued because it was vitally important for a Jew to be able to prove that he or she was a descendant of Abraham and was, therefore, part of God’s people (Genesis 12:1-3; 15; Exodus 19:5, 6; Deuteronomy 11:22-28). A lost genealogy put one’s status as a Jew at risk.
7:64,65“Sacred lots” referred to the Urim and Thummim, a means of learning God’s will (Exodus 28:30). {f someone's name wasn’t in the genealogies, he could still be admitted as a priest if the Urim and Thummim proved him to be a Jew and a Levite. itis not clear whether the Urim and Thummim were the originals that had survived the destruction of Jerusalem or if they were new. The “priests’ share of food” was meat dedicated to God as part of the sacrifice. Only true priests could eat it.
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