1 The Exiles Return When the wall had been rebuilt and I had the doors installed, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.2 Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah, commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.3 I said to them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot, and let the doors be shut and securely fastened while the guards are on duty. Station the citizens of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their homes.”4 The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet.5 Then my God put it into my mind to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be registered by genealogy. I found the genealogical record of those who came back first, and I found the following written in it:6 These are the people of the province who went up among the captive exiles deported by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. Each of them returned to Jerusalem and Judah, to his own town.7 They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The number of the Israelite men included Lit the men of the people of Israel 8 Parosh’s descendants 2,1729 Shephatiah’s descendants 37210 Arah’s descendants 65211 Pahath-moab’s descendants: Jeshua’s and Joab’s descendants 2,81812 Elam’s descendants 1,25413 Zattu’s descendants 84514 Zaccai’s descendants 76015 Binnui’s descendants 64816 Bebai’s descendants 62817 Azgad’s descendants 2,32218 Adonikam’s descendants 66719 Bigvai’s descendants 2,06720 Adin’s descendants 65521 Ater’s descendants: of Hezekiah 9822 Hashum’s descendants 32823 Bezai’s descendants 32424 Hariph’s descendants 11225 Gibeon’s descendants 9526 Bethlehem’s and Netophah’s men 18827 Anathoth’s men 12828 Beth-azmaveth’s men 4229 Kiriath-jearim’s, Chephirah’s, and Beeroth’s men 74330 Ramah’s and Geba’s men 62131 Michmas’s men 12232 Bethel’s and Ai’s men 12333 the other Nebo’s men 5234 the other Elam’s people 1,25435 Harim’s people 32036 Jericho’s people 34537 Lod’s, Hadid’s, and Ono’s people 72138 Senaah’s people 3,930.39 The priests included Jedaiah’s descendants of the house of Jeshua 97340 Immer’s descendants 1,05241 Pashhur’s descendants 1,24742 Harim’s descendants 1,017.43 The Levites included Jeshua’s descendants: of Kadmiel Hodevah’s descendants 74.44 The singers included Asaph’s descendants 148.45 The gatekeepers included Shallum’s descendants, Ater’s descendants, Talmon’s descendants, Akkub’s descendants, Hatita’s descendants, Shobai’s descendants 138.46 The temple servants included Ziha’s descendants, Hasupha’s descendants, Tabbaoth’s descendants,47 Keros’s descendants, Sia’s descendants, Padon’s descendants,48 Lebanah’s descendants, Hagabah’s descendants, Shalmai’s descendants,49 Hanan’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants, Gahar’s descendants,50 Reaiah’s descendants, Rezin’s descendants, Nekoda’s descendants,51 Gazzam’s descendants, Uzza’s descendants, Paseah’s descendants,52 esai’s descendants, Meunim’s descendants, Nephishesim’s Alt Hb tradition reads Nephushesim’s descendants,53 Bakbuk’s descendants, Hakupha’s descendants, Harhur’s descendants,54 azlith’s descendants, Mehida’s descendants, Harsha’s descendants,55 Barkos’s descendants, Sisera’s descendants, Temah’s descendants,56 Neziah’s descendants, Hatipha’s descendants.57 The descendants of Solomon’s servants included Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants, Perida’s descendants,58 Jaala’s descendants, Darkon’s descendants, Giddel’s descendants,59 Shephatiah’s descendants, Hattil’s descendants, Pochereth-hazzebaim’s descendants, Amon’s descendants.60 All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants 392.61 The following are those who came from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but were unable to prove that their ancestral families Lit the house of their fathers and their lineage were Israelite:62 Delaiah’s descendants, Tobiah’s descendants, and Nekoda’s descendants 64263 and from the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, the descendants of Hakkoz, and the descendants of Barzillai — who had taken a wife from the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and who bore their name.64 These searched for their entries in the genealogical records, but they could not be found, so they were disqualified from the priesthood.65 The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and Thummim.66 The whole combined assembly numbered 42,36067 not including their 7,337 male and female servants, as well as their 245 male and female singers.68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, Some Hb mss, LXX; Ezr 2:66; other Hb mss omit v. 68 69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.70 Some of the family heads contributed to the project. The governor gave 1,000 gold coins, Or drachmas, or darics ; also in vv. 71,72 50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments to the treasury.71 Some of the family heads gave 20,000 gold coins and 2,200 silver minas to the treasury for the project.72 The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priestly garments.73 The priests, Levites, gatekeepers, temple singers, some of the people, temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns. Public Reading of the Law When the seventh month came and the Israelites had settled in their towns,