The Message Bible MSG
New International Version NIV
1 After the wall was rebuilt and I had installed the doors, and the security guards, the singers, and the Levites were appointed,
1
After the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, the musicians and the Levites were appointed.
2 I put my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the captain of the citadel, in charge of Jerusalem because he was an honest man and feared God more than most men.
2
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.
3 I gave them this order: "Don't open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is up. And shut and bar the gates while the guards are still on duty. Appoint the guards from the citizens of Jerusalem and assign them to posts in front of their own homes."
3
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.”
4 The city was large and spacious with only a few people in it and the houses not yet rebuilt.
4
Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.
5 God put it in my heart to gather the nobles, the officials, and the people in general to be registered. I found the genealogical record of those who were in the first return from exile. This is the record I found:
5
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:
6 These are the people of the province who returned from the captivity of the Exile, the ones Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried off captive; they came back to Jerusalem and Judah, each going to his own town.
6
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,
7 They came back in the company of Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The numbers of the men of the People of Israel by families of origin:
7
in company with Zerubbabel, Joshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum and Baanah): The list of the men of Israel:
8 Parosh, 2,172
8
the descendants of Parosh, 2,172
9 Shephatiah, 372
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of Shephatiah, 372
10 Arah, 652
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of Arah, 652
11 Pahath-Moab (sons of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818
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of Pahath-Moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818
12 Elam, 1,254
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of Elam, 1,254
13 Zattu, 845
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of Zattu, 845
14 Zaccai, 760
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of Zaccai, 760
15 Binnui, 648
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of Binnui, 648
16 Bebai, 628
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of Bebai, 628
17 Azgad, 2,322
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of Azgad, 2,322
18 Adonikam, 667
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of Adonikam, 667
19 Bigvai, 2,067
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of Bigvai, 2,067
20 Adin, 655
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of Adin, 655
21 Ater (sons of Hezekiah), 98
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of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98
22 Hashum, 328
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of Hashum, 328
23 Bezai, 324
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of Bezai, 324
24 Hariph, 112
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of Hariph, 112
25 Gibeon, 95.
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of Gibeon, 95
26 Israelites identified by place of origin: Bethlehem and Netophah, 188
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the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188
27 Anathoth, 128
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of Anathoth, 128
28 Beth Azmaveth, 42
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of Beth Azmaveth, 42
29 Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743
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of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth, 743
30 Ramah and Geba, 621
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of Ramah and Geba, 621
31 Micmash, 122
31
of Micmash, 122
32 Bethel and Ai, 123
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of Bethel and Ai, 123
33 Nebo (the other one), 52
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of the other Nebo, 52
34 Elam (the other one), 1,254
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of the other Elam, 1,254
35 Harim, 320
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of Harim, 320
36 Jericho, 345
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of Jericho, 345
37 Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721
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of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721
38 Senaah, 3,930.
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of Senaah, 3,930
39 Priestly families: Jedaiah (sons of Jeshua), 973
39
The priests:
40 Immer, 1,052
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of Immer, 1,052
41 Pashhur, 1,247
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of Pashhur, 1,247
42 Harim, 1,017.
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of Harim, 1,017
43 Levitical families: Jeshua (sons of Kadmiel and of Hodaviah), 74.
43
The Levites:
44 Singers: Asaph's family line, 148.
44
The musicians:
45 Security guard families: Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, 138.
45
The gatekeepers:
46 Families of support staff: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
46
The temple servants:
47 Keros, Sia, Padon,
47
Keros, Sia, Padon,
48 Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai,
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Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai,
49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
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Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
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Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
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Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
52 Besai, Meunim, Nephussim,
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Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,
53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
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Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
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Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
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Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
56 Neziah, and Hatipha.
56
Neziah and Hatipha
57 Families of Solomon's servants: Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
57
The descendants of the servants of Solomon:
58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
58
Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and Amon.
59
Shephatiah, Hattil,
60 The Temple support staff and Solomon's servants added up to 392.
60
The temple servants and the descendants of the servants of Solomon, 392
61 These are those who came from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Kerub, Addon, and Immer. They weren't able to prove their ancestry, whether they were true Israelites or not:
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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 sons of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, 642.
62
the descendants of
63 Likewise with these priestly families: -The sons of Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai, who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and took that name.
63
And from among the priests:
64 They looked high and low for their family records but couldn't find them. And so they were barred from priestly work as ritually unclean.
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These searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.
65 The governor ruled that they could not eat from the holy food until a priest could determine their status by using the Urim and Thummim.
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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 total count for the congregation was 42,360.
66
The whole company numbered 42,360,
67 That did not include the male and female slaves who numbered 7,337. There were also 245 male and female singers.
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besides their 7,337 male and female slaves; and they also had 245 male and female singers.
68 And there were 736 horses, 245 mules,
68
There were 736 horses, 245 mules,
69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
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435 camels and 6,720 donkeys.
70 Some of the heads of families made voluntary offerings for the work. The governor made a gift to the treasury of 1,000 drachmas of gold (about nineteen pounds), 50 bowls, and 530 garments for the priests.
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 made gifts to the treasury for the work; it came to 20,000 drachmas of gold and 2,200 minas of silver (about one and a third tons).
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 Gifts from the rest of the people totaled 20,000 drachmas of gold (about 375 pounds), 2,000 minas of silver, and 67 garments for the priests.
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, Levites, security guards, singers, and Temple support staff, along with some others, and the rest of the People of Israel, all found a place to live in their own towns.
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,
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.