The Message Bible MSG
New Living Translation NLT
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 was finished and I had set up the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and 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 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.
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, “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.”
4 The city was large and spacious with only a few people in it and the houses not yet rebuilt.
4
At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had 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 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:
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
Here 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.
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
Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the number of the men of Israel who returned from exile:
8 Parosh, 2,172
8
The family of Parosh 2,172
9 Shephatiah, 372
9
The family of Shephatiah 372
10 Arah, 652
10
The family of Arah 652
11 Pahath-Moab (sons of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818
11
The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) 2,818
12 Elam, 1,254
12
The family of Elam 1,254
13 Zattu, 845
13
The family of Zattu 845
14 Zaccai, 760
14
The family of Zaccai 760
15 Binnui, 648
15
The family of Bani 648
16 Bebai, 628
16
The family of Bebai 628
17 Azgad, 2,322
17
The family of Azgad 2,322
18 Adonikam, 667
18
The family of Adonikam 667
19 Bigvai, 2,067
19
The family of Bigvai 2,067
20 Adin, 655
20
The family of Adin 655
21 Ater (sons of Hezekiah), 98
21
The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah) 98
22 Hashum, 328
22
The family of Hashum 328
23 Bezai, 324
23
The family of Bezai 324
24 Hariph, 112
24
The family of Jorah 112
25 Gibeon, 95.
25
The family of Gibbar 95
26 Israelites identified by place of origin: Bethlehem and Netophah, 188
26
The people of Bethlehem and Netophah 188
27 Anathoth, 128
27
The people of Anathoth 128
28 Beth Azmaveth, 42
28
The people of Beth-azmaveth 42
29 Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth, 743
29
The people of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth 743
30 Ramah and Geba, 621
30
The people of Ramah and Geba 621
31 Micmash, 122
31
The people of Micmash 122
32 Bethel and Ai, 123
32
The people of Bethel and Ai 123
33 Nebo (the other one), 52
33
The people of West Nebo 52
34 Elam (the other one), 1,254
34
The citizens of West Elam 1,254
35 Harim, 320
35
The citizens of Harim 320
36 Jericho, 345
36
The citizens of Jericho 345
37 Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721
37
The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono 721
38 Senaah, 3,930.
38
The citizens of Senaah 3,930
39 Priestly families: Jedaiah (sons of Jeshua), 973
39
These are the priests who returned from exile: The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua) 973
40 Immer, 1,052
40
The family of Immer 1,052
41 Pashhur, 1,247
41
The family of Pashhur 1,247
42 Harim, 1,017.
42
The family of Harim 1,017
43 Levitical families: Jeshua (sons of Kadmiel and of Hodaviah), 74.
43
These are the Levites who returned from exile: The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah ) 74
44 Singers: Asaph's family line, 148.
44
The singers of the family of Asaph 148
45 Security guard families: Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, 138.
45
The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai 138
46 Families of support staff: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
46
The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
47 Keros, Sia, Padon,
47
Keros, Siaha, Padon,
48 Lebana, Hagaba, Shalmai,
48
Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,
49 Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
49
Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
50 Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
50
Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
51 Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
51
Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
52 Besai, Meunim, Nephussim,
52
Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,
53 Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
53
Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
54 Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
54
Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
55 Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
55
Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
56 Neziah, and Hatipha.
56
Neziah, and Hatipha.
57 Families of Solomon's servants: Sotai, Sophereth, Perida,
57
The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile: Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,
58 Jaala, Darkon, Giddel,
58
Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,
59 Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-Hazzebaim, and Amon.
59
Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.
60 The Temple support staff and Solomon's servants added up to 392.
60
In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants numbered 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:
61
Another 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 were descendants of Israel.
62 The sons of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, 642.
62
This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda—a total of 642 people.
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
Three 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.)
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.
64
They searched for their names in the genealogical records, but they were not found, so they were disqualified from serving as priests.
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.
65
The 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.
66 The total count for the congregation was 42,360.
66
So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah,
67 That did not include the male and female slaves who numbered 7,337. There were also 245 male and female singers.
67
in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women.
68 And there were 736 horses, 245 mules,
68
They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,
69 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
69
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 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.
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
The other leaders gave to the treasury a total of 20,000 gold coins and some 2,750 pounds of silver for the work.
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 rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the 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
So 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. In October, when 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.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
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