Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, New Living Translation The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile: Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, English Standard Version The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, Berean Standard Bible The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, King James Bible The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, New King James Version The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, New American Standard Bible The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, NASB 1995 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, NASB 1977 The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, Legacy Standard Bible The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, Amplified Bible The sons of Solomon’s servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, Christian Standard Bible The descendants of Solomon’s servants included Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants, Perida’s descendants, Holman Christian Standard Bible The descendants of Solomon’s servants included: Sotai’s descendants, Sophereth’s descendants, Perida’s descendants, American Standard Version The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, English Revised Version The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida; GOD'S WORD® Translation These descendants of Solomon's servants returned from exile: the descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, Perida, International Standard Version The Descendants of Solomon's Servants: Descendants of Sotai, Sophereth, and Perida, NET Bible The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, New Heart English Bible The descendants of Solomon's servants: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda, Webster's Bible Translation The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThe descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, World English Bible The children of Solomon’s servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionSons of the servants of Solomon: sons of Sotai, sons of Sophereth, sons of Perida, Young's Literal Translation Sons of the servants of Solomon: sons of Sotai, sons of Sophereth, sons of Perida, Smith's Literal Translation The sons of Solomon's servant's: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThe children of the servants of Solomon, the children of Sothai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Pharida, Catholic Public Domain Version The sons of the servants of Solomon: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, New American Bible Descendants of Solomon’s servants: descendants of Sotai, descendants of Sophereth, descendants of Perida, New Revised Standard Version The descendants of Solomon’s servants: of Sotai, of Sophereth, of Perida, Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThe descendants of Solomon's servants: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated The children of the Servants of Solomon, the children of Seti, the children of Sephereth, the children of Pruyah OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida; Brenton Septuagint Translation The children of the servants of Solomon; the children of Sutei, the children of Sapharat, the children of Pherida, Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context The List of Returning Exiles…56the descendants of Neziah, and the descendants of Hatipha. 57The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Sophereth, the descendants of Perida, 58the descendants of Jaala, the descendants of Darkon, the descendants of Giddel,… Cross References Ezra 2:43-54 The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, the descendants of Hasupha, the descendants of Tabbaoth, / the descendants of Keros, the descendants of Siaha, the descendants of Padon, / the descendants of Lebanah, the descendants of Hagabah, the descendants of Akkub, ... 1 Chronicles 9:2 Now the first to resettle their own property in their cities were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants. Nehemiah 11:3 These are the heads of the provinces who settled in Jerusalem. (In the villages of Judah, however, each lived on his own property in their towns—the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon’s servants— Joshua 9:21-27 They continued, “Let them live, but let them be woodcutters and water carriers for the whole congregation.” So the leaders kept their promise. / Then Joshua summoned the Gibeonites and said, “Why did you deceive us by telling us you live far away from us, when in fact you live among us? / Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.” ... 1 Kings 9:20-21 As for all the people who remained of the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (the people who were not Israelites)— / their descendants who remained in the land, those whom the Israelites were unable to devote to destruction—Solomon conscripted these people to be forced laborers, as they are to this day. 1 Chronicles 6:49 But Aaron and his sons did all the work of the Most Holy Place. They presented the offerings on the altar of burnt offering and on the altar of incense to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. 1 Chronicles 23:28-32 but their duty was to assist the descendants of Aaron with the service of the house of the LORD, being responsible for the courts and chambers, the purification of all the holy things, and the work of the service of the house of God, / as well as for the rows of the showbread, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and all measurements of quantity and size. / They were also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the LORD, and likewise in the evening. ... 2 Chronicles 8:7-9 As for all the people who remained of the Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites (these people were not Israelites)— / their descendants who remained in the land, those whom the Israelites had not destroyed—Solomon conscripted these people to be forced laborers, as they are to this day. / But Solomon did not consign any of the Israelites to slave labor, because they were his men of war, the leaders of his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry. Leviticus 25:44-46 Your menservants and maidservants shall come from the nations around you, from whom you may purchase them. / You may also purchase them from the foreigners residing among you or their clans living among you who are born in your land. These may become your property. / You may leave them to your sons after you to inherit as property; you can make them slaves for life. But as for your brothers, the Israelites, no man may rule harshly over his brother. Exodus 12:48-49 If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it. / The same law shall apply to both the native and the foreigner who resides among you.” Numbers 31:47 From the Israelites’ half, Moses took one out of every fifty persons and animals and gave them to the Levites who kept charge of the tabernacle of the LORD, as the LORD had commanded him. Isaiah 56:3-6 Let no foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD say, “The LORD will utterly exclude me from His people.” And let the eunuch not say, “I am but a dry tree.” / For this is what the LORD says: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, who choose what pleases Me and hold fast to My covenant— / I will give them, in My house and within My walls, a memorial and a name better than that of sons and daughters. I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off. ... Ezekiel 44:7-9 In addition to all your other abominations, you brought in foreigners uncircumcised in both heart and flesh to occupy My sanctuary; you defiled My temple when you offered My food—the fat and the blood; you broke My covenant. / And you have not kept charge of My holy things, but have appointed others to keep charge of My sanctuary for you.’ / This is what the Lord GOD says: No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh may enter My sanctuary—not even a foreigner who lives among the Israelites. Matthew 21:12-13 Then Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. / And He declared to them, “It is written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer.’ But you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’” John 2:14-16 In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables. / So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. / To those selling doves He said, “Get these out of here! How dare you turn My Father’s house into a marketplace!” Treasury of Scripture The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, Solomon's Nehemiah 11:3 Now these are the chief of the province that dwelt in Jerusalem: but in the cities of Judah dwelt every one in his possession in their cities, to wit, Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants. Perida (Three MSS. Ezra 2:55 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Peruda, Peruda Jump to Previous Children Descendants Servants Solomon Solomon's Sophereth Sotai So'taiJump to Next Children Descendants Servants Solomon Solomon's Sophereth Sotai So'taiNehemiah 7 1. Nehemiah commits the charge of Jerusalem to Hanani and Hananiah5. A register of the genealogy of them which came at the first out of Babylon 9. of the people 39. of the priests 43. of the Levites 46. of the Nethinims 57. of Solomon's servants 63. and of the priests which could not find their pedigree 66. The whole number of them, with their substance 70. Their offerings The descendants of the servants of Solomon: This phrase refers to a specific group of people who were likely part of the labor force or administrative staff during King Solomon's reign. Solomon's era was marked by extensive building projects, including the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem. These servants could have been non-Israelites or Israelites who were conscripted for labor. The mention of their descendants highlights the continuity of their roles and the importance of maintaining records of lineage, especially after the Babylonian exile when the community was re-establishing itself in Jerusalem. The descendants of Sotai: The descendants of Sophereth: The descendants of Perida: Persons / Places / Events 1. NehemiahA Jewish leader who played a crucial role in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. He is known for his leadership, prayerfulness, and dedication to God's work. 2. Servants of Solomon These were individuals or families who were originally servants or laborers under King Solomon. They were part of the group returning from exile to Jerusalem. 3. Sotai, Sophereth, Perida These are specific families or clans among the descendants of Solomon's servants. Their mention highlights the detailed record-keeping and the importance of lineage in post-exilic Israel. 4. Jerusalem The city central to Jewish identity and worship, which Nehemiah was instrumental in rebuilding. 5. The Return from Exile This event marks the period when the Jewish people returned to Jerusalem from Babylonian captivity, a significant moment of restoration and renewal for the nation. Teaching Points Importance of Heritage and IdentityUnderstanding our spiritual heritage can strengthen our identity and purpose in God's plan. Just as the Israelites valued their lineage, Christians can find strength in their spiritual lineage through Christ. Faithfulness in Small Details Nehemiah's meticulous record-keeping shows the importance of faithfulness in even the smallest details of God's work. We are called to be diligent and faithful in our responsibilities. Restoration and Renewal The return from exile symbolizes God's power to restore and renew. In our lives, God can bring restoration from spiritual exile and renew our hearts and communities. Community and Belonging The listing of families underscores the importance of community and belonging. In the body of Christ, every member is significant and has a role to play. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Nehemiah 7:57?2. What does Nehemiah 7:57 reveal about the importance of genealogical records? 3. How can understanding ancestry strengthen our identity in Christ today? 4. How does Nehemiah 7:57 connect with God's covenant promises to Israel? 5. Why is it important to preserve spiritual heritage in our families? 6. How can we ensure our spiritual lineage aligns with biblical principles? 7. What is the significance of the Nethinim in Nehemiah 7:57? 8. How does Nehemiah 7:57 reflect the theme of servitude in the Bible? 9. Why are the descendants of Solomon's servants listed in Nehemiah 7:57? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Nehemiah 7? 11. Does the detailed list of families and possessions in Nehemiah 7:6-73 have any archaeological corroboration, or could it be exaggerated? 12. How many children of Pahrath-Moab were freed from Babylonian captivity? 2,812 (Ezra 2:6) or 2,818 (Nehemiah 7:11)? 13. How many singers accompanied the assembly? Two hundred (Ezra 2:65) Two hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:67) 14. What explains the differences between the genealogies in Ezra 2:2 and Nehemiah 7:7 if they reference the same returnees? What Does Nehemiah 7:57 Mean The descendants of the servants of Solomon• Nehemiah 7:57 starts by highlighting a distinct group: “the descendants of the servants of Solomon.” These men were originally assigned to royal and temple‐supporting duties during Solomon’s reign (see 1 Kings 9:22, where Solomon did not make Israelites his slaves but appointed certain foreigners for forced labor). • Their listing alongside priests, Levites, and temple servants (Nehemiah 7:39-60) shows how God preserved every stratum of His covenant community through exile. The same roster appears in Ezra 2:55, underscoring the continuity of God’s people from pre-exile to post-exile days. • By recording them, Nehemiah affirms that not only the high-profile leaders mattered; every faithful laborer in God’s house had a name and place. Compare this inclusive principle with Paul’s description of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:18-22. The descendants of Sotai • “The descendants of Sotai” had served under Solomon’s household and later under temple administrators. While Scripture offers no further narrative about Sotai, their presence in the list identifies real families whose lineage was carefully preserved. • God’s meticulous record-keeping echoes Numbers 1:2-3, where every tribe and clan was counted by name. Just as the census in Numbers ensured proper inheritance, this post-exile census secured each family’s right to land and service (cf. Ezekiel 45:1-8 for land allotments). • Their survival through exile testifies to the Lord’s covenant faithfulness promised in Deuteronomy 30:3-5—He would restore even those on the farthest horizon. The descendants of Sophereth • “Sophereth” is related to the word for “scribe,” and while we do not build doctrine on etymology here, it reminds us that many temple servants handled administrative or instructional roles. Consider 2 Chronicles 34:13, where Levites supervised labor and recorded finances. • Their return highlights God’s concern for order and accurate transmission of His Word (see Jeremiah 36:32, where Baruch rewrote the scroll). By including Sophereth’s descendants, Nehemiah shows that God restored not only worship but also the organizational backbone that kept worship pure. • This theme resonates with 1 Timothy 3:15, describing the church as “the pillar and foundation of the truth.” Conservative stewardship of doctrine and records did not begin in the New Testament; it was central in the post-exile community as well. The descendants of Perida • Like the previous families, Perida’s line was small yet significant. Nehemiah 7:61 notes that anyone unable to prove lineage was excluded from priestly service. By contrast, families like Perida’s, who could verify ancestry, were welcomed. • Their inclusion mirrors God’s justice and mercy: justice, in keeping roles pure (cf. Leviticus 22:2); mercy, in granting full participation to those who remained faithful through captivity (Psalm 126:1-3, rejoicing over Zion’s restoration). • Perida’s name closes this mini-list, underscoring that every servant—whether famous or obscure—found a secure place in God’s unfolding redemptive plan (compare Hebrews 6:10, “God is not unjust to forget your work…”). summary Nehemiah 7:57 is more than a dry census line. It reveals God’s faithfulness to preserve even the humblest servant families through exile so they could take their rightful place in Jerusalem’s restoration. Sotai, Sophereth, and Perida may be unfamiliar to us, yet their recorded names proclaim that the Lord values every worker in His house, keeps unbroken promises across generations, and gathers His people—great and small—for renewed worship and service. Verses 57-62. - The children of Solomon's servants. This section and the section which follows (vers. 63-65) are nearly identical in Ezra and Nehemiah. A few names only are slightly different.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew The descendantsבְּנֵ֖י (bə·nê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son of the servants עַבְדֵ֣י (‘aḇ·ḏê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 5650: Slave, servant of Solomon: שְׁלֹמֹ֑ה (šə·lō·mōh) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 8010: Solomon -- David's son and successor to his throne the descendants בְּנֵי־ (bə·nê-) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son of Sotai, סוֹטַ֥י (sō·w·ṭay) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 5479: Sotai -- an Israelite the descendants בְּנֵי־ (bə·nê-) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son of Sophereth, סוֹפֶ֖רֶת (sō·w·p̄e·reṯ) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 5618: Hassophereth -- father of some returning exiles the descendants בְּנֵ֥י (bə·nê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son of Perida, פְרִידָֽא׃ (p̄ə·rî·ḏā) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 6514: Perida -- an Israelite Links Nehemiah 7:57 NIVNehemiah 7:57 NLT Nehemiah 7:57 ESV Nehemiah 7:57 NASB Nehemiah 7:57 KJV Nehemiah 7:57 BibleApps.com Nehemiah 7:57 Biblia Paralela Nehemiah 7:57 Chinese Bible Nehemiah 7:57 French Bible Nehemiah 7:57 Catholic Bible OT History: Nehemiah 7:57 The children of Solomon's servants: the children (Neh Ne) |