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.a 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

4At 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:

6Here 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,b Reelaiah,c Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar,d Bigvai, Rehum,e and Baanah.

This is the number of the men of Israel who returned from exile:

39These are the priests who returned from exile:

43These are the Levites who returned from exile:

46The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile:

Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,

47Keros, Siaha,l Padon,

48Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,

49Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,

50Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,

51Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,

52Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,m

53Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,

54Bazluth,n Mehida, Harsha,

55Barkos, Sisera, Temah,

56Neziah, and Hatipha.

57The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile:

Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,o

58Jaalah,p Darkon, Giddel,

59Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.q

60In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants numbered 392.

61Another group returned at this time from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Kerub, Addan,r and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families were descendants of Israel. 62This 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, 67in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women. 68They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,s 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,t 50 gold basins, and 530 robes for the priests. 71The other leaders gave to the treasury a total of 20,000 gold coinsu and some 2,750 poundsv of silver for the work. 72The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 poundsw 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.