What is the meaning of Nehemiah 7:22?

The descendants

• Nehemiah 7:22 records, “the descendants of Hashum, 328;”. That opening phrase reminds us that God’s covenant purposes move forward not merely through isolated individuals but through families and generations (Genesis 17:7; Psalm 112:2).

• These “descendants” are literal people whose names were worth recording. In the post-exilic setting, they embody the Lord’s promise to preserve a remnant and to re-establish His people in the land (Jeremiah 29:10-14; Ezra 1:5).

• By listing households one by one, Scripture highlights personal accountability and shared identity. Each family had a tangible stake in rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 4:6) and in restoring worship (Nehemiah 12:43).

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of Hashum

• Hashum appears earlier among the first returnees with Zerubbabel (Ezra 2:19) and later among those who repented of foreign marriages (Ezra 10:33). His name also surfaces among the covenant signers in Nehemiah 10:18.

• The repetition of the clan points to continuity: the same family that answered Cyrus’s decree (Ezra 1:3) is still present decades later, standing with Nehemiah. God not only brings His people back; He sustains them for ongoing obedience (Deuteronomy 7:9; Philippians 1:6).

• Hashum’s household therefore serves as a living witness that repentance and restored fellowship are possible for any who turn back to the Lord (Isaiah 55:7; 1 John 1:9).

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328

• Scripture does not treat this figure as filler. The exact count shows divine attentiveness: “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:30).

• Ezra’s earlier census listed 223 for Hashum (Ezra 2:19). The increase to 328 in Nehemiah’s day may reflect births, second-wave returnees, or updated registration. Either way, growth testifies to God’s blessing (Exodus 1:7; Psalm 127:3-5).

• The number also underscores corporate responsibility. Each of those 328 men—and by extension their families—had hands to lift stones, voices to raise prayers, and hearts to join the covenant renewal (Nehemiah 8:1; Nehemiah 10:28-29).

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Summary

Nehemiah 7:22, though brief, reinforces major themes of the restoration era. God faithfully tracks every lineage (“the descendants”), preserves repentant families (“of Hashum”), and even counts their increase (328). The verse assures us that the Lord remembers names, honors repentance, and enlarges those who stand with Him in rebuilding His kingdom purposes.