Scripture Thought (What I Learned):
Chapter 7: Geneology Records/Priesthood
When
the wall was built; and the doors hung, when the gatekeepers, the singers, and
the Levites had been appointed, Nehemiah gave the charge of Jerusalem to his
brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, because he was a
faithful man and feared God more than many.
Nehemiah said to them to not let
the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is hot; and while they stand guard, let
them shut and bar the doors; and appoint guards from among the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, one at his watch station and another in front of his own house.
Now the city was large
and spacious, but the people in it were few, and the houses were not
rebuilt. Then mGod put it into his heart to gather the nobles, the rulers, and
the people, that they might be registered by genealogy. Nehemiah found a
register of the genealogy of those who had come up in the first return, and
found written in it:
These are the
people of the province who came back from the captivity, of those who had been
carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who
returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city. Those who came with
Zerubbabel were: Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani,
Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The number of the men
of the people of Israel: the sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and
seventy-two; the sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two; the sons of
Arah, six hundred and fifty-two; the sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua
and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen; the sons of Elam, one
thousand two hundred and fifty-four; the sons of Zattu, eight hundred and
forty-five; the sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty; the sons of Binnui,
six hundred and forty-eight; the sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight;
the sons of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two; the sons of
Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven; the sons of Bigvai, two thousand and
sixty-seven; the sons of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five; the sons of Ater of
Hezekiah, ninety-eight; the sons of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight; the
sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four; the sons of Hariph, one hundred
and twelve; the sons of Gibeon, ninety-five; the men of Bethlehem and Netophah,
one hundred and eighty-eight; the men of Anathoth, one hundred and
twenty-eight; the men of Beth Azmaveth, forty-two; the men of Kirjath Jearim,
Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three; the men of Ramah and
Geba, six hundred and twenty-one; the men of Michmas, one hundred and
twenty-two; the men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three; the men of
the other Nebo, fifty-two; the sons of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred
and fifty-four; the sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty; the sons of
Jericho, three hundred and forty-five; the sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven
hundred and twenty-one; the sons of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and
thirty. The priests: the sons of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred
and seventy-three; the sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two; the sons of
Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven; the sons of Harim, one
thousand and seventeen. The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of
the sons of Hodevah, seventy-four. The singers: the sons of Asaph, one hundred
and forty-eight. The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the
sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, one
hundred and thirty-eight. The Nethinim: the sons of Ziha, the sons of Hasupha,
the sons of Tabbaoth, the sons of Keros, the sons of Sia, the sons of Padon,
the sons of Lebana, the sons of Hagaba, the sons of Salmai, the sons of Hanan,
the sons of Giddel, the sons of Gahar, the sons of Reaiah, the sons of Rezin,
the sons of Nekoda, the sons of Gazzam, the sons of Uzza, the sons of Paseah,
the sons of Besai, the sons of Meunim, the sons of Nephishesim, the sons of
Bakbuk, the sons of Hakupha, the sons of Harhur, the sons of Bazlith, the sons
of Mehida, the sons of Harsha, the sons of Barkos, the sons of Sisera, the sons
of Tamah, the sons of Neziah, and the sons of Hatipha. The sons of Solomon’s
servants: the sons of Sotai, the sons of Sophereth, the sons of Perida, the
sons of Jaala, the sons of Darkon, the sons of Giddel, the sons of Shephatiah,
the sons of Hattil, the sons of Pochereth of Zebaim, and the sons of Amon. All
the Nethinim, and the sons of Solomon’s servants, were three hundred
and ninety-two. And these were the ones who came up from Tel Melah,
Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not identify their
father’s house nor their lineage, whether theywere of Israel: the sons of
Delaiah, the sons of Tobiah, the sons of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two; and
of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, the sons of Barzillai,
who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by
their name. These sought their listing among those who were
registered by genealogy, but it was not found; therefore they were excluded
from the priesthood as defiled. And the governor said to them that they should
not eat of the most holy things till a priest could consult with the Urim and
Thummim. Altogether the whole assembly was forty-two thousand three
hundred and sixty, besides their male and female servants, of whom there
were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two
hundred and forty-five men and women singers. Their horses were seven hundred
and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five, their camels
four hundred and thirty-five, and donkeys six thousand seven hundred
and twenty. And some of the heads of the fathers’ houses gave to the work. The
governor gave to the treasury one thousand gold drachmas, fifty basins, and
five hundred and thirty priestly garments. Some of the heads of the fathers’ houses gave
to the treasury of the work twenty thousand gold drachmas, and two thousand two
hundred silver minas. And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty
thousand gold drachmas, two thousand silver minas, and sixty-seven priestly
garments. So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of
the people, the Nethinim, and all Israel dwelt in their cities. When the
seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.
Chapter 8: Ezra Records the Law of Moses
Now all the people gathered
together as one man in the open square that was in front of the Water
Gate; and they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses,
which the Lord had commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest brought the
Law before the assembly of men and women and all who could hear with
understanding on the first day of the seventh month. Then he read from it in
the open square that was in front of the Water Gate from morning
until midday, before the men and women and those who could understand; and the
ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
Ezra the scribe stood on a platform
of wood; and beside him, at his right hand, stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah,
Urijah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah; and at his left hand Pedaiah, Mishael,
Malchijah, Hashum, Hashbadana, Zechariah, and Meshullam. And Ezra
opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above
all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Ezra blessed
the Lord. Then all the people answered, “Amen, Amen!” while lifting up
their hands. And they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces
to the ground.
Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin,
Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodijah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah,
and the Levites, helped the people to understand the Law; and the people stood in
their place. So they read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they
gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.
Nehemiah, who was the
governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the
people said to all the people, that this day is holy to the Lord;
do not mourn nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of
the Law. Then he said to them to go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and
send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy
to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your
strength. The Levites quieted all the people, by telling them to be still, for
the day is holy; do not be grieved.
All the people went their way to
eat and drink, to send portions and rejoice greatly, because they understood
the words that were declared to them. On the second day the heads of the
fathers’ houses of all the people, with the priests and Levites, were
gathered to Ezra the scribe, in order to understand the words of the Law.
They found written in the Law,
which the Lord had commanded by Moses, that the children of Israel
should dwell in booths during the feast of the seventh month, and that they
should announce and proclaim in all their cities and in Jerusalem, by telling
them to go out to the mountain, and bring olive branches, branches of oil
trees, myrtle branches, palm branches, and branches of leafy trees, to make
booths. Then the people went out and brought them and made themselves
booths, each one on the roof of his house, or in their courtyards or the courts
of the house of God, and in the open square of the Water Gate and in the open
square of the Gate of Ephraim. So the whole assembly of those who had returned
from the captivity made booths and sat under the booths; for since the days of
Joshua the son of Nun until that day the children of Israel had not done so.
And there was very great gladness. Also day by day, from the first day until
the last day, he read from the Book of the Law of God. And they kept the feast
seven days; and on the eighth day there was a sacred assembly,
according to the prescribed manner.
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