Bible Commentaries
Nehemiah 7

Verses 1-73

Chapter 7

Now in chapter 7:

It came to pass, when the wall was built, and the doors, the porters and the singers and the Levites were appointed, that he gave his brother Hanani ( Nehemiah 7:1-2 ),

Now this is the one who had come to Babylon and told him of the sad condition of Jerusalem and of the people.

He gave them charge over Jerusalem: to these faithful men, who feared God above many. And I said unto them, Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sun is up ( Nehemiah 7:2-3 );

And before the sun goes down make sure that the gates are closed that the inhabitants of Jerusalem might actually dwell safely within its walls.

Now beginning with verse Nehemiah 7:5 , you have actually a repetition of Ezra chapter 2. For this is a list of the registry that they found of the people who returned at the beginning when Cyrus had allowed some 49,000 or so of them to return. This is the same register that is given in Ezra 2:1-70 , the families that came, the numbers of the family and the items that they brought with them. "