Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Nehemiah 7:21

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

The wall completed (6:1-7:73)

With the wall nearing completion, the enemies saw that their only hope lay in getting rid of Nehemiah himself. They tried to draw him out into the country where they could murder him, but Nehemiah was aware of their tricks (6:1-4). They then spread rumours, by means of an open letter, that Nehemiah was planning a revolt against Persia, but their efforts came to nothing (5-9).
The enemies thought of yet another plan. They tried to make Nehemiah act in a way that would ruin his reputation for fearlessness before opponents and reverence for the temple. Again they failed (10-14). Even the spies and traitors whom the enemies had planted in Jerusalem were unable to stop Nehemiah from completing the wall (15-19).
Jerusalem was now surrounded with a solid wall of defence. But as usual Nehemiah took no risks. The city was only thinly populated and special precautions were necessary. In case of a surprise early morning attack, Nehemiah ordered that the city gates remain closed until all the people were awake and about their daily business. In addition he formed a city-wide guard, arranged so that each household supervised an area close to it (7:1-4).

Nehemiah then made a register of all those living in Jerusalem. It was based on lists that went back to the very first group of returned exiles, who had come to Jerusalem with Zerubbabel almost a century earlier (5-73; see notes on Ezra 2:1-70, where the same list is given).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of them that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and that returned unto Jerusalem and to Judah, every one into his city; who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamaiah, Nahamani,, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. "The number of the men of the people of Israel: the children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred and seventy two. The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two. The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two. The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen. The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four. The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five. The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore. The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight. The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight. The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two. The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven. The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven. The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five. The children of Ater, of Hezekiah, ninety and eight. The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight. The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four. The children of Hariph, a hundred and twelve. The children of Gibeon, ninety and five. The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, a hundred fourscore and eight. The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight. The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty and two. The men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three. The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one. The men of Michmas, a hundred and twenty and two. The men of Bethel and Ai, a hundred and twenty and three. The men of the other Nebo, a hundred fifty and two. The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred and fifty and four. The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty. The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five. The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one. The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty. "The priests: The children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three. The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two. The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven. The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen. "The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four. The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred forty and eight. The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, a hundred forty and eight. "The Nethinim: the children of Ziha, the children of Hasupha, the children of Tabbaoth, the children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon, the children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Salmai, the children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar, the children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Paseah, the children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephushesim, the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur, the children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha, the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah, the children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha. "The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida, the children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel, the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth-hazzebaim, the children of Amon. All the Nethinim, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two. "And these were they that went up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers' houses nor their seed, whether they were of Israel: The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two. And of the priests: the children of Hobaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name. These sought their register among those who were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood. And the governor said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummin. "The whole assembly together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore, besides their man-servants and their maid-servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women. Their horses were seven hundred thirty and six; their mules two hundred forty and five; their camels, four hundred thirty and five; their asses, six thousand seven hundred and twenty. "And some from among the heads of fathers' houses gave unto the work. The governor gave to the treasury a thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, five hundred and thirty priests' garments. And some of the heads of fathers' houses gave into the treasury of the work twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pounds of silver. And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand pounds of silver and threescore and seven priests' garments. "So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel dwelt in their cities. (And when the seventh month was come, the children of Israel were in their cities)."

The final parenthesis here is included as a part of Nehemiah 8 in our version.

For our comments on a number of things regarding this list, please see the parallel account in Ezra. There is nothing further which we wish to add here.

Smith's Bible Commentary

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. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

C. The Record of Those who Returned 7:5-73

This is not a list of the people who accompanied Nehemiah to Jerusalem in 444 B.C. but a record of those who returned with Sheshbazzar, Zerubbabel, and Jeshua in 537 B.C. (Nehemiah 7:7). It is almost identical to the list in Ezra 2.

Why did Nehemiah repeat this list? Apparently he wanted to encourage the Jews to move into Jerusalem (Nehemiah 11:1-2). This was one of the goals of the return. To determine who were pureblooded Israelites, he did some research and uncovered this list. There may have been a need to validate claims to property rights and similar matters as well. [Note: Merrill, p. 357.] Nehemiah then used the list as the basis for his plan (cf. Nehemiah 11:1-24). The repetition of this list also confirms God’s faithfulness in preserving His chosen people and God’s loyal love in bringing them back into the land that He promised to give their ancestors. It is a second witness to His faithfulness and love, the first list being the first witness. The Nehemiah of Nehemiah 7:7 therefore is not Nehemiah the wall-builder (cf. Ezra 2:2).

The total number who returned was 49,942 (Nehemiah 7:66-67; Ezra 2:64-65). However, the sum of the individuals the writer mentioned in this chapter is 31,089 (and 29,818 in Ezra 2). [Note: See my notes on Ezra 2:2b-35. For a detailed study of the two lists, see H. L. Allrik, "The Lists of Zerubbabel (Nehemiah 7 and Ezra 2) and the Hebrew Numerical Notation," Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research 136 (December 1954):21-27. The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, p. 688, compares the two lists side by side and notes the differences. It also contains possible explanations for the differences in numbers.]

The "seventh month" (Nehemiah 7:73) probably refers to the month Tishri in the year 537 B.C. This was the year in which the returned exiles just named gathered in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices and to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles (cf. Ezra 3). It could hardly be the "seventh month" in the year the walls were completed (444 B.C.), since the people were in Jerusalem on the first day of that seventh month (Nehemiah 8:2), not in their various towns. Probably we should add Nehemiah 7:73 b to the end of this list.

"Nehemiah appears to be reminding the reader of that great gathering with the hopes that a comparison will be made with the gathering recorded in Nehemiah 8." [Note: Laney, p. 98.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

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Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      5 And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,   6 These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;   7 Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this;   8 The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred seventy and two.   9 The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.   10 The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.   11 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.   12 The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.   13 The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.   14 The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.   15 The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.   16 The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.   17 The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.   18 The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.   19 The children of Bigvai, two thousand threescore and seven.   20 The children of Adin, six hundred fifty and five.   21 The children of Ater of Hezekiah, ninety and eight.   22 The children of Hashum, three hundred twenty and eight.   23 The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.   24 The children of Hariph, a hundred and twelve.   25 The children of Gibeon, ninety and five.   26 The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, a hundred fourscore and eight.   27 The men of Anathoth, a hundred twenty and eight.   28 The men of Beth-azmaveth, forty and two.   29 The men of Kirjath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.   30 The men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred twenty and one.   31 The men of Michmas, a hundred and twenty and two.   32 The men of Beth-el and Ai, a hundred twenty and three.   33 The men of the other Nebo, fifty and two.   34 The children of the other Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.   35 The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.   36 The children of Jericho, three hundred forty and five.   37 The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred twenty and one.   38 The children of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.   39 The priests: the children of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred seventy and three.   40 The children of Immer, a thousand fifty and two.   41 The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.   42 The children of Harim, a thousand and seventeen.   43 The Levites: the children of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, and of the children of Hodevah, seventy and four.   44 The singers: the children of Asaph, a hundred forty and eight.   45 The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, a hundred thirty and eight.   46 The Nethinims: the children of Ziha, the children of Hashupha, the children of Tabbaoth,   47 The children of Keros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,   48 The children of Lebana, the children of Hagaba, the children of Shalmai,   49 The children of Hanan, the children of Giddel, the children of Gahar,   50 The children of Reaiah, the children of Rezin, the children of Nekoda,   51 The children of Gazzam, the children of Uzza, the children of Phaseah,   52 The children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nephishesim,   53 The children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakupha, the children of Harhur,   54 The children of Bazlith, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha,   55 The children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Tamah,   56 The children of Neziah, the children of Hatipha.   57 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Sophereth, the children of Perida,   58 The children of Jaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Giddel,   59 The children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth of Zebaim, the children of Amon.   60 All the Nethinims, and the children of Solomon's servants, were three hundred ninety and two.   61 And these were they which went up also from Tel-melah, Tel-haresha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not show their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel.   62 The children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred forty and two.   63 And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.   64 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but it was not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.   65 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.   66 The whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore,   67 Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.   68 Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:   69 Their camels, four hundred thirty and five: six thousand seven hundred and twenty asses.   70 And some of the chief of the fathers gave unto the work. The Tirshatha gave to the treasure a thousand drams of gold, fifty basons, five hundred and thirty priests' garments.   71 And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver.   72 And that which the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand pound of silver, and threescore and seven priests' garments.   73 So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the people, and the Nethinims, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities; and when the seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.

      We have here another good project of Nehemiah's; for wise and zealous men will be always contriving something or other for the glory of God and the edification of his church. He knew very well that the safety of a city, under God, depends more upon the number and valour of the inhabitants than upon the height or strength of its walls; and therefore, observing that the people were few that dwelt in it, he thought fit to take an account of the people, that he might find what families had formerly had their settlement in Jerusalem, but were now removed into the country, that he might bring them back, and what families could in any other way be influenced by their religion, or by their business, to come and rebuild the houses in Jerusalem and dwell in them. So little reason have we to wish that we may be placed alone in the earth, or in Jerusalem itself, that much of our safety and comfort depends upon our neighbours and friends; the more the stronger, the more the merrier. It is the wisdom of the governors of a nation to keep the balance even between the city and country, that the metropolis be not so extravagantly large as to drain and impoverish the country, nor yet so weak as not to be able to protect it. Now observe,

      I. Whence this good design of Nehemiah's came. He owns, My God put it into my heart,Nehemiah 7:5; Nehemiah 7:5. Note, Whatever good motion is in our minds, either prudent or pious, we must acknowledge it to come from God. It was he that put it into our hearts; for every good gift and every good work are from above. He gives knowledge; he gives grace; all is of him, and therefore all must be to him. What is done by human prudence must be ascribed to the direction of divine Providence; he that teaches the husbandman his discretion (Isaiah 28:26) teaches the statesman his.

      II. What method he took in prosecution of it.

      1. He called the rulers together, and the people, that he might have an account of the present state of their families--their number and strength, and where they were settled. It is probable that when he summoned them to come together he ordered them to bring such an account along with them out of their several districts. And I doubt they were not so many but that it might be soon done.

      2. He reviewed the old register of the genealogy of those who came up at the first, and compared the present accounts with that; and here we have the repetition of that out of Ezra 2. The title is the same here (Nehemiah 7:6; Nehemiah 7:7) as there (Nehemiah 7:1; Nehemiah 7:2): These are the children of the province, c. Two things are here repeated and recorded a second time from thence--the names and numbers of their several families, and their oblations to the service of the temple. The repetition of these accounts may intimate to us the delight which the great God is pleased to take in the persons, families, and services of his spiritual Israel, and the particular notice he takes of them. He knows those that are his, knows them all, knows them by name, has his eye on the register of those children of the captivity, and does all according to the ancient counsel of his will concerning them.

      (1.) Here is an account of the heads of the several families that first came up, Nehemiah 7:6-69; Nehemiah 7:6-69. As to this, [1.] Though it seem of little use to us now, yet then it was of great use, to compare what they had been with what they now were. We may suppose they were much increased by this time; but it would do well for them to remember their small beginnings, that they might acknowledge God in multiplying their families and building them up. By this means likewise their genealogies would be preserved, and the distinction of their families kept up, till the Messiah should come, and then an end be put to all their genealogies, which were preserved for his sake, but afterwards were endless. But, [2.] There are many differences in the numbers between this catalogue and that in Ezra. Most of them indeed are exactly the same, and some others within a very few under or over (one or two perhaps); and therefore I cannot think, as some do, that that was the number of these families at their first coming and this as they were now, which was at least forty years after (some make it much more); for we cannot suppose so many families to be not at all, or but little, altered in their numbers in all that time; therefore what differences there are we may suppose to arise either from the mistakes of transcribers, which easily happen in numbers, or from the diversity of the copies from which they were taken. Or perhaps one was the account of them when they set out from Babylon with Zerubbabel, the other when they came to Jerusalem. The sum totals are all just the same there and here, except of the singing-men and singing-women, which there are 200, here 245. These were not of such importance as that they should keep any strict account of them.

      (2.) Here is an account of the offerings which were given towards the work of God, Nehemiah 7:70-72; Nehemiah 7:70-72, c. This differs much from that in Ezra 2:68; Ezra 2:69, and it may be questioned whether it refers to the same contribution; here the tirshatha, or chief governor, who there was not mentioned, begins the offering; and the single sum mentioned there exceeds all those here put together; yet it is probable that it was the same, but that followed one copy of the lists, this another; for the Nehemiah 7:73; Ezra 2:70; Ezra 3:1 is the same here that it was Nehemiah 7:73; Ezra 2:70; Ezra 3:1. Blessed be God that our faith and hope are not built upon the niceties of names and numbers, genealogy and chronology, but on the great things of the law and gospel. Whatever is given to the work of God, he is not unrighteous to forget it; nor shall even a cup of cold water, wherewith he is honoured, go without its reward.