וְאֵלֶּה בְּנֵי הַמְּדִינָה הָעֹלִים מִשְּׁבִי הַגּוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר הֶגְלָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶל לְבָבֶל וַיָּשׁוּבוּ לִירוּשָׁלִַם וִיהוּדָה אִישׁ לְעִירוֹ

These are the people of the province of Babylonia, or of Judah, who went up from the captivity of the exile, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had exiled to Babylonia, and they returned to Jerusalem and Judah; each returned to his city.

אֲשֶׁר־בָּאוּ עִם־זְרֻבָּבֶל יֵשׁוּעַ נְחֶמְיָה שְׂרָיָה רְעֵלָיָה מָרְדֳּכַי בִּלְשָׁן מִסְפָּר בִּגְוַי רְחוּם בַּעֲנָה מִסְפַּר אַנְשֵׁי עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל

These are the people who came with Zerubavel, the leader of the Judeans: Yeshua, the High Priest; Nehemiah, probably not the famous Nehemiah son of Hakhalya, the eponymous figure of the book of Nehemiah, who became leader of Judah at a later stage; Seraya; Re’elaya; Mordekhai; Bilshan. Some say that Bilshan is another name for Mordekhai, due to his linguistic expertise, as lashon means language, whereas others maintain that Bilshan was a different person. Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baana. The following is the total number, or some of the important men of the people of Israel:

בְּנֵי פַרְעֹשׁ אַלְפַּיִם מֵאָה שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

The following section provides a list of family heads and their sums: The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;

בְּנֵי שְׁפַטְיָה שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

the children of Shefatya, three hundred and seventy-two;

בְּנֵי אָרַח שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת חֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁבְעִים;

the children of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five;

בְּנֵי־פַחַת מוֹאָב לִבְנֵי יֵשׁוּעַ יוֹאָב אַלְפַּיִם שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר;

the children of Pahat Moav, of the children of Yeshua and Yoav, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. The name Pahat Moav probably indicates that he was an officer in the Moavite government when it was under Judean control, or at least from one of the important families that had lived there at some time in the past (see commentary on 8:4);

בְּנֵי עֵילָם אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם חֲמִשִּׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה;

the children of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;

בְּנֵי זַתּוּא תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה;

the children of Zatu, nine hundred and forty-five;

בְּנֵי זַכָּי שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים;

the children of Zakai, seven hundred and sixty;

בְּנֵי בָנִי שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

the children of Bani, six hundred and forty-two;

בְּנֵי בֵבָי שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה;

the children of Bevai, six hundred and twenty-three;

בְּנֵי עַזְגָּד אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

the children of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two;

בְּנֵי אֲדֹנִיקָם שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת שִׁשִּׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה;

the children of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six;

בְּנֵי בִגְוָי אַלְפַּיִם חֲמִשִּׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה;

the children of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six;

בְּנֵי עָדִין אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת חֲמִשִּׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה;

the children of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four;

בְּנֵי־אָטֵר לִיחִזְקִיָּה תִּשְׁעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה;

the children of Ater, who were born to Hizkiya, ninety-eight. Some explain that the children of Ater denotes a separate family that was appended to Hizkiya;

בְּנֵי בֵצָי שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה;

the children of Betzai, three hundred and twenty-three;

בְּנֵי יוֹרָה מֵאָה וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר;

the children of Yora, one hundred and twelve;

בְּנֵי חָשֻׁם מָאתַיִם עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה;

the children of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three;

בְּנֵי גִבָּר תִּשְׁעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה

the children of Gibar, ninety-five.

בְּנֵי בֵית־לָחֶם מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה;

After the previous list of names of heads of families, the chapter enumerates groups of people who are called after the places where they lived: The children of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three;

אַנְשֵׁי נְטֹפָה חֲמִשִּׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה;

the men of the settlement of Netofa, fifty-six;

אַנְשֵׁי עֲנָתוֹת מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנָה;

the men of the village of Anatot, one hundred and twenty-eight;

בְּנֵי עַזְמָוֶת אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

the children of Azmavet, forty-two;

בְּנֵי קִרְיַת עָרִים כְּפִירָה וּבְאֵרוֹת שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה;

the children of Kiryat Arim, Kefira, and Be’erot, cities in Benjamin, were seven hundred and forty-three;

בְּנֵי הָרָמָה וָגָבַע שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד;

the children of Rama and Geva, six hundred and twenty-one;

אַנְשֵׁי מִכְמָס מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

the men of Mikhmas, one hundred and twenty-two;

אַנְשֵׁי בֵית־אֵל וְהָעָי מָאתַיִם עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה;

the men of Beit El and the Ai, two hundred and twenty-three;

בְּנֵי נְבוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנָיִם;

the children of Nevo, fifty-two;

בְּנֵי מַגְבִּישׁ מֵאָה חֲמִשִּׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה;

the children of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six;

בְּנֵי עֵילָם אַחֵר אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם חֲמִשִּׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה;

the children of the other Elam, not the same Elam as the one mentioned above (2:7), one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;

בְּנֵי חָרִם שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וְעֶשְׂרִים;

the children of Harim, three hundred and twenty;

בְּנֵי־ לֹד חָדִיד וְאוֹנוֹ שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה;

the children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, adjacent cities on the same plain, seven hundred and twenty-five;

בְּנֵי יְרֵחוֹ שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה;

the children of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five;

בְּנֵי סְנָאָה שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלֹשִׁים

the children of Senaa, three thousand six hundred and thirty.

הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי יְדַעְיָה לְבֵית יֵשׁוּעַ תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה;

The priests: The children of the watch of Yedaya, of the house of Yeshua son of Yotzadak the High Priest were nine hundred and seventy-three;

בְּנֵי אִמֵּר אֶלֶף חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנָיִם;

the children of Imer, another priestly watch, one thousand and fifty-two;

בְּנֵי פַשְׁחוּר אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם אַרְבָּעִים וְשִׁבְעָה;

the children of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven;

בְּנֵי חָרִם אֶלֶף וְשִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר

the children of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

הַלְוִיִּם בְּנֵי־יֵשׁוּעַ וְקַדְמִיאֵל לִבְנֵי הוֹדַוְיָה שִׁבְעִים וְאַרְבָּעָה;

The Levites: The children of Yeshua and Kadmiel, of the children of Hodavya, seventy-four.

הַמְשֹׁרְרִים בְּנֵי אָסָף מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנָה;

The Levite singers: The children of Asaf, one hundred and twenty-eight.

בְּנֵי הַשֹּׁעֲרִים בְּנֵי־שַׁלּוּם בְּנֵי־אָטֵר בְּנֵי־טַלְמוֹן בְּנֵי־עַקּוּב בְּנֵי חֲטִיטָא בְּנֵי שֹׁבָי הַכֹּל מֵאָה שְׁלֹשִׁים וְתִשְׁעָה

The children of the Levite gatekeepers were from different families: The children of Shalum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akuv, the children of Hatita, the children of Shovai; in all, one hundred and thirty-nine.

הַנְּתִינִים בְּנֵי־צִיחָא בְנֵי־חֲשׁוּפָא בְּנֵי טַבָּעוֹת

The Netinimwere descendants of the Givonites, who lived with the Judeans and were servants responsible for the Temple maintenance. These are the names of their families: The children of Tziha, the children of Hasufa, the children of Tabaot;

בְּנֵי־קֵרֹס בְּנֵי־סִיעֲהָא בְּנֵי פָדוֹן

the children of Keros, the children of Siaha, the children of Padon;

בְּנֵי־לְבָנָה בְנֵי־חֲגָבָה בְּנֵי עַקּוּב

the children of Levana, the children of Hagava, the children of Akuv;

בְּנֵי־חָגָב בְּנֵי־שַׂלְמַי בְּנֵי חָנָן

the children of Hagav, the children of Salmai, the children of Hanan;

בְּנֵי־גִדֵּל בְּנֵי־גַחַר בְּנֵי רְאָיָה

the children of Gidel, the children of Gahar, the children of Re’aya;

בְּנֵי־רְצִין בְּנֵי־נְקוֹדָא בְּנֵי גַזָּם

the children of Retzin, the children of Nekoda, the children of Gazam;

בְּנֵי־עֻזָּא בְנֵי־פָסֵחַ בְּנֵי בֵסָי

the children of Uza, the children of Pase’ah, the children of Besai;

בְּנֵי־אַסְנָה בְנֵי־מְעוּנִים בְּנֵי נְפוּסִים

the children of Asna, the children of Meunim, the children of Nefusim;

בְּנֵי־בַקְבּוּק בְּנֵי־חֲקוּפָא בְּנֵי חַרְחוּר

the children of Bakbuk, the children of Hakufa, the children of Harhur;

בְּנֵי־בַצְלוּת בְּנֵי־מְחִידָא בְּנֵי חַרְשָׁא

the children of Batzlut, the children of Mehida, the children of Harsha;

בְּנֵי־בַרְקוֹס בְּנֵי־סִיסְרָא בְּנֵי־תָמַח

the children of Barkos, the children of Sisera, the children of Temah;

בְּנֵי נְצִיחַ בְּנֵי חֲטִיפָא

the children of Netziah, the children of Hatifa. Many of these names have no meaning in Hebrew, as some of the families maintained their ancient Givonite names.

בְּנֵי עַבְדֵי שְׁלֹמֹה בְּנֵי־סֹטַי בְּנֵי־הַסֹּפֶרֶת בְּנֵי פְרוּדָא

The children of Solomon’s servants, descendants of Solomon’s foreign servants, who also decided to return to Jerusalem: The children of Sotai, the children of Soferet, the children of Peruda;

בְּנֵי־יַעְלָה בְנֵי־דַרְקוֹן בְּנֵי גִדֵּל

the children of Yaala, the children of Darkon, the children of Gidel;

בְּנֵי שְׁפַטְיָה בְנֵי־חַטִּיל בְּנֵי פֹּכֶרֶת הַצְּבָיִים בְּנֵי אָמִי

the children of Shefatya, the children of Hatil; the children of Pokheret-Hatzeva’im, a phrase that originally meant a deer trap, and which became a personal name; the children of Ami.

כָּל־הַנְּתִינִים וּבְנֵי עַבְדֵי שְׁלֹמֹה שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת תִּשְׁעִים וּשְׁנָיִם

All the Netinim and the children of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two. All these were Canaanite slaves who lived in the midst of the children of Israel for hundreds of years.

וְאֵלֶּה הָעֹלִים מִתֵּל מֶלַח תֵּל חַרְשָׁא כְּרוּב אַדָּן אִמֵּר וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהַגִּיד בֵּית־אֲבוֹתָם וְזַרְעָם אִם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הֵם

These were those who went up with the Judeans from Tel Melah, from Tel Harsha, from Keruv, from Adan, and from Imer; and they were not able to tell whether their fathers’ houses and their offspring were of Israel, as their lineage was unknown:

בְּנֵי־דְלָיָה בְנֵי־טוֹבִיָּה בְּנֵי נְקוֹדָא שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנָיִם

The children of Delaya, the children of Toviya, the children of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two.

וּמִבְּנֵי הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי חֳבַיָּה בְּנֵי הַקּוֹץ בְנֵי בַרְזִלַּי אֲשֶׁר לָקַח מִבְּנוֹת בַּרְזִלַּי הַגִּלְעָדִי אִשָּׁה וַיִּקָּרֵא עַל־שְׁמָם

From the children of the priests: The children of Havaya, the children of Hakotz, and the children of Barzilai, who were called by this name because their father took a wife from the daughters of Barzilai the Giladite and was called after their name. Their family is called Barzilai because he was their ancestor on their mother’s side.

אֵלֶּה בִּקְשׁוּ כְתָבָם הַמִּתְיַחְשִׂים וְלֹא נִמְצָאוּ וַיְגֹאֲלוּ מִן־הַכְּהֻנָּה

These men, who claimed to be priests, sought their genealogical registry, which would prove that they were indeed priests, but it was not found, and they were banned from the priesthood.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַתִּרְשָׁתָא לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יֹאכְלוּ מִקֹּדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים עַד עֲמֹד כֹּהֵן לְאוּרִים וּלְתֻמִּים

The Tirshata was an honorary Persian title, meaning governor. Nehemiah son of Hakhalya, governor of the Judeans, was called by this title. Alternatively, this Tirshata was a different governor of unknown identity. Either way, the Tirshata said to them, the priests of questionable lineage, that they may not eat from the sacred sacraments, which only the priests are permitted to eat, until there stands a priest with the Urim and with the Tumim. Since they could not prove they were priests, they had to remain in a state of questionable priesthood until the arrival of a priest who could use the Urim and Tumim to confirm their lineage.

כָּל־הַקָּהָל כְּאֶחָד אַרְבַּע רִבּוֹא אַלְפַּיִם שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאוֹת שִׁשִּׁים

The entire congregation together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty people,

מִלְּבַד עַבְדֵיהֶם וְאַמְהֹתֵיהֶם אֵלֶּה שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁבְעָה וְלָהֶם מְשֹׁרְרִים וּמְשֹׁרְרוֹת מָאתָיִם

besides their slaves and their maidservants; these were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had accompanying them two hundred male singers and female singers. Many wealthy families retained singers among their retinue of servants.

סוּסֵיהֶם שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה; פִּרְדֵיהֶם מָאתַיִם אַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה;

Their horses, seven hundred and thirty-six; their mules, two hundred and forty-five;

גְּמַלֵּיהֶם אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה; חֲמֹרִים שֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וְעֶשְׂרִים

their camels, four hundred and thirty-five; their donkeys, of which they possessed many, more than all the other animals combined, were six thousand seven hundred and twenty. This ends the highly detailed account of the first wave of emigrants who returned to the Land of Israel.

ומֵרָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת בְּבוֹאָם לבֵית ה' אֲשֶׁר בִּירוּשָׁלִָם הִתְנַדְּבוּ לְבֵית הָאֱלֹהִים לְהַעֲמִידוֹ עַל־ מְכוֹנוֹ

Some of the heads of the patrilineal families, upon their arrival at the ruins of the House of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, donated money and other items to the House of God to establish it in its place, to restore it afresh;

כְּכֹחָם נָתְנוּ לְאוֹצַר הַמְּלָאכָה זָהָב דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים שֵׁשׁ־רִבֹּאות וָאֶלֶף ; וְכֶסֶף מָנִים חֲמֵשֶׁת אֲלָפִים; וְכָתְנֹת כֹּהֲנִים מֵאָה

in accordance with their means, they gave to the treasury of the labor, for the construction of the Temple: Gold, sixty-one thousand darics, a Persian coin; and silver, five thousand maneh, either units of weights or coins; and priests’ tunics, one hundred, whose manufacture requires great skill.

וַיֵּשְׁבוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וּמִן־הָעָם וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִים וְהַנְּתִינִים בְּעָרֵיהֶם וכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָרֵיהֶם

The priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the gatekeepers, and the Netinim settled in their cities, where their families had previously lived, and all the rest of Israel, members of various tribes who had resided in other areas, dwelt in their cities.