וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר נִבְנְתָה הַחוֹמָה וָאַעֲמִיד הַדְּלָתוֹת וַיִּפָּקְדוּ הַשּׁוֹעֲרִים וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים וְהַלְוִיִּם

It was when the wall was built, and I had set up the doors, so that the city was properly fortified, and the gatekeepers and the Levite singers and the other Levites were appointed and had begun to perform their respective roles,

וָאֲצַוֶּה אֶת־חֲנָנִי אָחִי וְאֶת־חֲנַנְיָה שַׂר הַבִּירָה עַל יְרוּשָׁלִָם כִּי־הוּא כְּאִישׁ אֱמֶת וְיָרֵא אֶת־הָאֱלֹהִים מֵרַבִּים

that I commanded my brother Hanani, possibly Nehemiah’s actual brother, and Hananya officer of the capital, over guarding Jerusalem; for he, Hananya, was a reliable man, and feared God as acknowledged by many; alternatively: He feared God and was esteemed by many people.

וָאֹמַר לָהֶם לֹא יִפָּתְחוּ שַׁעֲרֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם עַד־חֹם הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְעַד הֵם עֹמְדִים יָגִיפוּ הַדְּלָתוֹת וֶאֱחֹזוּ וְהַעֲמֵיד מִשְׁמְרוֹת יֹשְׁבֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם אִישׁ בְּמִשְׁמָרוֹ וְאִישׁ נֶגֶד בֵּיתוֹ

I said to them: The gates of Jerusalem shall not be opened until the sun grows hot. The gates are to remain closed all night, and should be opened only when the heat of the day begins, which would be at about ten o’clock in the morning. They shall remain open while they, the gatekeepers, are still standing at the entrance, and they shall close and bar the doors firmly in the evening; alternatively, hold firm to this matter and do not neglect it; and set watches of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, each on his watch, and each opposite his house.

וְהָעִיר רַחֲבַת יָדַיִם וּגְדֹלָה וְהָעָם מְעַט בְּתוֹכָהּ וְאֵין בָּתִּים בְּנוּיִם

The reason for this is that the city was spacious and large, as the rebuilt wall roughly followed the route of the old wall, which served Jerusalem when it was prosperous and populated; and now the people in it were few, and there were no houses built. The immigrants had rebuilt only a few of the city’s houses.

וַיִּתֵּן אֱלֹהַי אֶל־לִבִּי וָאֶקְבְּצָה אֶת־הַחֹרִים וְאֶת־הַסְּגָנִים וְאֶת־הָעָם לְהִתְיַחֵשׂ וָאֶמְצָא סֵפֶר הַיַּחַשׂ הָעוֹלִים בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה וָאֶמְצָא כָּתוּב בּוֹ

My God put it, the thought, in my heart, and I gathered the nobles, and the prefects, and the people, in order to establish their lineage. I found the book of the lineage of the initial immigrants, and I found written in it:

אֵלֶּה בְּנֵי הַמְּדִינָה הָעֹלִים מִשְּׁבִי הַגּוֹלָה אֲשֶׁר הֶגְלָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל וַיָּשׁוּבוּ לִירוּשָׁלִַם וְלִיהוּדָה אִישׁ לְעִירוֹ

These are the children of the province, who came up from the captivity of the exile, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon exiled, and they returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his city;

הַבָּאִים עִם־זְרֻבָּבֶל יֵשׁוּעַ נְחֶמְיָה עֲזַרְיָה רַעַמְיָה נַחֲמָנִי מָרְדֳּכַי בִּלְשָׁן מִסְפֶּרֶת בִּגְוַי נְחוּם בַּעֲנָה מִסְפַּר אַנְשֵׁי עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל

those who came with Zerubavel, the leader of the immigrants, were Yeshua, Nehemiah, presumably not the Nehemiah of this book, Azarya, Raamya, Nahamani, Mordekhai, Bilshan, Misperet, Bigvai, Nehum, Baana. Now follows a heading for the ensuing list: The number of the men of the people of Israel was: Some explain: These are the numbers of the important men of Israel.

בְּנֵי פַרְעֹשׁ אַלְפַּיִם מֵאָה וְשִׁבְעִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

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 שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנָיִם;

The children of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two.

בְּנֵי־פַחַת מוֹאָב לִבְנֵי יֵשׁוּעַ וְיוֹאָב אַלְפַּיִם וּשְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת שְׁמֹנָה עָשָׂר;

The children of Pahat Moav, of the children of Yeshua and Yoav, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen.

בְּנֵי עֵילָם אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם חֲמִשִּׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה;

The children of Eilam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four.

בְּנֵי זַתּוּא שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת אַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה;

The children of Zatu, eight hundred and forty-five.

בְּנֵי זַכָּי שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים;

The children of Zakai, seven hundred and sixty.

בְּנֵי בִנּוּי שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה;

The children of Binui, six hundred and forty-eight.

בְּנֵי בֵבָי שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנָה;

The children of Bevai, six hundred and twenty-eight.

בְּנֵי עַזְגָּד אַלְפַּיִם שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two.

בְּנֵי אֲדֹנִיקָם שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת שִׁשִּׁים וְשִׁבְעָה;

The children of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven.

בְּנֵי בִגְוָי אַלְפַּיִם שִׁשִּׁים וְשִׁבְעָה;

The children of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven.

בְּנֵי עָדִין שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת חֲמִשִּׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה;

The children of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five.

בְּנֵי־אָטֵר לְחִזְקִיָּה תִּשְׁעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה;

The children of Ater, of the children of Hizkiya, ninety-eight.

בְּנֵי חָשֻׁם שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמֹנָה;

The children of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight.

בְּנֵי בֵצָי שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וְאַרְבָּעָה;

The children of Betzai, three hundred and twenty-four.

בְּנֵי חָרִיף מֵאָה שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר

The children of Harif, one hundred and twelve.

בְּנֵי גִבְעוֹן תִּשְׁעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה;

The children, residents, of the city of Givon, ninety-five.

אַנְשֵׁי בֵית־לֶחֶם וּנְטֹפָה מֵאָה שְׁמֹנִים וּשְׁמֹנָה;

The men of Bethlehem and Netofa, one hundred and eighty-eight.

אַנְשֵׁי עֲנָתוֹת מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה;

The men of Anatot, one hundred and twenty-eight.

אַנְשֵׁי בֵית־עַזְמָוֶת אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

The men of Beit Azmavet, forty-two.

אַנְשֵׁי קִרְיַת יְעָרִים כְּפִירָה וּבְאֵרוֹת שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה;

The men of Kiryat Ye’arim, Kefira, and Be’erot, seven hundred and forty-three.

אַנְשֵׁי הָרָמָה וָגָבַע שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת עֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד;

The men of Rama and Geva, six hundred and twenty-one.

אַנְשֵׁי מִכְמָס מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

The men of Mikhmas, one hundred and twenty-two.

אַנְשֵׁי בֵית־אֵל וְהָעָי מֵאָה עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה;

The men of Beit El and the Ai, one hundred and twenty-three.

אַנְשֵׁי נְבוֹ אַחֵר חֲמִשִּׁים וּשְׁנָיִם;

The men of Nevo Aher, fifty-two.

בְּנֵי עֵילָם אַחֵר אֶלֶף מָאתַיִם חֲמִשִּׁים וְאַרְבָּעָה;

The children of the other Eilam, not the Eilam mentioned above (verse 12), even though their numbers are identical; one thousand two hundred and fifty-four.

בְּנֵי חָרִם שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת וְעֶשְׂרִים;

The children of Harim, three hundred and twenty.

בְּנֵי יְרֵחוֹ שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת אַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה;

The children of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five.

בְּנֵי־לֹד חָדִיד וְאֹנוֹ שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וְעֶשְׂרִים וְאֶחָד;

The children of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, three cities that were adjacent to one another, seven hundred and twenty-one.

בְּנֵי סְנָאָה שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁלֹשִׁים

The children of Senaa, who were from the tribe of Benjamin, according to the tradition of the Sages, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

הַכֹּהֲנִים בְּנֵי יְדַעְיָה לְבֵית יֵשׁוּעַ תְּשַׁע מֵאוֹת שִׁבְעִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה;

The priests: the children of Yedaya, of the house of Yeshua, 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 שִׁבְעָה עָשָׂר

The children of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

הַלְוִיִּם בְּנֵי־יֵשׁוּעַ לְקַדְמִיאֵל לִבְנֵי לְהוֹדְוָה שִׁבְעִים וְאַרְבָּעָה;

The Levites: the children of Yeshua of Kadmiel, of the children of Hodeva, who is called Hodavya in the book of Ezra (2:40), seventy-four.

הַמְשֹׁרְרִים בְּנֵי אָסָף מֵאָה אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמֹנָה;

The singers: the children of Asaf, who had their own special role and were therefore arranged in a separate watch from the other singers, one hundred and forty-eight.

הַשֹּׁעֲרִים בְּנֵי־שַׁלֻּם בְּנֵי־אָטֵר בְּנֵי־טַלְמֹן בְּנֵי־עַקּוּב בְּנֵי חֲטִיטָא בְּנֵי שֹׁבָי מֵאָה שְׁלֹשִׁים וּשְׁמֹנָה

The gatekeepers, who were the children of Shalum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akuv, the children of Hatita, the children of Shovai, one hundred and thirty-eight.

הַנְּתִינִים בְּנֵי־צִחָא בְנֵי־חֲשֻׂפָא בְּנֵי טַבָּעוֹת

The Netinim, the descendants of the Givonites, whom Joshua assigned to service of the people and the altar, and who were therefore connected to the Temple: the children of Tziha, the children of Hasufa, the children of Tabaot,

בְּנֵי־קֵירֹס בְּנֵי־סִיעָא בְּנֵי פָדוֹן

the children of Keiros, the children of Sia, the children of Padon,

בְּנֵי־לְבָנָה בְנֵי־חֲגָבָא בְּנֵי שַׂלְמָי

the children of Levana, the children of Hagava, the children of Shalmai,

בְּנֵי־חָנָן בְּנֵי־גִדֵּל בְּנֵי־גָחַר

the children of Hanan, the children of Gidel, the children of Gahar,

בְּנֵי־רְאָיָה בְנֵי־רְצִין בְּנֵי נְקוֹדָא

the children of Re’aya, the children of Retzin, the children of Nekoda,

בְּנֵי־גַזָּם בְּנֵי־עֻזָּא בְּנֵי פָסֵחַ

the children of Gazam, the children of Uza, the children of Pase’ah,

בְּנֵי־בֵסַי בְּנֵי־מְעוּנִים בְּנֵי נְפִישְׁסִים

the children of Besai, the children of Meunim, the children of Nefishesim,

בְּנֵי־בַקְבּוּק בְּנֵי־חֲקוּפָא בְּנֵי חַרְחוּר

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

בְּנֵי־בַצְלִית בְּנֵי־מְחִידָא בְּנֵי חַרְשָׁא

the children of Batzlit, 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.

בְּנֵי עַבְדֵי שְׁלֹמֹה בְּנֵי־סוֹטַי בְּנֵי־סֹפֶרֶת בְּנֵי פְרִידָא

The children of Solomon’s servants, who apparently kept their status as slaves, even though they observed the commandments of the Torah and had close ties to the people of Israel: the children of Sotai, the children of Soferet, the children of Perida,

בְּנֵי־יַעֲלָא בְנֵי־דַרְקוֹן בְּנֵי גִדֵּל

the children of Yala, the children of Darkon, the children of Gidel,

בְּנֵי שְׁפַטְיָה בְנֵי־חַטִּיל בְּנֵי פֹּכֶרֶת הַצְּבָיִים בְּנֵי אָמוֹן

the children of Shefatya, the children of Hatil, the children of Pokheret HaTzevayim, a personal name that means deer trap, the children of Amon.

כָּל־הַנְּתִינִים וּבְנֵי עַבְדֵי שְׁלֹמֹה שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת תִּשְׁעִים וּשְׁנָיִם

All the Netinim, and the children of Solomon’s servants, who were not full-fledged Judeans but had established ties with the children of Israel and in practice were integrated into the nation, were three hundred and ninety-two.

וְאֵלֶּה הָעוֹלִים מִתֵּל מֶלַח תֵּל חַרְשָׁא כְּרוּב אַדּוֹן וְאִמֵּר וְלֹא יָכְלוּ לְהַגִּיד בֵּית־אֲבֹתָם וְזַרְעָם אִם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל הֵם

These were those who came up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Keruv, Adon, and Imer, and they could not tell their patrilineal houses and their ancestry whether they were from Israel. Since their lineage was uncertain, it was hard to determine whether or not they were from Israel.

בְּנֵי־דְלָיָה בְנֵי־טוֹבִיָּה בְּנֵי נְקוֹדָא שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת וְאַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁנָיִם;

They were: the children of Delaya, the children of Toviya, the children of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two.

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

Those from the priests whose lineage was uncertain: the children of Havaya, the children of Hakotz, the children of Barzilai, who were called accordingly, not because Barzilai was their father but because their father took a wife from the daughters of Barzilai the Giladite and was called by their name.

אֵלֶּה בִּקְשׁוּ כְתָבָם הַמִּתְיַחְשִׂים וְלֹא נִמְצָא וַיְגֹאֲלוּ מִן־הַכְּהֻנָּה

These sought their writ of lineage, the records of their genealogy, which would prove that they were indeed priests, as they claimed, but it was not found; and they were disqualified from the priesthood.

וַיֹּאמֶר הַתִּרְשָׁתָא לָהֶם אֲשֶׁר לֹא־יֹאכְלוּ מִקֹּדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים עַד עֲמֹד הַכֹּהֵן לְאֻרִים וְתֻמִּים

The Tirshata, an honorary Persian or Aramean title for the ruler of the Judeans, which was also given to Nehemiah (see 8:9, 10:2), said to them that they may not eat of the sacred sacrament, the consecrated food of the most sacred order, which only the priests are permitted to eat, until a priest stands with Urim and Tumim. Since they could not prove that they were priests, they were prohibited from partaking of this sacrificial meat until the arrival of a priest who could use the Urim and the Tumim to confirm their lineage.

כָּל־הַקָּהָל כְּאֶחָד אַרְבַּע רִבּוֹא אַלְפַּיִם שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵאוֹת וְשִׁשִּׁים

The entire congregation in total was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty,

מִלְּבַד עַבְדֵיהֶם וְאַמְהֹתֵיהֶם אֵלֶּה שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁבְעָה וְלָהֶם מְשֹׁרְרִים וּמְשֹׁרְרוֹת מָאתַיִם וְאַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה סוּסֵיהֶם שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה פִּרְדֵיהֶם מָאתַיִם אַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה

besides their slaves and maidservants; these were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; they had two hundred and forty-five men and women singers. Some versions of the textadd the following line: Their horses, seven hundred and thirty-six; their mules, two hundred and forty-five.

גְּמַלִּים אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת שְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמִשָּׁה חֲמֹרִים שֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים שְׁבַע מֵאוֹת וְעֶשְׂרִים

Camels, four hundred and thirty-five; donkeys, six thousand seven hundred and twenty.

וּמִקְצָת רָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת נָתְנוּ לַמְּלָאכָה הַתִּרְשָׁתָא נָתַן לָאוֹצָר זָהָב דַּרְכְּמֹנִים אֶלֶף; מִזְרָקוֹת חֲמִשִּׁים; כָּתְנוֹת כֹּהֲנִים שְׁלֹשִׁים וַחֲמֵשׁ מֵאוֹת

A few of the heads of the patrilineal houses gave a donation for the labor. The Tirshata, the ruler of the Judeans, gave to the treasury one thousand darics, which were units of gold, fifty basins, large receptacles for the blood that is sprinkled on the altar, five hundred and thirty priests’ tunics.

וּמֵרָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת נָתְנוּ לְאוֹצַר הַמְּלָאכָה זָהָב דַּרְכְּמוֹנִים שְׁתֵּי רִבּוֹת וְכֶסֶף מָנִים אַלְפַּיִם וּמָאתָיִם

Some of the heads of the patrilineal houses gave to the treasury for the labor twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand two hundred maneh of silver. The Tirshata donated a large amount as a private individual, but since the heads of the fathers’ houses were a larger group, together they gave a far larger sum overall.

וַאֲשֶׁר נָתְנוּ שְׁאֵרִית הָעָם זָהָב דַּרְכְּמֹנִים שְׁתֵּי רִבּוֹא; וְכֶסֶף מָנִים אַלְפָּיִם; וְכָתְנוֹת כֹּהֲנִים שִׁשִּׁים וְשִׁבְעָה

That which the rest of the people, who were not heads of patrilineal houses, gave: twenty thousand darics of gold, and two thousand maneh of silver, and sixty-seven priests’ tunics.

וַיֵּשְׁבוּ הַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וְהַשּׁוֹעֲרִים וְהַמְשֹׁרְרִים וּמִן־הָעָם וְהַנְּתִינִים וְכָל־יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָרֵיהֶם וַיִּגַּע הַחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעָרֵיהֶם

The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people of the tribe of Judah, the Netinim, and all Israel from the other tribes settled in their cities. They did not settle all the way to the edge of the territory of Judah. Their settlement reached only to the area of Lod. The seventh month, Tishrei, arrived, and the children of Israel were dwelling in their cities.