1After the wall was finished and I had hung the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.
2I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.
3I said to them, "Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And while the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut and bar the doors. Appoint the residents of Jerusalem to act as guards, everyone on a regular watch. Some will serve at their regular posts and some in front of their own homes."
4At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small. And only a few houses were scattered throughout the city.
5So my God gave me the idea to call together all the leaders of the city, along with the ordinary citizens, for registration. I had found the genealogical record of those who had first returned to Judah. This is what was written there:
6"Here is the list of the Jewish exiles of the provinces who returned from their captivity to Jerusalem and to the other towns of Judah. They had been deported to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar.
7Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah. This is the number of men of Israel who returned from exile:
8The family of Parosh.................... 2,172
9The family of Shephatiah.................. 372
10The family of Arah...................... 652
11The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab)......... 2,818
12The family of Elam..................... 1,254
13The family of Zattu....................... 845
14The family of Zaccai...................... 760
15The family of Bani..................... 648
16The family of Bebai...................... 628
17The family of Azgad.................... 2,322
18The family of Adonikam.................. 667
19The family of Bigvai.................... 2,067
20The family of Adin...................... 655
21The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah)................. 98
22The family of Hashum.................... 328
23The family of Bezai...................... 324
24The family of Jorah.................... 112
25The family of Gibbar.................... 95
26The peoples of Bethlehem and Netophah......................... 188
27The people of Anathoth.................... 128
28The people of Beth-azmaveth............... 42
29The peoples of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth................... 743
30The peoples of Ramah and Geba............. 621
31The people of Micmash.................... 122
32The peoples of Bethel and Ai................ 123
33The people of Nebo........................ 52
34The citizens of Elam...................... 1,254
35The citizens of Harim...................... 320
36The citizens of Jericho..................... 345
37The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono.............................. 721
38The citizens of Senaah.................... 3,930
39"These are the priests who returned from exile: The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua)...... 973
40The family of Immer.......... 1,052
41The family of Pashhur......... 1,247
42The family of Harim.......... 1,017
43"These are the Levites who returned from exile: The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah )...... 74
44The singers of the family of Asaph...148
45The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai.............. 138
46"The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
47Keros, Siaha, Padon,
48Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,
49Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
50Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
51Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
52Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,
53Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
54Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
55Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
56Neziah, and Hatipha.
57"The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile: Sotai, Sophereth, Peruda,
58Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,
59Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.
60"In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392.
61"Another group returned to Jerusalem at this time from the towns of Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Kerub, Addan, and Immer. However, they could not prove that they or their families were descendants of Israel.
62This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda--a total of 642 people.
63"Three families of priests--Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai--also returned to Jerusalem. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.)
64But they had lost their genealogical records, so they were not allowed to serve as priests.
65The governor would not even let them eat the priests' share of food from the sacrifices until there was a priest who could consult the LORD about the matter by means of sacred lots.
66"So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah,
67in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women.
68They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,
69435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
70"Some of the family leaders gave gifts for the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold coins, 50 gold basins, and 530 robes for the priests.
71The other leaders gave to the treasury a total of 20,000 gold coins and some 2,750 pounds of silver for the work.
72The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.
73"So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Temple servants, along with some of the people--that is to say, all Israel--settled in their own towns." Now in midautumn, when the Israelites had settled in their towns,