After the wall was finished and I had hung the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.
I 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.
I 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."
At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small. And only a few houses were scattered throughout the city.
So 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:
"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.
Their 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:
The family of Parosh.................... 2,172
The family of Shephatiah.................. 372
The family of Arah...................... 652
The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab)......... 2,818
The family of Elam..................... 1,254
The family of Zattu....................... 845
The family of Zaccai...................... 760
The family of Bani..................... 648
The family of Bebai...................... 628
The family of Azgad.................... 2,322
The family of Adonikam.................. 667
The family of Bigvai.................... 2,067
The family of Adin...................... 655
The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah)................. 98
The family of Hashum.................... 328
The family of Bezai...................... 324
The family of Jorah.................... 112
The family of Gibbar.................... 95
The peoples of Bethlehem and Netophah......................... 188
The people of Anathoth.................... 128
The people of Beth-azmaveth............... 42
The peoples of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth................... 743
The peoples of Ramah and Geba............. 621
The people of Micmash.................... 122
The peoples of Bethel and Ai................ 123
The people of Nebo........................ 52
The citizens of Elam...................... 1,254
The citizens of Harim...................... 320
The citizens of Jericho..................... 345
The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono.............................. 721
The citizens of Senaah.................... 3,930
"These are the priests who returned from exile: The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua)...... 973
The family of Immer.......... 1,052
The family of Pashhur......... 1,247
The family of Harim.......... 1,017
"These are the Levites who returned from exile: The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah )...... 74
The singers of the family of Asaph...148
The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai.............. 138
"The descendants of the following Temple servants returned from exile: Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth,
Keros, Siaha, Padon,
Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,
Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
Besai, Meunim, Nephusim,
Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
Neziah, and Hatipha.
"The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile: Sotai, Sophereth, Peruda,
Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,
Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.
"In all, the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392.
"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.
This group included the families of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda--a total of 642 people.
"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.)
But they had lost their genealogical records, so they were not allowed to serve as priests.
The 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.
"So a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah,
in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women.
They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,
435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.
"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.
The other leaders gave to the treasury a total of 20,000 gold coins and some 2,750 pounds of silver for the work.
The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold coins, about 2,500 pounds of silver, and 67 robes for the priests.
"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,