Nehemiah 7:6-17 · Bible study
Nehemiah 7:6-17 Commentary: The Census of the Returning Exiles
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Nehemiah's list of returnees differ from Ezra's?
Research Summary
- Meaning: A genealogical register of families who returned from Babylonian exile, establishing the post-exilic community’s identity and citizenship.
- Key words: province (H4082 məḏînāh), went up (H5927 ‘ālāh), returned (H7725 šûḇ), number (H4557 mispar).
- Main debate: Why do the numbers and names differ from the parallel list in Ezra 2:1-70?
- Theological theme: God’s covenant faithfulness in preserving a remnant and the importance of community identity.
- Best use: Illustrating the value of genealogy and communal history in the life of faith, and God’s attention to every person.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
6These are the people of the province who came up from the captivity of the exiles carried away to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar its king. They returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his own town,
7accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. This is the count of the men of Israel:
8the descendants of Parosh, 2,172;
9the descendants of Shephatiah, 372;
10the descendants of Arah, 652;
11the descendants of Pahath-moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab), 2,818;
12the descendants of Elam, 1,254;
13the descendants of Zattu, 845;
14the descendants of Zaccai, 760;
15the descendants of Binnui, 648;
16the descendants of Bebai, 628;
17the descendants of Azgad, 2,322;
WEB World English Bible 2000
6These are the children of the province who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned to Jerusalem and to Judah, everyone to his city,
7who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
8The children of Parosh: two thousand one hundred seventy-two.
9The children of Shephatiah: three hundred seventy-two.
10The children of Arah: six hundred fifty-two.
11The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab: two thousand eight hundred eighteen.
12The children of Elam: one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
13The children of Zattu: eight hundred forty-five.
14The children of Zaccai: seven hundred sixty.
15The children of Binnui: six hundred forty-eight.
16The children of Bebai: six hundred twenty-eight.
17The children of Azgad: two thousand three hundred twenty-two.
KJV King James Version 1769
6These 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;
7Who 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;
8The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two.
9The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
10The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.
11The children of Pahath–moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.
12The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
13The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.
14The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
15The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.
16The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.
17The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
6These 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 that returned unto Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;
7who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
8The children of Parosh, two thousand a hundred and seventy and two.
9The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two.
10The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.
11The children of Pahath-moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand and eight hundredandeighteen.
12The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
13The children of Zattu, eight hundred forty and five.
14The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and threescore.
15The children of Binnui, six hundred forty and eight.
16The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.
17The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
6These are sons of the province, those coming up of the captives of the removal that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed--and they turn back to Jerusalem and to Judah, each to his city--
7who are coming in with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. Number of the men of the people of Israel:
8Sons of Parosh: two thousand a hundred and seventy and two.
9Sons of Shephatiah: three hundred seventy and two.
10Sons of Arah: six hundred fifty and two.
11Sons of Pahath-Moab, of the sons of Jeshua and Joab: two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.
12Sons of Elam: a thousand two hundred fifty and four.
13Sons of Zattu: eight hundred forty and five.
14Sons of Zaccai: seven hundred and sixty.
15Sons of Binnui: six hundred forty and eight.
16Sons of Bebai: six hundred twenty and eight.
17Sons of Azgad: two thousand three hundred twenty and two.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
6These 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 who came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one to his city;
7those who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
8The children of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two.
9The children of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two.
10The children of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two.
11The children of Pahath-Moab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen.
12The children of Elam, a thousand two hundred and fifty-four.
13The children of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five.
14The children of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty.
15The children of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight.
16The children of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight.
17The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
6These are the children of the province, who came up from the captivity of them that had been carried away, whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon had carried away, and who returned into Judea, every one into his own city.
7Who came with Zorobabel, Josue, Nehemiah, Azarias, Raamias, Nahamani, Mardochai, Belsam, Mespharath, Begoia, Nahum, Baana. The number of the men of the people of Israel:
8The children of Pharos, two thousand one hundred seventy-two.
9The children of Sephatia, three hundred seventy-two.
10The children of Area, six hundred fifty-two.
11The children of Phahath Moab of the children of Josue and Joab, two thousand eight hundred eighteen.
12The children of Elam, one thousand two hundred fifty-four.
13The children of Zethua, eight hundred forty-five.
14The children of Zachai, seven hundred sixty.
15The children of Bannui, six hundred forty-eight.
16The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty-eight.
17The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty-two.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Nehemiah 7:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this passage documents the families who returned from Babylonian exile with Zerubbabel, around 538 BC. The list serves as a citizenship register for the restored community in Jerusalem. It closely parallels Ezra 2:1-70, but with variations in numbers and names. John Gill explains that Ezra's list was likely made in Babylon before departure, while Nehemiah found a register compiled after arrival, accounting for deaths, changes of mind, and later joiners. Adam Clarke notes that the register Nehemiah discovered may have been outdated, requiring adjustments. The Cambridge Bible points to name differences such as Azariah for Seraiah and Raamiah for Reelaiah, likely due to alternate spellings or scribal transmission. Matthew Henry emphasizes the providence of God in preserving this record. All agree the list is historically grounded and serves Nehemiah's purpose of repopulating Jerusalem (Nehemiah 7:4) and establishing the community's identity as the people of God.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Harmonistic view: Gill and many traditional commentators: differences arise from separate registration stages (Ezra in Babylon, Nehemiah in Jerusalem) and natural demographic changes.
- Source-critical view: The lists come from different literary sources or editorial hands, and the variations reflect the composite nature of Ezra-Nehemiah.
- Transmission-error view: Scribal mistakes in copying numbers over centuries account for minor discrepancies.
What is clear: Both Nehemiah 7:6-17 and Ezra 2:1-70 commemorate the same foundational event—the return of Jewish exiles to their land—and affirm the restored community as the faithful remnant of Israel.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Differences from Ezra 2 | Both lists document the same historical event, the return from exile under Zerubbabel. | Some (Gill, traditional) say the differences reflect separate registration stages; others see scribal errors or intentional updating. |
| Historical reliability of the numbers | The list is a genuine ancient record and not a fabrication. | Conservative scholars offer harmonistic explanations for discrepancies; critical scholars may view them as evidence of composite authorship or transmission errors. |
| Purpose of the list in Nehemiah 7 | It served to repopulate Jerusalem and establish genealogical proof of membership in Israel. | Some emphasize its use for temple service eligibility; others focus on its role in the covenant renewal ceremony of Nehemiah 8-10. |
| Variation in names | The same individuals/groups are referenced in both Ezra and Nehemiah. | Name differences (e.g., Azariah vs. Seraiah, Raamiah vs. Reelaiah) are explained as alternate spellings, scribal variants, or different Hebrew/Aramaic forms. |
| Significance of genealogy | Genealogy was crucial for post-exilic identity, land rights, and temple service. | Some see it as primarily practical; others see it as a theological statement of continuity with pre-exilic Israel. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Nehemiah 7 sits at a hinge point in the story. Chapter 6 ends with the wall completed; chapter 8 opens with the public reading of the Law. Between these high moments, Nehemiah takes a census.
The city was “wide and large” but “the people were few” (7:4). Houses had not been rebuilt. Jerusalem needed residents, not just for defense, but for civic and religious life. God put into Nehemiah’s heart to gather the nobles, rulers, and people for genealogical registration (7:5). He found a record of those “who came up at the first” and used it as his template.
That first return happened under Cyrus’s edict (538 BC), led by Zerubbabel and Jeshua the high priest. The names in verses 7-8 anchor this list: Zerubbabel (a Davidic descendant), Jeshua (a high priest), and other leaders of the return. Nebuchadnezzar’s deportation (586 BC) had scattered the nation; now the phrase “children of the province” (using məḏînāh, H4082) reflects Judah’s new status as a Persian administrative unit. Each family is numbered by its founding ancestor. These numbers, some large like 2,172 (Parosh), some smaller like 845 (Zattu), show both the scale and the diversity of the returning community.
A crucial feature of this list is its relationship to Ezra 2. The two registers are obviously related, but they differ in specific figures and names. The reasons matter for understanding how the books were composed. Gill proposes that the Ezra list was a pre-departure registration, while Nehemiah used a post-arrival census. Others suggest scribal copying over centuries introduced small changes. Either way, both lists witness to the same event: a remnant returning to the land, each family to its ancestral city.
Cross-references confirm the historical backdrop: 2 Kings 24:14-16 describes the deportation; 2 Chronicles 36:23 records Cyrus’s decree; Ezra 2:1-70 is the parallel list; Ezra 5:8 shows the rebuilding actively continuing decades later. Nehemiah’s census thus connects his generation to the founding moment of the restoration, affirming that they are the authentic continuation of Israel.
Textual Notes
The sources consulted note no significant textual variants within the passage itself. The primary textual issue is the relationship to the parallel list in Ezra 2:1-70. Differences in numbers (e.g., 2,172 vs 2,172 in some, but varying totals) and names (Azariah for Seraiah, etc.) have been attributed to scribal transmission, alternate spelling traditions, or different source documents used by the compilers. Nehemiah 7 is generally considered a deliberate reuse of an older register, not a corruption of the same text.
Reception History
From the earliest post-biblical period, this list was valued as proof of authentic Jewish lineage. The Mishnah and Talmud reflect concerns with genealogical purity for priestly service, making such registers vital. Matthew Henry saw the list as a monument of God’s care: “Every family is numbered, and every person is known to God.” John Gill and other Reformation-era commentators devoted considerable effort to harmonizing the differences with Ezra 2, reflecting a strong commitment to the consistency of Scripture. In modern scholarship, the list is studied alongside Ezra 2 to understand the composition history of Ezra-Nehemiah, with some seeing it as a duplicate and others as an independent witness. Across traditions, readers have found in this passage a reassurance that God remembers His people individually and corporately.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God remembers His people by name. These are not anonymous statistics, every family head is named, every clan counted. God’s covenant faithfulness is personal, down to the smallest family unit.
- Every family matters in God’s plan. The list includes large clans (Azgad: 2,322) and small (Shephatiah: 372). No family is too insignificant for the register of God’s people.
- Our identity is rooted in God’s faithfulness across generations. Nehemiah deliberately connects his generation to the first returnees. The church today stands in a lineage of faithfulness that stretches back.
Five-point outline
- God’s faithfulness to bring His people back. The exile was judgment; the return is grace. This list is living proof that God keeps His promises (Jeremiah 29:10).
- The importance of community identity. “Children of the province”, they belonged to a place and a people. Christian identity is not merely individual; we are grafted into a community.
- The value of every individual. Each number represents real people who made the hard journey. No one is lost in the crowd to God.
- The connection between past and present. Nehemiah used a 90-year-old record. He honored the past while building for the future. We too learn from those who came before.
- The call to rebuild not just walls but community. The census was practical, for repopulation, but also spiritual: it reaffirmed covenant membership.
Illustration hooks
- A family reunion after years of separation, someone keeps a list of who came, who has passed, who is new. The register becomes a story of survival and belonging.
- A citizenship ceremony. Each person’s name is read aloud, connecting them to a nation and its history. That is what this census does for the returnees.
- A church directory that lists every member, not just the prominent families. It says: you belong, you are part of this.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Does God really care about names and numbers, or is that just bureaucracy?
- Why does the Bible include such detailed lists? What am I supposed to learn from them?
- How do I know I belong to God’s people if I don’t have a famous spiritual ancestry?
Leading a Discussion
This list of returned exiles might look like dry data, but it pulses with a powerful truth: God remembers and preserves His people. Nehemiah found this register at a critical moment, the walls were up, but the city was empty. The census was the first step toward rebuilding a community of faith.
Discussion questions
- Read Nehemiah 7:4-5. Why did Nehemiah need a census right after the wall was finished?
- Compare this list with Ezra 2:1-70. What similarities and differences do you notice? Why might the numbers vary?
- John Gill suggested the Ezra list was made in Babylon before departure, while Nehemiah’s was made after arrival. How does that explanation affect your confidence in these records?
- The term “children of the province” (verse 6) uses the Persian word for province. What does this tell us about how the returnees saw themselves politically and spiritually?
- Why do you think God chose to preserve a detailed genealogical register in Scripture? What does it say about His character?
- How can a list of ancient names encourage Christian communities today who feel small or scattered?
- Nehemiah honored the past (by using the old register) while acting for the future (by repopulating the city). How can we balance honoring church history with meeting present needs?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Kings 24:14 | He carried away all Jerusalem, and all the princes, and all the mighty men of valor, even ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. No one remained except the poorest people of the land. |
| II Kings 24:16 | All the men of might, even seven thousand, and the craftsmen and the smiths one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon. |
| II Kings 25:11 | Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who were left in the city and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon—all the rest of the multitude. |
| II Chronicles 36:1 | Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah, and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem. |
| II Chronicles 36:23 | “Cyrus king of Persia says, ‘Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me; and he has commanded me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, Yahweh his God be with him, and let him go up.’” |
| Ezra 2:1 | Now these are the children of the province who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, everyone to his city; |
| Ezra 2:70 | So the priests and the Levites, with some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities. |
| Ezra 5:8 | Be it known to the king that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is being built with great stones and timber is laid in the walls. This work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the register Nehemiah found was originally for those who returned much earlier with Zerubbabel, long before Ezra and Joshua. It could not perfectly match the current population since some had died and others arrived later. Nehemiah likely altered only parts, which explains differences between this list and Ezra's register.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge commentary catalogues name variations between the parallel lists in Nehemiah and Ezra, suggesting some discrepancies came from scribal copying errors. It notes a likely accidental omission of "unto Babylon" in one verse and observes that a name in Nehemiah does not appear at all in the Ezra account.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes present this detailed list as a factual record
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill focuses on explaining the discrepancies between this list of returned exiles and the similar one in Ezra. He suggests the earlier list was a registration in Babylon, where some who signed up later changed their minds or died, while others joined the journey later, causing the numbers to differ. He attributes name variations to copyist errors, different pronunciations, or individuals having two names.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry highlights that Nehemiah credits God directly for the impulse to gather the genealogical record. For him, this register is not a dry administrative list but a providential act that preserves the identity and honor of the true covenant community returning from exile.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that the differing amounts of money and goods in this passage compared to Ezra 2 are not a contradiction. He points out this is a separate collection, so the numbers naturally differ. He also identifies "Tirshatha" as a title for Nehemiah.