The List of Returning Exiles

¹Now these 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,

²accompanied by Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.This is the count of the men of Israel:

³the descendants of Parosh, 2,172;

⁴the descendants of Shephatiah, 372;

⁵the descendants of Arah, 775;

⁶the descendants of Pahath-moab (through the line of Jeshua and Joab), 2,812;

⁷the descendants of Elam, 1,254;

⁸the descendants of Zattu, 945;

⁹the descendants of Zaccai, 760;

¹⁰the descendants of Bani,642;

¹¹the descendants of Bebai, 623;

¹²the descendants of Azgad, 1,222;

¹³the descendants of Adonikam, 666;

¹⁴the descendants of Bigvai, 2,056;

¹⁵the descendants of Adin, 454;

¹⁶the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;

¹⁷the descendants of Bezai, 323;

¹⁸the descendants of Jorah,112;

¹⁹the descendants of Hashum, 223;

²⁰the descendants of Gibbar,95;

²¹the menof Bethlehem, 123;

²²the men of Netophah, 56;

²³the men of Anathoth, 128;

²⁴the descendants of Azmaveth,42;

²⁵the men of Kiriath-jearim,Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743;

²⁶the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;

²⁷the men of Michmash, 122;

²⁸the men of Bethel and Ai, 223;

²⁹the descendants of Nebo, 52;

³⁰the descendants of Magbish, 156;

³¹the descendants of the other Elam,1,254;

³²the descendants of Harim, 320;

³³the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 725;

³⁴the men of Jericho, 345;

³⁵and the descendants of Senaah, 3,630.

³⁶The priests:The descendants of Jedaiah (through the house of Jeshua), 973;

³⁷the descendants of Immer, 1,052;

³⁸the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247;

³⁹and the descendants of Harim, 1,017.

⁴⁰The Levites:the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel (through the line of Hodaviah), 74.

⁴¹The singers:the descendants of Asaph, 128.

⁴²The gatekeepers:the descendants of Shallum,the descendants of Ater,the descendants of Talmon,the descendants of Akkub,the descendants of Hatita,and the descendants of Shobai,139 in all.

⁴³The temple servants:the descendants of Ziha,the descendants of Hasupha,the descendants of Tabbaoth,

⁴⁴the descendants of Keros,the descendants of Siaha,the descendants of Padon,

⁴⁵the descendants of Lebanah,the descendants of Hagabah,the descendants of Akkub,

⁴⁶the descendants of Hagab,the descendants of Shalmai,the descendants of Hanan,

⁴⁷the descendants of Giddel,the descendants of Gahar,the descendants of Reaiah,

⁴⁸the descendants of Rezin,the descendants of Nekoda,the descendants of Gazzam,

⁴⁹the descendants of Uzza,the descendants of Paseah,the descendants of Besai,

⁵⁰the descendants of Asnah,the descendants of Meunim,the descendants of Nephusim,

⁵¹the descendants of Bakbuk,the descendants of Hakupha,the descendants of Harhur,

⁵²the descendants of Bazluth,the descendants of Mehida,the descendants of Harsha,

⁵³the descendants of Barkos,the descendants of Sisera,the descendants of Temah,

⁵⁴the descendants of Neziah,and the descendants of Hatipha.

⁵⁵The descendants of the servants of Solomon:the descendants of Sotai,the descendants of Hassophereth,the descendants of Peruda,

⁵⁶the descendants of Jaala,the descendants of Darkon,the descendants of Giddel,

⁵⁷the descendants of Shephatiah,the descendants of Hattil,the descendants of Pochereth-hazzebaim,and the descendants of Ami.

⁵⁸The temple servants and descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392 in all.

⁵⁹The following came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan,and Immer, but they could not prove that their families were descended from Israel:

⁶⁰the descendants of Delaiah,the descendants of Tobiah,and the descendants of Nekoda,652 in all.

⁶¹And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah,the descendants of Hakkoz,and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).

⁶²These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

⁶³The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.

⁶⁴The whole assembly numbered 42,360,

⁶⁵in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 200 male and female singers.

⁶⁶They had 736 horses, 245 mules,

⁶⁷435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

Offerings by the Exiles

⁶⁸When they arrived at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of the families gave freewill offerings to rebuild the house of God on its original site.

⁶⁹According to their ability, they gave to the treasury for this work 61,000 darics of gold,5,000 minas of silver,and 100 priestly garments.

⁷⁰So the priests, the Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants, along with some of the people, settled in their own towns; and the rest of the Israelitessettled in their towns.

Securing the City

¹When the wall had been rebuilt and I had set the doors in place, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.

²Then I put my brother Hanani in charge of Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the fortress, because he was a faithful man who feared God more than most.

³And I told them, “Do not open the gates of Jerusalem until the sun is hot. While the guards are on duty, keep the doors shut and securely fastened. And appoint the residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some at their own homes.”

The List of Returning Exiles

⁴Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.

⁵Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the people to be enrolled by genealogy. I found the genealogical register of those who had first returned, and I found the following written in it:

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;

¹⁸the descendants of Adonikam, 667;

¹⁹the descendants of Bigvai, 2,067;

²⁰the descendants of Adin, 655;

²¹the descendants of Ater (through Hezekiah), 98;

²²the descendants of Hashum, 328;

²³the descendants of Bezai, 324;

²⁴the descendants of Hariph,112;

²⁵the descendants of Gibeon,95;

²⁶the men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;

²⁷the men of Anathoth, 128;

²⁸the men of Beth-azmaveth,42;

²⁹the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743;

³⁰the men of Ramah and Geba, 621;

³¹the men of Michmash, 122;

³²the men of Bethel and Ai, 123;

³³the men of the other Nebo,52;

³⁴the descendants of the other Elam,1,254;

³⁵the descendants of Harim, 320;

³⁶the menof Jericho, 345;

³⁷the men of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, 721;

³⁸and the descendants of Senaah, 3,930.

³⁹The priests:the descendants of Jedaiah (through the house of Jeshua), 973;

⁴⁰the descendants of Immer, 1,052;

⁴¹the descendants of Pashhur, 1,247;

⁴²and the descendants of Harim, 1,017.

⁴³The Levites:the descendants of Jeshua (through Kadmiel, through the line of Hodevah), 74.

⁴⁴The singers:the descendants of Asaph, 148.

⁴⁵The gatekeepers:the descendants of Shallum,the descendants of Ater,the descendants of Talmon,the descendants of Akkub,the descendants of Hatita,and the descendants of Shobai,138 in all.

⁴⁶The temple servants:the descendants of Ziha,the descendants of Hasupha,the descendants of Tabbaoth,

⁴⁷the descendants of Keros,the descendants of Sia,the descendants of Padon,

⁴⁸the descendants of Lebanah,the descendants of Hagabah,the descendants of Shalmai,

⁴⁹the descendants of Hanan,the descendants of Giddel,the descendants of Gahar,

⁵⁰the descendants of Reaiah,the descendants of Rezin,the descendants of Nekoda,

⁵¹the descendants of Gazzam,the descendants of Uzza,the descendants of Paseah,

⁵²the descendants of Besai,the descendants of Meunim,the descendants of Nephushesim,

⁵³the descendants of Bakbuk,the descendants of Hakupha,the descendants of Harhur,

⁵⁴the descendants of Bazlith,the descendants of Mehida,the descendants of Harsha,

⁵⁵the descendants of Barkos,the descendants of Sisera,the descendants of Temah,

⁵⁶the descendants of Neziah,and the descendants of Hatipha.

⁵⁷The descendants of the servants of Solomon:the descendants of Sotai,the descendants of Sophereth,the descendants of Perida,

⁵⁸the descendants of Jaala,the descendants of Darkon,the descendants of Giddel,

⁵⁹the descendants of Shephatiah,the descendants of Hattil,the descendants of Pochereth-hazzebaim,and the descendants of Amon.

⁶⁰The temple servants and descendants of the servants of Solomon numbered 392 in all.

⁶¹The following came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon,and Immer, but they could not prove that their families were descended from Israel:

⁶²the descendants of Delaiah,the descendants of Tobiah,and the descendants of Nekoda,642 in all.

⁶³And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah,the descendants of Hakkoz,and the descendants of Barzillai (who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).

⁶⁴These men searched for their family records, but they could not find them and so were excluded from the priesthood as unclean.

⁶⁵The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest to consult the Urim and Thummim.

⁶⁶The whole assembly numbered 42,360,

⁶⁷in addition to their 7,337 menservants and maidservants, as well as their 245 male and female singers.

⁶⁸They had 736 horses, 245 mules,

⁶⁹435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

Offerings by the Exiles

⁷⁰Some of the heads of the families contributed to the project. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 darics of gold,50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments.

⁷¹And some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the project 20,000 darics of goldand 2,200 minas of silver.

⁷²The rest of the people gave a total of 20,000 darics of gold, 2,000 minas of silver,and 67 priestly garments.

⁷³So the priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, and temple servants, along with some of the people and the rest of the Israelites, settled in their own towns. And by the seventh month the Israelites had settled in their towns.

Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh

¹Some time later Joseph was told, “Your father is ill.” So he set out with his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

²When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel rallied his strength and sat up in bed.

³Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almightyappeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there He blessed me

⁴and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’

⁵And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine.

⁶Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.

⁷Now as for me, when I was returning from Paddan,to my sorrow Rachel died along the way in the land of Canaan, some distance from Ephrath. So I buried her there beside the road to Ephrath” (that is, Bethlehem).

⁸When Israel saw the sons of Joseph, he asked, “Who are these?”

⁹Joseph said to his father, “They are the sons God has given me in this place.”So Jacob said, “Please bring them to me, that I may bless them.”

¹⁰Now Israel’s eyesight was poor because of old age; he could hardly see. Joseph brought his sons to him, and his father kissed them and embraced them.

¹¹“I never expected to see your face again,” Israel said to Joseph, “but now God has let me see your children as well.”

¹²Then Joseph removed his sons from his father’s knees and bowed facedown.

¹³And Joseph took both of them—with Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel’s left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel’s right hand—and brought them close to him.

¹⁴But Israel stretched out his right hand and put it on the head of Ephraim, the younger; and crossing his hands, he put his left on Manasseh’s head, although Manasseh was the firstborn.

¹⁵Then he blessed Joseph and said:“May the God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked,the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

¹⁶the angelwho has redeemed me from all harm—may He bless these boys.And may they be called by my nameand the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,and may they grow into a multitude upon the earth.”

¹⁷When Joseph saw that his father had placed his right hand on Ephraim’s head, he was displeased and took his father’s hand to move it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s.

¹⁸“Not so, my father!” Joseph said. “This one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.”

¹⁹But his father refused. “I know, my son, I know!” he said. “He too shall become a people, and he too shall be great; nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.”

²⁰So that day Jacob blessed them and said:“By you shall Israel pronounce this blessing:‘May God make you like Ephraim and Manasseh.’”So he put Ephraim before Manasseh.

²¹Then Israel said to Joseph, “Look, I am about to die, but God will be with you and bring you back to the land of your fathers.

²²And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of landthat I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”

My Heart Is Stirred by a Noble Theme

¹My heart is stirred by a noble themeas I recite my verses to the king;my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.

²You are the most handsome of men;grace has anointed your lips;therefore God has blessed you forever.

³Strap your sword at your side, O mighty warrior;appear in your majesty and splendor.

⁴In your splendor ride forth in victoryon behalf of truth and humility and justice;may your right hand show your awesome deeds.

⁵Your arrows pierce the hearts of the king’s foes;the nations fall beneath your feet.

⁶Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever,and justice is the scepter of Your kingdom.

⁷You have loved righteousnessand hated wickedness;therefore God, your God, has anointed youabove your companions with the oil of joy.

⁸All your garments are fragrantwith myrrh and aloes and cassia;from palaces of ivory the harps make you glad.

⁹The daughters of kings are among your honored women;the queen stands at your right hand,adorned with the gold of Ophir.

¹⁰Listen, O daughter! Consider and incline your ear:Forget your people and your father’s house,

¹¹and the king will desire your beauty;bow to him, for he is your lord.

¹²The Daughter of Tyre will come with a gift;men of wealth will seek your favor.

¹³All glorious is the princess in her chamber;her gown is embroidered with gold.

¹⁴In colorful garments she is led to the king;her virgin companions are brought before you.

¹⁵They are led in with joy and gladness;they enter the palace of the king.

¹⁶Your sons will succeed your fathers;you will make them princes throughout the land.

¹⁷I will commemorate your name through all generations;therefore the nations will praise you forever and ever.