318. Total of People and Gifts (don't freak out - it is not as long as it appears :-)

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318.


The Census of First Returned Exiles... 

1.

Today's Passage: Nehemiah 7:1-73

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Or find the passage NASB version on Bible Gateway here.
You can search for other versions there as well. Versions even in foreign languages.

Or, for your convenience I have typed the verses below from the
New Living Testament (NLT).

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2.
Thank You for meeting me, LORD.
I welcome you into this place.
Please prepare my heart Jehovah.
Thank you for insight.

1. After the wall was finished and I had set up the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed.
2. 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.
3. I said to them, "Do not leave the gates open during the hottest part of the day. And even while the gatekeepers are 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 sentry posts and some in front of their own homes."

4. At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt.
5. So my God gave me the idea to call together all the nobles and 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. King Nebuchadnezzar had deported them to Babylon, but now they return to Jerusalem and the other towns in Judah where they originally lived.
7. Their leaders were Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah,.

This is the number of hte men of Israel who returned from exile:
8. The family of Parosh ⏤ 2,172
9. The family of Shephatiah ⏤ 372
10. The family of Arah ⏤ 652
11. The family of Pahath-moab (descendants of Jeshua and Joab) ⏤2,818
12. The family of Elam ⏤ 1,254
13. The family of Zattu ⏤ 845
14. The family of Zaccai ⏤ 760
15. The family of Bani ⏤ 648
16. The family of Bebai ⏤628
17. The family of Azad ⏤ 2, 322
18.  The family of Adonikam ⏤ 667
19. The family of Bigvai  ⏤2,067
20. The family of Adin  ⏤ 655
21. The family of Ater (descendants of Hezekiah) ⏤ 98
22. The family of Hashum ⏤ 328
23. The family of Bezai ⏤ 324
24. The family of Jorah ⏤ 112
25. The family of Gibbar ⏤ 95
26. The people of Bethlehem and Netophah ⏤188
27. The people of Anathoth ⏤128
28. The people of Beth-azmaveth ⏤42
29. The people of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth ⏤ 743
30. The people of Ramah and Geba ⏤621
31. The people of Micmash ⏤ 122
32. The people  of Bethel and Ai ⏤123
33. The people of Nebo ⏤52
34. The citizens of Elam ⏤ 1,254
35. The citizens of Harim ⏤320
36. The citizens of Jericho ⏤345
37. The citizens of Lod, Hadid, and Ono ⏤ 721
38. The citizens of Senaah ⏤ 3,930
39. These are the priests who returned from exile:
The family of Jedaiah (through the line of Jeshua) ⏤ 973
40. The family of Immer ⏤1,052
41. The family of Pashhur ⏤ 1,247
42. The family of Harim ⏤ 1,017
43. These are the Levites who returned from exile:
The families of Jeshua and Kadmiel (descendants of Hodaviah) ⏤74
44. The singers of the family of Asaph ⏤148
45. The 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,
47. Keros, Siaha, Padon,
48. Lebanah, Hagabah, Shalmai,
49. Hanan, Giddel, Gahar,
50. Reaiah, Rezin, Nekoda,
51. Gazzam, Uzza, Paseah,
52. Basai, Meunim, Hephusim,
53. Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur,
54. Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha,
55. Barkos, Sisera, Temah,
56. Neziah, and Hatipha.

57. The descendants of these servants of King Solomon returned from exile:
Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda,
58. Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel,
59. Shephatiah, Hattil, Pokereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.

60. In all the Temple servants and the descendants of Solomon's servants numbered 392.

61. Another group returned 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.
62. This 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. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.)
64. They searched fro their names in the genealogical records, but they were not found, so they were disqualified from serving as priests.
65. The governor told them not to eat the priests' share of food from the sacrifices until a priest could consult the LORD about the matter by using the Urim and Thummim⏤ the sacred lots.

66. S a total of 42,360 people returned to Judah,
67. in addition to 7,337 servants and 245 singers, both men and women.
68. They took with them 736 horses, 245 mules,
69. 435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys.

70. Some of the family leaders gave gifts for the work. The governor gave the treasure 1,000 gold coins, 50 gold basins, and 530 robes for the priests.
71. The other leaders gave to the treasure a total of 20,000 gold coins and some 2,750 pounds of silver for the work.
72. The 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, and some of the common people settled near Jerusalem. The rest of the people returned to their own towns throughout Israel.

Nehemiah 7:1-73 NLT

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3.
4th strategy.
Is this a who, what, when, where, or how passage? 

• Begin by inviting God into your reading. Ask Him to join you and show you the plot of this passage.
• Read the passage
• Ask yourself as you read the passage which is most important in the passage.
  • Is who the passage about the most important thing?
  • Is what the passage is about the most important thing?
  • Is when or where the passage takes place the most important thing?
  • Or is how the passage presented, worked out in time, or motivates the reader the most important thing...?
• After you decide which is the most important vehicle of the passage, re-read it.
• Contemplate if this passage could bring you to a fuller understanding of God and His purposes.
• Thank God for being with you in this endeavor.
  

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4.

Thank you for coming today.
Please leave your initials and a comment.

And remember,
I pray for you every day.
And I will be back here tomorrow,
I hope I will see you here too.
~Robyn

Robyn & Biff Cox
RR&BC, LLC ©2016

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