Nehemiah 7:16 kjv
The children of Bebai, six hundred twenty and eight.
Nehemiah 7:16 nkjv
the sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight;
Nehemiah 7:16 niv
of Bebai ? 628
Nehemiah 7:16 esv
The sons of Bebai, 628.
Nehemiah 7:16 nlt
The family of Bebai ? 628
Nehemiah 7 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezr 2:15 | The sons of Adin, four hundred fifty and four. | Parallel list, numerical variation |
| Ezr 8:6 | Of the sons of Adin, Ebed the son of Jonathan, and with him fifty men. | Subsequent return of Adin's descendants |
| Neh 7:7-60 | The full register of those who came up... | Context of the entire register |
| Neh 11:3-36 | Now these are the heads of the province who dwelt in Jerusalem... | Further lists of inhabitants and families |
| 1 Chr 9:1-9 | So all Israel was enrolled by genealogies; and there they were written in the book of the kings of Israel... | Importance of genealogies in post-exilic era |
| Num 1:2-3 | Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel, by their families, by their fathers’ houses... | Command for precise counting and registration |
| Num 26:2 | “Take a census of all the congregation of the children of Israel from twenty years old and upward... | God's instruction for precise numbering |
| Ezr 1:1 | In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia...the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah was fulfilled... | Beginning of the return from exile |
| Jer 29:10-11 | For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word.. | Prophecy of the return from exile fulfilled |
| Isa 43:5-7 | Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east... | God's promise to gather His people |
| Zec 8:7-8 | “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save My people from the land of the east and from the land of the west | God regathering His dispersed people |
| Rom 9:27 | Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant | God preserving a remnant |
| Rom 11:5 | Even so then, at this present time, there is a remnant according to the election of grace. | The theological concept of a remnant |
| Rev 7:4 | And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children | God's specific numbering of His people |
| Ex 30:12 | “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for his life | Numerical importance for spiritual matters |
| Deut 7:7-8 | The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people... | God's choice not based on mere quantity |
| Mal 3:16 | Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, and the Lord listened and heard them; so a book of remembrance | Divine record-keeping of the faithful |
| Lk 10:20 | Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names | Heavenly register of names |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people... | Identity of God's people |
| Neh 8:1 | Now all the people gathered together as one man in the open square... | Assembly of the gathered remnant |
| Neh 13:30-31 | Thus I cleansed them of everything pagan... for the service of God and for the offerings... | Emphasis on purity and proper worship |
| 2 Chr 36:21-23 | To fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths... | Fulfillment of prophecy, time of return |
Nehemiah 7 verses
Nehemiah 7 16 Meaning
Nehemiah 7:16 meticulously records the count of one specific family group among those who returned from the Babylonian exile to Judah and Jerusalem. It states that six hundred fifty and five descendants from the family of Adin returned, thereby contributing to the re-establishment and repopulation of the community. This precise numerical detail underscores the administrative precision of the biblical record and highlights the careful accounting of those who formed the restored Israelite community.
Nehemiah 7 16 Context
Nehemiah chapter 7 serves as a detailed registry of the Israelites who returned from the Babylonian exile to Jerusalem and Judah. Following the completion of the wall of Jerusalem, Nehemiah seeks to secure and properly govern the city. Understanding the population size and composition was crucial for organizing defense, administering justice, and properly allocating resources. This chapter mirrors the list found in Ezra chapter 2, confirming the historical authenticity and administrative importance of these records. The specific details, like the one in Nehemiah 7:16 concerning the family of Adin, attest to a meticulous process of accounting, demonstrating the deep concern for the continuity of family lineages, tribal identity, and the pure descent, especially for those involved in temple service. This list not only serves as a historical record but also underlines the remnant's identity as God's chosen people, preserving their distinct heritage in fulfillment of divine promises after the chastisement of exile.
Nehemiah 7 16 Word analysis
- of Adin: לְאָדִ֕ין (lə’ā-ḏîn). This refers to the patriarchal head of a specific family or clan among the returnees. The name itself (Adin, meaning "dainty" or "delicate") holds no particular theological significance here. Its inclusion is critical for identifying a distinct family unit. The meticulous recording of family names, even for non-priestly families, highlights the emphasis on genealogical purity and continuity within the restored community. This was vital for land allocation, communal organization, and distinguishing true Israelites from those who had remained or mixed with other populations.
- six hundred fifty and five: שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת חֲמִשִּׁים וַחֲמִשָּֽׁה (šêš mê-’ōwt ḥă-miš-šîm wa-ḥă-miš-šāh). This precise number denotes an exact count. Such numerical detail points to careful record-keeping by scribes, essential for the administrative tasks of settling the returned exiles. The exact number provides insight into the size and composition of each contributing family group. The variance between this number and that found in Ezra 2:15 (four hundred fifty and four for Adin) is common in these parallel lists across different biblical books. This is typically attributed to various factors, such as different stages of compilation, inclusion/exclusion of specific groups (e.g., women and children not always counted in census lists, or perhaps those who arrived later), or simply scribal transmission variations. However, the overarching emphasis remains on the accuracy and administrative function of the overall register. This emphasis on precise numbers serves to authenticate the identity of the returnees as the true heirs of the covenant promises.
Nehemiah 7 16 Bonus section
The seemingly tedious nature of biblical lists and genealogies, like the one found in Nehemiah 7, often causes modern readers to overlook their profound significance. In the post-exilic period, these registers were not just administrative documents but served several critical purposes for the identity and future of the returned community:
- Legal Validation: They provided legal proof of lineage for inheritance, property rights, and establishing claims to former lands in Judah.
- Religious Purity: They verified the legitimacy of priestly and Levitical families for temple service, as intermarriage and forgotten lineage posed significant threats to their holy functions. Those whose genealogies were uncertain (e.g., Neh 7:64-65) faced exclusion from sacred offices.
- Community Cohesion: Knowing one's family and clan connected individuals to the wider nation, fostering a sense of shared identity, purpose, and responsibility for rebuilding and adherence to the Law.
- Fulfillment of Prophecy: The very act of the return and the regathering of specific families demonstrated the literal fulfillment of prophecies by Jeremiah and others regarding the restoration after 70 years of exile, thereby bolstering faith in God's covenant promises.
- Historical Continuity: These lists ensured a unbroken link between the new community and the pre-exilic nation of Israel, proving that the returned exiles were indeed the inheritors of God's promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
While specific numerical discrepancies exist between Nehemiah 7 and Ezra 2 (such as with the family of Adin, 655 here vs. 454 in Ezra), scholars understand these variations not as errors discrediting the Bible, but as natural outcomes of dynamic census-taking over time, varying inclusion criteria, or scribal variations that are common in ancient manuscripts. The core message of the register's purpose remains consistent and accurate across both accounts.
Nehemiah 7 16 Commentary
Nehemiah 7:16, seemingly a dry statistical entry, is profoundly significant in its context. It is a vital part of a comprehensive roster detailing those who dared to leave behind the relative security of Babylon to reclaim their heritage and rebuild Jerusalem. The inclusion of precise figures, down to the single digit for the family of Adin, reflects an extraordinary commitment to meticulous record-keeping. This was not mere bureaucratic formality but a foundational act for the re-establishment of the community of God's covenant people. Such lists affirmed identity, particularly who belonged to the families destined for specific roles (like priests and Levites) and who had a rightful claim to inherited land. The numerical detail testifies to God's faithfulness in preserving a "remnant" from exile, allowing His people to return and restore the spiritual and physical fabric of their nation. It highlights that God works through specifics—individual families and precise numbers—to bring about His larger purposes.