Nehemiah 7 18

Nehemiah 7:18 kjv

The children of Adonikam, six hundred threescore and seven.

Nehemiah 7:18 nkjv

the sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven;

Nehemiah 7:18 niv

of Adonikam ? 667

Nehemiah 7:18 esv

The sons of Adonikam, 667.

Nehemiah 7:18 nlt

The family of Adonikam ? 667

Nehemiah 7 verses

Nehemiah 7 18 Meaning

Nehemiah 7:18 states that "the children of Adin" numbered "six hundred fifty-five" among those who returned from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem. This verse is part of a detailed genealogical register that identifies and quantifies the families and individuals who comprised the post-exilic community. Its primary meaning is to meticulously record a specific family unit—the descendants of Adin—and their count, thus establishing their legitimate lineage and participation in the re-establishment of the Israelite community in Judah after the seventy-year captivity.

Nehemiah 7 18 Context

Nehemiah chapter 7 presents a meticulously compiled list of the returned exiles, mirroring, with some minor variations, the list found in Ezra chapter 2. This chapter directly follows the successful rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls under Nehemiah's leadership (Neh 6). With the city wall completed, the next critical task was to repopulate and organize Jerusalem. This required establishing who belonged to the legitimate covenant community, particularly crucial for inheritance of land, participation in temple service (especially priestly and Levitical families), and maintaining a distinct national identity among the surrounding peoples. The detailed enumeration, including specific family heads and their numerical contribution to the population, reflects an administrative and theological necessity to solidify the post-exilic Judean state and its purity of worship. The precise recording underscores God's faithfulness in preserving a remnant and fulfilling His promises of restoration, providing a tangible record of His people's return from seventy years of exile. The numerical discrepancies between Nehemiah 7 and Ezra 2 are often attributed to differences in census-taking moments (e.g., those who first registered vs. those who actually arrived and settled) or slight scribal variations common in ancient manuscripts, but they do not negate the historical truth of a significant return.

Nehemiah 7 18 Word analysis

• the children of (בְּנֵי - b'nei):

  • Meaning "sons of" or "descendants of".
  • Indicates familial connection and group identity.
  • Not literally small children, but the whole lineage or family unit tracing its origin to a common ancestor.
  • Significance: Crucial for establishing tribal and family affiliation in Israel, which determined land inheritance, civil rights, and religious duties (like priesthood).

• Adin (אָדִין - Adim):

  • A proper noun, the name of a family head or progenitor.
  • This family is noted for its prominent role among the returnees (also appearing in Ezra 2:15 and Ezra 8:6).
  • Significance: Represents one of the distinct family lines contributing to the renewed population of Judah, underscoring the preservation of family structures through exile.

• six hundred fifty-five (שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת חֲמִשִּׁים וְחָמֵשׁ - shesh me'ot chamishim v'chamesh):

  • A specific numerical count.
  • Emphasizes the meticulous nature of the record-keeping in Nehemiah's administration.
  • Highlights the tangible size of the returning remnant, which, despite the severe losses during exile, was still a considerable group, indicating God's preserving power.
  • The difference from the 454 reported in Ezra 2:15 might indicate slightly different groups counted, growth/loss in transit, or scribal variations, a common feature in ancient censuses without impacting the overall veracity.

• "the children of Adin, six hundred fifty-five" (words-group analysis):

  • This phrase captures a distinct, self-contained unit within the broader genealogical list.
  • It serves as evidence of the post-exilic community's effort to meticulously re-establish their identity based on lineage, confirming who had a right to inhabit the land and partake in covenant blessings.
  • The emphasis on family units with precise numbers illustrates the orderly re-population of Jerusalem and the surrounding regions, foundational for the restored Israelite society. It affirms that God's covenant with Israel remained valid, preserved through chosen family lines, ensuring a legitimate continuation of His people.

Nehemiah 7 18 Bonus section

The seemingly tedious nature of Nehemiah 7, with its long list of names and numbers, highlights a core biblical principle: God works through specific people, preserving lineages to fulfill His redemptive purposes. The careful documentation, including a family like "Adin" with its precise count, serves to confirm the divine promise of a restored nation after judgment. Scholars often note the high consistency between the lists in Ezra 2 and Nehemiah 7 despite minor discrepancies, affirming the overall historicity and administrative effort put into identifying true descendants of Israel. This practice ensures legitimacy against foreign populations attempting to dilute the community's heritage and stands as a powerful testament to God's providence. It reminds us that our identity in Christ, while spiritual, is nonetheless established by a divine register (Phil 4:3, Heb 12:23), confirming our belonging to His kingdom.

Nehemiah 7 18 Commentary

Nehemiah 7:18 is more than a mere numerical entry; it is a vital part of God's overarching plan for the restoration of His people. The inclusion of precise family names and numbers, such as "the children of Adin, six hundred fifty-five," underscores the divine value placed on identity, lineage, and order within the community of faith. After decades of exile, maintaining pure ancestry was critical, especially for priestly roles and land claims, which ensured the continued flow of God's covenant blessings and proper temple worship. This detailed list implicitly celebrates God's faithfulness in preserving a "remnant" capable of rebuilding not just physical walls but the spiritual infrastructure of Israel. It serves as a testament to the fact that God knows His people by name and by number, carefully overseeing their historical trajectory to fulfill His promises. It also emphasizes the importance of structure and organization within the covenant community, demonstrating God's peace (order) rather than confusion. For believers today, it encourages us to value our spiritual lineage in Christ, recognizing that God meticulously records and cares for His people. It can practically illustrate how, even in great tasks like rebuilding the walls (God's work), there's a need for accurate record-keeping, recognizing individual contributions, and maintaining an organized body of believers.