Nehemiah 7 29

Nehemiah 7:29 kjv

The men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.

Nehemiah 7:29 nkjv

the men of Kirjath Jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three;

Nehemiah 7:29 niv

of Kiriath Jearim, Kephirah and Beeroth ? 743

Nehemiah 7:29 esv

The men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743.

Nehemiah 7:29 nlt

The people of Kiriath-jearim, Kephirah, and Beeroth ? 743

Nehemiah 7 verses

Nehemiah 7 29 Meaning

Nehemiah 7:29 precisely details a specific group of people who returned from the Babylonian exile, identifying them by their historical dwelling places: Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth. This verse specifies that a total of 743 individuals, including their families, belonged to this returning contingent. It is part of an extensive register compiled by Nehemiah to document and organize the nascent community re-establishing itself in Judah, emphasizing the re-population and re-identification of the covenant people after the exile.

Nehemiah 7 29 Context

Nehemiah chapter 7 presents a vital register of those who returned from Babylonian exile, effectively detailing the new demographic makeup of the Jewish community in Judah. This record, compiled after the wall of Jerusalem was completed (Neh 6) and prior to significant spiritual reforms initiated by Nehemiah (Neh 8-10), serves several crucial purposes. It helps organize the population for settling Jerusalem, verifies the legitimacy and lineage of priests and Levites for temple service, and affirms the covenant identity of the people. Verse 29, like the preceding and following verses, meticulously lists groups based on their town of origin and the number of individuals within them. This chapter is nearly identical to the list in Ezra 2, indicating that it likely comes from an authoritative original record dating back to the first wave of returnees under Zerubbabel. The overall context underscores God's faithfulness in fulfilling His prophetic promises to bring a remnant back to their land, facilitating the re-establishment of the physical and spiritual nation.

Nehemiah 7 29 Word analysis

• the men of: (Hebrew: ’Anshê, אנשי) This plural construct noun indicates "people belonging to" or "inhabitants of." In census lists, while derived from the word for "man," it is generally understood to denote not just males but whole family units or communities associated with a given place, encompassing all household members.

• Kiriath-jearim: (Hebrew: Qiryat Ye‘ārîm, קרית יערים) Translates as "City of Forests." This Benjaminite city (Josh 18:14) was a prominent location where the Ark of the Covenant was kept for several decades before David transported it to Jerusalem (1 Sam 7:1-2). Its mention signifies the enduring historical connection of the returnees to key sites in Israel's heritage.

• Chephirah: (Hebrew: Kəphîrāh, כפירה) A Hivite city that was part of the Gibeonite confederacy which made a treaty with Joshua through deception (Josh 9:17). Its name likely means "village" or "lioness." Its inclusion in this register indicates the long-term integration of this once-foreign group into the fabric of Israelite society and their participation in the return from exile, demonstrating the lasting implications of covenants, even those initiated deceitfully.

• and Beeroth: (Hebrew: uBə’ērôth, ובארות) The prefix u- (ו) means "and," linking this place to Chephirah. Bə’ērôth means "wells." Like Chephirah, Beeroth was a Gibeonite city (Josh 9:17). Its presence reinforces the continued association and perhaps even a degree of Israelite identification for these communities, indicating that the post-exilic community was not exclusively limited to pure "bloodline" Israelites but included long-assimilated groups who were considered part of God's people.

• 743: (Hebrew: shiba‘ mê’ôth shaloshim ushlaosh, שבע מאות שלשים ושלש) This precise numerical figure is one of many detailed counts throughout the register. While slight discrepancies in overall totals or individual group numbers exist between Nehemiah 7 and Ezra 2 (though this specific number is identical), these are often explained by different registration times, minor scribal variations, or rounding. The precision of the figure underscores the meticulous nature of the record-keeping and highlights the tangible fulfillment of God's promise to regather a quantifiable remnant to restore His nation.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "the men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth": This collective designation by geographic origin emphasizes the re-population efforts across the historical territories of Judah and Benjamin. The grouping includes both ancestrally Israelite towns like Kiriath-jearim and historically Gibeonite towns like Chephirah and Beeroth, illustrating the diverse components of the returning Jewish community. This blend suggests that Israel's post-exilic identity encompassed not only pure genealogical lineage but also those groups long integrated through covenant or shared history.
  • "Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743": The specific inclusion of these Gibeonite cities highlights an important aspect of Israelite continuity. Despite their unique historical origin (Josh 9), these communities endured as part of Israel's collective and participated in the restoration, demonstrating faithfulness to ancient covenants (even those born of deception) and showcasing the inclusive, redemptive nature of God's work in bringing back a diverse "remnant" to rebuild His people.

Nehemiah 7 29 Bonus section

The close parallelism between Nehemiah 7 and Ezra 2, with this specific verse having an identical count in both books, is noteworthy. This repetition suggests that both authors drew from a common, authoritative registry established shortly after the initial return under Zerubbabel. Such a register was crucial for authenticating identity, ensuring land rights, and verifying priestly or Levitical descent for the proper functioning of the restored community and temple. The fact that the same figure is recorded for these cities across two distinct historical narratives (Ezra's focus on the temple's rebuilding and Nehemiah's on Jerusalem's walls and spiritual renewal) strengthens the historical credibility of the count and emphasizes the deep importance placed on community formation and lineage during the post-exilic period.

Nehemiah 7 29 Commentary

Nehemiah 7:29, embedded within the seemingly dry statistics of returnees, carries profound theological weight. It serves as tangible evidence of God's faithfulness in fulfilling His covenant promises to regather His dispersed people, a concept woven throughout prophetic literature. The meticulous recording of these specific towns and numbers, though concise, points to a divine plan meticulously executed down to each individual family. The inclusion of groups from towns like Chephirah and Beeroth, historically associated with the Gibeonites, subtly underlines the breadth of the restoration. It demonstrates that God's work of rebuilding involved not just a select few but extended even to those who had been integrated into Israel centuries earlier under unique circumstances. This precise census provided the necessary framework for re-establishing land claims, civic order, and, crucially, a purified worship system in the restored Judah, confirming that God's sovereignty extends even to the mundane details of population counts.