Nehemiah 7:31 kjv
The men of Michmas, an hundred and twenty and two.
Nehemiah 7:31 nkjv
the men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two;
Nehemiah 7:31 niv
of Mikmash ? 122
Nehemiah 7:31 esv
The men of Michmas, 122.
Nehemiah 7:31 nlt
The people of Micmash ? 122
Nehemiah 7 31 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ezra 2:27 | "the men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two;" | Parallel census of returnees. |
| Neh 7:5-6 | "Then my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials, and the common people... This is the copy of the genealogy of those who came up at the first." | Basis for the census list. |
| Neh 7:66-67 | "The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty... their male and female servants were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven..." | Total count of the returned community. |
| Ezra 1:1-4 | "Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia... he commissioned him to build a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah." | Cyrus' decree initiating the return. |
| Jer 30:18 | "Thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob...'" | Prophecy of Judah's restoration. |
| Isa 10:28 | "He has come to Aiath... He is lodging at Michmas; he is storing his baggage at Michmas." | Michmas' strategic ancient significance. |
| 1 Sam 13:2 | "Saul chose three thousand men of Israel... Michmas." | Michmas as a strategic location in Israelite history. |
| Num 1:2-3 | "Take a census of all the congregation of the people of Israel... every male head by head." | God commanded census-taking for Israel. |
| Num 26:51 | "These are the numbered men of the people of Israel: six hundred thousand, and one thousand seven hundred and thirty." | Example of precise census figures. |
| 1 Chr 9:2-3 | "Now the first inhabitants who dwelt in their possessions in their cities were Israel... And in Jerusalem dwelt... a ninth hundred and ninety-six." | Lists of inhabitants in Jerusalem after exile. |
| Hag 1:5-6 | "Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Consider your ways! You have sown much, and harvested little;'" | Context of rebuilding and struggle. |
| Zech 1:3 | "Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: Return to me... and I will return to you,' says the LORD of hosts." | Call to repentance and return after exile. |
| Luke 2:1-3 | "a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria." | Roman census, highlighting importance of numbering for civil administration. |
| Acts 1:15 | "In these days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about one hundred and twenty)." | Specific numbering of the early believers. |
| Gen 46:26 | "All the persons who came with Jacob to Egypt... were sixty-six persons." | Census of Jacob's household entering Egypt. |
| Exod 1:5 | "All the persons coming from Jacob were seventy." | Numbering of those who went to Egypt. |
| Rev 7:4-8 | "And I heard the number of the sealed... 144,000... from every tribe of the sons of Israel were sealed." | Symbolic numbering of God's faithful people. |
| John 6:10 | "Jesus said, 'Make the people sit down.' Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number." | Precise numbering in gospel accounts. |
| Matt 10:30 | "But even the hairs of your head are all numbered." | God's meticulous knowledge of individuals. |
| Neh 11:31 | "the people of Anathoth, Nobe, Ananiah, Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, Hadis, Zeboim, Neballat, Lod, and Ono, Michmas, Bethel and its villages." | Further mention of Michmas in settlement lists. |
| Ezr 8:15-18 | "I gathered them by the river that runs to Ahava... I assembled them for three days..." | Careful organization of returnees by Ezra. |
| Lev 27:32 | "every tenth part of herds and flocks, every one that passes under the shepherd’s rod, the tenth shall be holy to the LORD." | Numbering for sacred purposes (tithes). |
Nehemiah 7 verses
Nehemiah 7 31 Meaning
Nehemiah 7:31 specifies that "the men of Michmas" numbered one hundred and twenty-two among those who returned from Babylonian exile. This verse is part of a detailed census, vital for the administrative and social reorganization of the Jewish community after their return to Judah. It highlights the careful record-keeping concerning the identity and number of families resettling in specific ancestral towns, crucial for re-establishing community life and claiming inherited lands.
Nehemiah 7 31 Context
Nehemiah 7:31 is situated within a detailed genealogical registry of those who returned from Babylonian captivity to Judah, specifically after the first wave of exiles led by Zerubbabel and Joshua (Ezra 2). Nehemiah found this register and used it to reorganize the population of Jerusalem and surrounding towns following the successful rebuilding of the city walls. The immediate context of Nehemiah 7 details lists of groups identified by their hometowns, tribal affiliations, or professional roles (e.g., priests, Levites, temple servants), along with the number of individuals within each group. The primary goal was to establish a clear societal structure, affirm the legitimacy of inhabitants based on lineage, and ensure an orderly repopulation of the land for worship and communal living, particularly in Jerusalem and the cities of Judah. Historically, accurate records were critical for re-establishing land claims, tribal identity, and maintaining religious purity post-exile under the Persian Empire's oversight.
Nehemiah 7 31 Word analysis
- the men of Michmas:
- "the men of": (Hebrew: ’anshei - אנשי). This is the construct plural form of ’ish (איש), meaning "man" or "husband." In this context, it refers to the inhabitants or male heads of households who registered for the return and settlement in Michmas. It highlights a corporate identity associated with their specific town of origin or re-settlement. The focus is on the communal aspect of the returnees, individuals united by their common place.
- "Michmas": (Hebrew: Mikhmas - מכמס). An ancient Israelite town, historically significant (e.g., site of Jonathan's victory over Philistines in 1 Samuel 13-14) and located northeast of Jerusalem. Its inclusion in this list signifies the repopulation and reclamation of historically important territories by the returning exiles. Mentioning the town's name specifically connects the numbers to physical geography, rooting the identity of the returnees to their ancestral lands, reinforcing their inheritance.
- one hundred and twenty-two:
- (Hebrew: mē’āh wə‘esrîm ūshənatayim - מאה ועשרים ושנים). This is a precise numerical count. The Bible frequently records precise numbers in censuses, genealogies, and descriptions of offerings or gatherings (e.g., in Numbers or Leviticus). Such precision underscores the meticulousness of the administrative work undertaken by Nehemiah and the detailed care God had for each individual in the rebuilding process. It's not a round estimate but a specific enumeration, emphasizing order, divine knowledge, and accountability within the returning community.
Nehemiah 7 31 Bonus section
- Discrepancies with Ezra 2: Nehemiah 7 is almost an exact duplicate of Ezra 2, listing the same families and numbers for the most part. Slight variations in some numbers (including for Michmas in some manuscripts, though not typically this exact verse) are common between parallel biblical lists. Scholars suggest these variations might be due to scribal copying errors over centuries, different purposes for the lists, or a snapshot of numbers taken at slightly different times during the return, perhaps accounting for those who prepared to return versus those who actually arrived, or individuals joining the group at different stages. Regardless of minor discrepancies, the overall purpose and message of documenting the returning community remain consistent between the two books, attesting to the unified effort to restore Israel.
- Theological Significance of Lists: The inclusion of extensive lists like this throughout the Bible (genealogies, censuses, cities, offerings) underscores key theological themes. They are not merely historical records but affirm God's faithfulness in maintaining His covenant with a specific people through generations. They confirm identity, establish claims to the Promised Land, and show God's intimate knowledge and providential care over each family and individual in His divine plan. Such detailed documentation contrasts with pagan cultures that often idealized their origins rather than maintaining precise historical records of their people.
- Michmas as a Place of Memory: Michmas holds earlier biblical significance. It was the site of a pivotal victory for Jonathan over the Philistines during King Saul's reign (1 Sam 13-14). Its re-settlement by returning exiles thus not only physically repopulated the land but also served as a reclamation of significant Israelite history and territory, reinforcing their restored heritage and presence.
Nehemiah 7 31 Commentary
Nehemiah 7:31, though a simple statistical entry, provides a concise glimpse into the comprehensive and orderly re-establishment of the Jewish community after exile. The mention of "the men of Michmas" with a specific number highlights the meticulous efforts to record and manage the human resources vital for repopulating the land and rebuilding societal structures. It reflects the meticulous care in documenting lineage and ancestral towns, foundational to land inheritance, communal identity, and religious life in post-exilic Judah. The detailed census in this chapter serves to solidify the community's boundaries, ensuring proper tribal and familial connections were maintained, and underscoring that every person counted in God's redemptive plan for His people. This administrative rigor reflects the divine desire for order among His people as they reclaimed their promised inheritance and resumed their covenant responsibilities.