Nehemiah 7 45

Nehemiah 7:45 kjv

The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.

Nehemiah 7:45 nkjv

The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight.

Nehemiah 7:45 niv

The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita and Shobai ? 138

Nehemiah 7:45 esv

The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, the sons of Ater, the sons of Talmon, the sons of Akkub, the sons of Hatita, the sons of Shobai, 138.

Nehemiah 7:45 nlt

The gatekeepers of the families of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai ? 138

Nehemiah 7 verses

Nehemiah 7 45 Meaning

Nehemiah 7:45 lists the names of families or individuals who served as gatekeepers (sho'arim) for the Temple in Jerusalem after the return from Babylonian exile. It then states their total number as 138. This verse, part of a meticulous registry, highlights the re-establishment of essential Levitical roles crucial for the security, order, and ritual purity of the sacred precincts and its activities.

Nehemiah 7 45 Context

Nehemiah 7 serves as a detailed registry of those who returned from Babylonian exile, akin to Ezra 2. This chapter meticulously enumerates various groups by families and their respective numbers: the general populace, priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, Nethinim (temple servants), and the descendants of Solomon’s servants. The immediate context of Nehemiah 7:45 is the meticulous census taken after the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls (Neh 1-6) and the repopulation of the city. This listing was vital for re-establishing the community, its religious structures, ensuring proper staffing for temple service, and managing resources. Historically, the lists authenticated lineage and claims for temple service, as those without proper documentation, particularly regarding priestly or Levitical descent, were disqualified. Culturally, this highlights the emphasis on order, lineage, and the re-establishment of Mosaic laws and temple worship in post-exilic Judah, showcasing God’s faithfulness in regathering His people.

Nehemiah 7 45 Word analysis

• The gatekeepers (הַשּׁוֹעֲרִים֙ - hash-sho'arim):
  • Root: שַׁעַר (sha'ar), meaning "gate," "door," "entrance."
  • Significance: Not merely security guards, but custodians of the holy space. They regulated entry and exit, ensured ritual purity by barring the unclean, managed supplies, and maintained order within the temple precincts. This role was honorable and essential for proper worship. They were a specific category of Levites, distinct from priests but integral to the sanctuary’s operation.
• Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, Shobai:
  • These are proper names, representing family lines rather than just individuals. The repetition of names like Shallum, Ater, and Talmon in Ezra 2:42 (where "children of" often precedes the names) indicates continuity and a hereditary system for these sacred roles.
  • Significance: Highlights the faithfulness of specific families who preserved their lineage and dedicated themselves to temple service over generations, even through the long period of exile. It emphasizes a structured return to duties and roles predating the exile, upholding a sense of identity and divine commission.
• 138:
  • Significance: A specific, exact number, emphasizing the meticulousness of the census and the organized nature of the post-exilic community. It reflects the leadership's care in accounting for every individual involved in the restoration, reinforcing the sense of divine providence and the careful re-establishment of God's people in the land. This precision underscores the commitment to re-establish the ordered community and its functions as per the divine plan.
• Words-group by words-group analysis:
  • "the gatekeepers: Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, Shobai": This segment lists a distinct Levitical group. The inclusion of "the gatekeepers" as a specific professional category, followed by a detailed listing of their foundational family heads, indicates the high importance placed on temple service roles. It shows the re-institution of specific duties for the restoration of religious life, emphasizing the human agents crucial to maintaining sacred boundaries and access.
  • "138": This number, appended after the list of family names, quantifies the total strength of this particular group. It provides a statistical snapshot, not merely a qualitative statement. This precision demonstrates the careful accounting of personnel vital for temple functions and signals an organized and viable community re-emerging from exile, prepared for renewed, structured worship and service.

Nehemiah 7 45 Bonus section

The discrepancy in numbers between Ezra 2:42 (139 gatekeepers) and Nehemiah 7:45 (138 gatekeepers) for the same list of initial returnees has been a point of study. This minor difference likely arises from variations in the original copies of the ancient registers or the context of the compilation (perhaps one more family/individual was counted or omitted based on a specific moment of tabulation or inclusion/exclusion criteria). It does not undermine the authenticity or overall purpose of the lists, which is to affirm the identity and scale of the community re-establishing itself in Judah. Such small variations are common in ancient manuscripts and demonstrate human copying variations rather than a flaw in the divine record. The emphasis remains on the diligent and extensive return to ordered temple service by these devoted Levitical families.

Nehemiah 7 45 Commentary

Nehemiah 7:45 precisely details the return of specific families appointed as temple gatekeepers, highlighting the crucial nature of their hereditary service in the restoration of worship. Their enumeration among the returning exiles signifies the divine emphasis on organized sacred service, beyond just the physical rebuilding of structures. The gatekeepers ensured the sanctity of the Temple by controlling access, preventing impurity, and maintaining order, thus serving as vital guardians of ritual and communal integrity. This meticulous record keeping demonstrates God's sovereign oversight in regathering His people and re-establishing His ordained forms of worship in the land, underscoring faithfulness not only in physical return but also in the recommitment to the spiritual obligations of the Mosaic covenant. The presence of these named individuals and their number assures us that the rebuilt Jerusalem was serious about worshipping God in spirit and truth, adhering to the ordinances of the law.