Nehemiah 7 63

Nehemiah 7:63 kjv

And of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai, which took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called after their name.

Nehemiah 7:63 nkjv

and of the priests: the sons of Habaiah, the sons of Koz, the sons of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name.

Nehemiah 7:63 niv

And from among the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, Hakkoz and Barzillai (a man who had married a daughter of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by that name).

Nehemiah 7:63 esv

Also, of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, the sons of Hakkoz, the sons of Barzillai (who had taken a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name).

Nehemiah 7:63 nlt

Three families of priests ? Hobaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai ? also returned. (This Barzillai had married a woman who was a descendant of Barzillai of Gilead, and he had taken her family name.)

Nehemiah 7 verses

Nehemiah 7 63 Meaning

Nehemiah 7:63 details the case of several priestly families—the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, and the children of Barzillai—who were disqualified from serving in the priesthood. Their inability to produce proper genealogical records verifying their lineage to priestly ancestors meant they were considered ritually "unclean" or "polluted" for the sacred office. This emphasizes the meticulous requirement for verifiable, pure lineage for those who served God in the temple, upholding the strict standards set forth in Mosaic Law.

Nehemiah 7 63 Context

Nehemiah chapter 7 lists the returnees from the Babylonian exile, mirroring Ezra chapter 2. This census serves multiple purposes: documenting the remnant's numbers, identifying families for resettlement in their ancestral towns, and specifically delineating those eligible for various sacred roles, such as the priesthood and temple service. The broader context of Nehemiah's book is the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls and the spiritual restoration of the people. Following the completion of the wall, Nehemiah establishes civil order, and part of this order includes ensuring the proper administration of religious duties. The strict requirements for priestly lineage, highlighted in verse 63, underscore the high regard for holiness and the meticulous preservation of distinct roles within the newly re-established community of Israel after a long period of exile and potential assimilation.

Nehemiah 7 63 Word analysis

• And the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai,: These are specific family names mentioned in the registry. The repetition "the children of" (בְּנֵי bənē) emphasizes their identity as distinct lineages. Hakkoz is notable as the priestly family to which Uriah, the high priest in Isaiah's time, belonged, suggesting this might be a distinct priestly family name, rather than only linked by marriage. Barzillai was a Gileadite (from east of the Jordan) known for his loyalty to King David (2 Sam 17:27-29, 2 Sam 19:31-39), but not a priestly line. This introduction immediately sets up a narrative about questioned identity.

• who took one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite to wife, and was called by their name.: This phrase provides the specific reason for the ambiguity concerning the "children of Barzillai" who claimed priestly descent. Their progenitor, likely from a legitimate priestly line, married a daughter of Barzillai, the wealthy non-priestly Gileadite. Crucially, he adopted wĕyiqārē’ (וְיִקָּרֵא), meaning "and was called" or "would be called," by the name of the prestigious father-in-law. This cultural practice of taking on a prominent non-prieslty family name obscured their original priestly ancestry, making verification challenging. It highlights the potential for lineage corruption through marital alliances and naming customs.

• These sought their register of their genealogy: The phrase "these sought" (בִקְשׁוּ biqšū) implies an earnest and diligent search. "Register of their genealogy" is מִכְתָּב הִתְיַחְשָׁם (miktab hityaḥšām), where miktab refers to a writing or register, and hityaḥšām (yāḥaś) means to be enrolled by genealogy, to establish one's pedigree. This signifies an official, written record was the absolute proof required for priestly claims. It was not enough to claim tradition or verbal testimony. The existence of such meticulous records reflects the importance of maintaining tribal and especially priestly purity.

• but it was not found: "Not found" (lō’ nimṣā’) is a definitive statement. The records, despite the search, simply did not exist or could not be verified. This absolute lack of documentary evidence meant automatic disqualification. This was not a moral judgment against them, but a legal and ritual disqualification based on the strict requirements for the priesthood.

• therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.: "Therefore" (al-kēn) indicates a direct consequence. "As polluted" (כִּמְגֹאָלִים kimgō’ālîm) translates as "as defiled" or "as unclean." The Hebrew root gā’al means to pollute, defile, or contaminate, often in a ritual or ceremonial sense. This specific type of defilement was not due to sin but to ceremonial impurity, a lack of the necessary purity of lineage for consecrated service. Priests had to be ceremonially pure (ṭāhōr). This genealogical defilement meant they were ritually unfit. They were "put from the priesthood" (מִן־הַכְּהֻנָּה min ha-kohannāh), directly removed from the kohannāh (the office of priesthood). This emphasizes the critical importance of divine ordination and specific qualifications, underscoring that serving in God's temple was not a right but a divinely conferred privilege based on precise conditions.

Nehemiah 7 63 Bonus section

The strict genealogical requirements for the Levitical priesthood prefigure a deeper spiritual truth under the New Covenant. While physical lineage was essential for service in the earthly temple, salvation and spiritual "priesthood" (as in 1 Pet 2:9, "a royal priesthood") are now based on spiritual regeneration and adoption into God's family through faith in Christ, a spiritual birth (Jn 1:12-13). Those disqualified in Nehemiah were "as polluted" due to an external lack of verification; in contrast, unconfessed sin and unholiness are the "pollutions" that prevent spiritual service and communion in the New Covenant (2 Cor 7:1). This also echoes the principle that "God is not mocked" (Gal 6:7) and demands authenticity and truth in all spiritual matters, particularly concerning leadership and worship. The incident in Nehemiah highlights God's demand for order and purity in His worship, an enduring principle that extends from the physical temple to the spiritual body of believers today.

Nehemiah 7 63 Commentary

Nehemiah 7:63 underscores the profound emphasis placed on purity and divinely ordained order in Israelite religious life, particularly concerning the priesthood. For individuals to serve as priests, an unbroken and verifiable lineage tracing back to Aaron was absolutely paramount. This strict requirement was not arbitrary; it reflected God's character of holiness and His meticulous order for the functioning of the temple, which symbolized His presence among His people. The inability of these specific families to produce genealogical proof rendered them ritually 'unclean' for service, not due to personal sin, but a lack of ceremonial qualification. This incident serves as a clear affirmation that positions of sacred service within God's house are held not by personal desire or social standing, but by divine appointment and adherence to His revealed standards. It illustrates the boundary between the holy and the common, which priests were uniquely tasked to uphold (Ezek 44:23). This precise attention to genealogical records after the exile highlights the community's desire to rebuild in alignment with the Law, reaffirming their covenant relationship with God.