Nehemiah 7:26
What does Nehemiah 7:26 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 7:26 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 7:26 means
The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, a hundred fourscore and eight (188), are registered. Naming towns, rather than families, marks a shift toward geographic settlement. Beth-lehem, later known as David’s city, and nearby Netophah contribute modest numbers to repopulate Judah. Listing them confirms their place in the renewed map of the land. Town-based entries show how the returned community spread out to reclaim ancestral locations. This geographic register helps ensure that key towns are not left desolate and that families can support one another in familiar regions, restoring economic life and local worship patterns.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, a hundred fourscore and eight.
KJV
King James Version · 1611The men of Beth–lehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, a hundred fourscore and eight.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949The men of Beth-lehem and Netophah, a hundred and eighty-eight.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862Men of Beth-Lehem and Netophah: a hundred eighty and eight.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752The children of Bethlehem, and Netupha, a hundred eighty-eight.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, a hundred and eighty-eight.
Context
With verse 26, the list pivots from family groupings (verses 8–25) to town-based groups (verses 26–38). This change demonstrates how genealogical identity meets practical settlement. The particular towns named indicate the breadth of repopulation efforts. These place-based entries prepare for the subsequent sections on priests and Levites (verses 39–45), which concern temple service, and on temple servants (verses 46–60). The focus on towns shows that restoration is not limited to Jerusalem but extends through Judah’s localities, strengthening the overall national fabric.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ezra 2:21
The children of Beth-lehem, a hundred twenty and three.
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