Nehemiah 7:5
What does Nehemiah 7:5 mean?
A plain-English look at Nehemiah 7:5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Nehemiah 7:5 means
Nehemiah attributes to God the impulse to gather leaders and people to register them by genealogy. This was not mere bookkeeping; it was obedience to a God-given concern for identity and order. Finding the record of the first returnees links the present effort to an earlier act of restoration. Genealogy would determine who rightly belonged, where they should settle, and who could serve in sacred roles. The verse highlights the union of divine prompting and practical action: God stirs the heart, and His servant searches the archives. In a fragile moment, careful records protect the integrity and future of the covenant community.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And my God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of them that came up at the first, and I found written therein:
KJV
King James Version · 1611And my God put into mine heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein,
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And my God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of them that came up at the first, and I found written therein:
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And my God put it into my heart to get together the rulers and the chiefs and the people so that they might be listed by families. And I came across a record of the names of those who came up at the first, and in it I saw these words:
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and my God putteth it unto my heart, and I gather the freeman, and the prefects, and the people, for the genealogy, and I find a book of the genealogy of those coming up at the beginning, and I find written in it: --
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752But God had put in my heart, and I assembled the princes and magistrates, and common people, to number them: and I found a book of the number of them who came up at first and therein it was found written:
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And myGod put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, for registration by genealogy. And I found a genealogical register of those that had come up at the first, and I found written in it:
Context
Following notice of Jerusalem’s sparse population (verse 4), verse 5 explains how Nehemiah will address it: by assembling the community and consulting established genealogies. This initiates the long register beginning in verse 6, paralleling records from the first return. The list that follows is not a digression but the backbone for repopulating and regulating life in Jerusalem and Judah. The genealogies also prepare for decisions about priestly legitimacy later in the chapter (verses 63–65). Thus verse 5 serves as the hinge moving from security concerns to a comprehensive roll of the people.
v.4Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.
v.5This passage
v.6These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and that returned unto Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Ezra 2:62
These sought their registeramongthose that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood.
- 1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not found vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
- 2 Corinthians 8:16
But thanks be to God, who putteth the same earnest care for you into the heart of Titus.
- Nehemiah 5:19
Remember unto me, O my God, for good, all that I have done for this people.
- Philippians 2:12
So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
- 1 Chronicles 9:1
So all Israel were reckoned by genealogies; and, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel. And Judah was carried away captive to Babylon for their transgression.
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