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Venerdi, 19 aprile 2024 - San Leone IX Papa ( Letture di oggi)

Nehemiah 7


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1When the wall had been rebuilt, I had the doors set up, and the gatekeepers (and the singers and the Levites) were put in charge of them.2Over Jerusalem I placed Hanani, my brother, and Hananiah, the commander of the citadel, who was a more trustworthy and God-fearing man than most.3I said to them: "The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot, and while the sun is still shining they shall shut and bar the doors. Appoint as watchmen the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their watch posts, and others before their own houses."4Now the city was quite wide and spacious, but its population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt.5When my God had put it into my mind to gather together the nobles, the magistrates, and the common people, and to examine their family records, I came upon the family list of those who had returned in the earliest period. There I found the following written:6These are the inhabitants of the province who returned from the captivity of the exiles whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had carried away, and who came back to Jerusalem and Judah, each man to his own city7(those who returned with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, and Baanah). The census of the men of Israel:8sons of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two;9sons of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two;10sons of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two;11sons of Pahath-moab who were sons of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen;12sons of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;13sons of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five;14sons of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty;15sons of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight;16sons of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight;17sons of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two;18sons of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven;19sons of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven;20sons of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five;21sons of Ater who were sons of Hezekiah, ninety-eight;22sons of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight;23sons of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four;24sons of Hariph, one hundred and twelve;25sons of Gibeon, ninety-five;26men of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight;27men of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight;28men of Beth-azmaveth, forty-two;29men of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three;30men of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one;31men of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two;32men of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three;33men of Nebo, fifty-two;34sons of another Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four;35sons of Harim, three hundred and twenty;36sons of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five;37sons of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one;38sons of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.39The priests: sons of Jedaiah who were of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three;40sons of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two;41sons of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven;42sons of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.43The Levites: sons of Jeshua, Kadmiel, Binnui, Hodeviah, seventy-four.44The singers: sons of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight.45The gatekeepers: sons of Shallum, sons of Ater, sons of Talmon, sons of Akkub, sons of Hatita, sons of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight.46The temple slaves: sons of Ziha, sons of Hasupha, sons of Tabbaoth,47sons of Keros, sons of Sia, sons of Padon,48sons of Lebana, sons of Hagaba, sons of Shalmai,49sons of Hanan, sons of Giddel, sons of Gahar,50sons of Reaiah, sons of Rezin, sons of Nekoda,51sons of Gazzam, sons of Uzza, sons of Paseah,52sons of Besai, sons of the Meunites, sons of the Nephusites,53sons of Bakbuk, sons of Hakupha, sons of Harhur,54sons of Bazlith, sons of Mehida, sons of Harsha,55sons of Barkos, sons of Sisera, sons of Temah,56sons of Neziah, sons of Hatipha.57Descendants of the slaves of Solomon: sons of Sotai, sons of Sophereth, sons of Perida,58sons of Jaala, sons of Darkon, sons of Giddel,59sons of Shephatiah, sons of Hattil, sons of Pochereth-hazzebaim, sons of Amon.60The total of the temple slaves and the descendants of the slaves of Solomon was three hundred and ninety-two.61The following who returned from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer were unable to prove that their ancestral houses and their descent were Israelite:62sons of Delaiah, sons of Tobiah, sons of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two.63Also, of the priests: sons of Hobaiah, sons of Hakkoz, sons of Barzillai (he had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and became known by his name).64These men searched their family records, but their names could not be found written there; hence they were degraded from the priesthood,65and His Excellency ordered them not to partake of the most holy foods until there should be a priest bearing the Urim and Thummim.66The entire assembly taken together came to forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty,67not counting their male and female slaves, who were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven. They also had two hundred male and female singers. Their horses were seven hundred and thirty-six, their mules two hundred and forty-five,68their camels four hundred and thirty-five, their asses six thousand seven hundred and twenty.69Certain of the family heads contributed to the service. His Excellency put into the treasury one thousand drachmas of gold, fifty basins, thirty garments for priests, and five hundred minas of silver.70Some of the family heads contributed to the treasury for the temple service: twenty thousand drachmas of gold and two thousand two hundred minas of silver.71The contributions of the rest of the people amounted to twenty thousand drachmas of gold, two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven garments for priests.72The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple slaves, and all Israel took up residence in their cities.