And after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred twenty and eight.

NEHEMIAH 11:8KJV
Know the Bible

Nehemiah 11:8 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 11:8 mean?

Nehemiah 11:8 lists two men, Gabbai and Sallai, along with the number 928, as part of a census of people living in Jerusalem after the exile. This verse is part of a record showing who returned to help repopulate and rebuild the city.

Nehemiah, the governor of Jerusalem, is documenting the families and individuals who settled in the city after the Babylonian exile. The verse specifically names Gabbai and Sallai as leaders or representatives, and the number 928 likely refers to the total men associated with their family or clan. This careful record-keeping highlights the effort to restore Jerusalem’s population and community life.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 11:8

  • גַּבַּי (Gabbai): This is a personal name, likely identifying a family head or clan leader. Names like this help trace the lineage and organization of the returned exiles.
  • סַלָּי (Sallai): Another personal name, also marking a leader or representative of a group among the returned people.
  • תֵּשַׁע (tesha‘, "nine"), מֵאוֹת (me’ot, "hundred"), עֶשְׂרִים (esrim, "twenty"), שְׁמֹנֶה (shemoneh, "eight"): These words together make up the number 928, showing the exact count of people connected to these leaders. The precision emphasizes the organized nature of the resettlement.

Why Nehemiah 11:8 matters

  • This verse shows the importance of every family and individual in rebuilding Jerusalem, not just leaders or famous figures.
  • The detailed census demonstrates the care taken to reestablish the community after a long period of exile and hardship.
  • Seeing specific names and numbers connects the reader to the real people who made sacrifices to restore their city and faith community.

Where else these words appear

“Sallai” Hebrew H5543 · used in 6 verses

  • Numbers 25:14 Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.
  • 1 Chronicles 9:7 And of the sons of Benjamin; Sallu the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hasenuah,
  • Nehemiah 12:7 Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the chief of the priests and of their brethren in the days of Jeshua.

“nine” Hebrew H8672 · used in 57 verses

  • Genesis 5:5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
  • Numbers 34:13 And Moses commanded the children of Israel, saying, This is the land which ye shall inherit by lot, which the LORD commanded to give unto the nine tribes, and to the half tribe:
  • 2 Kings 25:3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

“eight” Hebrew H8083 · used in 105 verses

  • Genesis 5:4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
  • 1 Kings 7:10 And the foundation was of costly stones, even great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits.
  • 2 Chronicles 34:8 Now in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land, and the house, he sent Shaphan the son of Azaliah, and Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah the son of Joahaz the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God.