The children of Arah, six hundred fifty and two.

NEHEMIAH 7:10KJV
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Nehemiah 7:10 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 7:10 mean?

Nehemiah 7:10 lists the descendants of Arah, stating that there were 652 of them. This is part of a census recording the families and numbers of Israelites who returned from exile to Jerusalem.

Nehemiah, the governor of Judah, is compiling a register of those who came back from Babylonian captivity. The verse simply records the family of Arah as one group among many, showing their presence and numbers as part of the restored community in Jerusalem.

Why Nehemiah 7:10 matters

  • Nehemiah 7:10 helps establish the historical accuracy and detail of the return from exile by naming specific families and their numbers.
  • This census underscores the communal effort in rebuilding Jerusalem, showing that the restoration involved many families, not just leaders or priests.
  • The verse connects to the broader theme of continuity, as it traces the lineage of those returning, linking the post-exilic community back to their ancestral roots.

Where else these words appear

“Arah” Hebrew H733 · used in 4 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 7:39 And the sons of Ulla; Arah, and Haniel, and Rezia.
  • Ezra 2:5 The children of Arah, seven hundred seventy and five.
  • Nehemiah 6:18 For there were many in Judah sworn unto him, because he was the son in law of Shechaniah the son of Arah; and his son Johanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah.

“fifty” Hebrew H2572 · used in 141 verses

  • Genesis 6:15 And this is the fashion which thou shalt make it of: The length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, the breadth of it fifty cubits, and the height of it thirty cubits.
  • Numbers 4:30 From thirty years old and upward even unto fifty years old shalt thou number them, every one that entereth into the service, to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation.
  • 2 Kings 21:1 Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and reigned fifty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.