Nehemiah 7:19 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 7:19 mean?

Nehemiah 7:19 records that 2,067 descendants of Bigvai returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. This verse is part of a census listing the families and the number of people from each who came back to help rebuild the city.

Nehemiah, the governor of Judah, is documenting the names and numbers of the returning exiles for the purpose of organizing the community and its resources. The mention of "the children of Bigvai" highlights one specific family group among many, showing the careful record-keeping and the importance of each family’s contribution to the restoration of Jerusalem.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 7:19

• בְּנֵי (bənê, H1121): This word means "children" or "descendants." In this context, it refers to the family or clan descended from a man named Bigvai, not just his literal children.
• בִּגְוָי (Bigvai, H902): This is a personal name, identifying the head of the family group. The verse singles out this clan as one of the returnees.
• אֶלֶף (ʾeleph, H505): This word means "thousand." It is used here to count the number of people.
• שִׁשִּׁים (shishim, H8346): This word means "sixty." It is part of the total count.
• שֶׁבַע (shevaʿ, H7651): This word means "seven." It completes the total number, showing the precision of the census.

Why Nehemiah 7:19 matters

• Nehemiah 7:19 shows the careful attention to detail in recording the families who returned, emphasizing the value of each group in the rebuilding effort.
• The verse connects to the larger theme of restoration and continuity, as each family’s return fulfilled the hope of reestablishing the community in Jerusalem.
• By listing the exact number of descendants, the verse highlights the organizational efforts needed to rebuild a nation after exile, showing that every person and family counted in this process.