The men of Bethazmaveth, forty and two.

NEHEMIAH 7:28KJV
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Nehemiah 7:28 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 7:28 mean?

Nehemiah 7:28 records that there were forty-two men from the town of Bethazmaveth who returned to Jerusalem after the exile. This verse is part of a census listing the number of people from each town who came back to help rebuild the community.

Nehemiah, the governor of Judah, is listing the families and groups who returned from Babylonian exile to Jerusalem. The verse simply counts the men from Bethazmaveth—a small town near Jerusalem—who joined in the restoration effort. This careful record-keeping shows the importance placed on each group’s contribution to rebuilding the nation.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 7:28

  • בְּנֵי (benê, H582): Translated as "men" or "sons," this word often refers to male descendants or members of a community. Here, it emphasizes the family or clan identity of those returning.
  • בֵּית־עַזְמָוֶת (Bethazmaveth, H1041): This is the name of the town, meaning "house of Azmaveth." Mentioning the town roots each group in a specific place, underlining their connection to the land.
  • אַרְבָּעִים (arba‘im, H705) and שְׁנַיִם (shenayim, H8147): These are the Hebrew words for "forty" and "two," giving the exact count of returnees from Bethazmaveth. The precision highlights the careful documentation of those who returned.

Why Nehemiah 7:28 matters

  • Nehemiah 7:28 shows that even small groups, like the forty-two men from Bethazmaveth, were valued and remembered in the restoration of Jerusalem.
  • This verse is part of a larger list that underscores the collective effort required to rebuild the community after exile, highlighting the unity and diversity of those involved.
  • The detailed census reflects the importance of identity, heritage, and belonging for the returning exiles, connecting each person and family to their ancestral home.

Where else these words appear

“forty” Hebrew H705 · used in 124 verses

  • Genesis 5:13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
  • Deuteronomy 8:2 And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.
  • 1 Chronicles 5:18 The sons of Reuben, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh, of valiant men, men able to bear buckler and sword, and to shoot with bow, and skilful in war, were four and forty thousand seven hundred and threescore, that went out to the war.