The children of Pashur, a thousand two hundred forty and seven.

NEHEMIAH 7:41KJV
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Nehemiah 7:41 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 7:41 mean?

Nehemiah 7:41 records that 1,247 descendants of Pashur returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. This verse is part of a census listing the families and numbers of Israelites who came back to resettle their homeland.

Nehemiah, the governor of Jerusalem, is documenting the groups who returned from exile to help rebuild the city and its temple. The mention of the "children of Pashur" refers to a specific family line, likely priests, showing their presence and commitment to restoring worship and community life. This census helps establish the legitimacy and organization of the returned community.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 7:41

  • בְּנֵי (bənê, H1121) — "children": This word refers to descendants or members of a family group, not just literal sons, emphasizing the family or clan identity.
  • פַּשְׁחוּר (Pashḥur, H6583) — "Pashur": This is a personal name, identifying a particular family line. Pashur was a priestly name, so this group likely had religious duties.
  • אֶלֶף (ʾelef, H505), מֵאָה (mêʾāh, H3967), אַרְבָּעִים (ʾarbāʿîm, H705), שִׁבְעָה (shivʿāh, H7651) — "a thousand two hundred forty and seven": The Hebrew numbers are listed out, showing the exact count. This careful tallying underlines the importance of each family’s contribution to the restored community.

Why Nehemiah 7:41 matters

  • This verse shows the careful record-keeping and organization that was crucial for reestablishing Israelite society after exile, highlighting the value placed on family heritage and priestly lines.
  • By naming the "children of Pashur," Nehemiah connects the returning exiles to their ancestral roles, especially in temple service, reinforcing continuity with Israel’s past.
  • The census in Nehemiah 7 matches a similar list in Ezra 2, showing consistency and reliability in the biblical account of the return from exile.

Where else these words appear

“Pashur” Hebrew H6583 · used in 12 verses

  • 1 Chronicles 9:12 And Adaiah the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasiai the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer;
  • Nehemiah 10:3 Pashur, Amariah, Malchijah,
  • Jeremiah 20:3 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The LORD hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magormissabib.

“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.