The porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, an hundred thirty and eight.

NEHEMIAH 7:45KJV
truelightbible.com

Nehemiah 7:45 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 7:45 mean?

Nehemiah 7:45 lists the families of the gatekeepers (called "porters") who returned from exile, naming the descendants of Shallum, Ater, Talmon, Akkub, Hatita, and Shobai, and states that there were 138 of them in total. This verse is part of a census recording those who came back to Jerusalem to help restore the city and its temple services.

Nehemiah, as the governor, is documenting the people who returned from Babylonian exile to repopulate Jerusalem. The verse specifically highlights the gatekeepers, who had the important job of guarding the entrances to the temple. Listing their families and numbers shows the careful organization and the value placed on each group’s role in the restored community.