These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city;

NEHEMIAH 7:6KJV
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Nehemiah 7:6 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 7:6 mean?

Nehemiah 7:6 describes the people from the province of Judah who returned to Jerusalem and their own towns after being taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The verse lists those who had been exiled and now came back to reclaim their homes.

This verse is part of a record Nehemiah kept as governor, showing who returned from Babylonian captivity. The people mentioned were descendants of those carried away decades earlier, now returning to rebuild their lives in Jerusalem and Judah. This sets up the following list of families and groups who made the journey home.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 7:6

  • "children" (בֵּן, ben): This word often means "descendants" or "members," not just literal children. Here, it refers to the people belonging to the province, emphasizing their shared heritage.
  • "province" (מְדִינָה, medinah): This word means a district or administrative region. In this context, it refers to the area of Judah under Persian rule, highlighting that these people were returning not just to a city, but to their ancestral territory.
  • "captivity" (שְׁבוּת, shevut): This word points to the state of being exiled or taken as prisoners. It reminds the reader that these people had been forcibly removed from their land and were now being allowed to return.
  • "again" (שׁוּב, shuv): This word means "to return" or "to come back." It emphasizes the restoration and hope in the people's journey back to their homeland.

Why Nehemiah 7:6 matters

  • Nehemiah 7:6 clarifies that the returnees were not just any group, but specifically those whose families had been exiled and who now had the chance to reclaim their ancestral towns.
  • The verse highlights the fulfillment of promises about return from exile, connecting the people's journey to larger themes of restoration in the Hebrew Bible.
  • By introducing a detailed list of returnees, Nehemiah 7:6 underscores the importance of community identity and continuity after a long period of displacement.

Where else these words appear

“province” Hebrew H4082 · used in 40 verses

  • 1 Kings 20:14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, Thou.
  • Esther 3:8 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.
  • Esther 9:3 And all the rulers of the provinces, and the lieutenants, and the deputies, and officers of the king, helped the Jews; because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them.

“away” Hebrew H1473 · used in 41 verses

  • 2 Kings 24:15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.
  • Ezra 10:8 And that whosoever would not come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the congregation of those that had been carried away.
  • Ezekiel 1:1 Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

“captivity” Hebrew H7628 · used in 47 verses

  • Exodus 12:29 And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
  • Ezra 8:35 Also the children of those that had been carried away, which were come out of the captivity, offered burnt offerings unto the God of Israel, twelve bullocks for all Israel, ninety and six rams, seventy and seven lambs, twelve he goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering unto the LORD.
  • Jeremiah 30:10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

“Nebuchadnezzar” Hebrew H5019 · used in 59 verses

  • 2 Kings 24:1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him.
  • Jeremiah 25:9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.
  • Jeremiah 44:30 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give Pharaohhophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seek his life; as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, his enemy, and that sought his life.