Their horses, seven hundred thirty and six: their mules, two hundred forty and five:

NEHEMIAH 7:68KJV
Know the Bible

Nehemiah 7:68 (KJV)

What does Nehemiah 7:68 mean?

Nehemiah 7:68 lists the number of horses and mules that returned with the people from exile: 736 horses and 245 mules. This verse is part of a detailed inventory, showing the resources and animals the returning community possessed.

Nehemiah, who led the rebuilding of Jerusalem’s walls, is recording the census of those who came back from Babylonian exile. This specific verse highlights not just people, but also the animals that were valuable for travel, work, and status. The listing shows the practical preparations and the wealth or means of the community as they resettled their homeland.

The Hebrew behind Nehemiah 7:68

  • סוּס (sus, H5483): This word means "horse." Horses were important for transportation and sometimes for military use, so their number gives a sense of the community’s mobility and resources.
  • פֶּרֶד (pered, H6505): This word means "mule." Mules were prized for their strength and endurance, useful for carrying loads and working the land, so counting them shows attention to practical needs.
  • The specific numbers—שבע (sheva, H7651) for "seven," שלשים (sheloshim, H7970) for "thirty," and שש (shesh, H8337) for "six"—show careful record-keeping. The use of exact numbers underlines the organized approach Nehemiah took in rebuilding the community.

Why Nehemiah 7:68 matters

  • This verse clears up that the return from exile was not just about people, but also about the resources needed to rebuild life in Jerusalem, including animals for work and transport.
  • The detailed inventory emphasizes the seriousness and planning behind the return, showing that Nehemiah and the leaders were thorough and practical.
  • By listing animals alongside people, the passage connects to the broader theme of restoration—not just of worship and community, but also of daily life and economic stability.

Where else these words appear

“mules” Hebrew H6505 · used in 13 verses

  • 2 Samuel 13:29 And the servants of Absalom did unto Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king's sons arose, and every man gat him up upon his mule, and fled.
  • 2 Kings 5:17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD.
  • Psalms 32:9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

“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.

“horses” Hebrew H5483 · used in 131 verses

  • Genesis 47:17 And they brought their cattle unto Joseph: and Joseph gave them bread in exchange for horses, and for the flocks, and for the cattle of the herds, and for the asses: and he fed them with bread for all their cattle for that year.
  • 2 Kings 14:20 And they brought him on horses: and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.
  • Jeremiah 12:5 If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?