Nehemiah 7:25

Study note

Setting — The narrator lists returning exiles in Nehemiah 7, recording the official headcount of each family line. This entry specifically notes the number of men from Gibeon among the restored community.

The words — בְּנֵ֥י (be.Nei) translates literally to "descendants of," and גִבְע֖וֹן (giv.'on) names the town of Gibeon. The numeral phrase תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וַ/חֲמִשָּֽׁה (tish.'Im va./cha.mi.Shah) renders exactly "ninety and five."

The thread — This census line cross-references Ezra 2:20, which records the descendants of Gibbar with the identical count of ninety-five. Both passages function as parallel administrative records of the post-exilic return.

Why it lands — The text states a precise number for a specific family, requiring the reader to acknowledge the meticulous documentation of each lineage. It asks the reader to recognize that the restoration relied on verified, recorded identities rather than vague tradition.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.