Nehemiah 7:58

Study note

Setting — Nehemiah addresses the returned exiles in Jerusalem as he compiles a census of those who returned from Babylon. The list records specific family lines returning to reestablish the community.

The words — The Hebrew בְּנֵי (benei) literally means "descendants" and appears three times to denote lineage. The names יַעְלָא (Jaala), דַרְקוֹן (Darkon), and גִדֵּל (Giddel) identify three distinct family groups within this census.

The thread — This exact enumeration of Jaala, Darkon, and Giddel also appears in Ezra 2:56 as part of the parallel returnee list.

Why it lands — The text demands recognition of individual family identities within the restored community rather than abstract spiritual themes. It asks readers to value precise genealogical records as the foundation for communal reorganization.

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.