Nehemiah 7:71

And some of the heads of the families gave to the treasury for the project 20,000 darics of gold and 2,200 minas of silver.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The narrator records Nehemiah 7:71 during the post-exilic reconstruction of Jerusalem, documenting the financial contributions of clan leaders to the communal treasury. The account follows the governor's donation and immediately precedes the general populace's offering.

The words — The Hebrew phrase מֵרָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת (me-raShei ha-aVot) literally renders "from the heads of the fathers," identifying the donors as patriarchal clan leaders. Their action, נָתְנוּ (na-teNu), is stated simply as "they gave" to the treasury for the work.

The thread — This pattern of leaders funding sacred construction parallels Luke 21:1, which notes the rich putting gifts into the treasury, and 2 Corinthians 8:12, which states gifts are acceptable according to what one has. The narrative also aligns with Job 34:19, which warns that God does not favor the rich over the poor in His accounting.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to see that communal restoration depends on structured, proportional giving from those with resources. It demands practical accountability in how contributions are allocated for public religious work rather than personal accumulation.

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.

The Hebrew words

וּמֵֽרָאשֵׁ֣יu./me./ra.Sheiand/ some of/ [the] leaders of הָֽאָב֗וֹתha./'a.Votthe/ fathers נָֽתְנוּ֙na.te.Nuthey gave לְאוֹצַ֣רle./'o.Tzarto/ [the] treasury of הַמְּלָאכָ֔הha./me.la.Khahthe/ work זָהָ֕בza.Havgold דַּרְכְּמוֹנִ֖יםdar.ke.mo.Nimdrachmas שְׁתֵּ֣יshe.Teitwo רִבּ֑וֹתri.Botten thousands וְכֶ֕סֶףve./Khe.sefand/ silver מָנִ֖יםma.Nimminas אַלְפַּ֥יִם'al.Pa.yimtwo thousand וּמָאתָֽיִם׃u./ma.Ta.yimand/ two hundred

King James Version

And some of the chief of the fathers gave to the treasure of the work twenty thousand drams of gold, and two thousand and two hundred pound of silver.

Cross-references

Job 34:19 who is not partial to princes and does not favor rich over poor? For they are all the work of His hands.
Luke 21:1 Then Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury,
2 Corinthians 8:12 For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.