1. When the wall was built and the doors were in place, gatekeepers were designated to keep watch.

2. Then I set my brother Hanani as governor of Jerusalem, and Hananiah as head of the Citadel, for he was a faithful man and true servant of God as few can be found.

3. Then I said to them, "Open the gates of Jerusalem only when the sun begins to get hot, but while it is still day, close and bar the doors while the guards are still at their posts. And during the night, the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall come out to keep guard, some at their posts and others in front of their houses."

4. The city was spacious and wide, but it had few inhabitants and many houses had not been rebuilt.

5. God inspired in me the idea to assemble the leaders, the counselors and the people to take a census. I found the registry book of the census of those who had returned from exile in the beginning. I found the following written in it:

6. These are the people of the province who returned from exile whom Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had deported, but returned to Jerusalem and Judea, each to his city:

7. These are the Israelites who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah; here are the numbers:

8. The sons of Parosh, 2,172;

9. those of Shephatiah, 372;

10. those of Arah, 652;

11. those of Pahath-moab of the sons of Jeshua and Joab, 2,818;

12. the sons of Elam 1,254;

13. those of Zattu, 845;

14. those of Zaccai, 760;

15. those of Binnui, 648;

16. those of Bebai, 628;

17. those of Azgad, 2,322;

18. those of Adonimkan, 667;

19. those of Bigvai, 2,067;

20. those of Adin, 655;

21. those of Ater, of Hezekiah, 98;

22. those of Hashum, 328;

23. those of Bezai, 324;

24. those of Hariph, 112;

25. those of Gibeon, 95.

26. The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, 188;

27. those of Anathoth, 128;

28. those of Bethazmaveth, 42;

29. those of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, 743;

30. those of Ramah and Geba, 621;

31. those of Michmas, 122;

32. those of Bethel and Ai, 123;

33. those of the other Nebo, 52.

34. The sons of the other Elam, 1,254;

35. those of Harim, 320;

36. those of Jericho, 345;

37. those of Lod, Hadid and Ono, 721;

38. those of Senaah, 3,930.

39. The priests: the sons of Jedaiah of the house of Jeshua, 973;

40. those of Immer, 1,052;

41. those of Pashhur, 1,247;

42. those of Harim, 1,017.

43. The Levites: the sons of Jeshua, of Kadmiel, of the sons of Hodevah, 74.

44. The singers: the sons of Asaph, 148.

45. The gatekeepers: the sons of Shallum, of Ater, of Talmon, of Akkub, of Hatita, of Shobai, 138.

46. The temple servants: the sons of Ziha, of Hasupha, of Tabbaoth,

47. of Keros, of Sia, of Padon,

48. of Lebana, of Hagaba, of Shalmai,

49. of Hanan, of Giddel, of Gahar,

50. of Reaiah, of Rezin, of Nekoda,

51. of Gazzam, of Uzza, of Paseah,

52. of Besai, of Meunim, of Nephushessim,

53. of Bakbuk, of Hakupha, of Harhur,

54. of Bazlith, of Mehida, of Harsha,

55. of Barkos, of Sisera, of Temah,

56. of Neziah, of Hatipha.

57. The sons of Solomon's servants: the sons of Sotai, of Sophereth, of Perida,

58. of Jaala, of Darkon, of Giddel,

59. of Shephatiah, of Hattil, of Pochereth-hazzenaim, of Amon.

60. All the temple servants and the sons of Solomon's servants were 392.

61. And these were they who came up from Telmelah, Telharsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer; but they could not prove that their families and ancestry were of Israelite origin:

62. the sons of Delaiah, of Tobiah, of Nekoda, 642.

63. And of the priests: the sons of Hobaiah, of Hakkoz, of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai, the Gileadite, and was named after them.

64. These people searched for their ancestral registration, but it could not be located; therefore they were considered unclean and excluded from the priesthood.

65. And the governor said to them that they should not eat from the most holy things until a priest would make a decision through the Urim and Thummim.

66. The whole assembly together was 42,360,

67. besides their male and female servants: 7,337; and they had 245 male and female singers.

68. They had 736 horses, 245 mules;

69. 435 camels; 6,720 donkeys.

70. Some of the heads of families gave offerings for the work. The governor gave to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, 50 basins, 530 priests' garments.

71. The heads of families gave into the treasury of the work 20,000 gold drachmas, and 2,200 silver minas and 67 priests' garments.

72. The rest of the people gave 20,000 gold drachmas and 2,000 silver minas, and 67 priests' garments.

73. The priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel lived in their cities. And when the seventh month came, the sons of Israel were in their cities.





“Peçamos a São José o dom da perseverança até o final”. São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina