The Children of Azgad - Nehemiah 7:17

In the book of Nehemiah, Nehemiah said, “These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city. Who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel was this”, and he included “the children of Parosh, Shephatiah, Pahathmoab, Jeshua, Joab, Elam, Zattu, Zaccai, Binnui and Bebai”, and in chapter seven and verse seventeen of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared about, “the children of Azgad”,where we read,

The children of Azgad, two thousand three hundred twenty and two.

The verse reads, “The children of Azgad, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “the children” or “the progeny and offspring” “of Azgad” which means “belonging to Azgad whose name means Gad is mighty”. Nehemiah shared how the offspring of “Azgad” or “Gad is mighty” were among the people who returned to Jerusalem and continued there until the barrier wall was completed. 

The verse continues, “... two thousand three hundred twenty and two.” Nehemiah added the words, “two thousand three hundred” or “twenty three hundred offspring plus” “twenty and two” which means “twenty two more”. Nehemiah shared how there were “twenty three hundred and twenty two” offspring of “Azgad” who continued in Jerusalem.

When we think through the words in this verse, we discover another family through Nehemiah who continued in Jerusalem. This larger family of “Azgad” who were twenty three hundred and twenty-two” strong obeyed Jehovah God's commission to return to Jerusalem. God knows when we obey Him and when we do not, and when we miss the mark of doing as He says, we sin. All of us have sinned and come short of God's glory, (See Romans 3:23) and the wages or pay for those sins is death. (See Romans 6:23) God sent His Son Jesus into the world to live a perfect sinless life, and He took our place in death when He died on the cross for the sins of all mankind. (See 2 Corinthians 5:21) When we surrender our lives to Him, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and give us His Holy Spirit who will guide us into all truth and help us to walk in that truth. (See John 16:33; Acts 1:8) May all who read these words surrender to Jesus and be accounted for among His family of believers. 

Next time Nehemiah shares about, “the children of Adonikam”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

See more devotionals on the website "thewordfortodaywithray.com" or look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".