The Children of Pahathmoab - Nehemiah 7:11

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. The children of Parosh, two thousand an hundred seventy and two. The children of Shephatiah, three hundred seventy and two”, and in chapter seven and verse eleven of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared about, “the children of Pahathmoab”, where we read,

The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab,

two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.

The verse reads, “The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “the children” or “the offspring and progeny” “of Pahathmoab” whose name means “belonging to Pahathmoab whose name means pit of Moab”, “of the children” or “belonging to the offspring and progeny” “of Jeshua” which means “belonging to Jeshua whose name means he is saved” “and Joab” whose name means “Jehovah is father”. Nehemiah shared how the offspring of “Phahathmoab, Jeshua and Joab” were accounted for among the people of Jerusalem.

The verse goes on to say, “... two thousand and eight hundred and eighteen.” Nehemiah continued with the words, “two thousand and eight hundred ” or “twenty-eight hundred offspring plus” “and eighteen” which means “eighteen more”. Nehemiah said there were twenty-eight hundred and eighteen offspring who belonged to “Phahathmoab, Jeshua and Joab” who went back to Jerusalem and continued there to the completion of the barrier wall. 

When we think through the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah about another family who was numbered in their obedience to Jehovah God. God wanted everyone reading these words to know that “Phahathmoab, Jeshua and Joab” had twenty-eight hundred and eighteen progeny who were faithful and obedient to His command to return to Jerusalem. God wants us to obey Him because He knows what is best for our lives. When we yield to His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead three days later, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and put within us a desire to be part of His eternal family that shall serve and obey Him for all eternity. 

Next time Nehemiah shares about, “the children of Elam”, 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".