The Men of Bethlehem and Netophah - Nehemiah 7:26

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, Bebai, Azgad, Adoniakam, Bigvai, Adin, Ater of Hezekiah, Hashum, Bezai, Hariph and Gibeon”, and in chapter seven and verse twenty-six of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared about, “the men of Bethlehem and Netophah”, where we read,

The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, an hundred fourscore and eight.

The verse reads, “The men of Bethlehem and Netophah, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “the men” or “the male human beings” “of Bethlehem” which means “belonging to Bethlehem whose name means house of bread or food” “and Netophah” or “dropping” which was “a town in Judah resettled by the exiles returning from Babylon with Zerubbabel”. Nehemiah shared how the male human beings from “Bethlehem and Netophah” were accounted for among the people of Israel who returned to Judah and Jerusalem and continued there to the finishing of the barrier wall. 

The verse goes on to say, “... an hundred fourscore and eight.” Nehemiah continued with the words, “an hundred” or “one hundred men” “fourscore and eight” which means “eighty eight”. Nehemiah said there were one hundred and eighty eight “men” from “Bethlehem and Netophah” who were accounted for among the people within Judah and Jerusalem 

When we think through upon the words in this verse, we learn through Nehemiah how he began to count the “men” in addition to the “children” of the people from Israel who returned to Jerusalem and remained there to the completion of the barrier wall. God loves and cherishes people of all ages, and when He sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind and be raised from the grave three days later, He made the way for us to be forgiven of our sins, granted everlasting life and counted among the people who will live in Heaven with Him forever. Let all ages and people receive Jesus as their “Savior and Lord”. 

Next time Nehemiah shares about, “the men of Ananthoth”, 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".