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.” Nehemiah included the children of many of the people of Israel in his census, and he added several of the men such as “the men of the other Nebo, the other Elam” and “the children of Harim, Jericho, Lod, Hadid, Ono and Senaah.” He also accounted for, “the priests, the Levites, the singers, the porters, Nethinims” and “the children of Solomon's servants, these were they which went up also from Telmelah, Telharesha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer: but they could not show their father's house, nor their seed, whether they were of Israel;” He added, “the children of Delaiah, Tobiah, Nekoda and the children of the priests, Habaiah, Kos and Barzillai” who “sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy” and shared what “the Tirshatha said unto them” as “the whole congregation together was forty and two thousand three hundred and threescore”, and in chapter seven and verse sixty-seven of Nehemiah, Nehemiah added, “beside their manservants and their maidservants” where we read,
Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven: and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.
The verse reads, “Beside their manservants and their maidservants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred thirty and seven:” Nehemiah began with the words, “beside their manservants” which means “apart from their, the people of Israel's, male people of servile condition, slaves and bondmen” “and their maidservants” or “and their, the people of Israel's, female people of servile condition, slaves and bondwomen”, “of whom there were seven thousand three hundred” which means “who were enumerated as seven thousand and three hundred servants plus” “thirty seven” or “thirty seven more”. Nehemiah said there were an additional seventy three hundred and thirty seven male and female servants who accompanied the people of Israel.
The verse goes on to say, “and they had two hundred forty and five singing men and singing women.” Nehemiah continued with the words, “and they had two hundred forty and five singing men” or “and there were also two hundred and forty-five male human beings who made music with their voices” “and singing women” which means “and female human beings who made music with their voices”. Nehemiah shared how there were an additional “two hundred and forty-five” men and women who were makers of music with their voices among the people of Israel.
When we meditate upon Nehemiah's words in this verse, we discover the people of Israel also had seventy three hundred and thirty-seven men and women servants who returned to Jerusalem and Judah with them. They also had “two hundred and forty-five” men and women “singers” who came with them as well. “Servants”, a choir of massive numbers and all of the others were included in God's commission to return to Jerusalem. God invites us to be a part of His Kingdom, and access is gained through His Son Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead three days later. When we surrender our lives to Him as our “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive our sins, grant us everlasting life and use us according to the gifts and abilities He provides to minister in His Kingdom according to His Divine purpose and plan.
Next time Nehemiah shares about, “their horses and mules”, 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".
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