The Men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth - Nehemiah 7:29

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 “the men of Bethlehem, Netophah, Anathoth and Bethzamaveth”, and in chapter seven and verse twenty-nine of Nehemiah, Nehemiah shared about, “the men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth”, where we read,

The men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred forty and three.

The verse reads, “The men of Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, ...” Nehemiah began with the words, “the men” or “the male adults” “of Kirjathjearim” which means “belonging to Kirjathjearim whose name is also Kirjath-baal' and Baalah and means city of forests which was a city on the northern boundary of Judah and on the western and southern boundaries of Benjamin”, “Chephirah” or “lioness and was a city of the Gibeonites subsequently assigned to the tribe of Benjamin”, “and Beeroth” whose name means “wells and was a Gibeonite city allotted to Benjamin”. Nehemiah shared how the male adults from “Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth” were part of his census of the people who returned to Jerusalem and Judah from being captives in Babylon.

The verse continues, “... seven hundred forty and three.” Nehemiah added the words, “seven hundred” or “seven hundred men plus” “forty and three” which means “forty three more”. Nehemiah said there were seven hundred and forty three “men” from “Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth” whom he counted. 

When we think through Nehemiah's words in this verse, we discover how three more “men” and their families were enumerated as having returned from Babylon to Jerusalem to the completion of the barrier wall. “Kirjathjearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth” had “seven hundred and forty three “men” who were in their family, and they became a part of all the people of Israel who went back to their homeland. God wants everyone to be in His “homeland” Heaven with Him, and this is only possible when our sins are cleansed and removed. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind, and He raised Him from the dead three days later so all who yield to Him will be forgiven of their sins, granted everlasting life and counted among His family for all eternity. (See 1 John 1:9)

Next time Nehemiah shares about, “the men of Ramah and Geba”, 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".