King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.
Complete Jewish Bible:
descendants of Betzai 324
Berean Standard Bible:
the descendants of Bezai, 324;
American Standard Version:
The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
The children{H1121} of Bezai{H1209}, three{H7969} hundred{H3967} twenty{H6242} and four{H702}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Ezra 2:17
- The children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and three.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Nehemiah 7:23
Nehemiah 7:23 is a part of a larger list found in the book of Nehemiah, detailing the genealogical records of the Israelites who returned from the Babylonian exile. This particular verse mentions "the children of Bezai, three hundred twenty and four." The historical context of this verse is set after the Babylonian captivity, when the Persian emperor Cyrus the Great allowed the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their city and the Temple, which had been destroyed by the Babylonians.
The book of Nehemiah is focused on the efforts of Nehemiah, a Jewish official in the Persian court, who was granted permission by King Artaxerxes to go to Jerusalem and rebuild its walls. Nehemiah 7, from which this verse is taken, is a record of those who came back from exile with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and Nehemiah. It serves as a census or registry of the families and their numbers, which was important for the organization of the new community in Jerusalem, for religious purposes, and for the allocation of resources.
The mention of Bezai and the number of his descendants reflects the meticulous record-keeping of the time and the emphasis on lineage and tribal affiliations in ancient Israelite society. It underscores the importance of community identity and the continuity of the people of Israel, even after the trauma of exile. The listing of names and numbers also serves to authenticate the returnees as legitimate heirs to the Promised Land, emphasizing the faithfulness of God in preserving a remnant according to His promises.
In summary, Nehemiah 7:23 is a snapshot of the historical record of the post-exilic community in Jerusalem, highlighting the importance of genealogy, communal structure, and divine faithfulness in the restoration of Israel after a period of national crisis. It reflects the broader themes of identity, heritage, and the fulfillment of God's covenantal promises to His people.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H1209
There are 3 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּצַי
Transliteration: Bêtsay
Pronunciation: bay-tsah'-ee
Description: perhaps the same as בְּסַי; Betsai, the name of two Israelites; Bezai. - Strong's Number: H7969
There are 381 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁלוֹשׁ
Transliteration: shâlôwsh
Pronunciation: shaw-loshe'
Description: or שָׁלֹשׁ; masculine שְׁלוֹשָׁה; or שְׁלֹשָׁה; a primitive number; three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice; [phrase] fork, [phrase] often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, [phrase] thrice. Compare שָׁלִישׁ. - Strong's Number: H3967
There are 512 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מֵאָה
Transliteration: mêʼâh
Pronunciation: may-aw'
Description: or מֵאיָה; properly, a primitive numeral; a hundred; also as a multiplicative and a fraction; hundred((-fold), -th), [phrase] sixscore. - Strong's Number: H6242
There are 281 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֶשְׂרִים
Transliteration: ʻesrîym
Pronunciation: es-reem'
Description: from עֶשֶׂר; twenty; also (ordinal) twentieth; (six-) score, twenty(-ieth). - Strong's Number: H702
There are 383 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַרְבַּע
Transliteration: ʼarbaʻ
Pronunciation: ar-bah'
Description: masculine אַרְבָּעָה; from רָבַע; four; four.