Nehemiah 7:65-70

7:65 The governor ¹  instructed them not to eat any of the sacred food until there was a priest who could consult ²  the Urim and Thummim.

7:66 The entire group numbered 42,360, 7:67 not counting their 7,337 male and female servants. They also had 245 male and female singers. 7:68 They had 736 horses, 245 mules, 7:69 (7:68) ³  435 camels, and 6,720 donkeys. 7:70 Some of the family leaders ⁴  contributed to the work. The governor contributed to the treasury 1,000 gold drachmas, ⁵  50 bowls, and 530 priestly garments.

¹ tn The Hebrew term תִּרְשָׁתָא (tirshata’; KJV “Tirshatha”) is the official title of a Persian governor in Judea. In meaning it may be similar to “excellency” (cf. NAB). See further BDB 1077 s.v.; W. L. Holladay, Concise Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon, 395; HALOT 1798 s.v.

² tn Heb “stood.”

³ tc Most Hebrew MSS omit 7:68 ET, which reads “They had 736 horses, 245 mules,” and thus have one less verse in chap. 7, ending the chapter at 7:72. This verse is included in the LXX and most English versions. Cf. Ezra 2:66.

⁵ tn Heb “the heads of the fathers.”

⁶ tn Heb “darics” (also in vv. 71, 72).