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5. Put into mine heart. Contemplating the vast empty spaces within the city walls, Nehemiah considered what he should do to remedy the situation. He was impressed to take a census of the people, which would provide information on the relative populations of city and country. From this it could also be determined which towns and districts could best afford to contribute to the resettlement of Jerusalem. Such a census, according to ordinary Jewish usage, was by families (see Num. 1:17-47; 1 Chron. 21:5, 6).

I found a register. That is, of the exiles who came from Babylon under the leadership of Zerubbabel and Jeshua (Ezra 2). Nehemiah included a copy of this register in his memoirs, in this way preserving two copies—one in Ezra 2:1-70 and the other in Neh. 7:6-73.

The two lists are almost identical but show minor differences (see on Ezra 2:2). For comments on the names in Nehemiah’s list, see on these names in Ezra 2:1-70. Only the more important variations will be considered here.