Nehemiah 7:4
◄  Nehemiah 7:4  ►
New International Version (©2011)
Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt.

New Living Translation (©2007)
At that time the city was large and spacious, but the population was small, and none of the houses had been rebuilt.

English Standard Version (©2001)
The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Now the city was large and spacious, but the people in it were few and the houses were not built.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
The city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and no houses had been built yet.

International Standard Version (©2012)
Even though the city was large and spread out, not many people were living there and not many houses had been built.

NET Bible (©2006)
Now the city was spread out and large, and there were not a lot of people in it. At that time houses had not been rebuilt.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
The city was large and wide-open. Few people were in it, and no houses were being built.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
Now the city was large and great: but the people in it were few, and the houses were not rebuilt.

American King James Version
Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built.

American Standard Version
Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the city was very wide and great, and the people few in the midst thereof, and the houses were not built.

Darby Bible Translation
Now the city was large and great; but the people in it were few, and no houses were built.

English Revised Version
Now the city was wide and large: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not builded.

Webster's Bible Translation
Now the city was large and great: but the people in it were few, and the houses were not built.

World English Bible
Now the city was wide and large; but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built.

Young's Literal Translation
And the city is broad on both sides, and great, and the people are few in its midst, and there are no houses builded;

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:1-4 Nehemiah, having finished the wall, returned to the Persian court, and came to Jerusalem again with a new commission. The public safety depends on every one's care to guard himself and his family against sin.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - The city was large. Literally, "broad every way." The houses were not builded. Much of the city consisted of open spaces, in which no houses had been as yet built.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Now the city was large and great,.... The circumference of it, all within the wall; for that was built on its old foundation, and enclosed as much ground as ever it did: Hecataeus (b), an Heathen writer, says the circumference of Jerusalem was fifty furlongs, which was more than six miles; but Josephus (c) makes the circuit of it but thirty three furlongs or about six miles:

but the people were few therein; in comparison of the largeness of the place; for though there were 42,360 that came up at first with Zerubbabel, and many more with Ezra, yet a great number chose to settle in the towns and cities in the country, Jerusalem being in such a desolate condition:

and the houses were not builded; some were, but they were but few, many of them still lay in ruins.

(b) Apud Euseb. Praepar. par. Evangel. l. 9. c. 4. p. 408. & apud Joseph. contr. Apion, l. 1. c. 22. (c) De Bell. Jud. l. 5. c. 4. sect. 3.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

4. Now the city was large and great—The walls being evidently built on the old foundations, the city covered a large extent of surface, as all Oriental towns do, the houses standing apart with gardens and orchards intervening. This extent, in the then state of Jerusalem, was the more observable as the population was comparatively small, and the habitations of the most rude and simple construction—mere wooden sheds or coverings of loose, unmortared stones.

Nehemiah 7:4 Parallel Commentaries

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Census of First Returned Exiles
4Now the city was large and great: but the people were few therein, and the houses were not built. 5And my God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, that they might be reckoned by genealogy. And I found a register of the genealogy of them which came up at the first, and found written therein, 6These 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 to his city; …

Nehemiah 7:3 I said to them, "The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot. While the gatekeepers are still on duty, have them shut the doors and bar them. Also appoint residents of Jerusalem as guards, some at their posts and some near their own houses."
Nehemiah 7:5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families. I found the genealogical record of those who had been the first to return. This is what I found written there:
Nehemiah 11:1 Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of every ten of them to live in Jerusalem, the holy city, while the remaining nine were to stay in their own towns.