Nehemiah 11:1

1 The leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people drew lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city. The remaining nine-tenths were supposed to live in the other cities.

Nehemiah 11:1 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 11:1

And the rulers of the people dwelt at Jerusalem
Where it was proper they should, being the metropolis of the nation, both for the performance of their offices, and to protect and defend it, as well as to set an example to the people, and encourage them to dwell there also:

the rest of the people also cast lots to bring one of ten to dwell in
Jerusalem the holy city;
so called, because of the temple and the worship of God in it; and so it is called by Julian the emperor ^F7; and some ^F8 have thought that the Cadytis of Herodotus ^F9 is the same with Jerusalem, which had its name from (hvdq) , "holy", and is now called by the Turks "cuds", that is, "holy" ^F11: now, though it was the chief city, and the place of public worship, yet the people were not forward of settling in it, partly because of the rage of the enemy, which this city was the butt of, and partly because it was more to their worldly advantage to dwell in the country, and where they could have better supplies; they consulted their own ease, safety, and profit; wherefore this method was taken to oblige some to dwell in it, by taking one out of ten by lot, that there might be a sufficient number to rebuild the houses of it, repopulate and defend it:

and nine parts to dwell in other cities;
to which they belonged, or where they pleased, any where in the land of Israel.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 Ep. 25. p. 154.
F8 Prideaux's Connection, par. 1. p. 56, 57.
F9 Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 159. & Thalia, sive, l. 3. c. 5.
F11 Sandys's Travels, l. 5. p. 121. Ed. 5.

Nehemiah 11:1 In-Context

1 The leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem. The rest of the people drew lots to bring one out of every ten to live in Jerusalem, the holy city. The remaining nine-tenths were supposed to live in the other cities.

2 The people blessed everyone who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

3 These were the officials of the province who settled in Jerusalem. Some Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, and descendants of Solomon's servants settled in the cities of Judah. They lived on their own property in their own cities.

4 Some of the descendants of Judah and of Benjamin settled in Jerusalem. The descendants of Judah were Athaiah, who was the son of Uzziah, who was the son of Zechariah, who was the son of Amariah, who was the son of Shephatiah, who was the son of Mahalalel, who was the son of Perez;

5 Maaseiah was the son of Baruch, who was the son of Col Hozeh, who was the son of Hazaiah, who was the son of Adaiah, who was the son of Joiarib, who was the son of Zechariah, who was the son of Shiloni.