1 Chronicles 9:2

2 The first Israelites to return from exile to their homes and cities were the priests, the Levites, and the temple support staff.

1 Chronicles 9:2 Meaning and Commentary

1 Chronicles 9:2

Now the first inhabitants that dwelt in their possessions in
their cities
Who first returned from Babylon upon the proclamation of Cyrus, and enjoyed their former possessions, and dwelt in the cities they had before, or in such as were allotted them, or they chose:

[were], the Israelites, the priests, Levites, and the Nethinims;
the whole body that returned were divided into four classes, as they had been before the captivity; the Israelites were the common people in general, the body politic; the priests, the ecclesiastics, who officiated in sacred things; the Levites, who ministered to them; and the Nethinims were such persons as were "given", as the word signifies, to do servile work for the sanctuary, as, to be hewers of wood and drawers of water; such were the Gibeonites, ( Joshua 9:27 ) , and such as were appointed by David for such work, see ( Ezra 8:20 ) .

1 Chronicles 9:2 In-Context

1 This is the complete family tree for all Israel, recorded in the Royal Annals of the Kings of Israel and Judah at the time they were exiled to Babylon because of their unbelieving and disobedient lives.

2 The first Israelites to return from exile to their homes and cities were the priests, the Levites, and the temple support staff.

3 Returning to Jerusalem from the families of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh were the following:

4 Uthai son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, from the line of Perez son of Judah;

5 from the Shilonites were Asaiah the firstborn and his sons;