Nehemiah 11:2

2 The people applauded those who voluntarily offered to live in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah 11:2 Meaning and Commentary

Nehemiah 11:2

And the people blessed all the men that willingly offered
themselves to dwell at Jerusalem.
] Who were not taken by lot, but of their own accord settled at Jerusalem; they praised them for it, and wished them all happiness and prosperity, since they denied themselves of ease and profit for the sake of the public good; and it is this which makes the difference between the list of the inhabitants of Jerusalem in ( 1 Chronicles 9:2 ) &c. and this here, that takes in all that settled there, whether voluntarily or by lot; this only such as were fixed by the lot, and of them only those who were of greatest note and esteem, as Jarchi observes, and so it follows.

Nehemiah 11:2 In-Context

1 The leaders of the people were already living in Jerusalem, so the rest of the people drew lots to get one out of ten to move to Jerusalem, the holy city, while the other nine remained in their towns.

2 The people applauded those who voluntarily offered to live in Jerusalem.

3 These are the leaders in the province who resided in Jerusalem (some Israelites, priests, Levites, Temple staff, and descendants of Solomon's slaves lived in the towns of Judah on their own property in various towns;

4 others from both Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem): From the family of Judah:

5 Maaseiah son of Baruch, the son of Col-Hozeh, the son of Hazaiah, the son of Adaiah, the son of Joiarib, the son of Zechariah, the son of the Shilonite.