Nehemiah 11

Jerusalem’s New Settlers

1 Now the leaders of the people settled in Jerusalem, and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, while the remaining nine ^[a] were to dwell in their own towns.

2 And the people blessed all the men who volunteered to live in Jerusalem.

3 These are the heads of the provinces who settled in Jerusalem. (In the villages of Judah, however, each lived on his own property in their towns—the Israelites, priests, Levites, temple servants, ^[b] and descendants of Solomon’s servants—

4 while some of the descendants of Judah and Benjamin settled in Jerusalem.) From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, the son of Zechariah, the son of Amariah, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Mahalalel, a descendant of Perez;

5 and 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, a descendant of Shelah. ^[c]

6 The descendants of Perez who settled in Jerusalem totaled 468 men of valor.

7 From the descendants of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, the son of Joed, the son of Pedaiah, the son of Kolaiah, the son of Maaseiah, the son of Ithiel, the son of Jeshaiah;

8 and his followers Gabbai and Sallai—928 men.

9 Joel son of Zichri was the officer over them, and Judah son of Hassenuah was over the Second District of the city. ^[d]

10 From the priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib; ^[e] Jachin;

11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the chief official of the house of God;

12 and their associates who did the work at the temple—822 men; Adaiah son of Jeroham, the son of Pelaliah, the son of Amzi, the son of Zechariah, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah;

13 and his associates, the leaders of families—242 men; Amashai son of Azarel, the son of Ahzai, the son of Meshillemoth, the son of Immer;

14 and his associates ^[f]—128 mighty men of valor. Zabdiel son of Haggedolim was their overseer.

15 From the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Bunni;

16 Shabbethai and Jozabad, two leaders of the Levites, who supervised the work outside the house of God;

17 Mattaniah son of Mica, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, who led in thanksgiving and prayer; Bakbukiah, second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

18 The Levites in the holy city totaled 284.

19 And the gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their associates, who kept watch at the gates—172 men.

Residents Outside Jerusalem

20 The rest of the Israelites, with the priests and Levites, were in all the villages of Judah, each on his own inheritance.

21 The temple servants lived on the hill of Ophel, with Ziha and Gishpa over them.

22 Now the overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica. ^[g] He was one of Asaph’s descendants, who were the singers in charge of the service of the house of God.

23 For there was a command from the king concerning the singers, an ordinance regulating their daily activities.

24 Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, a descendant of Zerah son of Judah, was the king’s agent ^[h] in every matter concerning the people.

25 As for the villages with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba, Dibon, Jekabzeel, and their villages;

26 in Jeshua, Moladah, and Beth-pelet;

27 in Hazar-shual; in Beersheba and its villages;

28 in Ziklag; in Meconah and its villages;

29 in En-rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuth,

30 Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages; in Lachish and its fields; and in Azekah and its villages. So they settled from Beersheba all the way to the Valley of Hinnom.

31 The descendants of Benjamin from Geba lived in Michmash, Aija, and Bethel with its villages;

32 in Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,

34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,

35 Lod, and Ono; and in the Valley of the Craftsmen. ^[i]

36 And some divisions of the Levites of Judah settled in Benjamin.

Nehemiah 11 Commentary

Chapter 11

The distribution of the people.

- In all ages, men have preferred their own ease and advantage to the public good. Even the professors of religion too commonly seek their own, and not the things of Christ. Few have had such attachment to holy things and holy places, as to renounce pleasure for their sake. Yet surely, our souls should delight to dwell where holy persons and opportunities of spiritual improvement most abound. If we have not this love to the city of our God, and to every thing that assists our communion with the Saviour, how shall we be willing to depart hence; to be absent from the body, that we may be present with the Lord? To the carnal-minded, the perfect holiness of the New Jerusalem would be still harder to bear than the holiness of God's church on earth. Let us seek first the favour of God, and his glory; let us study to be patient, contented, and useful in our several stations, and wait, with cheerful hope, for admission into the holy city of God.

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew nine hands
• [b]. Hebrew Nethinim; also in verse 21
• [c]. Or of the Shilonite
• [d]. Or was over the Second Quarter of the city, a newer section of Jerusalem; or was second in command of the city
• [e]. Or Jedaiah; the son of Joiarib;
• [f]. Most LXX manuscripts; Hebrew their associates
• [g]. Mica is a variant of Micaiah; see Nehemiah 12:35.
• [h]. Hebrew hand
• [i]. Hebrew in Ge-harashim

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO NEHEMIAH 11

This chapter treats of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, those of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, who settled there by lot, or of their own accord, their names and numbers, Ne 11:1-9, and of the priests and Levites who dwelt there, Ne 11:10-19, and of the rest of the people, priests, and Levites, that dwelt in the other cities and villages of Judah and Benjamin, Ne 11:20-36.