Nehemiah 11

The Leaders and Servants in Jerusalem

1 Now the commanders of the people lived in Jerusalem, but the remainder of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city of Jerusalem, the [other] nine's place [was in] the [other] cities.

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

3 These are the heads of the province who lived in Jerusalem, but in the cities of Judah each one lived on his property in their cities: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon's servants.

4 And [some] from the descendants of Judah and Benjamin lived in Jerusalem. From the descendants of Judah: Athaiah son of Uzziah, son of Zechariah, son of Amariah, son of Shephatiah, son of Mahalalel, from the descendants of Perez;

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

6 All of the descendants of Perez who were living in Jerusalem [were] four hundred and sixty-eight able-bodied men.

7 These are the descendants of Benjamin: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Joed, son of Pedaiah, son of Kolaiah, son of Maaseiah, son of Ithiel, son of Jeshaiah.

8 And [following] after him Gabbai, Sallai, nine hundred and twenty-eight.

9 And Joel son of Zicri, their chief officer; and Judah son of Hassenuah, second [in command] over the city.

10 From the priests: Jedaiah son of Jehoiarib, Jakin,

11 Seraiah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub--the leader of the house of God--

12 and their brothers who did the work of the house, eight hundred and twenty-two. And Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pelaliah, son of Amzi, son of Zechariah, son of Pashhur, son of Malkijah,

13 and his brothers, heads of the {families}, two hundred and forty-two. And Amashai son of Azarel, son of Ahzai, son of Meshillemoth, son of Immer,

14 and their brothers; mighty warriors of strength, one hundred and twenty-eight. The chief officer over them [was] Zabdiel son of Hagedolim.

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

16 and Shabbethai and Jehozabad, leaders over the work of the Levites outside of the house of God;

17 Mattaniah son of Micah, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, [who was] the leader to begin the thanksgiving prayer, and Bakbukiah the second of his brothers; Abda son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun.

18 All of the Levites in the holy city [were] two hundred and eighty-four.

19 The gatekeepers: Akkub, Talmon, and their brothers, the keepers of the gates, one hundred and seventy-two.

20 And the remainder of Israel, the priests and the Levites, in all of the cities of Judah, each in his inheritance.

21 But the temple servants were living on the Ophel; Ziha and Gishpa [were] over the temple servants.

22 The chief officer of the Levites in Jerusalem [was] Uzzi son of Bani, son of Hashabiah, son of Mattaniah, son of Mica, from the descendants of Asaph, the singers over the work of the house of God.

23 For [there was] a command of the king concerning them and a regulation concerning the singers, required {day by day}.

24 And Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, from the descendants of Zerah the son of Judah, [was] at the hand of the king in all matters concerning the people.

Villages Outside of Jerusalem

25 As for the villages in their territories, [some] from the descendants of Judah lived in Kiriath-Arba and {its settlements}, Dibon and {its settlements}, Jekabzeel and {its settlements},

26 Jeshua, Moladah, Beth Pelet,

27 Hazar Shual, Beersheba and {its settlements},

28 Ziklad, Meconah and {its settlements},

29 En-Rimmon, Zorah, Jarmuch,

30 Zanoah, Adullam and {their settlements}, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and {its settlements}. So they camped from Beersheba up to [the] Valley [of] Hinnom.

31 The descendants of Benjamin from Geba, Micmash, Aija, Bethel and {their settlements},

32 Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah,

33 Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim,

34 Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat,

35 Lod, and Ono the valley of the artisans.

36 And from the Levites the working groups of Judah [were assigned] to 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]. Or "sons"
• [b]. Or "sons"
• [c]. Or "sons"
• [d]. Or "sons"
• [e]. Or "descendant"
• [f]. Or "sons"
• [g]. Or "sons"
• [h]. Literally "fathers"
• [i]. Or "descendant"
• [j]. Or "sons"
• [k]. Literally "a word for a day on his day"
• [l]. Or "sons"
• [m]. Or "sons"
• [n]. Literally "its daughters"
• [o]. Literally "its daughters"
• [p]. Literally "its daughters"
• [q]. Literally "its daughters"
• [r]. Literally "its daughters"
• [s]. Literally "their daughters"
• [t]. Literally "its daughters"
• [u]. Or "sons"
• [v]. Literally "their daughters"

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.