1 Chronicles 9:2

2 And they that dwelled first in their cities, and in the possessions of Israel, and the priests, and the deacons, and Nethinims, (And the first to return, and to live on their own possessions, or on their own property, in their cities, were the Israelites, and the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims.)

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 Therefore all Israel was numbered, and the sum of them was written in the book of [the] kings of Israel and of Judah; and they were translated into Babylon for their sin. (And so all Israel was listed, or registered, and their sum was written down in The Book of the Kings of Israel and of Judah; but they were carried away to Babylon because of their sins.)

2 And they that dwelled first in their cities, and in the possessions of Israel, and the priests, and the deacons, and Nethinims, (And the first to return, and to live on their own possessions, or on their own property, in their cities, were the Israelites, and the priests, and the Levites, and the Nethinims.)

3 dwelled in Jerusalem. Of the sons of Judah, and of the sons of Benjamin, also of the sons of Ephraim, and of Manasseh; (And they who lived in Jerusalem were of the sons of Judah, and of Benjamin, and of Ephraim, and of Manasseh;)

4 (of the sons of Judah;) Uthai, the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, of the sons of Pharez (of the sons of Perez), the son of Judah;

5 and of Shelah (and of the Shilonites/and of the Shelanites); Asaiah, the first begotten (son), and his sons;