1 Chronicles 9:2

2 And the first inhabitants, who [are] in their possession, in their cities, of Israel, [are] the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim.

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 And all Israel have reckoned themselves by genealogy, and lo, they are written on the book of the kings of Israel and Judah -- they were removed to Babylon for their trespass.

2 And the first inhabitants, who [are] in their possession, in their cities, of Israel, [are] the priests, the Levites, and the Nethinim.

3 And in Jerusalem dwelt of the sons of Judah, and of the sons of Benjamin, and of the sons of Ephraim and Manasseh:

4 Uthai son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, of the sons of Pharez, son of Judah.

5 And of the Shilonite: Asaiah the first-born, and his sons.